13
TFL DEC
LOOKING BACK
ON 2013
Volvo Trucks SA reaffirms
commitment to southern Africa
Volvo Trucks Southern Africa
launched four new truck
ranges, including its flagship
FH16 model, strengthening its
position as one of the leading
truck manufacturers in
the country.
VOLVO TRUCKS SOUTHERN AFRICA
forms part of the Volvo Group, one of the world’s
leading manufacturers of trucks, buses, construction equipment, as well as marine and
industrial engines. The Group provides finance and service solutions, and sells its products
in more than 190 markets around the world. In 2012, the Volvo Group’s sales amounted to
about SEK 304-billion (Swedish kronor).
With an assembly plant in Durban, and more than 500 employees across the region, Volvo
Trucks Southern Africa has reaffirmed its commitment to the region.
“The launch of our flagship range, the FH16, FH, as well as the new FM and FMX ranges,
signals a new era in the history of our company,” said Torbjörn Christensson, Managing
Director of Volvo Trucks Southern Africa. “We now have an almost entirely new product
offering for our customers.” The company currently has 15 dealers in South Africa, and is in
the process of strengthening and developing its footprint in the country and into the region.
As part of this commitment, the Volvo Group SA recently announced plans to establish an
integrated 11 500m² parts facility for its brands in Johannesburg.
“We believe that the region holds untold potential and we are committed to contribute to its
successful development by providing products and services that suit southern Africa’s unique
business and operating conditions,” he said. “We are making these investments in order to
more effectively support our dealers and customers going into the future.”
The launch of the FH range in South Africa follows short on the heels
of it being announced as the International Truck of the Year.
The award was decided by some of Europe’s leading
commercial vehicle journalists, representing
25 publications. Upon receiving the award,
Volvo Trucks’ President, Claes Nilsson,
said: “When we introduced the new
FH in Europe in 2012, we claimed
that it was pushing the envelope of
what a premium truck could offer. The
International Truck of the Year award
confirms that the Volvo FH lives up to
this promise.”
At the FH Series’ launch in South Africa, he said that it was becoming increasingly
important for the company to keep careful pace with a developing region like southern
Africa.
“Going into the future, it is becoming more and more important to explore and understand
a region’s local operating environment, and to adapt our business in order to meet our
customers’ transport requirements,” he said and added, “ However, operating in South
Africa for over 13 years, we believe we are able to meet these requirements and offer our
local customers total transport solutions and support.”
He said that as transport operators expanded their operations throughout the region, Volvo
Trucks SA had been there to capture this market demand and support customers every
step of the way. “The launch of the FH and FM/ FMX model ranges signals of one of the
most intensive and exciting periods in the history of Volvo Trucks. With the most modern and
innovative Volvo line-up ever, we now have an ability to help customers in all segments to
improve productivity and profitability,” he stressed.
Volvo Trucks SA has spent many months training its dealer staff in order to effectively support
their customer, with innovative support offerings that include a new telematics system, a
mobile phone application and numerous fuel saving features to effectively assist fleet owners
cut their transport costs.
“We believe that Volvo Trucks Southern Africa is leading the way in supporting fleet owners in
a modern and interactive yet very practical way,” concluded Torbjörn Christensson.
Volvo Trucks Southern Africa
Contact:
Valentia Hobbs, Head of
Marketing & Communication
Tel:
(011) 842 5000
Fax:
(011) 842 5100
Email:
Website:
