Capital Equipment News May 2018

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Isuzu has been the number one brand for the past five consecutive years in the MCV and HCV categories.

Barloworld Isuzu Trucks Johannesburg has won the Best Isuzu Trucks Workshop in South Africa five times.

importance of this crucial arm of the business to the overall success of the truck dealership. “For me the workshop is a crucial arm of the business. We have some customers that I have known for the whole of my 25-year working career at Barloworld Isuzu Trucks South Africa. It’s those relationships that keep the gears turning for us,” he says. Feeding off reputable brands Gericke alludes to the fact that, apart from the in-house initiatives at Barloworld Isuzu Trucks Johannesburg, the dealership also benefits from its affiliation to some of the two reputable brands, Isuzu Trucks South Africa and the Barloworld Group. Leveraging Isuzu’s strong standing in the local truck market, the dealership has managed to drive strong sales volumes, especially in the medium and heavy commercial vehicle segments. Bear in mind that Isuzu has been the number one brand for the past five consecutive years in these categories. To put this into perspective, barring Vans and Buses – segments which Isuzu Trucks South Africa doesn’t actively participate in – the Japanese truck maker’s share of the South African commercial vehicle market stood at 16,7% in 2016. With 1 971 units sold across the 19 N-Series model derivatives, totalling 50% of total Isuzu truck volumes for 2016, the Japanese OEM claimed 23,3% of the 8 451 total units sold across the South African medium commercial vehicle (MCV) market. With a total of 5 460 trucks sold in the heavy commercial vehicle (HCV) market the same year, 1 545 were Isuzu units, representing a 28,3% share of that segment.

Frontline team at Barloworld Isuzu Trucks Johannesburg.

In 2017, Isuzu also topped the charts in both the MCV and HCV segments. With a total of 5 290 units sold in the HCV segment, Isuzu Trucks South Africa came out tops with a total of 1 465 units. Isuzu also recorded most sales in the MCV category with a total of 2 161 units, representing 27,37% of 7 785 total unit sales. “Isuzu has been a strong brand in the South African marketplace for some time, and we are glad to feed off the proven capabilities of the product,” says Gericke. “The cost per kilometre (CPK) of the Isuzu vehicle is probably one of the lowest in the truck market. CPK is a key factor in fleet operators’ and transporters’ buying decisions. As a result, we capitalise on the brand’s top selling status, lower CPK and reduced maintenance costs,” says Gericke. Barloworld Isuzu Trucks Johannesburg

also leverages its parent company’s strong standing in the capital equipment sector. Barloworld Group is a blue chip, Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed company with a Level 3 BBEEE scorecard. “Being part of the larger Barloworld Group stands us in a strong position against other groups. It’s also about the trust in the name, and the marketplace appreciates the core values of the group, which include team work, commitment, excellence, integrity and sustainability,” he says. Looking ahead, Gericke says continued success at Barloworld Isuzu Trucks Johannesburg will hinge on continued provision of unparalleled customer service. “It also boils down to providing the optimal transport solution to the customer, from a sales perspective,” concludes Gericke. b

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