South African luxury armoured car builder Armormax has been recognised as a Qualified Vehicle Modifier (QVM) by Ford Motor Company South Africa.
The QVM programme assesses the ability of a manufacturer to produce consistent quality across their product line by controlling engineering, fabrication and vehicle delivery processes. The assessment is comparable to the ISO 9001 Quality Management programme, for which Armormax has previously been certified.
Marketing manager Michael Broom said Ford SA approached Armormax earlier this year to participate in the QVM programme after a request from their government and fleet sales department.
Armormax had already armoured several units of the new Ranger and Everest models for existing clients. Broom said since the launch of the models, many clients who previously owned vehicles from premium manufacturers were purchasing Rangers and Everests for business and private use.
In March, Armormax was awarded QVM status by Ford SA after delivering their third Everest model armoured to B4 specification. Since the launch of the new Ranger, Armormax has built several examples in B4 and B6 specifications.
Their approach to vehicle armouring uses the lightest, highest-grade ballistic materials available, resulting in the B6 package on the Ranger being only slightly heavier than B4 packages offered by competitors. This allows vehicle owners to carry more weight without needing altered suspensions or braking systems.
The company expressed satisfaction with being part of the QVM programme, saying it allows them to offer customers armouring solutions with the added benefit of an unaffected warranty and service plan.
Customers can order Armormax packages through dealers or directly from Armormax. Ford SA plans to collaborate on introducing Armormax to Ford customers and dealers, aiming to provide a high level of quality and service.