Panoramic view at Lake Geneva
Renault Trucks (Switzerland) and Friderici Services have agreed to strengthen their joint sales activities in some parts of French-speaking Switzerland, with the move contributing to their growth and electrification strategy. To this end the truck manufacturer’s long-standing service partner east of Lausanne has taken over distribution of its commercial vehicles.
Friderici Services, which runs a workshop in Tolochenaz, in the canton of Vaud, has been a service partner of Renault Trucks (Switzerland) in the Lausanne region since 2012. Now the company is taking a further step, which was triggered by the takeover of the Monthey-based Swiss firm Gattoni Maintenance Poids Lourds last summer.
The new site on the cantonal border of Valais and Vaud was integrated into the Renault Trucks service network on 1 June. When Friderici Services expanded its activities for the French truck manufacturer geographically, a plan to take over its sales activities in this field, in order to be in a position to provide customers with a 3600 services, also matured.
For more than 60 years Renault Trucks (Switzerland) has relied primarily on private dealers in the country. It has now confirmed this strategy with the transfer of this important sales area.
In addition to local added value and the addition of new jobs in Switzerland, Friderici’s proximity to and understanding of the concerns of Renault Trucks’ customers are central to this sales channel. By transferring sales responsibility to Friderici Services the circle has been closed and clients will enjoy the best possible services in every field.
Sales and service
At the same time, Renault Trucks (Switzerland) is adapting its organisation and will also recruit an area sales manager for the French-speaking part of Switzerland, who will oversee the entire dealer and partner network in French-speaking Switzerland. The sales area between Tolochenaz and Geneva will continue to be covered by Renault Trucks’ direct sales activities. The existing remaining service partner structure in French-speaking Switzerland will remain unaffected by this change.
Tarcis Berberat, the managing director of Renault Trucks (Switzerland), pointed out that with this partner on board his corporation is convinced that it has laid the right foundation to further strengthen its position in the Lake Geneva region.
“Friderici already plays a leading role in the field of emissions-free logistics – just as we do. This, and the professionalism with which it offers its services, will benefit all of Renault Trucks’ customers in French-speaking Switzerland,” Berberat closed.
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Aiming high again in Tolochenaz – eleven years after the last event
Dreams from childhood came true when the Swiss firm Friderici Spécial, which focuses its activities on heavylift transport services, opened its world to the public with two open days held on 3 and 4 May.
At the event, which the family-owned firm organised for the first time in eleven years at its headquarters in Tolochenaz, near Lausanne, visitors were happy to immerse themselves in the daily business of the specialist logistician – which doesn’t really have a daily routine – and get to know professionals and equipment that move unusual freight.
Friderici Spécial, which operates a fleet of more than 200 vehicles, let the guests sit in truck driver’s cabs and marvel at spectacular lifting feats carried out by its cranes.
The visitors roamed through the workshops, took a look behind the scenes of the company and saw films about challenging transport projects that the firm has completed. Perhaps the effort awakened a long-term interest in the field amongst some of the visitors.
The event was a complete success for the organisers, as technical director André Friderici and general director Clément Friderici confirmed to the ITJ at Breakbulk Europe in Rotterdam at the end of May. I think we can safely assume that the next open day in Tolochenaz won’t be eleven years coming.