Inside Toyota's Manufacturing Plant in Prospecton
By: Dylan Naidoo
Coveted as a major manufacturer and exporter of their vehicles, Toyota South African Motors (TSAM) remains a core part of not only Durban’s infrastructure, but KZN as a whole. According to Ryan Bubear from Cars.co.za, TSAM regularly ranks as one of South Africa’s major vehicle exporters to Europe, with major export destinations such as Germany and the United Kingdom (UK), as well as Africa and Australia. But this success is not only exclusive to overseas markets, as TSAM has consistently been ranked as one of the best-selling automakers in South Africa, thanks to successful models such as the Hilux and Corolla Cross. Let’s not forget, these successful vehicles were manufactured at their plant in Prospecton, Durban, an opportunity we had to tour.
Grant Adlam, CEO of KZN Top Business, and I had the very exclusive opportunity to take a tour of Toyota’s manufacturing plant in Prospecton. And after a rather quiet shuttle ride to the plant, wow was I amazed at what I saw. Toyotas were pretty much everywhere you looked, new and old. And getting ourselves comfortable at the auditorium, out came on stage TSAM’s President and CEO, Andrew Kirby, with a speech on the facility.
The Prospecton plant started production in 1972, with the goal to build vehicles that emphasise quality, durability, and match the rigorous build standards of their Japanese facilities. Outside of Toyota’s homeland, Toyota’s Prospecton plant remains the oldest manufacturing plant in the world, employing over 7500 people in the plant alone. The plant is largely well known for building the Hilux, but has made many successful vehicles such as the Fortuner, HiAce and Corolla Cross (and the now discontinued Corolla Quest). Especially in the case of the Hilux and HiAce, these vehicles essentially form the backbone of both South Africa’s transport and business industry, with the Hilux heavily converted as South Africa’s favourite bakkie. But seeing this widely successful bakkie on the assembly line is a whole other experience on its own.
Nigel Ward, Executive Vice President of TSAM, gave my group a tour, whilst Kirby gave Grant Adlam’s group a tour from his side.
All of TSAM’s vehicles start at the press plant, where all body panels are made using high pressure presses, such as doors, hoods and bumpers. The plant does this for the Hilux, Fortuner and Corolla Cross. Panels are, according to TSAM, ensured to be of high quality, as quality remains a major element for TSAMs production. Our tour specifically showed off how doors’ hoods, rear boots, side panels and bumpers are made, and the first thing I noticed is just how automated everything is. I was expecting automation, but I was surprised to see just how many automation robots there were.
After the press plant is the welding plant, where parts are fitted to the frame of the vehicles. Parts from this process come from either the press plant or parts sourced directly from overseas. Body panels are also meticulously checked here to ensure optimal quality (By hand as well, might I add). In this welding facility, there is a mix of both automated robots and people that work there.
Whilst we didn’t get much into the paint facility, what we did see was the roll out line, where we would see where the actual place of that iconic photo of the very first 9th generation Hilux rolled off the assembly line. And it is that entire process that ensures a Hilux rolls off the assembly line every 90 seconds!
Toyota South Africa Motors’ (TSAM) manufacturing plant in Prospecton is an important part of Durban’s automotive industry. Through its significant contribution to the industry, the company supports job creation and economic growth in KwaZulu-Natal. Its recent R10.4 billion investment further demonstrates its commitment to the region, making TSAM a welcome contributor to the province’s economy.
