Automotive components manufacturers SAS Automotive RSA and Faurecia
Front-End South Africa last week officially opened their joint
manufacturing facility in Rosslyn, outside Pretoria, to supply
parts for the BMW E90, the latest 3-series model from the German
carmaker.
The plant is a 12 000 m2 custom-built production facility in the Automotive Supplier Park.
Faurecia manufactures the front-end module for the vehicle, while SAS Automotive RSA produces the new cockpit for the E90.
The front-end commonly refers to the structural carrier at the front of the car, as well as the cooling system, bumper fascia, crash boxes and bumper beam it holds.
SAS Automotive RSA is a fully-owned local subsidiary of SAS Automotive Systems, of Germany, which, in turn, is a 50:50 joint venture between the French-listed company Faurecia and the German company Siemens VDO Automotive.
Speaking at the opening of the factory, SAS Automotive RSA vice-president and Faurecia MD Dr Albrecht Piro revealed that the plant is scheduled to ramp up production to 250 cockpit and front-end units a day by August, from 150 a day currently - to coincide with BMW South Africa's planned output growth.
While the two first-tier suppliers currently focus solely on the supply of BMW components, Piro stated that plans are under way to secure other supply contracts as well.
The joint venture is also in the process of completing a localisation programme with BMW, which would add more second- and third-tier suppliers to the supply-chain - a move which would, to some extent, offset the challenge of the long supply pipeline from Europe which the companies currently face, Piro explained.
SAS Automotive RSA executive vice-president and CEO Dr Thomas Waldhier described the new facility as a “milestone” for the SAS Automotive Systems group, being only the third plant located outside of Europe. The group currently operates 19 plants in 11 countries.
Worldwide, SAS Automotive Systems has recently shown tremendous growth, with 3,3-million cockpits produced last year and 3,8-million units envisaged for this year.
Waldhier explained that the decision to produce the front-end and cockpit modules under the same management and at the same plant was driven by the need to manage costs effectively and avoid duplication.
Also attending the opening was BMW managing director Wolfgang Stadler, who praised the car manufacturer's first-tier suppliers for their dedication to quality.
BMW's South African facility has recently moved from being a world-class operation to No 1 in the Southern Hemisphere in terms of technical advancement.
Following the start of the new 3-series production, Stadler said, it took a mere six weeks for BMW South Africa to attain the quality standard of its parent company in Germany - a fact that further testifies to the hard work of the carmaker's component suppliers.
The plant is a 12 000 m2 custom-built production facility in the Automotive Supplier Park.
Faurecia manufactures the front-end module for the vehicle, while SAS Automotive RSA produces the new cockpit for the E90.
The front-end commonly refers to the structural carrier at the front of the car, as well as the cooling system, bumper fascia, crash boxes and bumper beam it holds.
SAS Automotive RSA is a fully-owned local subsidiary of SAS Automotive Systems, of Germany, which, in turn, is a 50:50 joint venture between the French-listed company Faurecia and the German company Siemens VDO Automotive.
Speaking at the opening of the factory, SAS Automotive RSA vice-president and Faurecia MD Dr Albrecht Piro revealed that the plant is scheduled to ramp up production to 250 cockpit and front-end units a day by August, from 150 a day currently - to coincide with BMW South Africa's planned output growth.
While the two first-tier suppliers currently focus solely on the supply of BMW components, Piro stated that plans are under way to secure other supply contracts as well.
The joint venture is also in the process of completing a localisation programme with BMW, which would add more second- and third-tier suppliers to the supply-chain - a move which would, to some extent, offset the challenge of the long supply pipeline from Europe which the companies currently face, Piro explained.
SAS Automotive RSA executive vice-president and CEO Dr Thomas Waldhier described the new facility as a “milestone” for the SAS Automotive Systems group, being only the third plant located outside of Europe. The group currently operates 19 plants in 11 countries.
Worldwide, SAS Automotive Systems has recently shown tremendous growth, with 3,3-million cockpits produced last year and 3,8-million units envisaged for this year.
Waldhier explained that the decision to produce the front-end and cockpit modules under the same management and at the same plant was driven by the need to manage costs effectively and avoid duplication.
Also attending the opening was BMW managing director Wolfgang Stadler, who praised the car manufacturer's first-tier suppliers for their dedication to quality.
BMW's South African facility has recently moved from being a world-class operation to No 1 in the Southern Hemisphere in terms of technical advancement.
Following the start of the new 3-series production, Stadler said, it took a mere six weeks for BMW South Africa to attain the quality standard of its parent company in Germany - a fact that further testifies to the hard work of the carmaker's component suppliers.
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Edited by: Martin Czernowalow
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