Jean-Pierre ROLLAND and Akinori KITAGAWA finalized an agreement to equip Rolland Trucks 4x4 vehicles with Toyota engines.

Also present were Christophe Salvan (Project director, Mitsui France), Jean-Marc Sala (head of the Chamber of Commerce’s International Exchanges), Jean-Pierre Rolland (CEO of RBH Industries), Jean-Pierre Burbaud (head of the Chamber of Commerce’s Industrial section), Ms.Paulette Picard, president of the Indre Chamber of Commerce, and Akinori Kitagawa, project director of Toyota Motors Corporation. 

“This commercial agreement was presented at the Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, in the presence of its’ president, Ms Paulette Picard. The difference in size is considerable between RBH Industries, who transform and re-fit ex-army heavy utility vehicles, and Toyota Motor Corporation, the world’s second automobile manufacturer, who has factories all over the world.  RBH will buy some sixty engines from the Japanese group, who sell nine million of these units per year in all categories. These are, in the present case, Land Cruiser and Coaster engines. Production will begin after prototype validation, expected in September. 

Mr. Kitagawa explained that all partners are important to TMC, regardless of size and explains, not without humor, that Toyota “was also a small business in its’ early days”. 

A registered Trade Mark. 

The agreement was reached with the active participation of Christophe Salvan, manager of Mitsui’s French subsidiary which distributes Toyota parts and units. Jean-Pierre Rolland declared he was very satisfied with this cooperation which could pave the way to a second partnership with a bodywork specialist. 

The future “ROLLAND TRUCKS 4x4s” (registered trade mark) will be principally sold in Africa.  The production unit should employ twenty to thirty staff, including R & D.  The 4.2 liter straight six engines will produce 135 horsepower. These vehicles will also be able to operate in a forestry environment. 

The Japanese manager and the French industrialist also evoked a useful side to this product: the 4 x 4 utility vehicles will help in African countries contending with great difficulties. “We must stop sending them products that are unsalable in our markets” said Jean-Pierre Rolland. This future vehicle will no doubt operate in this role. 

This article was written by Hervé Laroque appeared in “La Nouvelle République du Centre Ouest” on Wednesday April 18th 2007.