Isuzu East Africa has sold 40 trucks to bakery firm Dessra Ventures in a transaction valued at an estimated Sh200 million, boosting the sales of the dealer that has inked similar bulk deals with players in various sectors including public transport.
Dessra, which had a 100-vehicle fleet before the latest purchases, said the additional 40 trucks fits with the company’s expansion into new markets.
Bakery firms rely heavily on medium-duty trucks to distribute their products across the country on a daily basis.
The 40 trucks comprise two models –Isuzu NMR and FRR— which are among the top-selling units in a category dominated by models from the same dealer according to data from the Kenya Motor Industry Association (KMIA).
“As a food manufacturer of freshly-baked goods, we at Dessra Ventures Ltd believe that Isuzu EA is a dependable transportation partner that will ensure reliability, timely and last mile delivery to our network of nationwide retailers to meet the demands of consumers on a daily basis,” the bakery firm’s national sales manager David Oremo said in a statement.
“In addition, a number of these newly procured units will also be replacing worn out trucks in our current fleet. Furthermore, Isuzu trucks have become our preferred vehicle brand for logistics and distribution due to their solid built-up and sturdiness, aside from offering economical fuel consumption and lower maintenance costs.”
Major clients such as Dessra Ventures are critical in driving sales in the new vehicle market that rely mostly on medium and large private firms as well as the government.
Banks offering asset finance solutions have often financed bulk motor vehicle purchases from the formal dealers, benefitting from an opportunity to offer big-ticket loans.
Absa Bank Kenya provided a Shariah-compliant asset finance for Dessra Venture’s latest trucks purchase. Other major players in the asset finance business include NCBA Bank Kenya and Co-operative Bank of Kenya.
Isuzu says the trucks bought by the bakery firm were customised to suit its needs by, among others, allowing airflow and shelving in line with its strategy of addressing the special requirements of different clients.
“Reliable transport for fresh products is critical to mitigating against losses caused by poor storage and transportation from the production stage to the consumer,” Isuzu’s sales and marketing director Wanjohi Kangangi said in a statement.
“We are here to be part of the solution, by handing ... 30 Isuzu NMR and 10 FRR trucks that are reliable, safe and comfortable means of transporting products across different sectors in the economy,” he said at the handover event held on Friday last week.
