Winners are grinners so they say and such is the case with market leader Isuzu, which has already broken its own record for the brand with the most truck sales in a single year, two months before 2022 officially comes to an end.
Isuzu has constantly set the standard when it comes to sales records in the Australian truck market setting the benchmark in 2018 and then bettering it last year when it sold 10175 trucks. This year that figure has already been exceeded as at the end of October underlining the prediction that Isuzu sales boss, Les Spaltman predicted earlier this year with the prospect of a round 13000 trucks total volume becoming easily achievable.
Despite economic and supply chain disruptions, Isuzu enjoyed a record-breaking year in 2021, Isuzu finished September with 9,642 sales year-to-date, a 32 per cent increase in volume on this time last year.
The brand also improved its market share over the same time in 2021, according to official Truck Industry Council market figures, with 29.9 per cent of all trucks sold bearing the famous Isuzu badge. Isuzu share for the same time in 2021 stood at 24 per cent.
The company continued its dominance of the light-duty segment at the end of September, with 5,492 units sold for a whopping 46.5 per cent share year-to-date, and sales volume increase of 30 per cent. This is close to 1,300 units more than at the same time in 2021.
Similarly in medium-duty, Isuzu sits in top spot with 2,665 units sold for a remarkable 45.2 per cent share of this hotly contested segment and again built share and volume, with sales some 28 per cent above 2021 figures and share increasing from 39.5 per cent.
At the heavy end, Isuzu continues to stand firm in third spot at the close of September, with 1,485 units sold for 14 per cent share, and sales volume growth of over 50 per cent.
Isuzu says that playing a starring role in its unrelenting sales success is Isuzu’s 4,500 kg Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) light-duty models, including the NLR, NLS, NNR, NPR and NPS variants.
“As an indicator of how well these models are being received by Australian businesses, we can see that in the month of September 2021, Isuzu delivered 310 units. Compare that to the same time this year and we’ve delivered 572 trucks!” said Les Spaltman.
Other models that continue to strike a chord with Aussie workers according to Isuzu’s newly are the updated 6×2 and 6×4 F Series range, including FVM and FVL, FVZ and FVY variants.
“We’ve worked hard to ensure that these models are continuing to tick the box for all manner of business operations, and especially in that freight and logistics task, which is in huge demand at the moment,” said Spaltman.
“We’ve raised the bar when it comes to safety, comfort and user experience across our medium and heavy-duty range, so it’s great to see consistent sales performance in this model group across the last 12 months.”
Les Spaltman said the unprecedented achievement was tribute to the fierce loyalty of Isuzu customers and the hard work of the Isuzu dealer network.
“We’re extremely proud of this unprecedented result and it really is testament to our thousands of customers out there that have ridden the bumps with us and stuck by the brand through some challenging times.
“I can’t let a milestone like this go by without a huge thank you to our amazing Isuzu dealer network, whose hard work and commitment to customer service has made this record-breaking run a reality for the second year in a row.
“These achievements don’t just happen by themselves and there’s a huge amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to get product into the country, get it processed and then out into our dealerships. For that, I extend a big thanks to the team at IAL.”
Prior to 2021, Isuzu’s previous sales record was set in 2018 with 10,027 sales, achieved under a very different set of operating conditions.
Broader economic support provided by Government throughout the pandemic period has been vital in building a framework of confidence for Australian businesses, especially regarding further investment in capital equipment such as trucks and other essential plant and assets.
“As we’ve all seen, the huge spike in demand for road transport operations was really telling throughout the previous two years, and there’s little doubting stimulus measures have helped satisfy this demand,” Les Spaltman said.
“We’ve worked extremely hard to have an excellent pipeline of product coming into the country and we have fresh plans, personnel and initiatives in place on the parts, service and broader aftersales side of the business.
“With 33 years running as the preferred truck of choice for the local road transport industry, we’re keenly aware and proud of the role our products and services play in the daily lives of countless Australian businesses,” Spaltman concluded.
