UD Trucks and Better Life – a company-wide effort to make life better for people and the planet
For over 85 years, UD Trucks has been providing the trucks and services the world needs today. Now the logistics industry is facing an array of challenges, from a shortage of truck drivers and higher demand for deliveries driven by the growth of e-commerce, to environmental impacts such as climate change and resource depletion.
In the face of these challenges, innovation and collaboration are essential for making the world a better place. UD Trucks is committed to making life better for people and the planet, and to become the sustainability leader in our industry. This is our purpose, and we call it Better Life.
Better for Logistics
Driving innovation for smarter, more sustainable logistics
UD Trucks is at the forefront of innovation that helps maximize vehicle efficiency, reduce environmental impacts and maximize driver comfort.
Time and time again UD Trucks has changed the industry for the better through innovation. UD Trucks was the first heavy-duty truck manufacturer in Japan to introduce the 10-ton payload truck and automated manual transmission. On the environmental front, UD Trucks was the first in the world to introduce a truck with the urea SCR system, which purifies exhaust gases.
True to our Better Life purpose, UD Trucks continues to develop next-generation technologies in the fields of connectivity, electromobility and autonomous driving. At the same time the company is devoted to helping customers find solutions to strengthen their business today.
UD Trucks is using virtual reality technology to develop new and lighter truck models from the design stage to prototypes. From carrying out product development and manufacturing quality standards assessments to improving the skills of maintenance and repair personnel, UD Trucks promptly assesses and services its vehicles in accordance with the highest standards.
Acknowledging truck drivers and mechanics alike, UD Trucks holds global competitions, namely UD Extra Mile Challenge and UD Gemba Challenge. These competitions feature the most proficient drivers and mechanics from across the globe. Through these competitions, participants demonstrate their skills and know-how, while sharing best practices among their peers, all in an effort to better serve customers and improve the bottom line.
Better for People
Empowering our people, engaging our communities
People and communities are a core part of Better Life. UD Trucks continues to improve the well-being of its employees, fostering a workplace that strongly emphasizes personal health, safety and development while maintaining a strong work-life balance.
Diversity and inclusion is one of the company’s greatest strengths, with over 20 nationalities working at the Japan Ageo headquarters alone. Different viewpoints generate fresh ideas that spur innovation. All employees are encouraged to make the most of their abilities and given opportunities to grow professionally.
UD Trucks takes great pride in outreach programs that make lives better in the communities where we operate. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of masks were donated to elementary schools in Ageo Japan, home of UD Trucks. Household necessities were donated to people that were financially hard hit by the pandemic in Indonesia. UD Trucks also continues to hold traffic safety seminars for elementary school children and supports truck driver training programs.
Better for the Planet
Reducing our environmental footprint
The environmental challenges facing the world today are daunting. Both public and private sectors are calling for drastic reductions in emissions and achieving carbon neutrality in the coming decades, and UD Trucks is no exception. In pursuit of Better Life and the company’s wanted position to be the sustainability leader in our industry, UD Trucks, together with business partners, customers, policy makers and the logistics industry as a whole, must be part of the solution.
Currently, UD Trucks goes to great lengths to ensure waste materials are sorted and disposed of responsibly. UD Trucks constantly looks for ways to use resources more efficiently starting from the product development stage. Most components in the new range vehicles can be easily dissembled into interchangeable parts, reused or recycled.
UD Trucks develops vehicles that stay ahead of emission regulations and are equipped with advanced safety technology. The environmental impact of its trucks are minimized at each stage of the product life-cycle, leading to the production of more environmentally conscious trucks.
There is much more to do to reach the company’s ambitious sustainability goals, but UD Trucks is up to the challenge - to make logistics more sustainable and life better.
See video introducing Better Life here.
Learn more about Better Life on the UD Trucks website here.
See the UD Trucks Sustainability Report here.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Info.udtrucks.japan@udtrucks.co.jp
UD Trucks is a leading Japanese commercial vehicle solutions provider, active in more than 60 countries on all continents. Since its inception in 1935, the company has been an innovation leader with a clear vision to provide the trucks and services the world needs today.
The company is committed to go the extra mile for smart logistics with the most dependable solutions for demanding customers. To best support across applications and geographies, UD Trucks offers a full range of heavy-duty trucks - Quon and Quester, medium duty trucks - Condor and Croner, and light-duty trucks - Kazet and Kuzer, as well as associated operational and financial services.
UD Trucks is a proud member of Isuzu Group.
