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Media Releases for Kenworth |
Kenworth Dealer of the Year 2007 Brown & Hurley Kyogle wins for the 6th timePic caption: L to R: Peter Langworthy, Kenworth General Sales Mgr, Robert Brown, Brown & Hurley Group General Mgr Services, Kevin Hurley, Dealer Principal Brown & Hurley Kyogle, Jim Hurley, Brown & Hurley Group General Mgr and Joe Rizzo, Managing Director PACCAR Australia The Kenworth Dealer of the Year award is regarded as the industry’s highest accolade. Recognising overall dealer excellence, the award is based on a points system across four main areas including general dealership performance, truck sales, parts sales and service. At a ceremony held at the Novotel Barossa Valley Resort in Adelaide, Kevin Hurley, Dealer Principal of Brown & Hurley Kyogle and son of the co-founder, said his dealership was delighted to be acknowledged again by Kenworth. “It’s always a great honour to be recognised for our achievements and commitment to our customers and the industry. It’s also wonderful to work with Kenworth, both the company and its range of trucks. Kenworth supplies us with such durable, reliable products and excellent support, it makes our job easier.” In presenting the award, Kenworth’s Managing Director, Joe Rizzo, said Brown & Hurley Kyogle continued to excel, setting a strong example for other dealers not only within the Kenworth network but the industry as a whole. “Kyogle was the first dealership in the Brown & Hurley group, and it continues to be a force to be reckoned with today. The dealership won the 2007 Kenworth Dealer of the Year award because it continues to focus on the most important factor in business – customers – and provides them with the highest standards in service and professionalism,” he said. “Kenworth awards foster and encourage excellence in all of our truck dealers. They provide a win-win for all parties, particularly the customer, who benefits from a professional network of truck dealers second to none in Australia,” Joe explained. Kyogle is a relatively small town in northern NSW, but it has become a transport hub that is only 90 minutes from the Gold Coast, Darling Downs, Grafton and the Tablelands. Brown & Hurley Kyogle services a broad area, extending east to the Pacific Highway and as far west as Mungindi on the NSW-Queensland border and as far south as Grafton. The dealership features 16 service bays which can also accommodate B Doubles. It also has a full-length drive-throughway pit, a number of hydraulic hoists, a range of diagnostic equipment for Caterpillar and Cummins engines as well as specialist PACCAR diagnostic equipment for the DAF truck range. In recent years, the Kyogle dealership has undergone a number of improvements, including a new drivers’ lounge and library, expanded undercover parking and a larger supermarket-style parts facility. “Our customers use Kenworth trucks for a wide range of applications. We sell trucks for plantation logging, sugar and livestock haulage in the east, bulk tippers in the west and general interstate freight along the coast,” Kev commented. “The lion’s share of our customer base is in small fleets. We also have some larger fleets of 50 or more trucks as well as owner-drivers. It doesn’t matter what size our customers’ businesses are, they are all treated with respect and prompt service. And that’s made easy by working with Kenworth. Their trucks are Australian designed and built, so they suit any customer in any industry, particularly those with demanding applications,” he said. Kevin said the secret to Brown & Hurley’s success was the calibre of staff employed. “Our staff are extremely dedicated to the business and to our customers. All of our departments work extremely closely together, so that they provide a seamless service for our customers. “And that dedication extends to our employees’ families. A lot of our staff spend extended periods away from home, especially those involved in smash repairs, and it’s all made possible because of the support of their families. They’re the unsung heroes in this business and they deserve the credit for this award. We should know. Brown & Hurley is a long established family business, and we couldn’t achieved what we did without the support of our families as well,” Kevin added. Established in 1946 in Kyogle, the Brown & Hurley Group has full Kenworth and DAF dealerships in Brisbane, Kyogle, Coffs Harbour, Townsville and Rockhampton, with satellite parts outlets in Toowoomba, Gold Coast and Tamworth. It has plans this year to open a new dealership in Yatala (between the Gold Coast and Brisbane). In addition to the Kenworth Dealer of the Year award, Brown & Hurley Kyogle has won a number of other PACCAR and industry awards, including the 2007 DAF Parts Dealer of the Year award. Kenworth trucks are designed and manufactured in Australia to meet the world’s toughest applications. Kenworth, a division of PACCAR Australia, is market leader in heavy duty trucks in Australia. Its trucks are also exported to Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. PACCAR Inc, a Six Sigma company, is a worldwide manufacturer of heavy and medium duty trucks under the Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF nameplates. It also provides financial services and distributes truck parts related to its principal business. Media Contact: Neil Willox (neil.willox@paccar.com) |