For the second consecutive year – and against a field of more than 25 dealers across Australasia – New Zealand's Southpac Trucks has been awarded Kenworth Dealer of the Year. 
The award is made to the dealership with the highest ranking across five main areas: Truck sales, overall dealer performance, parts sales and customer support. 
The award was presented at PACCAR Australia's annual dealer event, fittingly held this year in Queenstown.
Southpac backed-up the premier award by also taking the 2018 PACCAR Australia Service Dealer of the Year, "for exceptional standards in service and support." Southpac has also won this award two years in a row. 
Managing director of PACCAR Australia Andrew Hadjikakou presented the Kenworth Dealer of the Year award to Southpac Trucks CEO Maarten Durent and chairman Graeme Gibbons – congratulating their team for their professionalism, outstanding customer support and for setting a strong example for other dealers, not only within the Kenworth network but the industry as a whole.
"Focusing on the most important factor in the business – the customer – Southpac Trucks has again shown the highest standards of service and professionalism. 
"The Kenworth Dealer of the Year award is not about who sells the most trucks, but which dealer provides the best overall performance for the customer – encouraging all dealers across the Kenworth dealer network to strive for customer excellence.
"Southpac's ongoing commitment to the industry and continued investment in their people and facilities is commendable, providing customers with the latest products and services and industry know-how."
Durent dedicates the award to his team for "their hard work, dedication and passion, which shows through in all they do.
"We are again extremely honoured to win this award and for being recognised as the top-performing dealer amongst an already-outstanding cast of dealers. 
"The relationship we have with our customers is paramount to our success and we pride ourselves on delivering exceptional customer service and support. 
"The Southpac team is committed to quality in all they do and has made winning this award possible."
Durent says that Kenworth's contribution to Southpac's success also needs to be noted: Hadjikakou and PACCAR Australia's director sales and marketing Brad May, he says, "are very supportive of NZ customer requirements" – as demonstrated by engineering projects to develop models specifically to "meet NZ's tough legislative and customer requirements.
"One such example is the Kenworth T659 8x4, used in bulk tipping and logging: It has been an outstanding success….just one example of many."