TRUCK distributor Isuzu Australia Ltd (IAL) has appointed highly experienced industry veteran Daniel Ciantar to head of supply chain.

An industry stalwart, he brings nearly 30 years of vehicle experience, including the past 16 years with IAL in a range of roles from customer facing positions through to operational management, most recently as national truck logistics manager.

The new role sees Mr Ciantar manage the incoming logistics of vehicles and parts, and also the wholesale delivery of trucks to dealers across Australia plus the supply of parts to New Zealand and some South Pacific Island nations.

Daniel Ciantar

IAL chief of sales and aftersales Ben Lasry said this key appointment comes at a critical time for Isuzu as the brand continues to flourish.

“Isuzu has led truck sales in Australia for 35 straight years and the past three years has seen incredible growth where we’ve worked hard to be in a position to be able to meet our customers’ demands,” Mr Lasry said.

“Daniel has been and will continue to be at the forefront of this in his management of everything from truck build scheduling through to import and delivery to our dealer network and simply getting trucks on the road and into the hands of Australian businesses.”

Mr Ciantar said: “I’ve been on a sensational journey with Isuzu Australia over many years now and I’m excited to get my teeth into this role with expanded responsibility within the business.

“I bring an understanding of the customer’s needs and how important they are to our business and that of the dealer network.

“It is communicating on all levels from the factory in Japan, through to shipping companies, the dealers, body builders and then those that get to use the finished product – the customer.

“The IAL approach is that systems and experience combined with communication all work together for the best outcome of the customer.

“My experience will help underpin this approach, but it really is about ensuring the outstanding team we have in place continues to keep the customer front of mind.”

Mr Lasry said that the head of supply chain role extended to the parts side of the business as well.

“It is a future-focused position in terms of planning for the arrival of our all-new model range, which will see a major increase in demand when it comes to our broader sales and aftersales requirements,” he said.

“Daniel’s invaluable experience in many customer-facing roles means he understands their needs and is fully committed to ensuring that all efforts are made to meet demand.”

Mr Ciantar will work closely with Isuzu Motors Limited in Japan and the vast range of suppliers providing OEM-approved parts and componentry.

Isuzu has been the Australian truck market sales leader since 1989 and the past three years has seen the brand’s sales records continually broken, jumping from 10,175 units sold in 2021 to 13,658 last year.