…Rolls out fleets of Ford Ranger
Leading indigenous investor in automobile, Coscharis Group weekend, commissioned its state-of-the-earth Ford Assembly plant along Lekki Expressway, Lagos.
The climax of the colourful event was the unveiling of ready to use 600 units of Ford Ranger multi-purpose mini-truck, saying the feat was part of the company’s drive to deepen market share in Nigeria and West Africa.
In his welcome address, President and Chief Executive Officer of Coscharis Group, Dr Cosmos Maduka said the plant is the second in Africa after South Africa.
While describing the new feat as a ‘dream come true’, he averred that the group is currently ‘investing in the future of Nigeria. What you see here today can stand in any part of the world”.
Dr. Maduka revealed further that “For now, we produce 30 units. We don’t just produce. We want to produce and ensure there is market for it”.
According to him, “It has been a long wait from when the company first announced in November 2015 that we had commenced physical structuring of the new Plant sighted on a piece of land of more than 14 Hectares within our Lekki Group head office in Lagos.”
“Indeed, it is a dream-come-true. Today’s event is to showcase another initiative from our great organization, Coscharis Motors Plc, to further create value as a leading player in the automotive industry in Nigeria, in response to the clarion call of the Federal Government of Nigeria through the National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP).
“This is also to appreciate the confidence that the globally respected iconic brand, FORD, reposed in us as their exclusive official representative in Nigeria to roll out the very first Ford Assembly Plant in Nigeria. This milestone marks another first in the evolution of our company towards remaining timeless in its relevance.
“The National Automotive Industry Development Plan aims, among other objectives, to discourage the importation of Completely Built vehicles and encourage the local manufacturing of vehicles through either Complete Knocked Down or Semi Knocked Down facilities for a start. “We are aware that a few automobile companies have also initiated their process towards achieving this objective. “However, at Coscharis Motors Plc, our concern and commitment to our loyal customers and stakeholders is to, as usual, set standards that other players will be judged by in the industry.
“At the moment, our focus at the Plant is to rollout the Ford Ranger, which is a multipurpose mini-truck that serves well for both work and leisure.
“As you are all aware, Ford has a global standard for all of its products including the Ranger. Therefore, Ford’s certification of our facility and output is a confirmation that every single Ranger that rolls out of this plant is indeed “Built Ford Tough” from which we’ve rolled out over 600 units from this facility since we started operation; some of which are on display outside.
“But we will not rest on our oars as we are sure to wax stronger into the future with the introduction of other great Ford variants into the assembly line.
“It might be news worthy to mention here that this is a capital intensive project, which also involves huge financial, technical and human resources commitment. Therefore the fact that we have ventured into it headlong underpins the level of confidence and hope we have for the future of the Nigerian automotive industry. This is to underscore the human capital opportunities that stand to be delivered in terms of employment and by extension the multiplier effect on the economic development of our dear country, Nigeria.
“We have always dreamt of a Nigeria that will take its place in the global arena, a Nigeria that sits among the egalitarians in the committee of Nations, taken its rightful place in the pages of history.
“Our factory is the second ever Ford manufacturing outfit in the entire African continent, outside of South Africa; something we indeed, are very proud of. By this, Coscharis as an organization, reinforces its belief in the Nigerian project that this is the only country we have and absolutely nothing else.
“So we have taken the challenge for our generation as a result of this huge investment we’ve taken as a strong believer in our dear country as an entity, we can only but demand for governmental support in terms of enabling environment vis-à-vis basic infrastructures that are required to keep the manufacturing process on and more importantly the purchase patronage of the finished products from the Plant.
Flanked by top officials of the group including Coscharis Group Executive Director (Operations), Fred Amobi and General Manager, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Abiona Babarinde, during his presentation, Dr. Maduka disclosed that the plant can produce 60 units a day using two shifts.
The Assembly Plant Manager, Sola Afolayan, who conducted media executives round the plant, revealed that all laid down specifications and production procedures are being followed in line with Ford’s global standard operating system.
