MAN Malaysia gets new MD

KUALA LUMPUR: Newly-appointed MAN Truck & Bus (M) Sdn Bhd (MAN Malaysia) managing director Marc Appelt’s immediate priority is to expand the MAN network with new dealerships across the country.

He wants to make the German heavy commercial vehicle brand the preferred choice for fleet owners.

“As the first heavy truck with Euro V engines as standard in Malaysia, we have the most experience in helping transporters achieve fuel efficiency, reduce emissions and lower total cost of ownership (TCO)," said Appelt in a statement.

"Our Euro V MAN Trucks are proven and reliable solutions, having been operating here in real-world conditions since 2021."

"Currently, we also have a very strong and growing order book for our Euro V MAN Coach Chassis. I am convinced that MAN will capture a large share of the growing bus-coach segment in Malaysia,” said Appelt.

He said MAN was not just selling a truck or bus but offering itself as a reliable partner to players in the transport sector.

Despite the challenges presented by cheaper Chinese brands and heavy discounting by competitors, Appelt said he was banking on MAN’s value proposition.

“With our easy in-house financing, owning a MAN is now more affordable than ever with no heavy upfront capital outlay," he said.

"Our service and repair contracts ensure fixed costs and better cashflow management with no surprises."

"A highly digitised back-end that includes online service booking and contactless check-in at MAN service centres that operate until 2.30 am means minimal downtime. Send your vehicle in after work and it will be ready the next morning," he pointed out.

MAN Genuine Parts, be it brand new or remanufactured, are competitively priced and come with a two-year unlimited mileage warranty.

"All these mean that your MAN vehicle, which is built to last, will continue to be a revenue-generating asset for years to come,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Appelt will start traversing up and down the country to personally get to know loyal customers in the steadily growing MAN family.

“If you are playing the long game, MAN is the reliable partner for you. We have the right products and set-up to support and grow with your business,” said the 1.91 metre-tall Appelt, who hails from the historic salt-mining town of Luneburg in northern Germany.

The Economics graduate has spent the past 20 years at MAN.

Hebrings with him a wealth of experience in revamping workshop operations and enhancing productivity.

As a member of the Commercial Board at MAN, he was in charge of driving sales and commercial activities all over the world.

His stint as finance director based in MAN’s Bangkok office back in 2012 and 2013 meant that he is familiar with the market and culture in the Asean region, having visited Kuala Lumpur regularly when the Malaysian operations were still in Rawang.

His last position was as head of human resources for sales and marketing based at the headquarters in Munich.

Appelt takes over from Andrew O’Brooks, who has moved on to helm the MAN operations in Greater China after a successful five-and-half year stint.

He said that the rapid transformation of the three-decade old MAN operations in Malaysia over the last four years and a strong presence in social media have generated much goodwill and heightened respect of the brand in the market.

“My predecessor has done an amazing job in building a skilled, experienced and motivated team that is consistently delivering quality aftersales service and uptime demanded by customers. The current MAN set-up and network is extremely professional, which makes my task of growing the business easier,” he said.