UD trucks expand Southern African presence in Zambia

**Staff Writer **

UD Trucks Southern Africa has officially launched in Zambia through a strategic partnership with Imperial Motors Zambia, part of Motus Africa.

The launch, held in Lusaka, marks an important milestone in the brand’s Southern African growth strategy, establishing a presence across three operational locations in Lusaka, Kitwe and Solwezi.

The expansion brings UD Trucks’ Japanese engineering heritage, global commercial vehicle expertise and customer-focused philosophy to a market where dependable transport plays a critical role in economic growth.

Together, UD Trucks and Imperial Motors Zambia aim to deliver more than commercial vehicles – a total transport solutions offering that combines the right products, professional aftersales support and long-term customer partnerships.

The event was also attended by Fredrick Mwalusaka, permanent secretary at Zambia’s ministry of transport and logistics, who served as guest of honour and participated in the official ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The launch represents a shared commitment to developing a sustainable presence in Zambia, supporting businesses across key industries and helping customers keep their operations moving.

For UD Trucks Southern Africa, Zambia represents an important step in strengthening the brand’s regional footprint and extending its commitment to customers across key African markets.

Building on the introduction of UD Trucks in Malawi in 2025 through Motus Africa, the Zambia launch further develops the partnership between the two organisations and creates opportunities to serve customers in a market with significant transport requirements across mining, agriculture, construction, logistics and distribution.

“The official launch of UD Trucks in Zambia represents another significant milestone in our ambition to strengthen our presence across Southern Africa and contribute to the development of Africa’s commercial transport sector,” said Filip Van den Heede, managing director of UD Trucks Southern Africa.

For Zambian transport operators, these principles translate into a total transport solutions approach that considers the entire operating life of a vehicle – from product selection and acquisition to maintenance, servicing and ongoing operational support.

Graham Kolm, SSA Markets general manager of Trucks Southern Africa, emphasised the importance of aligning product capability with the realities of customers’ businesses.

“For businesses operating in demanding industries, a truck is much more than a vehicle. It is a critical business asset, and its performance, availability and operating costs directly influence productivity and profitability.

Imperial Motors Zambia brings 12 years of experience in the Zambian automotive market.

The addition of UD Trucks strengthens its commercial vehicle portfolio and represents a further investment in the country’s transport sector.

UD Trucks is a leading Japanese commercial vehicle solutions provider, active in more than 60 countries on all continents.

Since its inception in 1935, the company has been an innovation leader with a clear vision to provide the trucks and services the world needs today.