Dealership Expansion to 12 counties &5 branches
BY STEVEN MULANDA
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Thika Motor Dealers (TMD) has existed in Kenya for 32 years and has become the largest dealer of brand new Isuzu vehicles, covering 12 counties; that is Eastern Region and the larger Mt. Kenya region. TMD Kenya, Two Rivers Branch Manager Sarah Kamaru shares the components that have led to the expansion and setting up of 5 more branches.
Q|MD has been in Kenya for 32 years, how has been the journey since you started?
It has been an interesting journey with the usual ups and downs of business enterprises. We began as a dealership, under then, General Motors (E.A) Ltd. We have had good seasons and low seasons but we have seen much growth over the last 12 years. We started off with one branch in Thika’s Industrial Area, to date we have 5 branches at Thika, Karatina, Machakos, Athi River and Two Rivers, where we offer for sale of Isuzu vehicles, after-sales support, Motor vehicle servicing, accident repairs and spare parts. In the early 2000’s, TMD put up an ultra-modern custom built premises on Kenyatta Highway, Thika Town with a capacity to handle a large number of light and heavy commercial vehicles. To date, our Thika Branch serves as our headquarters. We have been recognized by Isuzu East Africa as the grand champions in Kenya for three consecutive years, receiving awards in Detroit, Barcelona and London.
Q| What philosophy would you say drives TMD Kenya?
TMD Kenya driven by our motto, “Together we Grow” is inscripted in our team spirit. We value and appreciate our customers and thrive to keep our promise to them.
TMD Kenya is very close to its customers and understands customers operations, terrain they operate and subsequently give out products that relate to customers’ operations
Q| You are among the companies that are nestled in Thika, why was the choice?
The founders of TMD at first set up an office in Thika and the town being one of fastest growing industrial town in Kenya fitted well with the business.
Thika is also rich in agriculture and industries and is one of the top 3 richest counties in Kenya
Q| How is the cost of doing business in Kenya?
It’s a challenging environment, with changes in economic, political and social frameworks that occur from time to time, meaning re-aligning ourselves on the same.
Q| Agriculture is a big contributor of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), what are some of the initiatives TMD has put in place to support this valuable sector?
We, TMD, through Isuzu product range, have vehicles aligned to suit the various agricultural needs across the sector. For example we have the famous Isuzu D-max pickup, which is very popular with small and medium scale farmers. The Pickup capacity of one and a half ton is very ideal for farmers to ferry inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides and outputs such as fresh produce from their farms to the market. Our Isuzu range of trucks, are utilized by medium and large scale farmers, for example, Farms cultivating perishable products i.e. flowers, vegetables, milk, blue economy, meat among others. For freshness of produce, we fit these trucks with customized cargo bodies that contain a refrigeration component.
Q| The cost of acquiring motor vehicle by the farmers sometimes is a challenge, is there any way TMD have come in to aid the farmers?
What TMD and Isuzu have done to ensure farmers afford to acquire new vehicles is that we in place customized finance schemes in place. We have partnerships with various financial institutions such as, Co-operative Bank, Family Bank, NCBA Bank, whereby as long as a farm or a farmer wants an Isuzu vehicle, they are financed up to a tune of 95% meaning that farmers need only to contribute 5% value of the vehicle. They are also given a holiday period of two months before they start repaying the facility.
Q| Covid struck and caused a major blow to most businesses, how have you been affected by the pandemic?
With the current pandemic, just like all other companies we were neither spared, we have had a share of challenges. On the logistics side, we have experienced supply problems from our main factory in Japan because at times you find the ports are closed and there is delay in supply.
Q| What are some of the community projects that TMD is involved in?
We at TMD have had our own initiatives to create an impact to the society. For example, on the education sector, we have supported schools with water tank for water storage once they buy a bus from us. The tanks are very essential especially now the schools have to comply with Covid 19 rule of washing hands of pupils. We also from time to time support schools by giving footballs and games kits. We are involved in career development through internships and industrial attachment programmes. To the counties we support with waste bins for people to dispose waste and minimize pollution and also in clean-up programmes. In addition, we have been involved with humanitarian support through liaison with organizations such as Kenya Red Cross to provide foodstuff to families undergoing famine. Any time we are called upon to assist we are always ready to offer our support.
Q| Going forward where do you see TMD Kenya brand in future?
We anticipate good tidings especially if the Covid pandemic can be curtailed. With the Kenyan economy doing favorably well we also align ourselves to offering better transport solutions to the market. In all we anticipate good business.
