BAIC FOTON has bolstered its commitment to SA's automative sector by opening a training centre to hone the skills of its staff.
Two days after the centre's launch, the company hosted its Africa Partner Conference in Gqeberha, bringing together hundreds of guests from across the continent.
Located in Johannesburg, BAIC FOTON's Africa Regional Training Centre will combine classroom instruction with hands-on training in fault diagnosis and repair.
In addition to its training function, the centre will support the company's dealer and service teams across African markets, using SA as a base for regional training.
BAIC FOTON International president Wu Zongtian said the facility would also help dealers to plan spare parts stock, standardise maintenance procedures and improve response times.
“For a fleet operator, a truck waiting for a diagnosis or a part is a truck that cannot earn revenue,” Zongtian said.
“The centre will give our dealer teams practical training on the vehicles they service, so they can diagnose faults with greater confidence and get customers back on the road sooner.”
The 900m² training facility, which was officially opened on October 27, is split equally between classroom and practical training space.
Its two classrooms seat 80 and 24 people, respectively.
The workshop has five dedicated training areas covering complete vehicles, engines, transmissions, electrical and electronic systems, and new energy vehicles.
The centre opens in an economy where vehicle manufacturing and support are already significant.
According to Naamsa’s 2026 Automotive Trade Manual, the broader automotive industry accounted for 5.2% of SA’s GDP in 2025, and vehicle and component manufacturing generated 23.8% of domestic manufacturing value added.
Zongtian said the centre would extend BAIC FOTON’s localisation work into the skills needed to support vehicles throughout their working lives.
The regional centre builds on nearly 100 specialist training sessions BAIC FOTON has held across its global markets since the beginning of the year.
"The South African facility gives African dealer teams a dedicated base for training across different vehicle types and service roles.
"Together with the establishment of local vehicle manufacturing in Gqeberha, the training centre underscores BAIC FOTON’s long-term commitment to the automotive industry in South Africa and across the continent."
BAIC has a vehicle assembly plant in the Coega Industrial Development Zone.
The company's Africa Partner Conference, held at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, brought together nearly 700 guests from 42 African countries.
The event was marked by the delivery of 1,800 heavy trucks —1,000 to Ghana and 800 to Zambia.
Agreements were also signed for the delivery of 200 trucks to Mozambique, and 100 each to Ethiopia and Kenya.
Six localised manufacturing agreements were also signed with partners in Tanzania, Kenya and Zimbabwe.
The company said by completing deliveries and signings on manufacturing, finance and spare parts at the same conference, BAIC FOTON was in essence moving the transaction completion point from “vehicle arrival at port” to “sustainable vehicle operation”.
"Local assembly supports supply, finance links procurement, and parts ensure operations —three supporting areas co-ordinated around actual deliveries to form service capability available to fleets.
"FOTON is deepening full value-chain collaboration in Africa," it said.
The event, held under the theme “Drive to Great”, the conference also marked the launch in Africa of the GALAXUS R5 and GALAXUS C5 heavy trucks.
The two new models focus respectively on efficient trunk-line transport and heavy-load transport under complex operating conditions.
The Africa launch of the TUNLAND V PHEV, a plug-in hybrid pickup, also took place at the conference.