After a hiatus of more than two years, one of SA’s most unique factory tours is back, and free of charge to boot.
Volkswagen Group SA’s (VWSA) Kariega manufacturing plant has reopened its popular FactoryTours to the public.
The FactoryTours restarted on June 21 and already welcomed a total of 921 visitors in its first month of operating since it was stopped in 2020 at the start of the pandemic.
But the team behind FactoryTours have reinvented the experience for visitors.
In its new form, the tours include a completely reworked script, showcasing the most exciting elements of Volkswagen’s factory, including the production process that combines the efficiency of high-tech robots and the expertise of production employees.
The tours are led by veteran guide Monwabisi Cekiso, who has been entertaining visitors for 11 years, and Siphokazi Wonci, who joined VWSA in 2021 as a trainee of the YES programme and stayed on to share the Volkswagen story on these tours.
All tours are conducted on an open-top FactoryTours train that can accommodate 21 people, with plans to increase the tour capacity in the near future.
Both the FactoryTours and the AutoPavilion museum have been a popular experience among school groups and other visitors.
In 2019, the museum welcomed 34,314 visitors, of which 12,780 also participated in the FactoryTours.
The museum boasts a variety of unique exhibitions, from the Meet the Freaks display to the 70 Years exhibition with prominent vehicles from Volkswagen’s seven decades in Kariega.
FactoryTours are free of charge and run at 9am till noon on weekdays, for visitors aged eight years or older.
To join, visitors can contact the AutoPavilion at 041-994-5941 or autopavilion@vwsa.co.za to book.
HeraldLIVE
VWSA tours back on track
Image: SUPPLIED
After a hiatus of more than two years, one of SA’s most unique factory tours is back, and free of charge to boot.
Volkswagen Group SA’s (VWSA) Kariega manufacturing plant has reopened its popular FactoryTours to the public.
The FactoryTours restarted on June 21 and already welcomed a total of 921 visitors in its first month of operating since it was stopped in 2020 at the start of the pandemic.
But the team behind FactoryTours have reinvented the experience for visitors.
In its new form, the tours include a completely reworked script, showcasing the most exciting elements of Volkswagen’s factory, including the production process that combines the efficiency of high-tech robots and the expertise of production employees.
The tours are led by veteran guide Monwabisi Cekiso, who has been entertaining visitors for 11 years, and Siphokazi Wonci, who joined VWSA in 2021 as a trainee of the YES programme and stayed on to share the Volkswagen story on these tours.
All tours are conducted on an open-top FactoryTours train that can accommodate 21 people, with plans to increase the tour capacity in the near future.
Both the FactoryTours and the AutoPavilion museum have been a popular experience among school groups and other visitors.
In 2019, the museum welcomed 34,314 visitors, of which 12,780 also participated in the FactoryTours.
The museum boasts a variety of unique exhibitions, from the Meet the Freaks display to the 70 Years exhibition with prominent vehicles from Volkswagen’s seven decades in Kariega.
FactoryTours are free of charge and run at 9am till noon on weekdays, for visitors aged eight years or older.
To join, visitors can contact the AutoPavilion at 041-994-5941 or autopavilion@vwsa.co.za to book.
HeraldLIVE
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