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About Us
Company Profile
HONDA
Honda South Africa (Pty) Ltd was established on 1 December 2000 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Honda Motor Company (Japan).
The company distributes cars, motorcycles, all terrain vehicles (ATV’s), power products and marine products (outboard engines and personal watercraft [PWC’s]).
Honda was previously distributed and represented by Mercedes-Benz SA from 1982. When the distribution and manufacturing agreement expired in middle 2000, Honda Motor Company was enthusiastic to establish its own business on the African continent. This was the start of great things for the Honda brand locally as a result the African business being established in South Africa.
The Honda Philosophy
Honda’s global direction is driven by one major philosophy –
“Honda wants to be a company that society will want to exist”
This basic philosophy is sub-divided into the following:
· The joy of Quality
· The joy of Safety
· Technological Advancement
· Product Enjoyment
Honda and the Environment
· Trees
· Alternative Fuels
· Recycling
· LEV
· Pedestrian Safety
MEKOR Motors
As a result of exposure to HONDA through the previous distribution network locally, the shareholders in MEKOR Motors were insistent on being involved with the brand through Honda Motor Company’s new plans in South Africa.
The Mekor Western Cape shareholders are Dawie Krynauw (Managing Director), Roy McAllister, Eric Scoble and Owen Bell.
Mekor Motors was established on 30 November 2000.
The Growth of the MEKOR Group:
30/11/2000
Mekor Motors Bellville was opened to be the first of the five pioneering exclusive Honda dealers in South Africa.
1/2/2001
Mekor Motors Sandton opened in Rosebank.
1/9/2001
Mekor Motors Cape Town opened in a temporary facility on the Cape Town foreshore.
The Motorcycle franchise was incorporated into Mekor Motors Cape Town & Mekor Motors Bellville.
1/12/2001
Mekor Motors Sandton moved to their state of the art facility on the William Nicol (c/o Peter Place).
1/11/2002
Mekor Motors Cape Town moved to the newly renovated facility of almost 5000 square meters, on the corner of Strand Street & Buitengragt in the Cape Town CBD.
End 2002
Towards the end of 2002, Honda Motor Company announced a new branding strategy for its dealer network – resulting in a name change. The new dealer naming would be HONDA – followed by the marketing area (to make life easier for prospective clients in terms of locating their nearest dealer point)
The result was the renaming of Mekor’s businesses to-
· Honda Cape Town
· Honda Tygerberg
· Honda Sandton etc.
1/4/2004
Honda Melrose opened their brand new facility on Corlett Drive in Melrose, just north of Johannesburg.
1/7/2004
Honda Newlands opened on the corner of Main Road & Campground Road on the border of Newlands/ Claremont.
1/4/2005
Honda Umhlanga opened a brand new facility perched on the Umhlanga Ridge – to mark Mekor’s expansion into KZN.
1/6/2005
Honda Tygerberg relocated to Durban Road Tygervalley – where they took occupation of a new purpose built HONDA facility.
1/12/2005
Honda Empangeni opened on the KZN North Coast
The MEKOR Culture
The Mekor philosophy is one of old fashioned business ethics and values, such as good manners and solid and consistent service. The company achieves this through employing professional (and ‘nice’) people.
The business is run and managed on a family basis – as a small personal business - resulting in great customer retention and loyalty.
Customers quickly become family members.
This is surprisingly easy to achieve, thanks to one important HONDA fundamental;
‘The reliability of the brand’
“The sheer reliability, longevity, durability and quality of this brand, give us ample spare capacity in our service divisions – which enables us to almost always help people in need – even those clients who might also own an unreliable ‘other’ brand!!!” ~ Quote from a shareholder.
Honda has recently AGAIN been rated the most reliable car in South Africa in both the JD Powers AND Synovate Annual Quality Studies.
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