Uri International Vehicle & Equipment Marketing

Uri International Vehicle & Equipment Marketing (Pty.) Ltd. is a car manufacturer located in Waltloo, South Africa since 2008 as a subsidiary of the defense contractor Ivema (Pty.) Ltd.

The company Uri-Automobile was founded in 1995 by farmer Ewert Smith. At his time the company was located in Witvlei, Namibia. Prior that time, he had used his small workshop for repairing trucks, passenger cars and motorcycles. At his time he planned to develop an offroad vehicle which will be suitable for the African bush. In 1995, after eight years of starting the development phase, he had finally realized his dream.

The vehicles of the Uri brand are all unique creations and available with different Toyota engines that supplies a power from 76 up to 95 hp. After his first presentation of the Uri on an African motor show, Ewert Smith has got a very large number of orders. So he had decided to open a second manufacturing plant for his offroad vehicle.

In 2007 the company was taken over by the South African defense contractor Ivema. Since that time the Uri offroad vehicles are reserved for the South African market. In 2008, the parent company moved the headquarters of Uri-Automobiles and its manufacturing to its new location in Waltloo, South Africa.