UD Trucks targets Laos as a growth market
UD Trucks targets Laos as a growth market
Aglobal heavy truck producer, UD Trucks Corporation, will able to launch and supply its latest model products to the Lao market this year after the corporation launched Croner - �an all-new medium duty truck' - in Thailand on Wednesday.
�The plan for introducing this product to the Lao market will be in the fourth quarter of this year. H owever we cannot reveal how many because we looking forward to see the figure and it is the future plan,� said Mr Kamlarp Sirikittiwatn, President of Volvo Group Thailand and overall responsible for UD Trucks in Thailand.
Mr Jacques Michel, President, Volvo Group Trucks Asia & JVs Sales, said �I have visited Laos many times and there is for sure a strong need for medium duty trucks to support distribution and also to support construction which is very important in Laos, mainly infrastructure construction and development. I think in Laos it would be strong support for customer demand and a good solution to this demand.�
Sales and Marketing Manager of UMG Lao (a major Lao heavy machine supplier in Vientiane), Mr Visien Keovanthong, said the sale of heavy trucks was increasing each year due to construction and development in the country, especially the development of infrastructure and investment projects, mainly power plant construction and mining projects.
UD Trucks launched Croner to continue its rich Japanese legacy of building �the truck that the world needs today� to help customers maximise productivity, specifically for its growth markets across Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America.
The new medium duty truck range delivers a wide range of customisable configurations for extra productivity and superior uptime.
Croner is a reliable and versatile truck range built with robust and quality components delivering extra productivity and superior uptime. It is engineered to help customers stay ahead of the competition, through the simple concept of saving time.
�We believe that more time spent on the road and less time in the workshop adds up to the success of our customers' business,� Mr Michel said.
Croner comes from the best of three worlds - UD Trucks' strong Japanese heritage and craftsmanship, Volvo Group's global technology and sourcing, and local manufacturing and customer support. It is designed to excel in the medium duty segment to compete in growth markets.
It has options for three gross vehicle weight models: MKE, LKE and PKE and their wheelbase variants, which can offer up to 21 different basic configurations to suit the specific demands of various industries. Additionally, the air suspension on all variants is available as an option to protect customers' cargo especially when travelling on rough road conditions.
Mr Nobuhiko Kishi, Senior Vice President, Brand and Product, UD Trucks, said �Croner is one of our most fuel efficient trucks ever. It utilises the fuel needed efficiently without waste, thanks to the new GHE engine series, automatic transmission, a built-in fuel couch, and a more aerodynamic cab which reduces the coefficient of drag more significantly by 5 percent.�
The trucks will be assembled at the UD Trucks Bangkok Factory in Bang Na, Thailand. Units made will be sold locally to the Thai market as well as exported to other growth markets in Asia, Africa, Middle-East and South America.
UD Trucks is a leading Japanese total transport solution provider. UD Trucks was established in Japan in 1935, and became a part of the Volvo Grou p in 2007. UD Trucks has established its headquarters in Japan and expanded its sales network in Japan and more than 60 countries worldwide.
The company's mission is to provide the added value of Ultimate Dependability derived from UD to its products as well as an unsurpassed level of excellence for customers.
