Ineos Automotive, the manufacturer of the Grenadier and Quartermaster, has acquired Botswana-based vehicle conversion specialist Kavango Engineering.

The business has been renamed Ineos Kavango, with the founding members to remain involved in its operations. The purchase price has not been disclosed.

Located in Maun, northern Botswana, at the gateway to the Okavango Delta, Ineos Kavango’s 5 000 m² premises includes fabrication and assembly facilities.

Its 70-strong workforce completes around 200 conversions a year. 

The acquisition means Ineos Kavango will expand its current activities to encompass ground-up conversions and maintenance of the Grenadier Station Wagon and Grenadier Quartermaster pick-up.

These include specialist modifications for the conservation, safari, antipoaching, veterinary, primary healthcare and film production sectors. 

To accommodate future business growth, the land adjacent to the existing Ineos Kavango site has been earmarked for further development that will double the scale of the operation.

“This acquisition will help Ineos Automotive realise the vision of Ineos chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe for the Grenadier to play a key role in critical conservation and environmental programmes worldwide,” says Ineos Automotive CEO Lynn Calder.

“Bringing the Kavango team in-house also means it can work closely with our engineering and manufacturing teams to optimise processes to supply conversion-ready vehicles so we can better serve these specialist-use cases worldwide.”

“Botswana is recognised as a global leader in conservation, and we will continue to support its work and that of other countries and organisations across sub-Saharan Africa,” adds Ineos Kavango CEO Charles van Rensburg.

“In addition, there are a broad range of opportunities across other sectors that always need durable, capable off-road vehicles with purpose-built bodies to perform specific roles. 

“Our objective is to sustainably grow the business over the long term. That means developing a broader portfolio of services, adding further high-skilled jobs and diversifying the local economy to the benefit of the community.”