Mpho Hlongwane strives to create more motor industry jobs

From an exciting career in the plants of brands such as Nissan and Ford, Mpho Hlongwane went on to establish her own motor industry enterprise.

We caught up with the trailblazing entrepreneur who founded MH Automotive Engineering. She shared her passion for creating employment and her journey towards a PhD in engineering management.

Tell us about your background

I was born in 1993 at Mamelodi Hospital. I'm the third child of five raised by my mother who was a domestic worker. I started my schooling in 2000 and matriculated in 2009 at Central Secondary School Soshanguve, after skipping two grades (5 and 8). After matric I went to study industrial engineering at the Tshwane University of Technology where I graduated with a National Diploma and Btech degree. I then decided to do a postgraduate diploma in business management and an MBA at Mancosa. I’m now completing my PhD in engineering management at the University of Johannesburg.

Where did your career start?

I started in 2012 as an engineering trainee at a company called Logistics Transport Globally where I did my first six months of in-service training. I was then moved to the Automotive Leather Company were I completed my last six months of training before graduating.

Talk us through your journey in the motor industry

After graduation I got a job as a plant administrator at Plastic Omnium Auto Inergy and a year later I was promoted to a plant quality engineer position.

Three years later I decided to join Nissan, were I worked as a quality improvement engineer for almost six years. Then I moved to Ford in Silverton where I was part of the team that launched the Ford Ranger and the VW Amarok as a process engineer on the production line that assembles the dashboard. After launching the new models, I found out about the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC) incubation programme. I decided to submit my profile and was awarded a five-year business incubatee contract. That is how MH Automotive Engineering was formed.

What does your business offer?

MH Automotive Engineering is a 2,000m² factory at Ford Incubation Centre in Silverton. Our main business operation is to assemble and sequence automotive exterior components that get fitted onto the Ford Ranger and VW Amarok.

What were the challenges in starting your own business and how did you overcome them?

I was fortunate to be part of an incubation programme so the challenges were minimal. I got assistance from the AIDC in the administrative requirements of registering a business. They also provide training and shared services that takes care of my company’s bookkeeping, payroll and HR. In funding, I received my start-up working capital from my tier 1 partner Motherson Module Engineering and technical support in my day-to-day operations at the factory. Ford also played a huge role by providing us with a facility space to run our operations, a brand-new Ford Ranger we use for running business errands and other resources through their enterprise supplier development programme.

Share the achievements and accolades you are most proud of

In just more than 18 months of trading as MH Automotive Engineering we created 70 jobs for young people living in Mamelodi and surrounding areas. In the same period, the company received recognition in national media. I have received a large number of accolades:

• winner of the Forty under 40 SA award in the automotive category;
• winner of the Tshwane Women in Business Award for the automotive category;
• winner of Young Entrepreneur of the Year in Africa, awarded by the Africa Women Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum;
• Top III New Entrepreneur by the National Youth Development Agency at the Black Business Quarterly Awards;
• Top lll Women in STEM by the Womandla Foundation at Women in STEM awards;
• Top lll Rising Stars by Santam Insurance in partnership with Fair Lady and True Love magazines; and
• finalist for the Young Emerging Leader award by the Female Founders Initiative Global in Dubai.

What ambitions are on the horizon for your next chapter of growth?

I’m looking forward to graduating with my PhD. It's been a long journey and I can't wait to see myself on the other side.

In business, I’m looking forward to seeing MH Automotive Engineering growing in the industry as a supplier which will enable us to create more jobs and in-service training opportunities to continue reducing unemployment of young people.

What advice would you offer to young entrepreneurs with an eye on the automotive sector?

This is an industry that still has high barriers of entry.

While you are still in the employment workforce strive to maintain good working relationships and learn as much as you can about the operations and management of the organisations in the automotive industry.

Build up your personal and business profile that will set you apart from the rest. Then find a gap you can fill and go for it.

You might not succeed on your first attempt but keep trying, one day you will knock on the right door.