UD Trucks: working towards “A Better Life”

February 27, 2023

UD Trucks Southern Africa’s smart logistics solutions are set to make fleet owners more efficient and productive.

As the market gained more sales momentum in 2022, steady growth was observed across all segments, with a respectable 12% growth in total industry sales (30 249 vehicle sales compared to 26 969 in 2021). UD Trucks Southern Africa’s local sales figures have shown steady progress in the medium and heavy-duty segment, increasing by 27% compared to the previous year.

As UD Trucks Southern Africa’s managing director Filip Van den Heede explains, however, it’s not just about pure growth numbers. Rather, it’s about aligning business growth aspirations with the company’s purpose of “A Better Life”, and – even more importantly – meeting customer expectations.

“Although the Covid-19 crisis and global supply chain constraints weakened an already fragile economy in the last two years, UD Trucks Southern Africa managed to keep the business buoyant, while growing significantly in emerging markets,” he notes.

Overcoming challenges facing the industry

The vision of UD’s founder Kenzo Adachi, to “make the trucks the world needs today” was actually a vision for smarter logistics. “The world today needs fewer CO₂ harmful emissions released into the environment, which is why UD launched the Quester and Croner Euro 5 models in 2022, following on from the Quon in 2019. This was well ahead of the implementation of local government regulations,” points out Van den Heede.

Through these vehicles, which boast much-improved fuel efficiency and are fitted with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology, UD has reduced CO₂ emissions as well as total cost of ownership (TCO). To date, UD has produced and sold close to 1 000 Euro 5 units in South Africa, consistently staying one step ahead of local regulations and market demands.

Later this year, the Quon range will receive further upgrades to improve vehicle safety. With innovation that prioritises people, these safety enhancements are set to support a sustainable future.

“The new Quon safety features, including the Traffic Eye cruise control, put people first, helping us achieve Vision Zero – a future with no injuries, deaths, or minor injuries from road collisions, and safety for drivers, communities, and other road users,” notes Van den Heede.

There are many challenges facing both the industry as a whole and its customers. Van den Heede says that one of the most significant of these challenges is the rising cost of doing business. “Consequently, we focus on providing solutions that will improve efficiency and profitability through our smart logistics approach,” he expands. “UD Connected Services helps us achieve this end goal, and our pioneering approach has resulted in enhancements that are set to limit fuel theft, provide a recovery solution, and ensure safety through alcohol detection. In a world of digitalisation, the logistics industry will benefit significantly from these additional features.”