Lessons from Australia, Nigeria at motor event

NATIONAL Association of Automotive Components and Allied Manufacturers of South Africa executive director Robert Houdet said the development of a motor industry in Nigeria and the collapse of the one in Australia, which could trigger the loss of more than 30000 jobs, would provide valuable insights for South African motor companies.

Houdet and leading international automotive authorities will address the motor industry at South African Automotive Week in Johannesburg in October.

The director-general of Nigeria's newly launched Automotive Manufacturing Council, Aminu Jalal, the special adviser to Australia's collapsed automotive sector, Professor Goran Roos and UK marketing strategist Steve Rose, top the bill.

At a two-day plenary Automotive Industry Conference programme on October 14 and 15 will be National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA and Toyota chief executive Dr Johan van Zyl, Nissan chief executive Mike Whitfield, South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Neren Rau and Houdet, among others.

Rose, of Kotler Marketing, will present one of four workshops, titled "Defending the Price".

It aims to equip suppliers with the resources and software model with which to record value added, and demonstrate it to clients with a view to strengthening price negotiations.

The other workshops are titled "Tooling and Manufacturing Innovations", "Electric Vehicle Development in South Africa" and "The Power of the Internet as a Sales channel for cars and parts".