UD Trucks Set to Enter Light Truck Market This Year

The Indonesian subsidiary of Japanese truck manufacturer UD Trucks is set to introduce a light truck later this year to strengthen its foothold in the country’s truck market.

UD Trucks Indonesia marketing and business planning director Christine Arifin said in Jakarta on Thursday that she was optimistic that the light truck, Kuzer, would be able to compete with rival trucks, such as Mitsubishi's Colt Diesel, which currently dominates the light truck market.

“We are not accepting orders for the Kuzer at the moment, as we are still in the preparation stage,” said Christine.

The 150-horsepower Kuzer, which was exhibited at the GIIAS auto show last August, will be fully produced in Indonesia along with the Quester heavy-duty truck. The trucks will be built at Volvo Indonesia’s Sunter facility in collaboration with holding company Astra International.

Volvo Group Indonesia, which oversees the local sales of Volvo Trucks and UD Trucks, invested around US$3 million for the production of the light truck. The group has thus far focused on the sales of heavy-duty trucks.

According to data from the Association of Indonesian Automotive Manufacturers (Gaikindo), UD Trucks sold 2,519 units in the January-September 2017 period, a 58 percent year-on-year increase from the same period in 2016, while Volvo Trucks sold 300 units in the same period, almost double the amount it sold last year. (www.chinatrucks.com)

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