Over the course of just 10 years, SDT Group has become an authorised importer, distributor and repair service provider for some of Europe’s largest manufacturers of buses, trailer vehicles, auto transporters and commercial vehicles. The signing of a franchise agreement with Hungarian company VIA Bérautó, the largest commercial vehicle rental company in Eastern Europe, presents an introduction to the new business year
With additional investments and the creation of new jobs, the SDT Group will this year again provide a major contribution to the development of the domestic economy. Thanks to a new contract with VIA Bérautó, Serbia’s roads will be cruised by an ever-increasing number of new and safe vehicles that satisfy all environmental standards of the EU.
We are approaching the celebrating of your first decade of operations, which has proved more than successful for the company. What are you proud of in particular?
– We have proven that we have competent people who, with their work and knowhow, are able to realise big ideas and form a company that can serve Serbia with pride. SDT Group is today the authorised bus service provider for Southeast Europe of Polish company Solaris Bus & Coach, which is among the top European and world manufacturers, in terms of the number of vehicles sold and their quality, especially in the category of buses that don’t emit harmful gases. We are also the official importer, distributor and repair service provider for German Kögel trailers for Serbia and Montenegro.
SDT is an agent, project designer, distributor and service provider for Fogmaker – Swedish fire protection systems for the engine space. We are the official service centre for as many as three European manufacturers of vehicle transporters – Kassbohrer, Rolfo and Lohr – and also a representative of Czech company Greenchem, which produces the highest quality AdBlue in Europe. SDT is a unique multi-brand service competence centre in this part of Europe. We offer a complete service according to the “bumper to bumper” system.
You once stated that your successful operations are a result of investing in young people. Is that the recipe for success?
– SDT has been a port for young professionals since day one and – as a company that possesses all certificates – we are a training ground for their further educating. Apart from this, most of our workers have also further refined their skills at world-renowned companies. With this, we have invested in them, in our company, but also in the state – given that they remained in the country thanks to SDT having provided them with an opportunity to realise their professional dreams in Serbia.
Another important prerequisite for successful operations is boldness in accepting challenges and achieving new business success. The one we achieved in 2019 is the signing of a franchise agreement with Hungarian company VIA Bérautó, which has SDT as its official partner in Serbia.
How is the significance of your collaboration with VIA Bérautó reflected?
– This company has been Hungary’s undisputed leader in the field of rentals of trucks, vans and other commercial vehicles for 27 years, while it has also held the same position on the Slovakian market for the last six years. SDT will offer something new on the local market that will suit the needs of many customers – rental with full service and European level of quality. Almost all commercial vehicle brands and vehicle types are available.
We can offer everything from small 500kg carrying capacity vans to 40-ton capacity vehicle combinations. European roads are currently being cruised by 1,600 vehicles of this company, and it is thanks to SDT that Serbia has also become part of that network. This contract also guarantees new investments and jobs, with which the SDT Group contributed to the development of the domestic economy in 2019, as well as motivating the local workforce to seek the securing of their future in Serbia.
We simultaneously want to motivate the state to accelerate the harmonising of laws with EU regulations and the adopting of appropriate legal norms, which will allow commercial vehicles rented in Serbia to move freely throughout the whole of Europe.