FAW South Africa has established a solid base in the country and is striving to become a force within the South African commercial trucking sector.

The new state-of-the-art FAW truck plant currently being built at the Coega Industrial Development Zone in the Eastern Cape proves the company is committed to establishing and growing its business in a very significant way.

The company’sdecision to build the plant in South Africa is significant as it is, to date, one of the most important investments made by a Chinese entity in South Africa. The total investment of approximately US$100 million (R1.03 billion) has been financed by FAW China and the China-Africa Development Fund.

The arrival of FAW in this region adds yet another blue-chip automobile company to the province. The facility is scheduled for completion in December 2013 and the plant will have an initial annual output of 5 000 trucks a year with passenger cars and light commercial vehicles going into production in the near future. The first trucks to be assembled in the new plant will roll off the assembly line in the second quarter of 2014.

China FAW Group Corporation, commonly referred to as FAW due to its original name of First Automotive Works, is a global leader in the vehicle manufacturing industry with a 60-year history of innovation. Founded in 1953, FAW also has joint venture operations with many of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers, including Volkswagen, Audi, Toyota, GM and Mazda.

In South Africa since 1994, FAW SA has established itself in the local commercial truck market with a diverse and carefully selected product range that caters for industries ranging from transport and logistics to mining and construction. Thecompany is in a unique position to offer competitive pricing, without compromising quality in any way, because of its policy of simplifying the mechanics of its vehicles, making it a company for the times.

FAW SA has a growing network currently comprising of 20 sales and service dealerships and 10 stand-alone service dealerships, including major representation in Johannesburg, Pinetown and Cape Town, and new dealers being appointed on a continual basis. Field service is provided by trained staff in fully equipped mobile field service vehicles.

FAW SA is committed to offering vehicles that are engineered, developed and rigorously tested to meet the harsh operating conditions in Africa. Along with this commitment is the desired intention to continue expansion into the emerging markets of sub-Saharan Africa, making FAW South Africa a major distribution hub for trucks and parts for the whole of Africa.