Ashok Leyland, flagship of the Hinduja Group and one of India’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers, in May 2022 announced their new distribution partnership with ETG’s logistics, warehousing and distribution vertical, ETG Logistics (ETGL). ETG is a global conglomerate operating across various segments, with a deep focus on uplifting Sub-Saharan Africa. An agreement was signed between the companies for cooperation of distribution of products in the Southern African region. ETGL will operate dealerships for Ashok Leyland in six key Southern African countries as part of this strategic cooperation.
Ashok Leyland is the 2nd largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in India, the3rd largest manufacturer of buses in the world, and the 10th largest manufacturer of trucks. Headquartered in Chennai, and with a footprint that extends across 50 countries, Ashok Leyland is one of the most fully integrated manufacturing companies and has a well-diversified portfolio across the automobile market. Ashok Leyland today offers a comprehensive range of trucks and buses catering to an entire gamut of day-to-day commercial vehicle needs – from intercity light commercial vehicles to 49-tonne long haul trucks and a wide range of buses.
Mr. Amandeep Singh, Head International Operations, Ashok Leyland said,“ We have ambitious growth plans for the African Market. Our time tested products are well suited for the African terrain and offers a superior value proposition to customers. ETG group’s extensive connect in these markets will complement our growth plans. We are already present in most of the East and West African countries. We now have the right product portfolio with Best in Class TCO to cater to requirements of this market and provide an excellent value proposition for customers.”
Ashok Leyland is known for its toughness and durability and obviously becomes the best fit for Southern African conditions and market requirements. The initial range planned for the Southern African market will consist of models competing in the LCV, MCV, HCV and Bus segments. The Ashok Leyland Phoenix light truck offers a cab forward design with a GVM of less than 3,5 tons and a load capacity of approximately two tons. It is therefore possible to drive this vehicle in South Africa with a normal Code EB driver’s license.
Next in the model line-up are the Ashok Leyland Partner, Boss and Cargo 4×2 forward control freight carriers with payloads in the 5-to-20-ton range. ETGL will be supplying chassis cab models to the market and various load body configurations will be available through approved local suppliers.
A range of buses with seating capacities ranging from 31 to 63 will also be available to the local market. Homologation is currently in process and first units will be available for retail in Q3 2022.
Mr. Francois van Eeden, Marketing Lead for ETGL, said, “As part of our mobility solutions, we have now added pick-ups, trucks, and buses to add more value to our model offering. ETGL already distributes a range of agricultural machinery and automotive products throughout Southern Africa, and it therefore makes commercial sense for the company to expand its product offering to include commercial vehicles. An experienced staff compliment with a rich history in automotive engineering, product planning and development, marketing as well as wholesale and retail experience provides the required knowledge and skills set to guide our dealers to commercial success.”