Iveco, an industrial vehicles manufacturer, has returned to Kenya after a ten year absence. Iveco’s prime movers were last sold by CMC Motors, with the Italian brand vanishing from the Kenyan market for a while. Now that it’s back, it plans to build a Ksh. 2.3 Billion manufacturing plant in Mombasa, which will produce a range of commercial vehicle brands right here in our very own country. This will also enable Kenyans to eventually buy vehicles at far cheaper rates.
It will set up its light, medium and heavy vehicles which include off-road and on-road vehicles into the Kenyan market in partnership with Global Motors Centre, which will be responsible for the assembly and distribution of the brand’s product range in the region. Vehicles being customized and assembled include pick-ups, vans, buses, trucks and prime movers.
Considering that Pick-ups, vans, buses and trucks accounted for more than 75 per cent of total annual new vehicle sales, according to data from the Kenya Motor Industry Association (KMI), Iveco may probably do well in the commercial vehicle market.
While launched in Kenya, the company plans to spread into other countries such as Uganda and Rwanda, and enhance its growth in Africa. The company also says that it will offer financial solutions to its customers through various institutions such as Stanbic Bank, Iveco Capital and Italy’s SACE.