Toyota had some bad luck earlier this year, but the top automaker seems to be back in full swing with the opening of its R365million parts warehouse in Johannesburg, and its Prospecton plant reopening imminently. | Wheels24
The facility is now the biggest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.Toyota Motors has taken a massive knock in sales and local production since its Prospecton plan was shut down earlier in April due to the horrific floods in KwaZulu-Natal. They have since been cleaning up, and the plant is set to reopen early in August, albeit a smaller capacity run, until they can safely be fully operational again.
"It also gives me great pleasure to announce that this facility will be known as the Toyota Africa Parts Centre or the TAPC." The warehouse stocks everything from small parts, including bolts and washers, which the dealer can order one of, as well as all the fast-moving parts like service items and repair parts for popular models as well as larger parts like glass, leaf springs, body panels and even complete engine assemblies.Managing a facility like this is a complex affair, as the team is always trying to do better to improve their predictability.
The expansion of the warehouse will allow the Toyota Africa Parts Centre to not only supply parts to its 277 Toyota, Lexus and Hino dealerships in South Africa and the surrounding countries, but it is now a vital continental hub servicing 36 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa as well as a further six international export markets.