Final details being negotiated but direction is compelling
After almost a year of protracted negotiations and barring any last minute corporate hiccups, it now appears just a matter of weeks before Iveco will be officially announced as the Australian distributor of International trucks.
If everything goes ahead as planned, International’s versatile ProStar model could be on sale at Iveco outlets around the country by late this year. More likely, however, is that it will be early 2017 before trucks are widely available here.
Right now, everything hinges on the final details being agreed by International parent Navistar in the US and Iveco holding company, Case New Holland Industrial (CNHI).
According to CNHI’s head of corporate and external affairs for the Asia-Pacific region, Ron Grasso: “It is not yet a done deal but it is very close and there is every likelihood that Iveco will soon acquire distribution rights for International trucks in Australia.
“We are working through the final details with Navistar and it’s entirely possible that we are just weeks away from making a joint announcement.
“Like I said, it is very close and we have communicated that to Iveco staff.”
Speaking at the launch of Iveco’s new Daily 4×4 range, Grasso emphasised the strong relationship that exists between International and Iveco, stretching back to Iveco’s formation in 1992 of International Trucks Australia Ltd until the change to Iveco Trucks Australia Ltd in 2000, which saw the relatively short-lived reintroduction of several International models to the Australian market.
“There is an entrenched association between the two brands,” Grasso commented, “and there’s a lot of excitement within Iveco about the prospect of having the International brand back in the company.”
International ProStar on test in Australia.
Similarly, Navistar Auspac’s director of sales, marketing and business development, Glen Sharman, says there are many positives surrounding the re-emergence of International trucks in Australia.
“This has been a long negotiation process and the final details are still being formalised but we are certainly optimistic and excited by the potential of a distribution agreement,” he says.
“Ever since we previewed International ProStar at the 2015 Brisbane Truck Show, where it won the Truck of the Show award, we have been entirely confident of its suitability for the Australian market.
“It is a truck with the specification to be many things to many people.”
Ron Grasso confirmed that once the distribution agreement is finalised, trucks will be imported in completely built-up (CBU) form.
He did not, however, deny there could be future opportunities for a semi-knocked down (SKD) operation to further enhance the viability of Iveco’s Dandenong (Vic) production facility.