Japanese manufacturer UD Trucks has launched Croner, an all-new medium duty truck aimed at catering to its customers in the construction and mining sectors in the region.

Continuing its rich Japanese legacy of building the “truck that the world needs today”, UD Trucks said it has designed the Croner range specifically for growth markets across the Middle East and North Africa (Mena), Asia, Africa and South America regions.

Named after the Greek god of time, Cronos, the new trucks are a reliable and versatile. They have been built with robust and quality components to deliver extra productivity and superior uptime.

Designed to excel in the medium-duty segment, Croner offers options for three gross vehicle weight (GVW) models: MKE, LKE and PKE; and their wheelbase variants, offering up to 21 different configurations to suit specific demands of various industries such as construction or mining or for long haulage and distribution.

Commenting at the launch, Mourad Hedna, the president of UD Trucks Middle East, East and North Africa said: “UD Trucks understands that more time spent on the road and less time in the workshop drives success for our customers’ businesses.”

UD Trucks’ all-new medium duty truck range: helps customers maximise productivity

“It is our aim for Croner to make every moment count, through maximising productivity and minimising downtime on every run our customers make,” noted Hedna.

Additionally, the air suspension on all variants is available as an option to protect customers’ cargo, especially when travelling on rough road conditions, he added.

According to him, Croner’s automatic transmission option will be crucial for markets facing serious driver shortage due to the strenuous demands on drivers.

The new model aims to help customers attract drivers, as the automatic transmission provides ease of drive and reduces fatigue for both experienced and inexperienced drivers, he added.

Similarly, automatic transmission can help lower cost and downtime for Middle East business owners, as manual transmission is more susceptible to wear-and-tear particularly in long-haul driving.

“The superiority of the Croner model results from it offering the best of three worlds: UD Trucks’ strong Japanese heritage and craftsmanship; Volvo Group’s global technology and sourcing; and local manufacturing and customer support,” explained Hedna.

With a brand promise of “Going the Extra Mile”, UD Trucks focuses on fuel efficiency, uptime, reliability and drivability, while meeting today’s high standards for safety and environment, he noted.

In addition to its extra mile support, UD Trucks also offers a professional telematics solution that provides customers with real time information and reports to improve their fleets’ operation, said the top official.

By connecting its trucks to the UD workshops, the company enables proactive and continuous workshop support to its customers, he added.