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Metro unveils EC’s R394m industrial park
Posted on: Thursday, 04 November 2004. Article source: The Herald
The metro officially unveiled its plans for a multi-million rand logistics and light industrial assembly park for the Eastern Cape at the Auto Africa motoring show in Nasrec, Johannesburg yesterday.
Named Nelson Mandela Bay Logistics Park, this R394-million development spanning 150ha will be located in the automotive stronghold of Uitenhage.
The park is aimed at stimulating sustainable economic growth by grouping different technologies, suppliers and service providers for the local automotive industry together in a central hub, designed on the basis of Just-In-Time (JIT) management.
It is the second of its kind in the country and mirrors the Automotive Supplier Park in Rosslyn, Pretoria.
Construction to phase one of the park, accounting for R113-million of the total development, will start by the end of this year and the first tenants will take occupation in the first quarter of 2005.
“I am confident the groundwork will start by the end of November this year. Some hold-ups exist with legal administration and metro consent is still needed for a road link to the park,” said Lance Schultz from the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC) which helped design the park.
Phase one extends over 45ha and is driven by anchor investor, Schnellecke, a German logistics services supplier which will occupy 6 000m² for their buildings.
Nine other tenants have committed to phase one, but cannot be named as they are in a sensitive negotiations stage with their international holding companies.
Schultz highlighted some of the broader socio-economic opportunities the park will create in addition to an expected R527-million growth in the province’s Gross Domestic Product.
These included up to 4 650 jobs during the construction phases and 160 permanent positions in park management, security, maintenance, medical support services and canteen facilities.
“About 1 600 permanent jobs will also be created due to five percent industry growth and the knock-on impact,” said Schultz.
The project was initiated in June last year by the Uitenhage Despatch Development Initiative which, in its quest for economic rejuvenation, led a feasibility study undertaken by the AIDC, Schultz said.
Attending the launch was a high powered delegation from the metro and AIDC as well as MEC for Economic affairs and Tourism for the Eastern Cape, Andre de Wet.
Deputy Mayor Bicks Ndoni said the metro was willing to work with investors, to support them and encourage them to expand their operations.
De Wet said the provincial government was committed to the development of the park and vowed its financial support.
“The nucleus of future development is in the Eastern Cape, it is the area in South Africa where action is about to take place,” said De Wet.
Named Nelson Mandela Bay Logistics Park, this R394-million development spanning 150ha will be located in the automotive stronghold of Uitenhage.
The park is aimed at stimulating sustainable economic growth by grouping different technologies, suppliers and service providers for the local automotive industry together in a central hub, designed on the basis of Just-In-Time (JIT) management.
It is the second of its kind in the country and mirrors the Automotive Supplier Park in Rosslyn, Pretoria.
Construction to phase one of the park, accounting for R113-million of the total development, will start by the end of this year and the first tenants will take occupation in the first quarter of 2005.
“I am confident the groundwork will start by the end of November this year. Some hold-ups exist with legal administration and metro consent is still needed for a road link to the park,” said Lance Schultz from the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC) which helped design the park.
Phase one extends over 45ha and is driven by anchor investor, Schnellecke, a German logistics services supplier which will occupy 6 000m² for their buildings.
Nine other tenants have committed to phase one, but cannot be named as they are in a sensitive negotiations stage with their international holding companies.
Schultz highlighted some of the broader socio-economic opportunities the park will create in addition to an expected R527-million growth in the province’s Gross Domestic Product.
These included up to 4 650 jobs during the construction phases and 160 permanent positions in park management, security, maintenance, medical support services and canteen facilities.
“About 1 600 permanent jobs will also be created due to five percent industry growth and the knock-on impact,” said Schultz.
The project was initiated in June last year by the Uitenhage Despatch Development Initiative which, in its quest for economic rejuvenation, led a feasibility study undertaken by the AIDC, Schultz said.
Attending the launch was a high powered delegation from the metro and AIDC as well as MEC for Economic affairs and Tourism for the Eastern Cape, Andre de Wet.
Deputy Mayor Bicks Ndoni said the metro was willing to work with investors, to support them and encourage them to expand their operations.
De Wet said the provincial government was committed to the development of the park and vowed its financial support.
“The nucleus of future development is in the Eastern Cape, it is the area in South Africa where action is about to take place,” said De Wet.
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