Prioritizing Customer, Dealer Needs are Key for Rokbak

Mon October 16, 2023
Rokbak

In the last 12 months, unit sales for Rokbak have increased by 25 percent and unique customer numbers by 45 percent in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

The Scottish articulated hauler manufacturer has recorded a 40 percent returning and 60 percent new business customer base in 2023. It's altogether indicative of strong customer satisfaction in product investment, aftersales support and the development of key partnerships.

"When customers buy machines, they buy them to perform and do a job — sometimes up to 24 hours a day, and so they need to be reliable," said Kenny Price, Rokbak regional sales manager EMEA. "Rokbak trucks are popular with customers because they are hardworking, robust and durable.

"Our increased unit sales in 2023 are welcome confirmation of confidence in the product, that it's working well for the customer, and that customers enjoy working with Rokbak and our dealer partners. New customers coming into the Rokbak fold are starting to see the benefits they can get from investing in our products, in particular regarding the trucks' performance and fuel efficiency. We're always looking to strengthen existing relationships and start working with new customers."

Inside Knowledge

Price worked his way up at the company, starting on the factory floor as an apprentice maintenance engineer at Rokbak's Motherwell factory in 1999, just 3 mi. away from his hometown, learning valuable skills and working with the truck product. He progressed as an engineer before moving into product training and becoming a product manager.

Customers and dealers have opportunities to visit the Rokbak factory in Motherwell.

Following this, he spent several years working with the distribution of construction equipment as a regional sales manager, head of sales and general manager, where he worked with several OEM products and gained first-hand experience within the dealer network. In 2020, he returned to Motherwell with a new perspective and a greater awareness of what customers prioritize.

"Being front and center with the customer at a dealership, you understand what's required for an OEM to be successful, particularly with the aftersales and the upfront sales support," Price said. "You come to have an appreciation of how the dealerships are working and the importance of the relationship between them, the customer and the manufacturer.

"The customer really values support, the OEM being fair and trustworthy, and doing exactly what we say we're going to do. It definitely helps that, at Rokbak, we've got a passionate team with a wealth of experience and decades of hauling heritage. We strive for the best for our customers and dealers.

"We're a close group – there aren't thousands of us — and we only manufacture haulers, so we are extremely focused on being the experts in our field. We stay down-to-earth and form close bonds with customers and dealers — it's a partnership — and I know this is appreciated by everyone we work with."

Kenny Price advocates that maintaining strong relationships is integral to Rokbak and sustained success.

Key Markets

Region EMEA is a strong market for articulated dump trucks, with several important territories including the UK, France and Germany. In 2022, the UK ADT market was second only to the USA — and it is on track to compete for that position again by the end of 2023. For the UK market, 2022 was a boom year and Q1 2023 was the biggest opening quarter for market volume in recent memory.

"The UK market is incredibly important to Rokbak and the trucks we manufacture," said Price. "This is particularly true when large-scale projects come up, which are ideal for our RA30 and RA40 articulated haulers."

Rokbak trucks can be found in mining, quarries and in big construction and infrastructure projects. They are used to transport different types of materials all over the world, in a variety of conditions and terrain. Many are working in muckshift and landfill with specialized bodies to maximize capacity. Regardless of where they are or what they're doing, the same Rokbak backing is there.

"Investing time in the dealer means investing time in the customer," said Price. "The aftersales support is so important to them, and so it's important to us. Customer visits, technical product training and information are the framework of our system. The product needs to do its role but when it comes to things like servicing and maintenance, it's about being there and acting responsibly and quickly to any customer requirements."

For more information, visit rokbak.com.

This story also appears on Construction Equipment Guide.