Hino is Japan's biggest manufacturer of all trucks over 8,5 tons gross vehicle mass (GVM) - 22 232 sold domestically during 2000 giving them a leading 28.8% market share. Hino also ranks as the second biggest Japanese large bus manufacturer having sold 2 132 buses into the Japanese domestic market after Mitsubishi's 3 580 large buses during 1999.
Evolution of the Hino Logo
Evolution of Hino's logo and branding starts at 20th Century beginnings on the upright radiator of this TGE 'Type-A' model of 1917 (top left). The 'wings' are clearly recognisable. The original company was founded in 1910 as the Tokyo Gas Industry Co Ltd.
By the mid-20th Century, this had become the well-known 'wings' logo that established Hino as a major stakeholder of the South African market (left centre).
The 21st Century sees the company carry forward its logo and brand in the shape of the stylised 'H', representing Hino. The intent of the new logo is bound up in two powerful forces moving out to the left and the right, expressing Hino's pursuit of high technology and harmony with the environment. The new logo launched in Japan on 20th October 1994, started to appear on local Hino trucks in the last quarter of 1997.
In Japan, it's neck and neck for first place in the heavy truck and bus market between Hino and Mitsubishi. This is irrelevant in South Africa as Mitsubishi forfeited its place in the sun during the early eighties. In South Africa, it is Hino and Toyota that lead the local Japanese truck market share.
Hino also ranks among the world's top ten diesel truck manufacturers in terms of both annual production and exports.Going beyond Japanese borders, Hino is Japan's 2nd largest exporter of trucks and buses - 10 629 during 1999, only 134 units behind Mitsubishi but well ahead of 3rd placed Isuzu at 9 465 and Nissan Diesel being 4th at 6 947 units. The relevance of Africa for Hino's world export markets must be seen in perspective. The whole of Africa takes not even 3% of Hino's annual export production. Compare this to the Americas at 22%, Asia at 50% and Oceania at 17%. Hino also exports 6% of it's production to Europe - twice that of Africa.
Yet, as small as South Africa is in export terms, Hino has a permanent representative here - popular Harry Horiuchi - and has hung in through the most difficult challenges during the ADE and ASTAS era by localising components and gaining market share under our punitive local content legislation.
Reference:http://www.fleetwatch.co.za/supplements/hino2001/001.htm
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