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CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS
MAY 2015
36
S
uper Group, a leading transport
logistics and mobility group which
was founded in 1986 and is listed
on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange,
has opened a flagship Hino dealership in
Isando, well-situated in the industrial and
commercial hub of Gauteng.
Hino Isando is the 22nd exclusive dealership
in the Hino network of 64 dealers and the
cost of the development – excluding the
land – was in excess of R25-million.
The dealership has been operating since last
November, but the official opening only took
place on 21 April 2015. However, the impor-
tance of the official opening was such that it
was attended by Junsuke Ando, the General
Manager of Hino Motors’ Africa and Europe
Division. He said that although the majority
of Hino sales take place in Japan and South-
East Asia the continent of Africa was a region
showing rapid growth with high potential.
Junsuke added: “Hino recognises that
there will be no Hino global success with-
out Hino success here in South Africa. For
this reason we are delighted that a high
profile public company such as the Super
Group has made a substantial investment
in a new Hino dealership.”
“We are very proud of the manner in which
the Hino brand is flourishing in the ul-
tra-competitive South African truck mar-
ket and this latest investment in a new
dealership is another sign of confidence
in a brand that has been in South Africa
since 1965 and remains the market lead-
er in Japan,” said Calvyn Hamman, the
Senior Vice President, Sales and Market-
ing of Toyota SA Motors, of which Hino SA
forms a part.
“We are very pleased with the commit-
ment from Super Group through Graeme
Watson, the Chief Executive Officer, and
Alistair Rawstorne, the Chief Operating
Officer, and really appreciate the strategy
and planning put into place by Roelf Stry-
dom, Franchise Executive for the Toyota
Group within Super Group and Patrick Ar-
thur, the Dealer Principal, in bringing this
new dealership to life.
“This is a further example of confidence in
the Hino brand. Last year we had the renam-
ing of Hino Pretoria North to Hino Tshwane
and relocation to spacious new premises in
Pretoria West as well as the appointment of
a Hino dealer in Cradock, which was an open
point we were happy to fill. In addition, most
of our dealers have either rebuilt or substan-
tially refurbished their facilities over the past
three years so we believe we are now well set
for future growth,” added Hamman.
Hino Isando is currently staffed by 17 peo-
ple, but this number is planned to grow
to 35 as the dealership gains sales and
service momentum. The facility has six
double work spaces making 12 bays and
there is space for another six double bays
for future development. There is an exten-
sive parts stock on site and this is replen-
ished at least twice a day.
The workshop facility is equipped to un-
dertake Certificate of Fitness (COF) test-
ing but still awaiting full accreditation to
conduct COF inspections. It also has an
express pit lane to minimise downtime for
urgent work when required.
The facility is already eco-friendly in that
all the lights are movement-sensor-con-
trolled and plans are in place to recycle
rain water for the wash bay.
“Hino South Africa is fully committed to
supporting Hino Isando to ensure its suc-
cess, using Hino Total Support as one of
our key strategies, because the establish-
ment of a strong dealer network is a crit-
ical part of our 2020 strategy to achieve
a market leadership position in South
Africa,” concluded Senior Vice President
Calvyn Hamman.
b
SUPER GROUP
open flagship Hino dealership
Symbolic cutting of the ribbon at the opening of Hino Isando. Those in the photo (from left) are: Calvyn Hamman, Senior Vice President
Sales and Marketing, TSAM; Patrick Arthur, Dealer Principal of Hino Isando; Ernie Trautmann, Vice President of Hino SA; Junsuke Ando,
General Manager Europe and Africa Division, Hino Motors Limited and Tetsuji Hitokata, Managing Director of Hino Motors Europe.