For Innoson Motors, There has never been a better last year. It was in Year 2009 that Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Plant rolled out its first set of vehicles and since then over 10,000 units of vehicles has been manufactured locally from its plant that has the capacity to produce 10,000 units of cars annually. Being the first automobile manufacturing plant in Nigeria, it has never been easy for the founder and CEO of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Co Ltd, Dr Innocent Chukwuma OFR.
In a country that is import driven, where basically over 80% of household items are being imported most especially toothpick, it can only take sheer guts for one to venture into the establishment of a manufacturing plant to produce locally made vehicles.
For 7yrs that IVM has been on business, it has never been easy but more importantly, there has never been a better last year. IVM has been moving from glory to glory. In its quest to be among the top automotive brands in terms of reliability, quality, and long-term durability, it has been moving slowly, gradually, and steadily closing the gap little by little, improvement by improvement on its vehicles and services.
Yes there has been challenges by some of our vehicles by the users, some which occurred either by poor or bad handler-ship by our customers and vehicle users and some by the manufacturers defects but in all these cases it has been resolved and handled professionally by the management.
The truth is that there is no vehicle manufacturing company in this world that did not face the initial challenges of manufacturers defects and even still do today but the high point has always been; identifying this issues and resolving it.
IVM has not been different too. Any careful observer that has been monitoring IVM vehicles from the very inception will observe there has been tremendous improvement on IVM vehicles. This is because IVM is using the concept of regionalisation in the production of its vehicles by making sure that it considers local tastes and consumer preferences in the African region during production.
We ensure we get feedback from the users of IVM in order to know their views on their IVM experience and by these feedbacks we seek better ways to improve on the tastes and preferences of our customers to suit the environment.
For example, based on various feedbacks we got from our customers and users of our big vehicles we have improved on the clutch system and brake system, improved on the engine capacity, improved on the body structure of the bus. IVM also improved on the interior décor and comfort by employing luxury seats, robust air-conditioning system and on board entertainment system. IVM also improved on the suspension system of its vehicle, transmission system and enhanced shock absorber
On the smaller vehicles, IVM improved on the fuel economy, improved on the interior décor of the vehicles, improved also on their engine output.
IVM vehicles can be compared to any best auto you can see in the market today. Its vehicles use SRS airbag, suspension systems that are internationally acceptable. On safety, it employ ABS in the production of its vehicles, together with EBD that ensures even distribution of brakes between the front and rear wheels. All these are modern gadgets that are added to IVM vehicles which also can be found in any modern vehicle. On the engine output, IVM uses one of the best engines in its buses which are Cummins engine that is produced in Europe, and its smaller vehicles also makes use of Europe manufactured engines. These are all internationally accepted engines.
Innoson Motors employ international best practices in the production of these vehicles and they can compare very favourably in terms of durability, fuel economy, safety. Nigerians should therefore keep faith with Innoson Motors and embrace it as our pride. IVM is not there yet but with the support of all; the government, corporate organizations, relevant institutions and individuals, IVM can rise to become one of the greatest thing to come out of Nigeria because being the first indigenous vehicle manufacturing company in Africa, it can be what GM and Ford is to America, what Toyota and Honda is to Japan and what Kia and Hyundai is to South Korea.
IVM greatest achievement is not behind them neither is it with them now. IVM best is yet to happen. As consumer expectations continues to change and new technologies keep coming out, so will IVM continue to improve on its vehicles, let’s all therefore keep faith with Innoson motors
Cornel Osigwe
Public Relations/Media Consultant
