UD Trucks has had a remarkable 2024 across the Middle East, East, and North Africa (MEENA) region, achieving a 26% sales growth, according to a press statement. During a press conference early 2025, the company announced that it registered a 50 % increase in truck sales in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. 

The brand has expanded its presence in key East African markets and strengthened its aftersales service offerings and in 2025, it will look to optimize further growth by strengthening its portfolio in heavy and medium duty truck segments and continuing its focus on the customer experience. 

In Saudi Arabia, the brand had significant growth in the heavy duty segment, playing a pivotal role in the Kingdom’s construction sector, and in medium duty, UD Trucks solidified its position in waste management and city distribution. 

According to the press statement, in the United Arab Emirates, the brand has established itself as a key player, delivering strong performance in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and the Northern Emirates region. The brand’s success also extends to Qatar, where it leads the heavy-duty segment and contributes to major initiatives like the North Field Expansion (NFE) project. Similarly, in Oman and Kuwait, it continues to enjoy robust demand for its vehicles, off the back of their reputation for reliability, adaptability, and customer satisfaction. In Iraq, the brand has continued to support essential services in the Babil governorate, supplying trucks for essential applications. 

Waste & Recycling caught up with Mourad Hedna, President, UD Trucks MEENA, for an interview. Here is an excerpt. 

How does UD Trucks tailor its vehicle solutions to meet the specific needs of waste collection operations in the MEENA region? 

Waste collection is a demanding 24/7 operation requiring high levels of uptime, durability, and efficiency. Both our Quester and Croner series are widely used in waste management applications across the region. Quester, renowned for its endurance, is being operated in demanding applications that require power and reliability, while the Croner’s flexibility means it is preferred in lighter city-service applications thanks to its efficient output and compact structure, making it ideal for operating in tight urban areas. 

The operation type and tempo of the waste assignments varies greatly, so to tackle these challenges we offer tailor-made solutions. To reduce both wear and tear in the vehicles and operational costs, and to improve driver efficiency and safety, we offer an ESCOT Automated Transmission with the Quester Series and Allison Automated Transmission with the Croner Series. 

Naturally, our customers require these trucks to be on road as much as possible during their shifts, which is why maximizing uptime is one of the most important elements in this industry. We offer comprehensive service contracts - UD Trust Standard and UD Trust Ultimate - to optimize service costs and minimize unplanned stops and any maintenance requirements. 

In cities with rapidly growing populations and infrastructure needs, how are UD Trucks performing in urban waste collection?  

Urban waste collection presents a number of distinct challenges — dense traffic, confined spaces, and frequent stop-start cycles — demanding trucks that are durable, fuel-efficient, and highly versatile. UD Trucks has established itself as a key player in the waste management sector, collaborating with major partners such as BEEAH, Lavajet, Tadweer Group, Averda, Solv, in the UAE. 

A significant milestone was securing an order of 300 trucks for the Abu Dhabi Waste Management Project, one of the most competitive tenders led by Abu Dhabi Municipality, Tadweer Group  and three of its subcontractors. Covering Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, this project aims to enhance waste management infrastructure to meet the demands of rapid urbanization and population growth. 

Our Quester and Croner models play a crucial role in this segment. The Croner is ideal for lighter applications and city services, while the Quester is the preferred choice for more demanding operations. Additionally, UD Connected Services — standard across our vehicles — along with UD Trust Maintenance Programs, empower fleet operators to maximize the performance and efficiency of their trucks. 

How are you addressing the demand for higher operational efficiency, especially when it comes to fuel consumption, vehicle uptime, and maintenance for waste collection fleets? 

Efficiency means minimizing downtime, reducing fuel consumption, and ensuring seamless operations, all of which are key priorities for UD Trucks. The Euro 5 series, introduced ahead of its time in several regional markets, exemplifies this commitment by delivering superior fuel economy and lower operational costs. 

Our Smart Dashboard helps drivers to prioritise optimal fuel efficiency through real-time coaching, helping them make the most of every drop of fuel. Meanwhile, UD Connected Services provide fleet managers with detailed fuel reports, consumption trends, and driver behaviour insights, allowing smarter decision-making and enhanced fleet efficiency. 

To maximize uptime, optimised service intervals reduce workshop visits, while UD Trust service agreements offer flexible maintenance solutions, from routine servicing to full repair contracts. Combined with our extensive service network across the MEENA region, we help customers prevent unexpected downtime and ensure continuous operational reliability. 

Given the increasing focus on sustainability, how does UD Trucks ensure that its vehicles contribute to a greener, more sustainable process?  

Sustainability is central to UD Trucks’ strategy. Most visibly, the introduction of our Euro 5 range has resulted in emissions being cut by 43% compared to the previous norm, while improving fuel efficiency and delivering lower operating costs. The same applies to our approach of offering downsized engine options, which ensure optimal performance while minimising environmental impact, especially in waste collection where stop-and-go operations demand smarter fuel management. 

Technology plays a major role in our efforts. To highlight just a few examples, our Smart Dashboard assists drivers in finding the sweet spot for fuel efficiency, while our Connected Services provide fuel consumption reports to enhance operational sustainability. 

Beyond vehicle technology, UD Trucks is committed to driver education. Initiatives like Driver Guard and the Extra Mile Challenge encourage safer, more efficient driving. And our ongoing involvement with the Plastic Pledge campaign raises awareness about reducing waste in the industry, reinforcing our commitment to sustainability at all levels. 

What are your goals for 2025 and beyond?

2025 is set to be a pivotal year for UD Trucks as we build on the momentum of 2024 and continue expanding across key markets. Our focus remains on growth, innovation, and sustainability, with a strategy to strengthen our presence in the GCC and further expand across Africa. 

In the GCC, we will continue solidifying our leadership in heavy and medium-duty segments, particularly in  UAE, ,Qatar and Bahrain. Saudi will stay a key focus and strategic market with a very good potential for growth. where we’ve already seen a 50% increase in sales. In East Africa, following our successful re-entry into Kenya and launch in Egypt, we will expand our service network and support infrastructure to enhance customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. 

Aftersales support also remains a key priority for us. With over 1,000 trucks under service agreements, we will further invest in service centre upgrades and introduce more tailored fleet management solutions. Training will also be a major focus, building on the thousands of training hours we have achieved in 2024.