On January 10th, 2012, at the Hanoi office of Logitem Vietnam Company, representatives of Logitem, Isuzu Motors Company (Japan) and Isuzu Vietnam Company were having a commemoration of the landmark of 4 Isuzu NKR units having odometers exceeding 1,000,000km. Afterwards, on February 16th, 2012, Isuzu Vietnam was honored to visit Logitem’s branch in Ho Chi Minh City – the actual user of these vehicles.

Isuzu vehicle No. plate 29LD-1219 – total milage: 999,999km + 15,000km (data from 8 Dec 2011)

Established in 1994, Logitem Vietnam is now a group of 5 separate companies focusing on the business of goods transporting and car rental. Mr. Shunsuke Saito – General Director of Logitem Vietnam Holding & Investment Co., Ltd. – enclosed that when Logitem first came here, they had decided to spend every effort in transporting service. At that time, Logitem were mainly dealing with importations for projects receiving ODA from Japan, transporting jobs relating to infrastructure of manufacturing companies, Japanese Embassy and JAICA, etc. After seeking advice from other companies with foreign funds, Logitem figured out that foreigners working in Vietnam were facing many difficulties in travelling since various transportation means were not available. The company felt that this was an opportunity for them to satisfy the needs of renting cars with drivers and thus, the current Logitem Corp. No. 1 was founded. Nowadays, Logitem are providing not only car rental to firms but also shuttle bus service to Japanese schools and kindergartens. Furthermore, in 1997, Logitem started constructing condominiums, establishing the business of apartment rental aiming for Japanese. Recently, Logitem does not limit their goods transporting service to 1,800km North-South route but is expanding East-West trips to Thailand via Laos or Cambodia. In short, as one of the companies that began doing business in Vietnam quite early, Logitem Vietnam has always been managing to timely fulfill various needs of the society in different periods of development.

Mr. Takamichi Chiba – Vice General Director of Logitem Vietnam Corp. No. 2, HCMC branch, and Mr. Kenji Matsuoka – General Director of Isuzu Vietnam Co., Ltd – taking photo with one of the trucks

Logitem Vietnam is holding a total of 891 vehicles of all types. The number of units with Isuzu brand name is 107. At the point of December 8th, 2011, there had been 4 units of Isuzu NKR with running mileages exceeding 1,000,000km without experiencing any overhaul. Aside from 4 NKR units assembled by Isuzu Vietnam, Logitem also keeps in possession 1 unit of NKR and 1 unit of FSR which are still in exceptional condition although both were imported 18 years ago and each has run approximately 950,000km.

Being used since either 2001 or 2002 to transport motorcycles from Ho Chi Minh City to provinces in Mekong Delta area with daily distance of 300-400km, these 4 trucks were successful to prove theirs perfect quality. No overhaul was experienced; only oil refill, periodic maintenance and replacements of small wearing-out parts are undertaken. Monthly maintenance cost of each vehicle is around 22 – 30 million VND – the lowest of all Logitem’s cars that are in operation. Logitem notified that these vehicles were purchased and registered in Hanoi via I-mark Salon Nisu and aftersales services are being carried out by I-mark Salon Van Nam at Ho Chi Minh City, the operating location. Special rear bodies of these trucks were installed by Isuzu Vietnam upon Logitem’s request – 2-storey rear body with power-tail gate and loading capacity of 10 motorcycles/storey.

Speaking of vehicle management, Logitem tracks the cars using GPS devices: 130 units which are usually operated on long routes are installed GPS; half of those installations were performed by Isuzu Vietnam. Moreover, Logitem applies the policy of increasing wages or bonuses of drivers based on their running distances and nice care of the vehicles. With this policy, drivers can enhance their benefits if given opportunities of driving good and durable cars. Logitem’s drivers, therefore, love to drive Japanese trucks, especially Isuzu’s due to high-status brand name, easy operation, fuel efficiency and excellent quality. Logitem also highly appreciates Eco-drive seminars organized for the company’s drivers by Isuzu Vietnam.

Mr. Yoshinori Ida – Chairman of Isuzu Motors Company – handling Certificate of the Most Durable Isuzu Truck in Vietnam to Mr. Shunsuke Saito – General Director of Logitem Vietnam Holding and Investment Co., Ltd.

Regarding future prospect, Logitem Vietnam’s leaders were of their opinion that Vietnamese economy is experiencing a stable growth, which benefits the development of the company as well. Logitem Groups is also positively considering continuing the investment into Vietnam. As for the business vision, Logitem will, on one hand, continue to offer current services and on the other, expand the business to goods transporting at China, Cambodia and Myanmar boundaries.

During the visits, representatives of Isuzu Japan and Vietnam were proud to handle with honor certificates and commemorating photos of these 4 magnificent trucks to Logitem Vietnam. We hope for endless success to Logitem and firmly believe that more Isuzu trucks will surpass 1,000,000km in the future.