Mahindra opens new vehicle assembly plant in Durban

Mahindra South Africa has opened a new vehicle assembly facility at the Dube TradePort special economic zone in KwaZulu-Natal, expanding its production capacity as the company enters its third decade in the country.

Located near the brand’s original 2018 assembly site, the new plant is designed to Mahindra’s global manufacturing standards and features advanced quality control systems, expanded production lines and dedicated customisation zones for South African customers.

“Our original facility played a pivotal role in establishing our local footprint,” said Rajesh Gupta, CEO of Mahindra South Africa.

“As demand for our locally assembled Pik Up range continued to rise, we needed a facility with the scale, flexibility and technology to meet future growth while maintaining world-class quality.”

The Durban facility can assemble more than 1,000 Pik Up single- and double-cab models per month, with capacity to increase as demand grows. It has also been designed to accommodate new models Mahindra plans to launch in South Africa in the coming years, with a growing proportion of components sourced locally.

Mahindra’s global engineering teams are working with South African suppliers to identify opportunities for increased localisation. Earlier this year, the company partnered with the Industrial Development Corporation on a feasibility study for building a full-scale manufacturing plant in the country. The performance of the new Durban operation will help inform the study’s outcomes.

“This investment underscores our confidence in South Africa as a manufacturing base and a key growth market for Mahindra globally,” Gupta said. “It reflects our commitment to creating jobs, supporting local industry and delivering robust, reliable vehicles that meet the needs of South African customers.”

“South Africa is a cornerstone market in Mahindra’s international growth strategy,” said Sachin Arolkar, head of international operations. “This new facility not only strengthens our ability to serve local customers but also enhances our regional manufacturing capabilities.

“It is a clear demonstration of our long-term commitment to invest in Africa and to make South Africa a central hub in our global operations.”

Since starting local assembly in 2018, Mahindra has become one of South Africa’s 10 best-selling vehicle brands.