Investment  in the East London Industrial Development Zone Corporation (ELIDZ) is expected to pass the R1-billion mark  when the corporation announces the arrival of the latest five investors to the zone's industrial park near the airport on the West Bank.

The new arrivals, which span the automotive, construction and logistics sectors, join the ELIDZ's 10 tenant companies already operating out of the zone's fully serviced industrial park. Their investments run to around R775-million.ELIDZ spokesman Ayanda Ramncwana said some of the new investors would be located in the zone's Automotive Supplier Park (ASP), which houses first-tier and second-tier suppliers for the new Mercedes Benz C-Class.

Seatek, transport company Milltrans and Universal Glass were the first investors to settle in the ELIDZ. Their arrival was announced in June 2005. In July last year, the establishment of a specialist ASP commenced and, within six months, investors were bringing in machinery and tooling up.

Feltex Trim, Futura Feltex, Johnson Controls, Feltex Fehrer, Carcoustics, Eurofit and TI Automotive were next to set up shop in the ASP, with Foxtec-Ikhwezi taking up residence on an IDZ site near the DaimlerChrysler factory on the West Bank.

The company is already manufacturing and exporting specialist aluminium parts for the new C-Class. Foxtec-Ikhwezi, also assembles trucks under licence for DCSA and is involved in producing industrial abrasives.The ELIDZ and Coega, are both major developmental initiatives by the trade and industry department aimed at encouraging economic growth, especially in the automotive sectors.