Auto component body elects new president

Auto component body elects new president
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The National Association of Automotive and Allied Components Manufacturers (Naacam) announced that Ken Manners, joint MD of SP Metal Forgings, was elected President of the association at the recent AGM, taking over from Bel-Essex Engineering MD Dave Coffey.

Formerly Vice President of Naacam, Manners has been actively involved in the affairs of the association and the motor industry for some time, the body said.

In June he formed part of a delegation of business executives who accompanied President Thabo Mbeki to South America, in order to establish contacts there in preparation for the Mercosur trade talks.

The trade talks include a specific automotive protocol aimed at opening up vehicle and parts trade between SACU and the Mercosur region (mainly Brazil and Argentina).

In accepting his election, Ken Manners pointed out the resilience of the industry in managing business through the economic shocks of the 2002 to 2005 period, where the rand strengthened dramatically, raw material prices escalated, and cheap vehicle imports saw imported cars reach 50% of the market by mid-2005.

He concluded by saying “I believe the automotive component sector in South Africa will flourish because of the passion, skill, resilience and commitment of our member companies and their belief in the future of our industry and our nation.”