With the close of 2021, Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL) has celebrated the unprecedented achievement of 33 consecutive years as Australia’s best-selling truck brand.
The company’s continued overall market domination comes following a challenging year –with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and related supply chain issues affecting retail trade across numerous industries.
Despite this, IAL still managed to set a creditable new high watermark of 10,175 truck deliveries in 2021, surpassing the previous all-time sales record set by the brand in 2018.
The company finished the year with a 24.6 per cent share, up 23 per cent compared to 2020 and outpacing the market growth of 20 per cent.
Predictably, IAL continues to lead the way in the light-duty segment, with 5,593 units sold for a 39 per cent share.
In medium–duty sales the company also blitzed it, increasing its sales volume in the segment by 15 per cent to snare a remarkable 41.5 per cent with 3,067 units.
At the heavy end, Isuzu held onto third spot, with 1,515 units sold for a hard-fought 11.7 per cent share of the market segment.
IAL National Sales Manager Les Spaltman reflected on the results in the face of what he described as the numerous obstacles the company surmounted over the course of the year to achieve the sales record.
“We certainly don’t believe that the challenges we faced in 2021 were unique to IAL. We know that pretty much every sector of industry and the economy bore the brunt of pressures that upended well established practices and processes,” said Spaltman.
“And we’re all too aware that our products play an integral role in the smooth running of consumer and industrial supply chains.”
Speaking frankly, Spaltman said the company knew that it simply had to find a way to get the job done.
“We thank all our customers for their continued support and patience, along with our dealers and salespeople for their determination and professionalism, and finally all of the Isuzu Australia staff – we couldn’t have done it without you,” he said.
Isuzu Trucks’ previous sales record was set in 2018, with 10,027 sales achieved under a very different set of operating conditions, commented IAL Director and Chief Operating Officer, Andrew Harbison.
“The economic support provided by the government has been vital in underpinning the confidence for businesses to invest in capital equipment,” said Harbison.
“The stimulus has helped road transport businesses acquire the additional equipment needed to meet the massive spike in demand experienced over the past two years.”