Chery upgrades Pretoria automotive plant to kickstart local production
A Chinese automotive giant transitions from vehicle importer to local manufacturer with a major investment in the historic Rosslyn facility.
Chery South Africa has officially opened its renamed Chery Rosslyn manufacturing plant in Pretoria, following its acquisition of Nissan’s historic assembly plant.
This marks the Chinese brand’s transition from a vehicle importer to a local manufacturer. The firm plans to invest in retrofitting and upgrading the plant’s facilities and utilities over the next 12 months, with the first units expected to roll off the assembly line by mid-2027.
While Chery has yet to confirm its full local production roster, high-volume models like the increasingly popular Jetour T1 and T2, the Jaecoo J5, and the Chery Tiggo Cross are already locked in for 2027 production at Rosslyn.
During the ramp-up period spanning six months over Q3 and Q4 2027, Chery aims to produce 15 000 units in total, or 2 500 vehicles per month. Thereafter, the facility will work towards its maximum annual production capacity of 50 000 vehicles.
The manufacturer will retain 692 existing employees, while creating nearly 3 000 additional direct and indirect jobs across manufacturing, supply chain, and services. Furthermore, the company has launched an extensive localisation programme with Tier 1 suppliers, targeting a 40% local component threshold for fully produced vehicles.
Chery aims to establish SA as its African manufacturing, export, and R&D headquarters. By turning Rosslyn into a comprehensive automotive hub and expanding its local dealer network, Chery is setting the stage for long-term regional growth, with the ultimate goal of exceeding 100 000 annual vehicle sales in South Africa.
As a reminder, the Chery Group’s local brand portfolio comprises Chery, Omoda, Jaecoo, iCar, and Lepas. While Jetour operates independently from Chery on a local level, the two entities are closely related globally, with the latter ultimately falling under the broader Chery Group umbrella.
Browse thousands of new and used cars here with CARmag.
The post Chery SA officially opens Rosslyn Plant appeared first on CAR Magazine.
Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel.
Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
