With export and original equipment demand in the automotive industry in Africa growing year on year, it is critical for companies to expand their reach into high-growth markets in Africa to secure long-term growth, says Sumitomo Rubber South Africa (Sumitomo Dunlop) CEO and National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (NAACAM) VP Riaz Haffejee. The proportion of imports in a market depends on currency fluctuations, with more favourable exchange rates leading to more imports, and vice versa during periods of less favourable exchange rates, he notes.