The inauguration of the Mercedes bus assembly plant in Kinshasa is a milestone for the Democratic Republic of Congo. The country saw most of the vehicle assembly plants close their doors in the 90s. With the opening of this new plant, it is a strong signal that is sent for the revival of the Congolese automotive industry.
This factory will produce two models of buses used by the public transport company, Transco, as well as by private operators. Using the prefabricated chassis and engines supplied by Mercedes-Benz, Congolese mechanics would be trained to carry out the final assembly.
In addition, the plant will provide after-sales service and the marketing of spare parts, which will make it possible to renew Kinshasa’s vehicle fleet. With its location in the eastern part of the city, the Limete plant plans to hire 500 employees to produce 25 buses per month in its first start-up phase.
Local production of buses will also help reduce the import bill, which weighs heavily on the Congolese economy. This opportunity will not fail to encourage other automotive groups to come and settle in the country.
Thus, this inauguration is an encouraging step forward for the economic and industrial modernization of the DRC. It illustrates the ambitious vision of the government of the Republic, which aims to significantly limit imports by giving greater priority to local production.