IVECO has formally completed its separation from parent company CNH Industrial and now has complete control of the way it manages itself and develops in the future.
A statement released today said IVECO Group brands will be spearheaded by the core IVECO and FPT (Fiat Powertrain) businesses, while sub brands IVECO CAPITAL, HEULIEZ, IVECO BUS, IVECO Defence Vehicles, ASTRA and Magirus will also form an important part of the on-highway offering.
A key benefit of the spin-off will be IVECO’s renewed emphasis on better meeting the existing and future needs of on-highway customers, by taking a more targeted approach to their requirements.
Among these areas of interest is to further develop the group’s alternative fuels and propulsion capabilities, the statement added.
Already a proven leader in low emission natural gas technologies including CNG and LNG, as well as electrification with the likes of the Daily Electric van, the IVECO Group’s new direction will also allow it to form closer ties with joint venture partners such as Nikola.
The two companies have been working together since 2019, and in September last year the partners unveiled details of their state-of-the-art Ulm, Germany manufacturing facility which last month completed the first of its new Nikola TRE battery electric (BEV) trucks.
IVECO Australia managing director, Michael May, said he saw only positives from the spin-off, for IVECO owners in Australia and New Zealand.
“This spin-off will unify IVECO and provide the added freedom to further develop the brand’s potential as an exclusive on-highway business,” May said.
“The change will also allow a more targeted management focus, which will assist in accelerating innovation goals and the rate at which new products are brought to market, while also responding more nimbly to customer requirements.”
May said that along with these goals, he was confident that IVECO owners would now also enjoy enhanced levels of customer service and support.
“We’ve worked hard last year to elevate the IVECO customer experience – existing and prospective operators should see a further streamlining of these efforts in the 12 months ahead,” May said.
“In addition to providing a high-quality product, we want IVECO ownership to be as rewarding and cost effective as possible, by offering more value-added services, improved parts availability and other broader support offerings.”
Late last year, IVECO Australia announced it would end its long and proud history of manufacturing trucks at its Dandenong plant in Melbourne from mid-2022 and fully import its heavy duty range from its manufacturing HQ in Madrid, Spain.
IVECO currently imports its light duty, medium duty, selected heavy duty, minibus and off-road models.