ownerdriver.com.au AUGUST 2019 83
to participate. Likewise, there’s no ambition to be in
China. None!
The abiding impression, however, is that Peter Fox is
fully cognisant of commercial and political worlds far
beyond Australian borders, much as some of the world’s
biggest truck makers – notably the export-oriented
European brands – see Linfox as far more than simply
an Australian customer.
It is, for instance, no coincidence nor a case of contrived
corporate nicety that Lindsay and Peter Fox have intensely
close relationships at the highest levels of global giants such
as Daimler and Volvo Group.
Consequently, on the hushed assertions by the senior
executives of some brands operating in the Australian
market that Linfox is simply too tough to deal with, that
buying decisions are based more on price than product, it’s
a blunt Peter Fox who immediately responds: “I’d say we’re
tough but fair, and the thing I would say to suppliers is ‘It’s
about the relationship.’ If you don’t have that relationship,
there’s no ticket to play.”
Quiet for a moment, he continues, “We had a predominant
preferred supplier in Mercedes-Benz (Daimler) for over 30
years. Prior to that it was International Harvester. In more
recent times we have a preferred relationship with Volvo and
that stems predominantly from the relationship we have
with the CEO (Martin Lundstedt).”
In fact, Volvo’s obvious ascension and Daimler’s
apparent decline appear to have far more to do with
relationships at the top than any issues or shortcomings
on the product front.
Still, “We stay open to who we have preferred relationships
with,” Peter adds, seemingly as a warning shot that nothing
should be taken for granted.
As for the modest presence of US trucks in the Linfox f leet- other than Volvo Group’s Mack brand – Peter Fox says it
has far more to do with currency exchange rates between
the Australian and US dollars than anything else. Where
the Aussie dollar has fallen dramatically against its US
counterpart, he contends, “It hasn’t fallen to the same
extent against the Euro.”
Besides, Peter insists there’s much to like in modern
European trucks “... whether it be Scania, Volvo, Mercedes-
Benz or DAF. To me they are all really good products,
“In more recent times
we have a preferred
relationship with Volvo.”