Hino South Africa aims to be the top selling truck brand in South Africa by 2020.

It plans to do this through its Total Support Programme, which promotes mutual trust between the parent company in Japan, the local concern and the national dealer network.

Total sales in 2015, including the Toyota Dyna, rose 6.5% over 2014, with a record 3 601 of these units Hinos. Sales of 883 units in the first quarter of 2016 meanwhile has seen total market share rise to 14.3%. It is targeting in excess of 4 000 units for the 2016 calendar year.

The company was the top performing brand in the 2015 Competitive Customer Experience research in terms sales, service and parts in SA and was second in the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) survey in terms of dealers rating their OEMs. It was also rated top in parts and service in Japan’s regional evaluation of its distributors.

While no new models will be introduced this year, all three model ranges – 300, 500 and 700 – will be fitted with government-legislated speed limiters from the third-quarter. The 300-Series will receive an elevated air intake while the 500-Series will get ABS brakes, with a change from air/hydraulic brakes to full air brakes for the 1326 model.

Euro 3 engines will replace Euro 2 power units in the 500-Series heavy truck range. The Dyna range will remain unchanged this year, but in January 2017 will get ABS brakes and receive the larger 300-Series cab.

The 700-Series extra-heavy range will also get a speed limiter in the fourth quarter. However, from the beginning of next year, the 700-Series will be fitted with Euro 2 engines, although Euro 4 power units will be available on customer order.

The maker says there will be a concerted effort to push the benefits of fully automatic transmissions in the medium truck market. It says it wants to improve the standards of its dealers in all aspects of selling and servicing 700-Series trucks and plans to develop a used truck strategy that goes hand-in-hand with a policy on buy-backs and trade-ins.

Additional focus areas will be developing attractive service and maintenance plans and extended warranties.

The company’s parts sales target has been lifted by 7%, with efforts to improve parts pricing continuing. The manufacturer will also introduce real-time monitoring of Vehicle off Road (VOR) cases at the dealers to minimise downtime for its customers while a learnership programme will be introduced to encourage younger people to enter the truck retailing business.