Pupkewitz Toyota Rundu: New and improved
On Friday, 25 March, Pupkewitz Toyota officially opened its new state-of-the-art branch in Rundu, located on Marcus Shiwarongo Street. Despite Covid-19 causing massive setbacks for many businesses, Pupkewitz Motors - together with its 40% shareholder, the Namibia Industrial Development Agency (NIDA) as part of a public-private partnership (PPP) - invested and started the upgrade of the Rundu Toyota dealership in June 2021. This after a realisation that continuous improvement in business operations requires adapting to new ways of doing business during the pandemic.With the quality, durability and reliability that have always been the cornerstones of the Toyota brand, vehicles, genuine parts/accessories and specialist servicing, Pupkewitz Toyota franchise director Etienne Steenkamp said the new Rundu Toyota branch staff are experienced and are eager to serve the community with the utmost dedication. He added that as part of the Pupkewitz client-centric approach in doing business, staff members are focused on rendering the optimal customer service that has been associated with the Pupkewitz brand since it first began back in 1954.
The value of the investment in this new branch totalled an amount of N$11.7 million. Pupkewitz Toyota contracted local service providers and suppliers to complete the project, an investment that made sense to the Pupkewitz group by ploughing back into the economy and local community during a global pandemic. The construction was completed at the end of January 2022.
Shareholder and NIDA partner Phillip Namunjebo said 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$4 million.
Franchise footprint
Meanwhile, the franchise has the full backing of Toyota SA. Ernie Trautmann, the vice president of the sales and dealers network for Toyota South Africa, said the franchise’s footprint in Namibia boasts 12 Toyota dealerships under different ownerships, and 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 Namibian people are what makes it the success it is, he said.
It’s safe to say that Toyota SA has won several accolades over the years 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, while the Land Cruiser Prado scored the number-one spot in the adventure SUV category. South Africa and Namibia’s favourite bakkie, The Hilux, won the double cab of the year.
Modern facilities
“The official inauguration of the upgraded dealership, done by Rundu mayor Gabriel Kanyanga, will showcase our modern facilities in line with Toyota’s worldwide franchise standard requirements,” Steenkamp said.
Titled the ‘New Retail Concept 2’, Pupkewitz Toyota Rundu employs 22 people, while the Pupkewitz Motor Division employs nearly 500.