The South Africa facility will retain all 692 employees, support nearly 3,000 jobs and is scheduled to begin production in the middle of next year.
Chery Auto officially inaugurated the Rosslyn Plant in South Africa, turning the site into the company’s local manufacturing base after operating as an importer in the market. The plant, originally built in 1963 and acquired from a foreign company, is set for a full upgrade and renovation before entering production in the middle of next year. Chery Auto said it will retain all 692 employees and expects the project to drive nearly 3,000 jobs across the upstream and downstream industrial chain. After full ramp-up, the facility is expected to have annual production capacity of 50,000 vehicles per shift, while the company aims for an initial 40% localization rate by 2028. The company said the site is intended to become a broader automotive hub covering R&D (research and development), manufacturing, supply chain, skills training and regional operations for southern Africa. Chery Auto also outlined environmental and education initiatives in South Africa through partnerships with IUCN (global conservation union) and UNICEF, and said LEPAS, its new mid-to-premium brand, has entered the South African market ahead of the local launch of the LEPAS L6.