Peugeot Isando, a division of diverse, privately owned Kempston Motor Group, started the expansion of its top-performing dealership in June, with the launch to take place at the dealership in September.

The expansion comprises an amalgamation with Peugeot East Rand at bigger premises in Isando. The specialised Kempston construction team have been working around the clock to renovate and improve the current commercial dealership and create what the group calls a Peugeot Lifestyle Centre boasting the largest and most sophisticated Peugeot dealership yet, says Peugeot Isando GM Teli Rabie.

He explains that Peugeot Isando, which accounts for about 90% of commercial sales for Peugeot in South Africa, is the only dedicated commercial dealer for the brand in Africa.

“We are excited about the group’s decision to expand,” says Rabie, emphasising that it is a step in the right direction.

The dealership offers Peugeot panel vans, such as the Peugeot Boxer and Peugeot Partner, says Rabie, highlighting that the vehicles are used for a variety of purposes, with the primary use being for logistics.

The Peugeot Boxer has a loading volume of 15 m3 and a fuel range of about 1 200 km – this, combined with several conversion capabilities, creates the ideal tool to transport any load, from dirt bikes to frozen foods.

The Peugeot Partner has a loading capacity of 3.3 m3 and a fuel range of about 900 km, making it ideal for transporting smaller loads in the express logistics market, for instance.

Industry Overview
“Currently, the commercial-vehicles sales market is a lot tougher, compared to [what it was]in the past. The ongoing strikes have resulted in raised inflation and the closure of several small to medium-size companies.”

Further, he states that, despite this, the company has managed to maintain and even grow its business by adapting and changing its methods, services and, recently, its product offering with the addition of passenger sales.

He says that the company noticed a decrease in activity around the election period, which it put down to uncertainty and the fear of possible instability within government’s structure.

“Most internationally owned companies seem a lot more conservative around this period; however, once the elections pass, we notice a substantial increase in both activity and investment,” notes Rabie.

The biggest challenge that the dealership faces is overcoming the commonly held false stereotypical view that the brand itself is weak, parts are expensive and availability is low, says Rabie.

To mitigate this, Peugeot Isando emphasises factual evidence compiled by ongoing market research into the brand and its competitors.

“These facts are openly presented to our clients and prospective clients, along with an unprecedented service offering, which has resulted in the base creating long-lasting and personal business relationships with each of our clients,” he concludes.