New Zealand Paccar Trucks Distributor Southpac Trucks, recently voted Australasia's Kenworth Dealer of the Year 2017, has been handing out its own awards.

Southpac's national truck sales, parts and service dealer meeting, held at the Bill Richardson Transport World in Invercargill, was attended by executives from Cummins NZ, PACCAR Australia and the United States, DAF Trucks in Netherlands, Southpac's senior management and The Colonial Motor Company CEO Graeme Gibbons.

Southpac CEO Maarten Durent says Invercargill was chosen as the venue "because of Transport World's excellent conference facilities and museum – plus Jason Popplewell of TRL has recently opened a new parts and service dealership in Invercargill, and getting all the dealers to visit these outstanding investments is important."

A day of meetings on truck sales, product and engineering updates and parts and service info sessions was capped by Southpac's annual gala awards dinner.

Kenworth Australia's Tim Cotton says that the meeting was "very important, to map out 2018: We have a lot going on – new models to support and ongoing technical training events to attend. Everyone has to be onboard to ensure our customers get the best possible uptime."

Hawke's Bay's Eastern Truck & Marine won the Dealer of the Year and a Parts Excellence award, while Steve Willcocks picked up the Salesman of the Year honours, Adam McIntosh the Kenworth and Used Salesman honours and Steve Herring the DAF Salesman award.

The Service Dealer of the Year award went to Heavy Diesel Parts & Service, Christchurch, and HDPS, Timaru, took a Service Excellence award.

Commercial Vehicle Centre, Nelson, won the Parts Dealer of the Year and a Service Excellence award.

Commercial Diesel, Whangarei, took a Parts Excellence award and Mitch Gibbs (HDPS), Doug Smith (TPS Taupo) and Hamana Wharerau (Emmetts, Palmerston North) each won Technician Excellence awards.