The biggest employer in the province received top accolades at the Exporters Eastern Cape Exporter of the Year Awards on Friday evening.
During the gala event, hosted at The Sun Boardwalk Convention Centre, Volkswagen Group SA (VWSA) was announced as the Overall Winner of the 24th annual Exporter of the Year Awards.
The win is a hat-trick for VWSA, which also received the prestigious title of Overall Winner of the Exporter of the Year Awards in 2011 and 2017.
Exporters Eastern Cape chair Quintin Levey said in the judges’ opinion VWSA had achieved the most success in the period under review.
“VWSA is the largest employer in the Eastern Cape with over 4,000 employees, contributing R2.6bn in salaries, wages and benefits to the metro and they indirectly support over 50,000 people in South Africa through their vast supplier network,” Levey said.
As a major exporter at the Port Elizabeth harbour, VWSA in 2019 exported more than 75,000 cars (valued at about R15,6bn) to countries such as Britain, Ireland, Australia and Japan, increasing the company’s exports by 37%.
The Uitenhage automotive company also exported more than 65,000 engines to India and Malaysia.
Other awards VWSA received on Friday evening included a third merit award for the SJM Flex Environmental Award, a third merit award for the IDC Job Creation Award and the winner in the category Best Exporter: OEM.
VWSA chair and MD Thomas Schaefer said he was proud and humbled to receive the awards, especially the accolade of the Overall Winner of Exporter of the Year 2019.
“Exporting is an important part of our business as the majority of our vehicle and component production is exported to international markets.
“Over the years our export volumes have increased, which has been good for the sustainability of our business, as well as our suppliers,” Schaefer said.
VWSA has been exporting since 1992 and manufactures and assembles vehicles as well as automotive components for the local markets and more than 25 other countries.
Since 2003, it has invested more than R14bn in the modernisation and upgrade of its manufacturing facility.
Levey said all the winners and merit award winners richly deserved their awards and congratulated all the participants for their outstanding achievements over the past year.
He also thanked all the sponsors of the 2019 Exporter of the Year Awards including Transnet National Ports Authority (platinum), Absa (gold), Volkswagen Group SA (gold), Magnetic Storm (gold), Oracle Media (gold), SJM Flex SA (silver), Industrial Development Corporation (silver) and Sasfin Commercial Solutions: Global Trade (bronze), Kingfisher FM (media), The Herald (Media) and RNews (media).
The popular awards banquet was attended by more than 450 guests, who were entertained by Centrestage’s AllStar Band.
Other winners:
SJM Flex Environmental Practice Award
● Winner: LA Mohair
SJM Flex Environmental Award
● First Merit Award: SMA Engineering
● Second Merit Award: Eberspächer SA
● Third Merit Award: Volkswagen Group SA
● Winner: Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa
IDC Job Creation Award
● First Merit Award: Sovereign Foods
● Second Merit Award: Shatterprufe
● Third Merit Award: Volkswagen Group SA
● Winner: Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa
Best provider of services to exporters
● First Merit Award: Coega Development Corporation
● Second Merit Award: BLG Logistics of SA
● Winner: Sasfin Commercial Solutions (Global Trade)
Best exporter: Small business
● Merit Award: LA Mohair
● Winner: S4 Integration
Best exporter: Medium enterprise
● Winner: Sovereign Foods
Best exporter: Corporate
● First Merit Award: Talhado Fishing Enterprises
● Second Merit Award: Eberspächer SA
● Third Merit Award: G Modiano Ltd
● Winner: Shatterprufe
Best exporter: OEM
● Merit Award: Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa
● Winner: Volkswagen Group SA
VWSA bags Exporter of Year Award
Image: Supplied
The biggest employer in the province received top accolades at the Exporters Eastern Cape Exporter of the Year Awards on Friday evening.
During the gala event, hosted at The Sun Boardwalk Convention Centre, Volkswagen Group SA (VWSA) was announced as the Overall Winner of the 24th annual Exporter of the Year Awards.
The win is a hat-trick for VWSA, which also received the prestigious title of Overall Winner of the Exporter of the Year Awards in 2011 and 2017.
Exporters Eastern Cape chair Quintin Levey said in the judges’ opinion VWSA had achieved the most success in the period under review.
“VWSA is the largest employer in the Eastern Cape with over 4,000 employees, contributing R2.6bn in salaries, wages and benefits to the metro and they indirectly support over 50,000 people in South Africa through their vast supplier network,” Levey said.
As a major exporter at the Port Elizabeth harbour, VWSA in 2019 exported more than 75,000 cars (valued at about R15,6bn) to countries such as Britain, Ireland, Australia and Japan, increasing the company’s exports by 37%.
The Uitenhage automotive company also exported more than 65,000 engines to India and Malaysia.
Other awards VWSA received on Friday evening included a third merit award for the SJM Flex Environmental Award, a third merit award for the IDC Job Creation Award and the winner in the category Best Exporter: OEM.
VWSA chair and MD Thomas Schaefer said he was proud and humbled to receive the awards, especially the accolade of the Overall Winner of Exporter of the Year 2019.
“Exporting is an important part of our business as the majority of our vehicle and component production is exported to international markets.
“Over the years our export volumes have increased, which has been good for the sustainability of our business, as well as our suppliers,” Schaefer said.
VWSA has been exporting since 1992 and manufactures and assembles vehicles as well as automotive components for the local markets and more than 25 other countries.
Since 2003, it has invested more than R14bn in the modernisation and upgrade of its manufacturing facility.
Levey said all the winners and merit award winners richly deserved their awards and congratulated all the participants for their outstanding achievements over the past year.
He also thanked all the sponsors of the 2019 Exporter of the Year Awards including Transnet National Ports Authority (platinum), Absa (gold), Volkswagen Group SA (gold), Magnetic Storm (gold), Oracle Media (gold), SJM Flex SA (silver), Industrial Development Corporation (silver) and Sasfin Commercial Solutions: Global Trade (bronze), Kingfisher FM (media), The Herald (Media) and RNews (media).
The popular awards banquet was attended by more than 450 guests, who were entertained by Centrestage’s AllStar Band.
Other winners:
SJM Flex Environmental Practice Award
● Winner: LA Mohair
SJM Flex Environmental Award
● First Merit Award: SMA Engineering
● Second Merit Award: Eberspächer SA
● Third Merit Award: Volkswagen Group SA
● Winner: Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa
IDC Job Creation Award
● First Merit Award: Sovereign Foods
● Second Merit Award: Shatterprufe
● Third Merit Award: Volkswagen Group SA
● Winner: Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa
Best provider of services to exporters
● First Merit Award: Coega Development Corporation
● Second Merit Award: BLG Logistics of SA
● Winner: Sasfin Commercial Solutions (Global Trade)
Best exporter: Small business
● Merit Award: LA Mohair
● Winner: S4 Integration
Best exporter: Medium enterprise
● Winner: Sovereign Foods
Best exporter: Corporate
● First Merit Award: Talhado Fishing Enterprises
● Second Merit Award: Eberspächer SA
● Third Merit Award: G Modiano Ltd
● Winner: Shatterprufe
Best exporter: OEM
● Merit Award: Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa
● Winner: Volkswagen Group SA
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