The Newcastle (NSW) dealership of one of Australia’s oldest truck dealer groups –Gilbert & Roach – has taken out what’s widely considered the trucking industry’s most coveted dealer award, the 2011 Kenworth Dealer of the Year.
The announcement was made at Paccar Australia’s annual dealer awards event. The awards are open to Kenworth dealers from various parts of Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Dealers are judged on a points system across five main areas, including general dealership performance, truck sales, customer service, finance and parts support.
The G & R dealer group was established in 1946 and joined the Suttons Group in 1971. The Newcastle dealership was appointed a Kenworth dealer in 1981 and a DAF dealer in 2002. It services the greater Newcastle and HunterValley region, extending from The Entrance in the south to Taree in the north and Merriwa in the west.
At the awards ceremony, Paccar Australia managing director, Joe Rizzo, congratulated the dealership on its outstanding performance in all areas as well as its unwavering commitment to customers.
“Gilbert & Roach Newcastle is a fine Paccar dealer which sets an excellent example for the entire industry,” Joe said. “It has worked tirelessly and been a high achiever over many years. In fact, the dealership has won several Kenworth prizes for both truck and parts sales. It has also finished a number of times in the top three dealers for the Kenworth Service Award.”
On accepting the award, director of the Suttons Group, Craig Sutton, said it was a great honour to be recognised as the best dealer in the best dealer network in the region.
“We are delighted to have won this award. The Kenworth Dealer of the Year is an accolade all of our dealerships have been striving toward for years,” Craig said. “This award is for all of our staff in Newcastle, led by Tony Cox. Staff members in every department work together as a team, delivering a consistent service to all customers before, during and after the sale.”