Photo: Jacques Carelse, managing director of UD Trucks Southern Africa.

UD Trucks Southern Africa was once again the country’s top truck exporter, claiming 23% of the market share with a total of 245 units exported into Africa during 2012. Last year, total sales in the export sector grew by a significant 32.9% to 1 065 units when compared to that of 2011.

This is according to the latest combined results released by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa, Associated Motor Holdings and Amalgamated Automobile Distributors.

“We are pleased about the growth in the export market during the past year, as it is evidence of the great potential still lingering in the Southern African truck market,” said Jacques Carelse, managing director of UD Trucks Southern Africa.

“It is well-known that many of Africa’s economies are consistently growing faster than those of almost any other region in the world, and with that comes aspects like increased infrastructural development, which subsequently leads to a greater need for trucks.”

UD Trucks Southern Africa has expanded its footprint to now include more than 60 dealers in the Southern African region, including Botswana, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

“We believe our strength lies in the fact that we are able to offer Southern African fleets the support they need wherever they are in the region. In addition, we are focused on balancing the cost involved in operating a fleet, with the products and service efficiency we offer,” said Carelse.