“I consider the
shifting of our plant from South Africa to Botswana is a very important effort.
Leaving South Africa was with a pinch of sadness; and we are very happy to be
in Botswana,” says the Menteri Besar.
WITNESSING THE SIGNING OF AGREEMENTS... Dato' Sri DiRaja Adnan is seen here witnessing the agreements signed by (L-R) Dato' Pather; Dato' Kamaruddin; Mr Bashi; and, Mr Bafana.
Also seen in this photograph are (standing, L-R) Dato' Khairuddin; and, Dato' Abdul Rahim.
BUNGA ROOM,
LEVEL 3, HOTEL SERI PACIFIC, KUALA LUMPUR – A joint-venture deal between
Pasdec Automative Technologies (Pty) Ltd (PAT) and Botswana Development
Corporation (BDC) in the establishment of a RM58.5 million plant producing
automotive wiring harnesses in Lobatse, Botswana, is on schedule.
The
JV between the two is proposed after PAT decided to relocate it’s business from
Brits, South Africa – where it’s two plants were located and operated since
1969; to the town of Lobatse.
The
relocation exercise was said to be made due to Botswana Government’s determined
mission to grow it’s economy through industrialization, and, the many
attractive incentives that were offered.
“PAT’s new
assembly plant in Lobatse, Botswana is in the final stages of construction and
refitting, and when complete, will be 20,000m2 in size. This will
make it one of Botswana’s largest manufacturing facilities and will provide
employment to more than 430 people, all of whom will be sourced locally.
“Recruitment has
already begun and the first 120 employees are undergoing intensive training,” according to a press
statement released at the Signing Ceremony of Ordinary Share Subscription
Agreement and Shareholders Agreement between PAT and BDC here, on Friday
morning, December 11.
AT THE MAIN TABLE...
SUPPLYING
COMPONENTS TO WORLD’S FAMOUR CAR PRODUCERS
Pahang
Menteri Besar Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan Yaakob was present to witness the event.
Also in attendance were Pahang State’s Legal Adviser, Dato’ Shamsulbahri
Ibrahim; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pahang State Development Corporation
(PKNP), Dato’ Abdul Rahim Mohd Ali;
CEO
of BDC, Encik Bashi Gaetsaloe; and his Chief Operating Officer (COO), Encik
Bafana Molomo; CEO of Pasdec Holdings Bhd, Dato’ Khairuddin Abdul Manan;
Chairman of Pasdec Resources South Africa Ltd, Dato’ Kamaruddin Mohamed; and,
CEO of PAT, Dato’ Kevin Pather.
The
statement also stated that PAT is currently supplying automotive wiring
harnesses to the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of some world’s famous
car producers such as Nissan, Renault and Volkswagen (VW).
Under
the new contract that it has recently obtained from VW, PAT will get to supply
the said component worth about RM390 million over a 7-year period; and the
contract from Nissan, it will get to provide the same component worth about RM546
million over a 10-year period.
In
his 7-minute off-the-cuff speech at the same function, Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan
has among others touched about the relocation of PAT’s plant from Brits to Lobatse
by saying that;
“I consider the
shifting of our plant from South Africa to Botswana is a very important effort.
Leaving South Africa was with a pinch of sadness; and we are very happy to be
in Botswana”. – Khabar
