Isuzu’s truck attack

By Charles Buban April 19,2017
They can’t transform like Optimus Prime but the trucks are huge enough to impress.

They can’t transform like Optimus Prime but the trucks are huge enough to impress.

With the Philippine construction sector seen to grow from P1.09 trillion this year to P1.73 trillion by 2021, the Duterte administration has committed over the next five years to spend around P7 trillion.

In fact, the government has already set aside P860 billion for this year alone—most of these going to large-scale infrastructure projects including railways, urban mass transport systems, airports and seaports, new bridges and roads, and even smart, green and disaster-resilient cities.

With the projected improvement of networks that will connect more places and make travel time a lot shorter, the country should expect its Logistics Performance Index’s current 57th place (out of 160 countries as ranked by the World Bank) to improve.
The LPI measures the weighted average across six key logistics dimensions: customs, infrastructure, international shipment, logistics quality, tracking and timeliness (obtained through structured online survey of logistics professionals).

What is not immediately obvious amidst these developments is the expected demand for light commercial vehicles as well as medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

“During the past few years, there has been tremendous growth in sales of trucks and buses with average growth rate reaching 13 percent.

Just last year, truck sales grew at a rate of 36 percent with total sales for trucks and buses reaching 6,079 units.
From this growth, Isuzu Philippines Inc. (IPC) was able to attain the No. 1 position in total sales in all truck segments for 17 consecutive years,” said IPC president Hajime Koso who is scheduled to welcome guests and visitors in tomorrow’s opening of Isuzu Truck Fest at SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

Isuzu Truck Fest will run from April 20 to 23.

“Isuzu Truck Fest has become a tradition which we started more than 10 years ago, and every year since 2013; and each year, we make it a point to make it a better experience for everyone,” promised Koso.
On display

Koso shared that the following models will be highlighted during this year’s Isuzu Truck Fest:
NPR in dropside configuration
NHR 10×10 Flexi Truck (KPC)
FVM Fruehaf Wing-van c/o Centro
mu-X LE 2 red
mu-X LE 2 cosmic black
NHR 10×10 Flexi Truck (prototype)
NHR I-van
FVM Fruehaf Wing-van c/o Centro (protoype/stage)
NQR Alum Van
CYZ Tipper/Dump Truck
EXZ Tractor head (yellow)
D-Max X-Series (manual) Venetian Red
D-Max X-Series (automatic) white
Centro Jeepney Project c/o Centro Maguyam
FVM Crane Tadano (display at Isuzu Commonwealth in Quezon City)
FVR Garbage Compactor (displayed at Isuzu Batangas)

“In this year’s Isuzu Truck Fest, we will not only showcase our top quality trucks in their various body applications, we will go a step further by featuring their many uses through our creative display.

“From our four-wheeler NHR Flexi Truck to our EXZ Tractor Head, we are confident that this year’s visitors will find the answer to all their business requirements. Our brand will guarantee dependability, durability and value for money,” shared Koso.
As an added attraction, Koso said that the event at SMX will also showcase IPC’s top-of-the-line 4×4 models, a limited edition mu-X and an X-Series D-Max.

Cosmic Black Isuzu mu-X

Cosmic Black Isuzu mu-X

“To thank buyers, IPC is ready to give away free dash cameras and P10,000 worth of fuel cards for every transactions closed during this four-day spectacle.”

Koso is confident more Filipinos will support the brand. “Isuzu trucks have established a reputation for being reliable, durable and fuel-efficient. Proof of this is that they are among the most popular brand-new trucks in the local market.”

Demand for trucks

He also shared that the record figures attained by the Philippine automotive sector last year was not only fueled by private consumption but also by the robust demand for trucks and buses.

“This can be seen in IPC’s performance last year, which saw sales of medium and heavy-duty trucks and buses surge nearly 220 percent.

“Clearly, the truck segment is a significant contributor to the rise of the automotive industry, which in turn is an indicator of the growth currently experienced by the local economy,” said Koso.

Venetian Red Isuzu D-Max

Venetian Red Isuzu D-Max

He explained that buying new trucks has its merits: buyers no longer need to worry about its repair history, emissions, and fuel economy record, as well as engineering quality (as when buying second-hand vehicles).

“IPC will make sure the newly bought trucks’ maintenance schedules are followed, and IPC have highly trained technicians who strictly follow the manufacturer’s specifications,” he assured.

Statistics show that trucks involved in major accidents are mostly poorly maintained anddilapidated used trucks.

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