Cerritos, California-based Isuzu Commercial Truck of America has established Isuzu Commercial Truck of Canada (ICTC) as distributor in Canada.
Go deeper with GlobalData
The new company will sell and service the Isuzu line of class 3 – 5 low cab forward medium duty trucks.
“Establishing the Isuzu brand in Canada will give us the opportunity to offer great trucks in a growing market, giving customers more choices when it comes to selecting the right truck for their business,” said Makoto Kawahara, president of Isuzu Commercial Truck of America.
Isuzu brings to Canada what is claims is the best-selling cab-over brand in the US since 1986. Of the nearly 400,000 Isuzu-built diesel trucks sold in North America since 1984, more than 83% are still registered and in service.
An Isuzu distributor in Canada will offer direct sales and service support. Previously, Isuzu-built LCF vehicles were available in Canada only as GMC W-series-branded trucks.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalData“Customers may have been familiar with our products, but not the Isuzu brand,” said Kawahara. “With ICTC, the Isuzu brand will strengthen an already well-established and respected product.”
Isuzu Motors Limited plans to boost and strengthen its sales organisations, aiming to expand overseas sales of its commercial vehicles. In Canada, the plan is to further increase sales by establishing an Isuzu network of dealers, in addition to the existing sales network of GMC W-series dealers.
The vehicles will be imported from the United States and marketed through a sales network of local dealers.
ICTC is capitalised at $C1m (approximately JPY100 m) and is 100% held by Isuzu Commercial Trucks of America. ICTC will have offices in Toronto.
The Canadian commercial truck market for classes 3-7 is approximately 16,000 units, of which the Low Cab Forward segment represents about 14%. Sales of the GMC W-series were 700 units in 2006.
The new company will sell both petrol and diesel low-cab forward trucks in classes 3-5. Projected 2007 sales for the combined GMC and Isuzu networks is 1,000 units, with a goal of 2,000 by 2010.
