Exclusive Hino trucks and buses distributor Hino Motors Philippines (HMP) turned over ten W342L light duty aluminum panel trucks and eight SS2P heavy hauling tractor heads to logistics service provider Inland Corporation last month, providing initial units in the customer’s fleet upgrade program and hoping to fill their orders for 150 more in 2017.
At a ceremony held at the HMP plant in Canlubang, Laguna last November 8, Hino chairman Vicente T. Mills, Jr. and president Horoshi Aoki formally turned over the new trucks to Inland president Teresa R. Antonio and senior vice president for trucking and logistics Alfredo O. Gomez.
HMP’s Vicente Mills said: “We are confident in our capability to support Inland Corporation’s logistics needs and business growth targets. Total support is our mantra and we are committed in delivering this promise to Inland Corporation and our other clients.”
All trucks delivered were tailored to some extent by HMP to Inland’s requirements. Engaged in assembly and exclusive distribution of Hino commercial vehicles for more than 40 years now, HMP draws on decades of expertise to produce current-day models to meet customer requirements while introducing innovations both from Hino headquarters in Japan and here with their local truck-body manufacturing operations. Mills recalls when Hino was called on to produce mobile service buses like roving hospitals and the Supreme Court’s fleet of courtrooms on wheels.
Inland’s Teresa R. Antonio confirms: “We will continue to upgrade our fleet and explore more services in line with movement of merchandise for production from plant to plant. We are banking on Hino’s product and service expertise to increase our local reach.”
Mills estimates that Inland has 180 trucks in their fleet now and said that HMP is looking to supply 150 new units as part of the logistics company’s re-fleeting program next year. This year HMP sales grew by 46 percent from January to September and Mills attributes the up-tick in numbers to the growing trend of trucking customers themselves stipulating rolling stock acquired brand new by logistics companies doing their mission critical deliveries.