Awards for Ford’s engine plant

Technologies and systems introduced by Ford at its Struandale engine plant in Port Elizabeth have earned top honours at the Exporters Eastern Cape awards

Ford’s Struandale engine plant in Port Elizabeth was recently honoured at the annual Exporters Eastern Cape awards ceremony, earning two category wins and a merit award.

The Exporter of the Year banquet, which was held at The Boardwalk Convention Centre, saw the company receive the coveted Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Job Creation Award for creating the most sustainable number of jobs within the business sector in the last financial year. Additionally, the engine plant earned the SJM Flex Environmental Award for excellence in environmental management.

The brand was also awarded a merit certificate in the automotive sector’s Best Exporter OEM category, emphasising the significant role Ford’s Port Elizabeth operations play in the growth and prosperity of the Eastern Cape economy.

“The Exporter of the Year awards recognise the outstanding work our team has done to achieve volume growth and introduce a second diesel-engine programme in a highly competitive global automotive market, as well as a domestic economic environment that remains under pressure,” says John Cameron, plant manager at Struandale.

Production of the advanced, new-generation 2,0-litre Bi-Turbo and Single Turbo engines commenced at the end of last year. The units power selected Ford Ranger, Ranger Raptor and Everest models that are assembled in Silverton, Pretoria, for local and export markets. They are produced alongside the current 2,2 and 3,2-litre Duratorq TDCi engines and machined components that are used for local assembly and supplied to export customers around the world.

“Accompanying the increases in our production capacity is a pleasing upward trend of creating new employment opportunities at the plant and our growing network of local suppliers,” Cameron said. “This is supported by our ongoing commitment to investing in our people through training and skills development, extending our successful learnership programme to benefit hundreds of young people, as well as supporting the surrounding communities through numerous outreach initiatives.”

Ford continues to invest in technologies and systems that enhance operating efficiencies with minimal impact on the environment, resulting in noteworthy improvements in electricity and water consumption over the past five years.

Recycling initiatives have also been expanded to cut the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, while 100 indigenous trees have been planted at the Struandale site to reduce the company’s carbon footprint.