Zambia not affected by recalls, assures Toyota
By Kabanda Chulu
Mon 18 Apr. 2011, 03:59 CAT
TOYOTA Motor Corporation has assured the Zambian market that it will not be affected by the recall of vehicles since the company has not yet supplied hybrid brands that have been experiencing faulty systems in other parts of the world.
And the government has challenged Toyota Zambia and other entities in the motor vehicle industry to explore opportunities available in the sector and start production of motor vehicle parts in the country.
In an interview following the commissioning of the remodelled and upgraded Toyota Zambia Copperbelt branch office complex on Friday, Toyota head of Africa strategic planning Yoshikata Shinhara said the challenges faced with the recall of some motor vehicles will not affect Zambia and the African continent in general.
“In fact, issues to do with the recall process have been resolved and it mainly affected hybrid brands which we have not yet started supplying the African markets,” he said.
He said the company had no immediate plans to set up a motor assembly plant in Zambia.
“We have five markets in the region and these are Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe and at the moment, the South African plant is able to supply these markets but when need arises, we shall consider opening assembly plants in one or two of the countries,” Shinhara said.
He said the Copperbelt was among promising markets in Africa.
“Hence, we have decided to make further investments of approximately US $3 million and expand our facility to provide excellent experience to people owning Toyota products,” he said.
And commerce, trade and industry minister Felix Mutati expressed optimism that Toyota Zambia would grow and become a major force in attracting investment into actual assembly or manufacturing of motor vehicles in the country.
“Zambia is endowed with various mineral resources that can be used as key components in the production of various motor vehicle parts and accessories and I challenge Toyota Zambia and other entities in the motor vehicle industry to explore opportunities available in the sector by starting local production of vehicle parts,” said Mutati in a speech read by Kitwe district commissioner McDonald Mtine.
And Copperbelt Toyota general manager Kennedy Kabaghe said the company was committed to its operations in Zambia and would enhance provision of high level of excellent services under the renovated office complex.
Labels: CARS, TOYOTA
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Chavez threatens to oust Toyota
By CARACAS (Reuters)
Fri 25 Dec. 2009, 11:00 CAT
Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez has threatened to expel Japanese carmaker Toyota unless it produces an all-terrain model of 4x4 vehicles used for public transport in poor and rural areas.
The fiery socialist, in a speech late on Wednesday, also said he would not hesitate to expel and expropriate plants from other Asian and U.S. automobile companies operating in Venezuela if they failed to share technology with locals.
"What's this that Toyota doesn't want to make the 'rustic' model here?" Chavez said, during a ceremony in Caracas to hand owners the keys to economically produced cars that Venezuela's government has imported from Argentina.
"We must force them. And if they don't, then they should leave and we'll bring another company in ... The Chinese want to come and they make 'rustic' models."
During a decade in power, Chavez has nationalised large swathes of the Venezuela economy including the oil and power sectors as part of his "21st century revolution" but has so far left car manufacturing relatively untouched.
He turned on Toyota, the world's biggest automaker, when a transporter said there was a scarcity of all-terrain models to serve people in under-privileged areas.
Caracas' poor mainly live in hillside slums, while many rural areas lack decent roads, meaning tough 4x4s are the main means of transport.
Chavez ordered his Trade Minister Eduardo Saman to carry out a "severe inspection" of Toyota, and warned other companies they must start sharing technology with Venezuelans.
"You tell the people at Toyota that they have to produce this model and we are going to impose a quota, and if they don't meet it, we will punish them," he told Saman, adding that the state would not hesitate to expropriate Toyota's facilities and pay appropriate compensation.
CAR INDUSTRY IN TROUBLE
Following Chavez's speech, Toyota has asked the Japanese government to verify the true intentions of his remarks as he has not contacted the company on the issue, Toyota's Tokyo-based spokesman Yuta Kaga said on Friday.
Spokesmen for Toyota's Venezuelan unit, which operates an assembly plant in the eastern state of Sucre, were not available to comment on Thursday.
But a source at the company said Toyota had stopped assembling the model in question which he identified as Land Cruiser 70 in 2007, with the government's full knowledge.
It planned to import instead, but had not received the necessary licence, he added.
"The government was informed, it can't be a surprise," the source said, adding that most Toyota managers were on holiday but were communicating with each other about Chavez's speech.
In addition to Toyota, Japan's Mitsubishi as well as Hyundai and General Motors have assembly plants in South America's top oil-exporting nation, whose people are known for their love of cars.
"Companies who come here to set up must be ready to transfer technology to us," Chavez said.
"If they don't want to, they should go away. I invite them to pick up their things and go," he added, saying companies from allies like China, Russia, Belorussia and Iran were ready to take their place.
Lack of access to dollars at the official exchange rate, and labour disputes, have combined with a recession to hit the automobile industry hard in Venezuela this year.
According to latest figures from the Venezuela Automobile Chamber, car sales in November were down 40 percent at 10,075 units, compared with the same month last year.
Labels: HUGO CHAVEZ, TOYOTA, VENEZUELA
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Toyota Zambia, RSZ sign K7.6bn deal
By Kelvin Tembo
Saturday March 08, 2008 [03:00]
RAILWAY Systems of Zambia (RSZ) has signed a K7.6 billion deal with Toyota Zambia to procure utility vehicles to improve its operations. RSZ chief executive officer Benjamin Evens revealed this at the handover of newly acquired vehicles at Lusaka RSZ offices on Thursday. Evens said the company was committed to investing in its operations.
“The company is ready to revive the country’s railway transport sector through a direct cash investment to improve operations of the company,” Evens said.
He said the company had procured a fleet of brand new motor vehicles in form of light trucks and delivery vans from Toyota Zambia at K7.6 billion.
Evens said management had released an initial 16 vans at a cost of K1.52 billion which would be distributed to various railway stations along the line of rail.
“The vehicles are not for managers but specifically for improving the company’s operations, including rolling stock infrastructure as well as its service delivery,” Evens said.
And RSZ corporate affairs executive manager Charles Phiri said re-investment in equipment, motor vehicles and the recent rehabilitation of the passenger coaches would revive the railway transport sector.
Phiri also complained that the increasing levels of vandalism were hindering development for the company.
He called on members of the public to guard against vandalism to help the company improve its service delivery.
Labels: RSZ, TOYOTA
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