Port Elizabeth - Isuzu Motors South Africa has shifted all of its production under one roof.
This follows the decision to end production of the truck range at the company’s Kempston Road facility, moving it to the Struandale plant that currently produces the KB bakkie range, and which previously built Chevrolet and Opel vehicles before General Motors disinvested in 2017.
Isuzu’s Manufacturing and Supply Chain Executive Johan Vermeulen sees the move as an ideal opportunity to correct historical layout inefficiencies:
"Materials are now stored closer to the truck line which reduces travel distances substantially,” Vermeulen said.
“This improves efficiency and eliminates waste and unnecessary cost. We also used the opportunity to work together with our source plant to change the way that material is packed, providing us with easier access to the correct material at the correct time. We also came up with some innovative solutions with regards to material storage."
The move has also seen a 50 percent improvement in space utilisation, according to Isuzu, while the entrenching of a single team culture and shared production learning among staff is seen as a further advantage.
The consolidation follows the merging of Isuzu’s truck and bakkie businesses early in 2018, following GM’s exit from the local market.
