The long anticipated announcement of the return of International Trucks to the Australian market has been made public this week. This follows 18 months of speculation about who would distribute the US brand, after its relaunch at the Brisbane Truck Show in 2015.
The joint announcement by CNH Industrial and Navistar tells us Iveco in Australia has been appointed sole distributor of International Trucks in this market. The exact details are still being finalised by both parties as they evaluate several models, like the ProStar, and others offered in the US market.
This means we will see the return of the International brand to its home in Australia for many years, Iveco’s Dandenong headquarters and production plant, where International trucks were produced from 1952 until the late nineties. The current Acco model sold by Iveco started life as the International Acco in the sixties and remains a stalwart of the Iveco range.
“Despite not having sold here for a number of years, ‘Inter’ is still entrenched in the Australian market and remembered fondly by fleet operators, this enthusiasm for the marque was also highlighted at the 2015 Brisbane Truck Show with both the ProStar and LoneStar display trucks capturing show-goers’ imaginations,” said Mark Belisle, Navistar SVP Distribution and Export. “Of course, the return of a brand to Australia that is so well regarded, deserved a detailed plan befitting its standing here, and that meant establishing a partnership with a company that was well equipped to assist in properly relaunching in the local market.
“In CNH Industrial we’ve found a partner with the necessary credentials and industry experience to help Navistar meet its goals here. The close history between CNH Industrial’s Iveco brand and International is not lost on us either, it adds an element of emotion to the partnership.
“We look forward to the months ahead and bringing some exciting new International vehicles to market.”
Also recalling the long historical association between the Iveco organisation here and the International brand, CNH Industrial Executive Managing Director ANZ, Ray Osgood, said he was extremely pleased to have established a partnership with Navistar for the distribution rights.
“International had a long and successful history in Australia and dominated the commercial vehicle market for several decades, there remains a lot of passion for the brand here today, and it still has a lot of equity in this market.
“CNH Industrial is extremely excited at the prospect of partnering with Navistar in reintroducing the iconic International Trucks to Australia. Our operational experience with Iveco and the obvious synergies and history between the two brands will provide notable efficiencies as the International range is introduced in the months ahead.
“Furthermore, we see the arrangement to be mutually beneficial in that the International product range primarily consisting of conventional cabs, will compliment Iveco’s strengths in cab-over truck models.”