Against a field of more than 25 top dealers across Australasia, Brown & Hurley Yatala has been crowned Kenworth Dealer of the Year 2012 for outstanding sales, service and support.

The Kenworth accolade is widely regarded as the industry's most coveted prize for dealers. It acknowledges excellence in overall dealer performance, truck sales, parts sales, finance and customer support.

This is the first time the five-year-old dealership has won the highest Kenworth award, but it is an unprecedented 13 times for the Brown & Hurley Group, PACCAR Australia's oldest dealer group. Yatala was also named DAF Dealer of the Year for 2010 and 2011.

Speaking at PACCAR Australia's annual dealer event, Managing Director Mike Dozier praised the dealership's high standards of customer service and the Brown & Hurley Group's impressive performance over many years.

"In just a handful of years, Brown & Hurley Yatala has made a major impact on the industry - both in terms of its professional conduct and as one of the top sales performers, particularly over the past three years," Mike said.

"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. Like all the dealerships in the group, Brown & Hurley Yatala continues to be successful because of its single-minded commitment to customers. The branch's facilities are among the finest in the country, and they're complemented by a team of sales, service and support professionals. This is all part of Yatala's dedication to ensuring the best customer outcomes - and it's an admirable trait found in all Kenworth dealers," Mike added.

Dealer Principal Paul Hurley said it was a great honour to be recognised with such a prestigious award from the industry leader.

"It is most gratifying to be acknowledged as the Kenworth Dealer of the Year. Our staff work tirelessly to ensure every customer is completely satisfied in every area of our business," Paul said.

Established in 2008 and located midway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Brown & Hurley Yatala's territory extends south to Tweed Heads on the NSW border, west to Beaudesert and north to the Brisbane airport.

The dealership displays the full range of DAF and Kenworth models in various configurations. It also has a large ALLRig parts and accessories supermarket with $1.8 million in stock, and comfortable customer amenities. The workshop features 26 service bays; 24 of which are B double drive-through pits, and boasts the latest diagnostic and repair equipment. In addition, the dealership offers a 24/7 breakdown repair and parts service throughout the region.

The Yatala branch experienced strong demand for all Kenworth models, from owner-drivers, to small and large fleet operators throughout 2012. Their best-sellers were the T359 and T403 for local distribution.

"Kenworth's trucks are, without question, the best on the market," Paul said. "They are built in Australia for Australia's harshest environments, and they can be custom engineered for unique and challenging applications. We are successful because we complement these quality products with exemplary service and support," Paul explained.

"We make it easy for customers to do business with us. We have a full range of truck models, genuine parts and quality accessories on hand at all times, so we can help customers with whatever they need whenever they need it.

"All of our staff in each department work together as a team. This way every customer has a uniform, satisfying experience - whether they are purchasing a new truck, having it serviced or buying spare parts. No matter if it's an owner-driver or a large fleet operator, we treat all of our customers equally and efficiently," Paul said.

In addition to winning Kenworth Dealer of the Year, Brown & Hurley's youngest dealership also won the DAF Service and Parts Dealer of the Year awards for 2012.

Established in 1946 in Kyogle, the Brown & Hurley group is PACCAR Australia's largest and longest-serving dealer group. It has full PACCAR dealerships in Brisbane, Kyogle, Coffs Harbour, Townsville, Rockhampton, Toowoomba and Yatala, with a satellite parts outlet in Tamworth.

The recently opened purpose built training facility next to their dealership at Yatala, Qld, now supports the group's in house training needs. The training facility includes Cummins engines (including the latest EGR Cummins Signature) plus a PACCAR MX engine, Eaton transmission and rear axles (including SISU axles). Training is also carried out on Eaton automated products, air systems, steering systems, electrical diagnostics and DAF componentry. The new training facility investment is a further commitment to the Brown and Hurley philosophy of putting profits back into their business, and thereby offering their customers a higher level of service.

PACCAR Australia conducts comprehensive training programs and regularly evaluates dealers to ensure Kenworth and DAF products and services are represented in the best manner possible.
"Our awards foster excellence in all of our dealers," Mike Dozier said. "And that benefits everyone, especially customers who have access to the most professional network of dealers across Australia."

At the dealer awards ceremony, PACCAR Australia also presented the Kenworth Service Dealer of the Year award to Brown & Hurley Coffs Harbour, and the ALLRig Parts Dealer of the Year award to Twin City Truck Centre, Wodonga.

Kenworth trucks are designed and manufactured in Australia to meet the world's toughest applications. Kenworth, a division of PACCAR Australia, is market leader in heavy duty trucks in Australia. Its trucks are also exported to Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. PACCAR Inc, a Six Sigma company, is a global technology leader in the design, manufacture and customer support of high-quality light, medium, and heavy-duty trucks under the Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF nameplates. PACCAR also designs and manufactures advanced diesel engines, provides financial services and information technology, and distributes truck parts related to its principal business.

For further information:

Neil Willox
Marketing Manager
PACCAR Australia
Tel: (03) 9721 1500