Toyota SA anticipates full production will resume at KZN plant in September

With the announcement that Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) has again topped the local new-vehicle sales charts in July 2022, the company has announced that it envisages full production – matching pre-flood levels – would be achieved at its KZN plant by the end of September 2022.

“The loyalty shown by our customers has helped to re-energise us”

As a reminder, plant operations were suspended on 12 April 2022 owing to the excessive damage caused by the floods at the KZN factory. However, TSAM says operations have ramped up at its manufacturing plant in Durban, with the Catalytic Converter Exhaust Export facility resuming operations on 9 May, the Hino plant on 24 May, and the Hilux and Fortuner lines on 21 July.

Corolla Cross production started last week. The firm has further announced that Corolla Quest production will resume operations during the month. 

“The incredible loyalty shown by our customers over the last few months has also helped to re-energise and motivate us. This has been encouraging, considering that production ceased for more than three months at our Prospecton Plant in Durban following extensive damage caused by the floods. We are truly grateful to our colleagues at Prospecton in Durban for their massive efforts in reviving our plant,” said senior vice president of sales and marketing at TSAM Leon Theron.

“We are still committed to our 2022 sales target of 131 000”

“We are thankful to our fleet owners and rental companies for their continued support in these trying economic times. We are also grateful to our dealer network and all Toyota staff for their sterling efforts in making Toyota such a competitive brand,” added Theron. 

As a reminder, in July 2022, TSAM sold 7 110 new vehicles. The Urban Cruiser led the way (read our in-depth review here), with 1 854 units sold. The Starlet (read our launch review here) recorded a sales figure of 1 264 units and the Rumion, 276. A total number of 1 012 Hilux bakkies were sold. 

“We have sold 71 111 vehicles year-to-date, although we have lost close to 80 000 units in production due to the floods that forced us to cease manufacturing at the plant. However, we are still committed to our 2022 sales target of 131 000,” said Theron.