Hino celebrates in Brisbane

Hino Australia has officially celebrated its 50th year in the Australian truck and bus market with the cutting of a cake at the Brisbane Truck Show by company Chairman and CEO, Steve Lotter (pictured).

In the presence Hino Australia President and COO, Shunichi (Sean) Takahashi (also pictured), other Hino executives and Australian motoring media, Mr Lotter cut a birthday cake on the Hino stand and spoke of the company's lengthy history in the local market.

"Our long association with Australia's truck and bus industry is celebrated here with our 50th anniversary in 2015," he said.

"The Hino brand first appeared on Australian roads back in 1965. That first Hino was actually an RC 100, a 57-seat school bus owned and operated by Ace Bus Services. After more than 40 years of reliable service, the bus now resides in the Tasmanian Transport Museum in Glenorchy, Hobart."

Mr Lotter said this year would also see Hino Australia pass another major milestone – the delivery of its 100,000th model.

"So for us 2015 is indeed a year to celebrate," he said.

Hino's stand at the Brisbane Truck Show presented a snapshot of the brand's past and present, with a 1972 KL 300 providing an historic counterpoint to the modern hardware on display.

The vehicle was originally sold to the Pimba Roadhouse in outback South Australia. With 1,600,000km under its wheels, it was restored by CMI Hino in 2008.

Hino had examples of each of its 300 Series, 500 Series and 700 Series models on display, with the medium-duty 500 Series FE 1426 Auto (pictured, with Mr Lotter) in particular getting plenty of attention.

Mr Lotter said the addition of an automatic transmission to the FE would broaden the model's appeal considerably.

"What we're doing now is plugging some gaps in our range," he said.

"The FE manual has been going very well and it's a growing part of the market in that 12- to 14-tonne segment. We didn't have an automatic, others did, and now we do too – in short, medium, long and extra-long wheelbases.

"[With this model] we're now moving into transport [from the waste sector], which has far more volume potential."

Click here to read more about Hino's 500 Series FE 1426 Auto.