The first locally engineered and produced 7th generation Isuzu D-Max bakkie rolled off the production line at the Struandale plant last Thursday.
This signifies the beginning of Isuzu Motors South Africa’s (IMSAf) mass production of their soon-to-be-launched bakkie manufacturing plant in Gqeberha. This is a key milestone for Isuzu as this 7th generation bakkie is the culmination of a R1.2 billion investment in the business.
“Isuzu’s Struandale plant and the new generation Isuzu D-MAX programme are crucial to the communities in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro and the livelihoods of thousands in South Africa and Africa,” said Billy Tom, President and CEO of ISUZU Motors South Africa.
“We are delighted to see our significant investment in the motor industry come to fruition, and to secure the jobs of so many citizens while simultaneously bringing a vehicle re-engineered for African conditions to market.”
The investment was also crucial in ensuring the plant was upgraded to include state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment. The Isuzu manufacturing plant in Struandale now boasts a new body shop at the Struandale Manufacturing Plant, a new chassis assembly line at Isuzu’s Kempston Road facility, and significant modifications to the paint shop and general assembly areas.
Isuzu Motors South Africa will officially launch the Isuzu D-MAX on the 7th of April 2022 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.
