Resurgent Isuzu rides on booming truck demand

By Charles Buban July 26,2016
ISUZU’S EXZ51K models offer prospective buyers unmatched reliability and capabilities.

ISUZU’S EXZ51K models offer prospective buyers unmatched reliability and capabilities.

 

Photos by Charles E. Buban

 

ISUZU Philippines Corp. (IPC) president Hajime Koso is a picture of contentment as he observes visitor traffic at a recent Isuzu Truck Fest event held in Isuzu Tuguegarao.

 

“Would you believe that in just a few hours, we are able to close more than 20 deals? All the units displayed here were bought. I’m amazed but very satisfied that truck demand is so strong in this part of northern Luzon (province of Cagayan),” the elated Japanese executive told this writer.

 

Koso reported that in the first six months of 2016, deliveries of these Japan-made heavy-duty Category V heavy-duty trucks have spiked to 833.3 percent. This impressive growth is boosted further by a 25-percent rise in the company’s Category IV buses; 18.8-percent growth in the Category III light-duty commercial trucks; and 16.6-percent rise in Category IV heavy-duty trucks.

 

When combined, sales of IPC’s commercial trucks and buses totaled 2,703 units, a 36.7 percent increase compared to the 1,977 units sold during the first six months of 2015.

 

30.4-percent growth

This helped IPC achieve a significant 30.4-percent growth in the first six months of 2016. That’s 13,258 units versus the 10,169 units sold during the first half of 2015, according to the combined report of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association.

 

“With many of our products geared toward business use, our growth is also an accurate indication of the market’s optimistic view regarding the economy. The brisk movement experienced across IPC’s model lineup is a manifestation that the company offers consumers some of the most relevant products available locally,” Koso said.

 

Displayed during the event were eight of IPC’s most versatile truck models including the NHR Flexi Truck, an NKR that was converted into a mobile medical unit, an NPR Dropside truck, another NKR in basic cab-and-chassis format.

 

There is also the iVan model that displayed the passenger-carrying capabilities of Isuzu’s N-Series chassis.

 

Along with these light-duty truck models that have been segment best seller for 16 consecutive years, were a pair of EXZ51K models, which offers prospective buyers in the province unmatched reliability and capabilities. Another unit displayed was a medium-duty FVR Dropside truck with a crane mounted on it.

 

Major clients

“Here in the province, as well as in outlying areas, our buyers are comprised mainly of service [fuel] station operators, rice millers, and those in the gravel and sand business,” related Isuzu Tuguegarao principal Dr. Zinnia Domingo-Perez.

 

Perez, who is EVP of BMD Motors, also related that the sudden influx of demand prompted Isuzu Tuguegarao to set up a satellite dealership in the nearby town of Iguig (also in Cagayan).

ONE NKR truck has been converted into a mobile medical unit to give buyers idea of Isuzu truck’s flexibility.

ONE NKR truck has been converted into a mobile medical unit to give buyers idea of Isuzu truck’s flexibility.

Meant to supplement the operations of Isuzu Tuguegarao as well as the rest of BMD Motors-operated dealerships located in Isabela, Cabanatuan, Pangasinan and Dagupan, the 5,000-sqm Iguig satellite office will boast of 20 service bays as well as a display area for four leading Isuzu models.

 

“IPC has always recognized Cagayan, particularly Tuguegarao, as one of the strongest markets for the Isuzu brand. The robust commercial activity in the area has allowed Isuzu vehicles to be a part of the region’s growth, and we in IPC are quite appreciative of this. As such, the Isuzu Truck Fest-Tuguegarao seeks to offer local consumers the best mobility solutions available in the domestic market while the upcoming Isuzu presence in Iguig will hopefully strengthen the brand’s presence in the region,”  Koso said.

 

Koso concluded that with a reputable brand like Isuzu, business owners, families and individuals can be assured of a dependable partner, a reliable vehicle, and an aftersales service that would ensure that all Isuzu vehicles sold by IPC last for decades.

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