Toyota re-opens Prospecton plant
Toyota is working hard to reach pre-flood production levels.
THE South Africa Motors (TSAM) production plant in Prospecton resumed operations after production was halted due to damages caused by floods in April.
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The re-opening ceremony was attended by TSAM top management as well as the newly elected premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, and Siboniso Duma, the new MEC of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs.
President and CEO of TSAM Andrew Kirby said the process towards the plant’s full recovery has been long, with pre-flood production levels forecasted to be achieved in December. TSAM was enjoying a healthy market share of 30% in the country, on average, before its production plant in Durban was submerged in water. This led to its market share shrinking to 16.3% in July. Despite this, the Toyota brand held onto its number-one position in sales.
Prior to the floods, operations were halted in 2020 due to Covid-19-induced lockdowns, as well as the civil unrest of July 2021.
“Despite these challenges, there was no impact at all to Toyota’s long-term future in South Africa. The commitment to rebuild this site has been incredible. We know that our recovery will not be smooth, but by next year, we plan to be stronger and better than we were before,” said Kirby.
Premier Dube-Ncube commended the company for the strides it took in reviving operations.
“To all the stakeholders who participated in the clean-up operations, we would really like to thank you as the government of KZN. We know that through your hard work and agility, you were able to save people’s jobs,” said Dube-Ncube.
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