THIS year sees FAW Trucks celebrate 29 years in South Africa and during that time they have become a fixture in the South African commercial vehicle industry.
FAW Trucks prides itself on offering a lineup of robust vehicles which offer value for money in the extra-heavy, heavy, medium and light commercial market segments.
Built locally for local conditions
Since its local introduction FAW Trucks has always been committed to South Africa and its people. This was backed up by a decision in 2012 to invest locally and open a manufacturing plant in Coega, Gqeberha.
At the time this investment was one of the largest by a Chinese company in South Africa. The plant, which was built at a cost of R600 million covers 30 000m² and features a state-of-the-art training facility, a body shop and a paint shop.
In 2014 the first vehicle rolled off that assembly line and earlier this year the 8000th locally assembled vehicle was built.
The FAW Trucks manufacturing facility is a substantial employer in the Eastern Cape, providing large amounts of employment to residents of the local Gqeberha community both in its own facility as well as within those of local suppliers on which it relies.
FAW Trucks has enjoyed remarkable growth due to its reputation for offering quality products that are able to cater to the unique usage requirements of South African commercial vehicle buyers. A big advantage is their ability to easily refine that offering thanks to the presence of a local manufacturing facility.
Exceptional value for money
In a market that is facing enormous pressure from external factors such as rising interest rates, fuel prices and global supply chain constraints, FAW Trucks continue, and will continue to offer local buyers a range of vehicles that have the durability and longevity to make it in the tough South African working environment while at the same time being affordable both in terms of purchase price and total cost of ownership. By achieving those targets the FAW Trucks product offering continues to represent excellent value for money.
“Highlights from our 29 year local history include the launch of the FAW 13.160 flat nose model in 1999, the launch of the J5 in 2005 and the launch of the 8.140FL in 2015. This model was critical in FAW Trucks becoming an established player, particularly in the heavy vehicle segment of the commercial vehicle market. A proud heritage indeed,” says Yongjun Li, CEO of FAW Trucks South Africa.
In the first quarter of 2021, the Chinese brand took the top spot in the Heavy Commercial segment of the South African market for the first time and to date they continue to maintain a strong foothold in the market by continuously outselling a number of more established brands.
After sales is critically important when it comes to customer satisfaction and retention. In 2018 FAW Trucks received the Most Improved Award in the commercial vehicle category of the NADA Dealer Satisfaction Survey and have continued to rank highly in subsequent surveys, with a silver award at the most recent announcement. This survey rates the relationship between manufacturers and dealers, which is critical for the growth and longevity of a brand.
