New $12 million Isuzu truck dealership for Whangārei

An impression of the new $12 million CAL Isuzu truck dealership to be built in Whangārei

New Zealand's largest Isuzu dealer is expanding in Whangārei with plans for a new $12 million facility in the city, which will lead to more jobs.

CAL Isuzu, New Zealand's largest independent Isuzu dealership, has announced it will build a $12 million dealership and workshop at Logyard Rd, which is off Port Rd, in the city's industrial area.

Tenders for construction open soon and work is due to begin mid-2022, with hopes the new facility will be fully operational by early 2023. The Whangārei operation will also grow its local team from three to about 12 during the next year.

CAL Isuzu also announced it will build a new $22m facility in East Tamaki, Auckland, next year.

While many companies tightened the spending faucet during the pandemic, Ashok Parbhu - the owner of CAL Isuzu – is upbeat and positive.

He believes so deeply in serving his customers, he's investing in these two new state-of-the-art facilities that will lift CAL Isuzu's already-excellent service to new levels. It's the definition of putting your money where your mouth is, Ashok said.

"From the time my late brother Raman started this trucking business in 1987, we worked to a single idea: customers for life. We didn't just want to sell someone a truck; we wanted our company and theirs to be partners for the long haul. Which begged the question: what inspires someone to keep giving you their business for 20 years or more? The answer is brilliant, brilliant service."

He said the highest level of service comes from the company's 187-strong staff who work across eight locations in the North Island. Together, they service 55 per cent of the Isuzu truck market as the only independent dealership with a large-scale engineering business.

That's their independent point of difference: they can build and modify trucks, something Ashok says is a service necessity.

"Everyone who owns a truck is in business to make money. The truck is their No.1 asset. The better the truck, the better their business runs. That's why we work hard up front to understand exactly how a person needs their truck to function. If we can discern that, we can nail the specs. We'll sometimes even suggest features a client hadn't considered.
Some of the best feedback we ever get is 'I wasn't sure I needed that feature, but it turns out I really do'."

Ashok Parbhu is the the owner of CAL Isuzu, which is building a $12 million Isuzu truck dealership in Whangārei.

Building and modifying the perfect truck requires state-of-the-art technology. Hence the new Whangārei facility. This multimillion-dollar dealership will give CAL Isuzu the ability to customise trucks down to the finest detail. Or, if a customer gets the specs wrong, it will give Ashok's team the option of taking the truck back to quickly rebuild it.

Of all the times to expand and invest in new facilities, the shifting pandemic world seems the least advantageous. Many in the industry are taking a cautious approach, putting business plans on hold. But Ashok says this is the time to do the opposite.

"When the first lockdown occurred, people were spooked and cancelled their orders with us. Materials were also in short supply. But rather than shrink our operations, I thought CAL Isuzu should work smarter and take advantage of the new landscape."

Though land is difficult to find, CAL Isuzu found a section strategically located in Whangārei, close to a raft of important customers.

With land secured, the project will soon be out for tender and ground will be broken midway through 2022.