Sino the times

Chinese manufacturer Sinotruk has found a home with Irish hauliers thanks to a new venture from Harris

- Dougie Rankine

The story of how Sinotruk arrived on the roads of Ireland began when Japanese truck maker Hino decided not to produce vehicles for Euro 6. Hino, of course, was the backbone of the Irish trucking industry for decades. That was thanks to the determination of one man, Robert ‘Pino’ Harris, who forged a groundbreaking relationship with Hino, importing trucks in kit form and assembling them at his firm’s site in Dublin.

Pino passed away in 2017 at the age of 75, leaving behind a huge legacy. Realising that Hino would potentially not support Euro 6, he looked to China for a new truck. As we all know, Chinese imported goods are part of almost every aspect of our daily lives. Although unknown to most of us, there are several huge truck makers in China.

A matter of time

The technology isn’t as advanced as that used in European trucks – yet. If you recall how Japanese and then Korean cars were, compared with where they are now, it’s only a matter of time before the Chinese truck makers start to catch up. The question is, will they become a success in Europe?

Pino did his research and established a relationship with Sinotruk, a giant corporation building trucks across a number of brands and looking to expand. Sinotruks are sold in many markets globally, including Africa and Russia, but the relationship with Harris would be the first in Europe. Sinotruk exported 36,500 trucks last year and has aims to become a global brand, on a par with Daimler or Volvo.