UD Trucks Southern Africa Strengthens its resolve to go above and beyond
This year celebrates the 90th anniversary of UD Trucks Southern Africa's (UDTSA) historic establishment in 1962. This noteworthy achievement demonstrates the brand's reputation as one of the top brands in the local commercial vehicle market. Produced from its assembly factory in Rosslyn, Pretoria, it is well-known for providing innovative goods in the Light, Medium, and Heavy categories.
Local media stakeholders attended UDTSA's annual press conference on January 27, 2025, at the Cradle Boutique Hotel outside Johannesburg, as is traditional. UDTSA presented its yearly business results at this special event, highlighting the 10.2% growth in the new vehicle market overall and the 32 912 aggregate industry sales compared to the 30 807 total sales in 2024. Furthermore, UDTSA continues to dominate the market in Euro 5 vehicle sales and achieved a commendable performance of over 50% in Service Agreements, demonstrating its commitment to its "Better Life" goal and providing South Africa with more environmentally friendly transportation options.
Regarding the achievement, Filip Van den Heede, Managing Director of UD Trucks Southern Africa, says, "I am especially pleased at the company's overall performance and the unwavering support we offered our customers throughout the year despite the prevailing industry conditions." This is evidence of the resources we have in place that enable us to continue going above and beyond for our customers to keep their trucks on the road where they belong: a strong nationwide dealer network, first-rate OEM support, appropriate products and aftermarket services, parts availability, and—most importantly—improved uptime, guaranteeing our customers' profitability and productivity and continuing to pave the way for a Better Life for South Africa and its people with more sustainable transportation solutions.
Given the brand's track record of producing the most dependable vehicles with high levels of fuel efficiency, dependability, durability, drivability, and uptime. In order to directly address the business needs of customers and the industry's strict safety and environmental regulations using cutting-edge technology, UDTSA keeps pushing itself with product development and future mobility solutions.
Traffic eye control cruise with stop and auto go, an enhanced traffic eye brake system with VRU (Vulnerable Road User), an enhanced driver alert system, and an emergency brake signal are just a few of the Quon feature enhancements that set the standard for safety and uptime thanks to innovation that prioritizes people.
"Our goal is to be our customers' ultimate business partner to help them move their businesses forward," says Rory Schultz, Sales Director at UD Trucks Southern Africa. Because of this, as a brand, we continuously assess our local product line in accordance with client business needs. Beyond these improvements, UD Trucks continues to develop in the emerging NEV areas worldwide by forming various collaborations.
To guarantee that clients get the most out of their vehicles, UD Trucks prioritizes driver training in addition to product developments. In 2024, UDTSA demonstrated this dedication by competing in the Extra Mile Challenge worldwide finals, where it was recognized for its exceptional performance. In addition to vehicle dependability, the challenge emphasizes the vital role that competent drivers have in providing value to clients' companies. UD Trucks genuinely goes above and beyond for its clients by concentrating on holistic solutions that incorporate both cutting-edge goods and driver training.
UDTSA's primary goal is to maximize uptime and profitability while preventing unforeseen disruptions and expensive repairs. With the help of these technologies, cars may spend less time in the workshop and more time on the road, which promotes economic success.
UD Trust Standard or Ultimate Service Agreements (which provide service-only alternatives and predictable maintenance expenses for up to five years). With these all-encompassing strategies, UDTSA maintains its robust growth trajectory, with penetration rates hitting all-time highs. The brand reported a gain of more than 40% in 2023; in 2024, the team went one step further, realizing a further 50% year to date. This achievement demonstrates UDTSA's dedication to providing lifetime value to its clients by ensuring uptime, profitability, and higher second-hand value.
Additionally, waiting for parts is one of the major factors affecting customer uptime; when parts are accessible at the dealership, customer uptime improves. Through the use of predictive technologies, a committed staff that looks into unusual demand patterns, data from car sales, cooperation with Service Agreements data, and assistance from Japan with a focus on the South African market. For the first time in the past ten years, UDTSA has been able to aim for a minimum availability of 96%. This has made it possible for dealerships to have parts accessible in the morning when they begin working on the trucks, which has increased productivity and efficiency in the workshop and shown a continuous dedication to customer happiness and uptime.
