CMV opens new mega dealership

The biggest Volvo Group dealership on the planet is up and running in Melbourne’s west

CMV Truck and Bus recently hosted a gala night to celebrate the grand opening of the company’s new dealership in Derrimut, west of Melbourne. Touted as the largest Volvo dealership in the world, the massive facility was shown off to customers, suppliers, media, and of course a few very important guests.

In July of last year, a small ground-breaking ceremony was held at the site, with CMV representatives claiming that they would be working from the new site within 15 months. Looking back, it was a big claim, and one that would hardly seem possible given the scale of the project. However, the construction team from Qanstruct managed to pull it off, with the job completed in August this year.

To get an idea of the size of the facility, it sits on an 80,000sqm block of land, with over 20,000sqm of that being under cover.

The service department boasts 114 service bays, three truck washing bays and two full dyno/shaker setups.

The workshop floors feature hydronic heating, with the water being heated by burning the waste oil, to keep technicians warm in the winter. Provision has also been made to fit evaporative cooling, should a need be identified this summer.

Four into one

The new dealership combines four previous dealerships into one central site, capable of servicing the needs of Mack, UD, and Volvo truck and bus customers.

The beauty of the common parts and technology across the three brands is that every technician knows his or her way around all of the products. This also returns benefits in terms of parts availability, which the new site also covers.

The parts warehouse carries around 2.5 million part numbers, with a supply rate of 94 per cent. This means that if a customer asks for a part, 94 per cent of the time it will be available from the warehouse. Considering the number of parts on any given truck, that’s an impressive effort.

As mentioned, Volvo bus sales and servicing are also integrated into the new site, with an area of the workshop dedicated to buses and a separate entry for bus sales, service and parts enquiries.

In the main building, the three truck brands are each allocated separate office areas, and each brand retains brand specific salesmen.

Also in the main building is the main customer service area. Once a truck or bus is booked in for service, customers can make themselves comfortable in the lounge, get some quality rest in the driver’s room (including bedrooms) or head to the canteen for lunch.

Based on the designs of airport lounges, the canteen and lounge area are very relaxed, with both having a view over the workshop floor.

A gymnasium is also provided for staff, with all the latest fitness equipment to keep them in good shape.

Built for the big bangers

The new dealership is ideally located, with access from either Boundary Road or Mount Derrimut Road. This puts it neatly in the reach of all those who operate in the Western Suburbs, on the Western Ring Road or the Western Highway towards Adelaide.

It is also smack-bang in the middle of the biggest industrial growth area in Melbourne, with more and more warehouses opening up in the area every day. This means the number of trucks going by the door is only going to increase every day.

The access and exits have also been designed to accommodate trucks up to road train and B-triple combinations, with wide sweeping driveways and plenty of space to manoeuvre. This dealership really has been designed to accommodate future growth, not just current demand.

The Big Dealership

We have a love of all things big in Australia, and it only seems fitting that the world’s biggest Volvo Group truck dealership would be here. While it may not become a tourist attraction, like the Big Pineapple, the Big Banana or the Giant Koala, it is definitely worth a visit to get a handle on the scale of the place.

It takes a great deal of confidence to invest in such a project, and CMV Truck and Bus has certainly not done things by half. Within this dealership they have provided the best facilities for their staff, their customers and the brands they represent. Congratulations to Paul Crawford and the entire CMV team, you have set the new benchmark in Australian – if not the world.

CMV opens new mega dealership

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