SUPER GROUP OPEN FLAGSHIP HINO DEALERSHIP
Super 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, which is 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 importance of the official opening was at such a high level 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 without 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 ultra-competitive South African truck market and this latest investment in a new dealership is another sign of confidence in a brand which has been in South Africa since 1965 and remains the market leader in Japan,” said Calvyn Hamman, the Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing of Toyota SA Motors, of which Hino SA forms a part.
“We are very pleased with the commitment 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 Strydom, Franchise Executive for the Toyota Group within Super Group and Patrick Arthur, the Dealer Principal, in bringing this new dealership to life.
“This is a further example of confidence in the Hino brand as last year we had the renaming 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 substantially 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 people, 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 extensive parts stock on site and this is replenished at least twice a day.
The workshop facility is equipped to undertake Certificate of Fitness (COF) testing 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-controlled 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 success, using Hino Total Support as one of our key strategies, because the establishment of a strong dealer network is a critical part of our 2020 strategy to achieve a market leadership position in South Africa,” concluded Senior Vice President Calvyn Hamman.
CAPTIONS:
Photo 1: 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.
Photo 2: Junsuke Ando, General Manager Europe and Africa Division, Hino Motors Limited, addressing the guests at the opening of Hino Isando.
Photo 3: Junsuke Ando, General Manager Europe and Africa Division, Hino Motors Limited, addressing the guests at the opening of Hino Isando.
Photo 4: Calvyn Hamman (right), the Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing at TSAM, presenting a silver fruit bowl to Alistair Rawstorne, the Chief Operating Officer of Super Group to mark the opening of the new Hino Isando dealership. Looking on are Ernie Trautmann, the Vice President of Hino SA, and Patrick Arthur, the Dealer Principal of Hino Isando. All new Hino dealerships are presented with similar fruit bowls which are meant to be filled with fresh fruit for customers.
