The importance of South Africa as an emerging automotive hub was demonstrated this week with the news that Yusen Logistics, part of Japan's NYK Group, is set to open a representative office in the country this month. 

Yusen’s president Hiromitsu Kuramoto will open the new office in Johannesburg. Employees there will both support existing business as well as research and develop the market for logistics across Sub-Saharan Africa. 

Yusen named the automotive industry among the key sectors that it would serve in the region. Despite the two weeks of disruption that the automotive industry experienced this summer because of strike action by the metalworkers’ union NUMSA, South Africa remains an attractive market for both OEMs and tier suppliers. The automotive industry is anticipated to experience further growth over the coming years, and logistics providers, such as Yusen, are preparing for it. 

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