Additionally, industry-leading UD Connected Services, telematic solutions that let company owners keep an eye on driver behavior and vehicle health, guaranteeing operational efficiency and safety, are part of UDTSA's uptime services. By offering maintenance plans tailored to each vehicle's specifications and conditions, Genuine Service also plays a significant role in ensuring optimal uptime.
Last but not least, these services are enhanced by the UD Road Support Call Center, which is open around-the-clock and collaborates with the strong countrywide and strategically placed dealer network to provide clients with professional help whenever they want it.
Naipal Sanjay, The significance of these solutions is emphasized by UD Trucks Southern Africa's Aftermarket Director: "As UD Trucks, we recognize that the biggest pain points for any fleet owner are unexpected failures and downtime. With our comprehensive uptime solutions, we are sure to provide our clients with total piece of mind, enjoying the rewards of preventative measures that lead to much enhanced workshop visitation planning and a considerable decrease in malfunctions.
2024 turned out to be a successful year for UDTSA, as the firm was once again named among the top-performing brands in all areas and categories of the automotive value chain by naamsa, The Automotive Business Council. For its outstanding work promoting change and empowerment in the medium-heavy commercial vehicle (MHCV) industry, UDTSA won three prizes at Naamsa's 2024 Accelerator prizes: the Job Creator – MHCV Employment Award, the Youth Empowering MHCV Award, and the Women Empowering MHCV Award. In addition to acknowledging UDTSA's continuous efforts to bring about significant change in the industry and society, this honor reinforces the company's commitment to improving people's lives, especially in the areas of job creation, youth development, and gender inclusion.
UDTSA received a gold award in the commercial vehicle sector from the National Automobile Dealers’ Association (NADA) DSI Awards, which is another significant industry honor that highlights the company's unwavering dedication to going above and beyond as well as the trust and confidence dealers have in the brand. Dealer standards, communication, relationships, training, and general aftermarket assistance are all measured in a rigorous survey of the local dealer network that precedes the awards.
Additionally, once Commercial Transport Academy (CTA) launched its inaugural Bus Driver Development Program in 2024, UDTSA extended its collaboration with CTA. This project will directly benefit about thirty female trainees, and in order to boost the training efforts, UDTSA financed a new Croner Bus PKE 280 65-Seater to CTA. As a business driven by its mission of "Better Life," UDTSA is motivated to collaborate with organizations like CTA by the common goal of improving people's lives and the society in which we operate.
Another industry-changing project strengthened UDTSA's commitment to improving people's lives and society. The firm participated in the first Truck Driver Safety and Wellness Symposium, which was organized by the SaferStops Association and the National Department of Transportation. In addition to raising awareness of critical concerns like health, safety, and wellbeing that truck drivers confront, the campaign was designed with the primary goal of honoring truck drivers for their vital contribution to South Africa's economic success. a crucial emblem of significant cooperation that seeks to maintain industrial momentum.
Additionally, in honor of Mandela Day, the SaferStops Association and UDTSA collaborated to give winter hampers to about 350 truck drivers at Vaal Truck-Inn Truck Stop, which is located close to the N3. In order to offer warmth and comfort throughout the colder months, the hampers contained necessary winter supplies. This program demonstrated UDTSA's steadfast attention to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the welfare of those at the center of the logistics sector.
In 2025, UD Trucks will celebrate 90 years of innovation since its founding in 1935. Over the years, the company has continued to offer goods and services that the modern world requires.
UD Trucks delivers products with high levels of fuel efficiency, uptime, dependability, durability, and drivability while addressing future mobility solutions under the brand promise of "Going the Extra Mile." For the next ninety years, UD Trucks will continue to support the growth of the logistics sector and contribute to the economic expansion in every market it serves by consistently offering the finest solutions to transportation difficulties.
Van den Heede says, "As we prepare for the amazing future, we remain committed to the success of the Southern Africa region and going above and beyond to provide our customers with ultimate dependability for the next 90 years."
