Vanguard relocates 2,000-tonne Rotem press from South Africa to Mexico
South Africa-based heavy transport and rigging specialist Vanguard has completed the relocation of a 2,000-tonne Hyundai Rotem press and its accessories from Nissan's Rosslyn facility in Pretoria, South Africa, to Mexico. The move follows Nissan's January 2026 announcement that it would sell the Pretoria plant to Chinese automaker Chery, ending nearly 60 years of Nissan manufacturing operations in South Africa.
The Rotem press, manufactured by South Korean automotive equipment specialist Hyundai Rotem, is designed for stamping steel plates in automotive production. Hyundai Rotem, an affiliate of Hyundai Motor Group, produces servo presses and tandem press lines based on high-speed material transfer technology for automotive manufacturing facilities.
Vanguard, which has operated for approximately 50 years as South Africa's leading heavy lift and specialist transport provider, leveraged its network of port facilities in Richards Bay, Ngqura, Walvis Bay, and Maputo to manage the intercontinental logistics operation. The company, headquartered in Johannesburg, is a member of the Specialised Carriers & Rigging Association and has won international industry awards, including the SC&RA Rigging Job of the Year Award in 2008.
Technical complexity of heavy press relocation
Relocating industrial presses of this magnitude requires specialized equipment including hydraulic jacking systems, cranes, gantries, and heavy-haul transport. Such projects demand detailed route surveys and extensive permitting. Vanguard has demonstrated specific expertise in press equipment, having installed and commissioned the first automated press line in South Africa in 2000.
Context of Nissan's strategic shift
The equipment relocation comes as Nissan redirects its manufacturing focus toward Mexico, which the company has described as a key engine for growth in the Americas. Nissan operates multiple manufacturing facilities in Mexico, including plants in Aguascalientes and Cuernavaca.
In December 2025, Nissan began expanding its A1 plant in Aguascalientes with a new 120,000-square-meter manufacturing building for pickup truck production, a project expected to create approximately 1,300 direct jobs. The timing of this expansion aligns with the decision to relocate equipment from the Pretoria facility.
The Rosslyn plant had received substantial investment as recently as 2019, when Nissan committed R3 billion to prepare the facility for next-generation Navara pickup production. That investment was expected to create around 1,200 new jobs when production started in 2020, making the subsequent sale to Chery a significant strategic reversal for the automaker's South African operations.
