MAJOR Australian automotive retailer Suttons Group has become the largest Iveco dealership in NSW after taking over the truck-maker’s Sydney operation.

Suttons has 52 dealerships, parts and service centres and 10 of its 24 dealerships sell trucks including brands Isuzu, DAF, Hino and Kenworth.

It took control of Iveco’s factory-owned outlet in Arndell Park this month, and renamed it Iveco Sydney. Iveco and International are altering their dealership network ahead of new models, including a bus based on the Iveco Daily.

Iveco Sydney general manager, Daniel Glynn, said the addition of Iveco into the Suttons Group gave it a brand that covers the whole range of light and medium-duty trucks, and Daily model vans and buses.

“We see enormous potential in the Iveco range with everything from passenger car licence vans and light trucks through to road train prime movers,” he said.

“We see growth in areas with infrastructure in Sydney and particularly there’s great potential for the Daily range.”

The change in dealership comes as Iveco expanded its vehicle range, introducing three Daily Minibus models.

The purchase of the former Isuzu factory-owned dealership now leaves Iveco with one company dealership in Brisbane. The property now occupied by Suttons’ Iveco Sydney is leased.

Iveco Trucks Australia, wholly owned by CNH Industrial Group, has manufactured more than 230,000 truck and bus chassis since 1952.

It now makes ACCO, Powerstar, Stralis AS-L and AD/AT models and bus chassis at its plant in Dandenong, Victoria. It also imports the Daily light commercial range, Eurocargo and Stralis ATi models from Iveco plants in Europe and South America.

Iveco Australia was appointed Australian distributor of International Trucks in December last year.

By Neil Dowling