After CMC Motor Group refocused in Kenya, Isuzu East Africa obtained the sole right to produce and market UD vehicles.
Rita Kavashe, Managing Director of Isuzu East Africa, underlined that the company is now in charge of UD Truck assembly, sales, and after-sales service in Kenya. During the opening of a new long-haul heavy-duty commercial truck and a truck service facility along the Northern route in Mombasa, Kavashe gave a speech.
“We appreciate being given this unique duty in the area by UD Trucks Corporation and Isuzu Motors Japan. Isuzu Motors selected us to construct and distribute UD Trucks in Kenya because of the great support we have received from our clients over the years,” Kavashe said.
According to her, the reason for UD trucks’ resurgence is that Kenya serves as a regional logistics hub and consumers seek long-lasting goods, good value, and long-term business relationships.
According to the MD, the partnership with UD trucks will assist the Buy Kenya, Build Kenya strategy by facilitating technology transfer and encouraging employment development.
“By taking advantage of the strategic location of our ports, road infrastructure, and trading blocks, there is a chance to expand the market not only in Kenya but also in the region,” Kavashe stated.
She claimed that Isuzu’s purchase of the UD vehicle distributorship enhances Kenyan manufacturing and generates job possibilities.
According to Kavashe, the government’s evaluation of assembly regulations has resulted in a radical change that has paved the way for new players to enter the assembly market through partnerships.
“Because it can be very expensive to set up a manufacturing full scale at the beginning, we went through a thorough review of the taxation regime two years ago that allows new players to come in,” she said.
According to UD Trucks President Mourad Hedna, the demand for heavy-duty trucks is driven by Kenya’s status as a major logistics and transport center in Africa.
“Logistics is the lifeblood of a nation like Kenya, and it will only grow in importance. There would be more items to carry due to the growing population, youth, and middle class, necessitating the construction of infrastructure, Hedna stated.
We have returned to Kenya, a key location for UD vehicles. Our trucks were praised for their dependability and longevity. We upgraded from 21 tons to 100 tons in the past ten years, which is designed for the hardy African nations. “We created choices for the clients,” Hedna stated.
According to Koichi Ito, chairman of UD Trucks Corporation, the company has established two UD Trucks service centers in Nairobi and Mombasa to address customer needs in the area by acting as training and best practice centers.
“With UD trucks, our goal is to play a significant role in promoting national prosperity,” Ito stated.
