Composites manufacturer, BFG Africa, a subsidiary of BFG International, has appointed Bongani Khoza as the new MD, effective from 03 January 2022.
Khoza will lead BFG’s expansion plans into automotive, rail and renewable energy sectors in Southern Africa.
BFG Africa is majority black-owned by the Mergence group, a diversified financial services group, after acquiring the stake in 2018, as part of its diversification into the SA industrial sector to bolster SA’s manufacturing capacity.
As an initial contract, entered into with the Gibela Alstom Consortium, BFG Africa will clad the interiors of a fleet of 600 commuter trains.
To date, BFG have designed and manufactured the interiors of 51 commuter trains, of which 34 were completed in 2021 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Interestingly, at the time when the SA economy was shedding jobs as a result of the effects of the pandemic, BFG grew employment by almost 500% - from 27 employees in 2019 to 104 currently.
Before joining BFG, Khoza was an operational improvement specialist at Gibela Rail, responsible for optimising production and helping Gibela suppliers improve operational performance and comply with the train production standards and requirements.
A chemical engineer by training from the University of Limpopo, he will further entrench BFG’s position in the SA automotive industry. The company is currently in talks with one of the vehicle makers with a view to securing a components supply contract.
