HOUSTON — Volvo Trucks North America dealer Vanguard Truck Centers has invested $23 million in a new facility — one of four locations in the Houston, Texas area — in addition to a full-service body shop, offering customers increased uptime, service and support.
Positioned on 23 acres on the north side of U.S. Highway 90 at 12935 Crosby Freeway, the 120,000-square-foot dealership features a spacious and well-staffed parts service counter, a lobby and a showroom, as well as a 45,000-square-foot warehouse with a mezzanine level. The expanded facility houses a regional call center with citywide dispatch service for parts delivery across the greater Houston area. The site stocks more than $8 million in parts inventory, and orders are fulfilled through Volvo Trucks’ recently announced e-commerce platform PartsASIST to maximize uptime.
The facility has 44 service bays staffed by 42 technicians — 21 of whom are master technicians — and operates a 24/7 mobile service fleet. The service area includes a covered four-lane drive-up for inclement weather. The service center, which is also equipped to service CNG vehicles and the new Volvo VNR Electric model, is fully heated and air conditioned, with energy-efficient features for the comfort of employees and customers.
“Vanguard Truck Centers is a perfect representation of our dealer network’s exceptional dedication to its employees and customers,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president at Volvo Trucks North America. “The impressive new flagship facility supports Vanguard’s and Volvo Trucks’ market growth in the Houston area and surrounding region.”
The 151 on-site employees at the new facility enjoy the use of spacious, well-equipped locker rooms, complete with showers, and there are multiple break rooms. The large employee training center includes a meeting area for internal and customer events, while the driver’s lounge features theater seating, work areas and complimentary Wi-Fi.
Like the majority of the 20 Vanguard Truck Centers spread across the U.S., the new Houston facility is a Certified Uptime Dealer. To earn certification, Volvo Trucks evaluates dealer service locations for 31 rigid process standards, all supporting maximized uptime. These standards range from expedited check-ins, streamlined communications and separate bays for faster repairs.
“Our goal is to exceed customer expectations with our entire product and service offering,” said Tom Ewing, president and CEO of Vanguard Truck Centers. “As a leading Volvo Trucks dealer, our new location in Houston will demonstrate the standards of excellence that both Volvo Trucks and Vanguard Truck Centers are known for.”
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