FleetWatch - 27-Hino

Manufacturers

HINO SOUH AFRICA

It’s the dawning of a new era for Hino in South Africa.

Toyota Trucks is no more. No, this intrepid truck marque that has plied the highways and by-ways of South Africa for almost four decades has not fallen victim to the global economic firestorm. Rather it has grown and matured and will from now on operate as an independent division in the Toyota South Africa Group under the guise of Hino South Africa writes Andrew Parker.

This is not really ‘breaking news’ as the initial announcement was made during the 2008 Johannesburg International Motor Show by Hino SA vice president, Piet van Wyk de Vries. In fact, even before that, Toyota had intimated that there would be a name change, re-branding and restructure of the company.

However, the fact that “Hino is All Go’ was deemed significant enough to stage a formal function well attended by dealers and media. Members of Hino Motors Limited management board, including the company’s executive vice president, Masakazu Ichikawa, were also in attendance.

And it really is a significant change for the operation with Van Wyk de Vries saying that Hino will now focus on the truck market with its own dedicated dealer network identified by a new corporate identity. It’s been a long time coming and it’s the right way to go.

Van Wyk de Vries says Hino South Africa is facing a market that has differentiated itself into a sophisticated entity that requires specific strategies, systems and totally dedicated people.

"We believe that the "Toyota Trucks" business has now reached a critical mass in South Africa where it can stand on its own feet, with a dedicated dealer network that is economically viable."

"We realised a while ago that maintaining this position of leadership into the future would not be possible if we continued to do business as we have up until now. It was time for change.

The realigned dealer network will eventually consist of around 75 strategically located outlets to provide sales, parts and service to our countrywide base of truck customers.”

Toyota SA CEO Johan van Zyl says that while Hino will now have a separate identity, it has the full backing and support of Toyota SA.

Masakazu Ichikawa, executive vicepresident of Hino Motors Japan, says that by boosting its involvement in the South African operation, Hino Motors is underlining its commitment to what it perceives to be a very valuable market.

Evidence of this is that Hino is strengthening its organisation and staff complement concurrent with the dealer development programme and has brought in sales/marketing and truck production specialists from Hino Japan.

Hino sales in South Africa (including Dyna) were the fifth highest outside Japan behind Indonesia, Thailand, Australia and the US.

New Models

The new identity is being hallmarked with a new model range that should set Hino apart from the way it conducted business under the Toyota Trucks banner.

The Hino range has been totally re-evaluated in terms of a gap analysis to ascertain what key segments it is not competing in currently, and also to identify potential growth segments for the future.

The new model range features the 700 Series extra– heavy, 6x4 truck tractors with double sleeper cabs and air suspension. The model will be available with 335 – 355 kW (450 and 480 hp) power units.

These new models will be followed at mid–year by two more derivatives in the successful 500 Series range – a 14–ton 6x2 freight carrier and a 15–ton 6X4 tipper.

Five more 700 Series extra heavy trucks will then be launched over the next nine months as Hino strengthens its position in this major growth segment of the local truck market.

Alongside the planned increase in the product offerings will go revitalisation of all aspects of Hino‘s after-sales service. "We know it is essential to improve our efficiencies if we are to drive down the cost of ownership of a Hino truck for our customers," commented Van Wyk de Vries.

"We also have a willing partner in Toyota Financial Services in ensuring the best possible deal and the peace of mind of specific financing, insurance as well as service and maintenance packages.”

He says that the “Hino Revolution” marks a new beginning for Hino in South Africa. Under the new banner:“We will be far more aggressive in the local truck market and in this I am pleased to say we have the full backing of Hino Motors Japan, and Toyota Motor Corporation through its subsidiary, Toyota SA Motors.”

Hino continues to be a major player in the Japanese domestic truck market, where it has been the top seller for 35 consecutive years, with a 2008 market share of 32,5%.

One bit of sad news in among all this is that we now wave goodbye to that stalwart of the medium truck segment, the Dyna. All the current Dyna models, except the 4-093 Dyna 150 model, will in future be branded the Hino 300 Series in South Africa and will be sold only through the dedicated Hino dealer network.

The King is dead. Long live the King.

The realigned dealer network will eventually consist of around 75 strategically located Hino outlets.

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