Automotive
South Australia is a key part of the Australian automotive industry.
It is home to major operations by the car manufacturer GM Holden. It is also home to a cluster of component manufacturers and suppliers, including major international automotive companies such as Hirotec, Schefenacker Vision Systems, Siemens, ZF Lemforder, Tenneco, and Futuris Automotive.
The South Australian automotive industry comprises businesses involved in the manufacture of motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts including, tyres, steel and alloy wheels, engine components, rear-view mirrors, seats, suspension modules, mouldings and exhaust systems.
Adelaide, South Australia is one of Australia’s least costly places to set-up and do business, and isin the top 20 most cost-competitive cities in the world for automotive manufacturing.
Combined with this relatively low-cost base, South Australia offers manufacturers the advantage of high-quality transport infrastructure to facilitate product distribution and the opportunity to collaborate with leading advanced manufacturing research centres.
Key export markets for road vehicles, parts and accessories exports include the United States, Saudi Arabia, China, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Korea.
Investment in research and development, as well as the ongoing training of automotive industry workers, is critical for motor vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers to maintain a competitive global position without compromising vehicle quality.
A number of GM Holden’s key suppliers are concentrated adjacent to its Elizabeth vehicle manufacturing facility in a 90-hectare automotive precinct at Edinburgh Parks. The park is directly linked by a tuggerway to the Holden plant.
Key links
Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries
Federation of Automotive Products Manufacturers (FAPM)
Australian Industry Group
Content updated 16 Jan 2013
