UD Trucks, a leading Japanese commercial vehicle solutions provider, has recorded another strong year across the Middle East, East, and North Africa (MEENA) region, with its sales up by 26%, cementing its position as the fastest growing truck brand in the region, while simultaneously expanding its footprint in key East African markets and growing its aftersales service offering. 

 

In 2025, the brand will look to optimise further growth by strengthening its presence in the heavy and medium duty truck segments and continuing its focus on the customer experience, said the company in a statement.

 

UD Trucks has registered a 50% increase in truck sales in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, demonstrating clearly the attractiveness of UD Value proposition, to its customers in the region. 

 

In Saudi Arabia, the brand had significant growth in the heavy duty segment, and positions itself as the true challenger in this big market, it stated. 

 

The Japanese truck brand said it was playing a pivotal role in the kingdom’s construction sector, supporting its rapid infrastructure development. Also, in medium duty, UD Trucks solidified its position in waste management and city distribution.

 

In the UAE, the brand has established itself as a key player, delivering strong performance in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and the Northern Emirates region, it stated. 

 

Mourad Hedna, UD Trucks MEENA President, said: "While celebrating the 90th anniversary of UD Trucks, I’m happy to state that in 2024 our truck sales across the region increased by around 30 percent year-on-year for the third year in a row."

 

"We are offering the most competitive and attractive value proposition; we provide durable and reliable trucks that are optimized for customers’ applications with the best cost of ownership, which is essential for our customers," stated Hedna. 

 

According to him, the brand’s success also extends to Qatar, where it leads the heavy-duty segment and contributes to major initiatives like the North Field Expansion (NFE) project. 

 

Similarly, in Oman and Kuwait, UD Trucks continues to enjoy robust demand for its vehicles, off the back of their reputation for reliability, adaptability, and customer satisfaction. In Iraq, the brand has continued to support essential services in the Babil governate, supplying trucks for essential applications.

 

In East Africa, 2024 was a milestone year for UD Trucks. The brand re-entered Kenya in partnership with the newly appointed Isuzu East Africa with launch events in Mombasa and Nairobi, showcasing the Quester and Croner models, affectionately nicknamed Ndovu (elephant) and Nyati (buffalo). 

 

Similarly, UD Trucks enjoyed a strong debut in Egypt in partnership with GB Auto, a subsidiary of GB Corp, providing sustainable transportation solutions for a rapidly growing market.

 

With an active portfolio of over 1,000 trucks under service agreements in the region, tailored solutions for sectors like construction and waste management have optimised operations and enhanced customer experiences. 

 

The brand has completed major upgrades at service centres in Qatar, Bahrain, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi to meet increasing demand and ensure seamless service delivery. UD Trucks also introduced a new customer survey approach at service locations to gather actionable insights and continuously improve service quality.

 

According to Hedna, training remains a cornerstone of the brand’s strategy to enhance competency across all functions. 

 

"In 2024, UD Trucks delivered 1300+ hours of technical training, 1600+ hours of commercial training, and 1200+ hours of systems training to its workforce. On-going investment in training will continue to ensure the highest standards of service and support for customers across the region. Thanks to the efforts placed in competence development, the Zahid Tractor team secured second place in the global finals of the Gemba Challenge, a competition for the service community driven by friendly rivalry," he stated.

 

Drivers were a focal point of the brand’s approach towards customer satisfaction, with events like Driver Guard Series which took place in Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, and the Extra Mile Challenge held in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Qatar, along with the global championship that took place at Ageo Japan in competition with the drivers from the rest of the world.

 

"With our partners and our people, we have strong foundations in place to be the leader in the commercial vehicles industry in the region," stated Hedna. 

 

"In 2025, we will keep our focus on our growth, and on the satisfaction of our customers. I thank UD Trucks MEENA employees, partners, and our customers for their trust," he added.-TradeArabia News Service