WINDHOEK, Mar. 29 – On Friday 25 March 2022, Pupkewitz Toyota officially opened their new state of the art branch in Rundu located at Marcus Shiwarongo Street. Despite Covid-19 setbacks for many businesses, Pupkewitz Motors together with their shareholder (40%) the Namibia Industrial Development Agency (NIDA) as part of their Public-Private Partnership (PPP) kept investing and started the upgrade of the Rundu Toyota dealership in June of 2021, after the realization that continuous improvement in business operations, the need to adapt to new ways of business during a pandemic and customer service are all key to the DNA of the brands it serve.
With the quality, durability and reliability that has always been the cornerstone of the Toyota brand, vehicles, Toyota genuine parts/accessories and specialist servicing of their vehicles. Pupkewitz Toyota Franchise Director Mr Etienne Steenkamp says that the new Rundu Toyota branch trained staff are experienced and are eager to serve the community with the utmost dedication. He further states that as part of the Pupkewitz client centric approach in doing business the staff are focused on rendering optimal customer service that is everywhere associated with the Pupkewitz brand since it first began back in 1954 as part of its service excellence objective.
The value of this investment totalled an amount of N$11.7 million. Pupkewitz Toyota contracted local service providers and suppliers to complete this project, an investment that made sense to the Pupkewitz group in ploughing back into the economy and local community during a global pandemic. The construction was completed end of January 2022.
Shareholder and NIDA partner Mr Phillip Namunjebo further cemented this in his address by stating that they are very proud of this venture and partnership with Pupkewitz Motors and despite the cost of the upgrading of the new premises, NIDA still received dividends earlier this year to the value of N$ 4mil.
The franchise has the full backing of Toyota SA. With Mr Ernie Trautmann Vice President of the Sales and Dealers Network for Toyota South Africa, addressing guests at the inauguration stating that the Franchise’s footprint in Namibia of 12 Toyota dealerships under different ownership has proven to be one of significant importance to Toyota SA, not only does the country present ample opportunity and a good appetite for business within the automotive sector but the people are what makes Namibia the success it is. Safe to say that Toyota SA has won several accolades over the past year for its vehicles and scooped the most awards in the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists Car of the Year Competition namely best Light Commercial Vehicles, Land Cruiser Prado scoring the number-one spot in the Adventure SUV category and while South Africa & Namibia’s favorite bakkie, The Hilux won the Double Cab of the year.
Steenkamp says: “The official inauguration done by His Worship Hon. Kanyanga the Mayor of Rundu of the upgraded dealership, will showcase our modern facilities in line with Toyota’s worldwide franchise standard requirements. The latter referred to as their New Retail Concept 2. Pupkewitz Toyota Rundu employs 22 people at its branch and Pupkewitz Motor Division employs near 500 employees. – info@namibiadailynews.info
