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Home / H100 Bakkie rolls off local assembly line in Hyundai factory
H100 Bakkie rolls off local assembly line in Hyundai factory
2015-03-26Staff Report 2 WINDHOEK – The Commercial Vehicles Division of Hyundai Automotive South Africa has begun production of the popular H100 Bakkie from its assembly plant in Benoni on the East Rand – little more than six months after the factory was opened in September 2014 for the initial production of the HD truck range. H100 Bakkies, assembled from components imported from South Korea, are now produced daily for the commercial market in South Africa – creating value for Hyundai Automotive SA’s customers and increasing jobs for local factory workers. One of the reasons why the 1.3-tonne H100 truck – or the ‘bakkie’, as it is known in South Africa – was considered for local assembly is because it is one of the most successful vehicles in the local model range of Hyundai Automotive South Africa. The H100 has operated worldwide under some of the toughest working conditions, and has elevated the Hyundai workhorse to a position among the toughest light commercial vehicles available today – and rightfully so. Close to 60 000 of the H100 bakkies have been sold since Hyundai Automotive SA started operating in 2000, and it has become a workhorse for many smaller as well as large, established businesses and organisations in South Africa. It is also the perfect all-round vehicle for a small family business, with a proven track record of reliability. A full-time quality control engineer does duty at the assembly plant, and Hyundai Motor Company has sent a team of five engineers to South Africa in February to oversee quality control procedures and to train and up skill the local workforce at the factory. Assembly of the second batch of 60 H100 units has already started on the production line in the Apex, Benoni, factory with the aim of rolling out 360 Bakkies per month when full production is reached at about September this year. Components of the H100, such as the engine, cabin, seats, tyres and different suspension elements of the ladder-frame chassis of the Bakkie, arrive in South Africa in containers – packed economically and reducing the freight costs associated with the importation of a fully built-up unit. As is the case with the HD trucks being produced in the assembly plant since last year, several applications and permutations is possible due to customised fitment of different load boxes and canopies on the H100’s sturdy frame. One of the popular solutions is the Hyundai H100 canopies, manufactured by Beekman, an Imperial subsidiary, that are designed to keep cargo protected from the elements as they are weather, fade and water resistant. The high-quality canopy also features a lockable rear door that keeps your cargo safe from theft and intruders. The canopy comes in three separate styles – the half door, full door or nose cone/space saver – there is one for your business, no matter what the requirements. 2015-03-26Staff Report 2
