Isuzu Motors South Africa (IMSAf) has invested R510 million in supplier tooling and capability development as part of its ongoing commitment to strengthening South Africa’s automotive manufacturing ecosystem, supporting local suppliers, creating jobs and building long-term industrial capability.
The investment formed a key part of the development programme for the new ISUZU D-MAX and enabled local suppliers to expand production capacity, enhance manufacturing capabilities and meet ISUZU’s global quality standards. Through this investment, 729 vendor tools were developed across IMSAf’s supplier network, supporting the production of 250 locally sourced components for the new ISUZU D-MAX.
“Developing capable and competitive local suppliers is fundamental to the sustainability of South Africa’s automotive industry. Our investment extends beyond vehicle production. It is about creating opportunities for suppliers to grow, strengthening manufacturing capability and building a resilient supply chain that can support future vehicle programmes,” said Komane Pitso, Executive Vice President: Procurement and Logistics at Isuzu Motors South Africa.
The supplier development programme has delivered meaningful economic benefits within the Eastern Cape manufacturing sector, contributing to job creation, skills development and technology transfer.
VSL Manufacturing, incubated as part of IMSAf’s localisation strategy to support large stamping operations, created 52 new jobs and now manufactures 25 large pressed skin panels for the new ISUZU D-MAX, including the bonnet, body side panels, front and rear doors, and tailgates.
Chassis supplier Praga also expanded its operations, creating 34 new jobs to support the production of stamped and welded chassis frame assemblies supplied directly to IMSAf’s manufacturing plant in Gqeberha.
Beyond employment creation, the programme has accelerated technical capability within South Africa’s automotive supplier base.
“Localisation is a major enabler of skills development because it gives suppliers direct exposure to world-class automotive manufacturing requirements. Throughout the localisation journey there is extensive knowledge transfer with our international counterparts covering quality planning, process control, dimensional validation, tooling development and production readiness. Ultimately, localisation is not only about producing parts locally, but about building sustainable industrial capability in South Africa,” said Pitso.
The development of suppliers such as VSL Manufacturing included technical collaboration and skills transfer involving Isuzu Motors Limited in Japan, ISUZU Thailand and international technical partners, ensuring local suppliers could successfully meet ISUZU’s global manufacturing and quality standards. The supplier investments have also enabled IMSAf to deepen localisation and increase local content.
The new ISUZU D-MAX programme has achieved the localisation of 250 locally produced parts across the supplier network, further increasing local content beyond the levels achieved under the previous ISUZU D-MAX programme.
Locally manufactured components now include the bonnet, grille, tailgate, body side panels, door inners and outers, seat trim components, chassis frame assemblies, brake pedals, knuckles and selected plastic parts.
“We localise as much as possible where it makes sound business sense. Localisation enables us to leverage local manufacturing capability, reduce import duties and logistics costs, while simultaneously strengthening South Africa’s automotive and manufacturing supply chain and industrial capability,” said Pitso.
The latest ISUZU D-MAX reflects localisation growth across three key areas: styling changes introduced with the facelifted model, deeper localisation of chassis components, and expanded localisation of large stamping skin panels.
Pitso noted that the new ISUZU D-MAX demonstrates how supplier development and localisation work together to support both business competitiveness and broader economic development.
“The new ISUZU D-MAX represents a significant step forward in localisation while remaining aligned to ISUZU’s global manufacturing standards and maintaining the trusted reliability that customers expect. This programme has been supported through investments from both IMSAf and local suppliers in tooling, capability upgrades and production readiness,” he said.
Looking ahead, IMSAf remains aligned with the objectives of the South African Automotive Masterplan and will continue focusing on supplier development, SME growth, localisation expansion and strengthening the competitiveness of South Africa’s automotive manufacturing sector.
“We will continue to play a meaningful role in strengthening South Africa’s automotive manufacturing ecosystem. By supporting supplier development and growing local manufacturing capability, we are contributing to the long-term competitiveness and sustainability of the industry,” concluded Pitso.
