ROTIMI ASHER(Lagos Bureau Chief)
[dropcap]N[/dropcap]igeria’s auto policy recorded another success story recently, as Boulos Enterprises secured a high profile buyer for first two units of Suzuki Super Carry truck, made from its Lagos-based new assembly plant.
The company’s Marketing Manager, Mrs Titi Olodun, who broke the news last week, in a media release, said the van version of the truck with 21 options, which was designed, fabricated and manufactured at their assembly plant in Ikeja, was delivered to Mr. Tony Ofoman, owner of Rodinia Hotels.
According to her, the Super Carriage is initially launched with four bodies: Van, High Top Van, Refrigerated Van and Pick-Up.
“As production increases,” she explained, “the rest of the other 21 body options will be built and made available.”
Based on a statement credited to the Company’s Quality Control Manager, Mr Segun Adekoya, the van units were fabricated under sixteen hours.
“There was a real buzz in the factory,” Mr. Adekoya was quoted to have recalled. “We fabricated the van units in less than sixteen hours. As production steps up and we become more familiar with the process, the manufacturing time will decrease. It was great to see them driven out, as made-in-Nigeria means made by Nigerians.”
‘The assembly line, according to Titi Olodun ”is 1,132 square metres long.
“There is an additional 1,200 square metres, where fabrication of a range of custom-made bodies for the Suzuki, is being manufactured,” she stated.“These include refrigerated units, vans, six-seater people carriers, tippers, hoppers, pick-ups, mobile shops and many other body options.
“The new facilities will be equipped with state-of-the-art, modern manufacturing tools and equipment, with associated infrastructure built to the exact standard of Suzuki Japan.”
Mrs Olodun described Suzuki Super Carriage as world’s most tried, trusted and reliable one- tonne van.
“Sold in 192 countries,” she explained, “the truck was launched in 1961, and this is the 12th generation. It is one of the most reliable in the world and, here in Nigeria, the launch price in Naira is 4.1 million which is two million less than any other competitor’s vehicle.
“The engine of the vehicle is 1.2-litre petrol, which is also fitted to the Suzuki Swift, Vitara, Splash, Baleno, Kizashi and many others.
“The truck is so reliable that other manufacturers buy the engines from Suzuki for use in their vehicles.
Boulos’ Suzuki Super Carry is backed by a comprehensive warranty and dealer service representation across Nigeria.
“There is no worry over spares, since Boulos has stocks of over $5 million spare parts,” Mrs Olodun assured, adding, “This moment marks the continuation of more than 57 years of representation of SUZUKI in Nigeria by Boulos Enterprises.”
Boulos Enterprises Limited was incorporated in 1964 by the Boulos brothers, Anthony and Gabriel and has over 45,000 employees worldwide with 35 main production facilities in 23 countries and 133 distributors in 192 countries, including Boulos in Nigeria, which makes the Boulos Ikeja, Lagos factory world’s oldest Suzuki production plant outside of Japan.
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