Medium-duty truck maker Isuzu Commercial Truck of America Inc. has opened a Center of Excellence in Pennsylvania. The complex is comprised of a 100,000-sq.-ft. parts distribution center and a 30,000-sq.-ft. training and technical assistance facility. The Center of Excellence, according to Isuzu, puts three major functions supporting dealerships and customers in the region under one roof:

• Parts Distribution: Over $8 million worth of parts are stocked in the facility, placing them close to a concentrated area of commercial vehicle dealers, reducing delivery time.
• Training Center: Dealership service, parts, sales and customer satisfaction personnel from throughout the US will receive intensive, hands-on technical and lifecycle training at Isuzu Truck University.
• Technical Assistance: The center will house local Field Service Engineers and a Technical Assistance Line team. By focusing on dealers in specific parts of the country, both teams can react to issues and trends in a faster, more personalized manner.

“Our ‘lifecycle’ business model is built on the premise that customers will look only to Isuzu for their commercial truck needs so long as we provide them the highest quality product, the least amount of downtime, and a level of service that exceeds their expectations,” said Shaun Skinner, president of Isuzu Commercial Truck of America. “To do that requires a very large level of support. That’s what this Center of Excellence—and more like it in the future—will provide.”

Plans are already underway to open a second Center of Excellence facility in the future.