Ford gears up for strong MEA market
FORD is gearing up to move in on anticipated strong growth in the new-vehicle market in the Middle East and Africa.
The vehicle manufacturer expects double-digit growth in the car market in this region by the end of the decade, boosting total car sales for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region up to 5.5 million units a year. This implies a 40percent growth rate in the six-year period from 2014.
Jacques Brent, the president of the Ford Motor Company’s MEA business unit said Ford regarded this as the final frontier for global automotive growth.
The region previously formed part of Ford’s Asia Pacific and Emerging Market Services division run out of Dearborn in Detroit in the US.
Brent said although the MEA business unit was formed two years ago, Ford had a long history in many markets in the region and had been selling vehicles in some of them for more than 90 years.
Drive market share
“Our MEA operations now include three assembly plants across South Africa and Nigeria while directly employing about 3 700 people in the region,” he said. “It is our aim to use the introduction of a host of new products to drive market share. Ford has 67 markets in North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, Southern Africa and the Middle East.
Brent said the establishment of the MEA head office in Dubai had resulted in more people in the region having the opportunity to gain international experience, with 188 people employed in Dubai at present.
Brent said the most of the economies in the MEA region relied heavily on oil or natural resources as income generators.
“The situation in the MEA at present is a perfect storm in that the economies of most of the countries in the region are currently in a downturn largely due to falling prices for their major export commodities.
Brent said their major thrust in growing Ford’s market share would come from the affordability of their products and their suitability for the MEA region while ensuring customers had access to top quality service and a healthy parts supply.