MOTORING NEWS - The Ford Struandale engine plant in Port Elizabeth has reached significant production milestones in 2017.
The plant is gearing up for expanded production to support the R3-billion investment in its local operations by Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA).
In December 2017, the Struandale plant assembled its 500 000th Duratorq TDCi turbo diesel for the new Ford Ranger since 2011.
The vehicle is built at Ford's Silverton assembly plant near Pretoria and exported to over 148 markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
This takes the total volume of engines produced at the Port Elizabeth plant to 3,3-million units since it opened its doors in 1964.
Ford has a proud history in Port Elizabeth, having started its operations in the city in 1923.
The Struandale plant has been a cornerstone of Ford's South African legacy, evolving over the past 53 years to become a regional centre of excellence for the Ranger engine export programme.
"Reaching 500 000 Duratorq TDCi engines and a cumulative 3,3-million engines since 1964, is a fantastic achievement for the plant that competes with some of the best Ford plants in the world," says Ockert Berry, vice president of Ford operations for Middle East and Africa.
"It is one of the Eastern Cape's top exporters, contributing to the success of the automotive industry and its supplier network in the region."
Fully assembled 2,2-litre four-cylinder and 3,2-litre five-cylinder Duratorq TDCi engines are supplied to the Silverton assembly plant for installation in the locally built Ford Ranger pick-up and the seven-seater Ford Everest SUV.
Engines are also exported to India and China to support their production of the Ford Everest. Five-cylinder units are being shipped to North America for the Ford Transit.
A total of 34 engine derivatives are produced for the various vehicle applications.
Along with its assembly operations, the Struandale engine plant also machines components for the Duratorq TDCi engines, comprising the cylinder head, block and crankshaft, which are used for local engine assembly, as well as export to Ford engine plants in Argentina and Thailand.
More than 1,3-million component sets have been produced since 2011.
"Due to its unprecedented global success, demand continues to grow locally and internationally for the Ford Ranger," Berry states.
"Accordingly, we have invested R3-billion for both product and capacity-related actions to accommodate the increasing market demand for the Ranger in South Africa and export markets.
"The Struandale plant already achieved its highest-ever volumes for component machining and engine assembly during 2017.
"We expect to set new records again in 2018."
Ford is also preparing for the launch of the first Ranger Raptor. "We're exceptionally proud to confirm that this highly anticipated performance model will be assembled in South Africa from 2019," says Dr Casper Kruger, managing director of Ford Motor Company Sub-Saharan Africa Region.
The Ford Ranger Raptor is a purpose-built, desert-racing inspired model that builds on the unrivalled heritage of Ford Performance's legendary F-150 Raptor, the world's most extreme production pickup.
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