Sales of heavy vehicles continue to show no solid recovery, while some carriers postpone renewal decisions due to economic and political uncertainty, distributors are beginning to concentrate efforts on areas such as maintenance, spare parts and field service, commented Pablo Swaine, general director of Special Trucks .
Industry figures reflect the current challenges facing the heavy vehicle market. According to the Mexican Association of Automotive Distributors (AMDA) , retail sales of heavy vehicles experienced a year-on-year decline of 28.8% between January and April 2026, with 10,038 units sold. Furthermore, April of this year marked the fourth consecutive month of negative growth for the sector.
For its part, the National Association of Bus, Truck and Tractor-Trailer Producers (ANPACT) reported that, during the period January-April 2026, wholesale sales decreased by 10.6%, while production fell by 22% and exports by 21.5%.
In this context, the company continues to invest in new facilities and in strengthening its after-sales operations , despite acknowledging that the market is still going through a difficult period.
“Last year we were down 37%. So far this year we’re down 16%,” Pablo Swaine noted. He acknowledged that the market is still going through a period of caution regarding fleet renewal, although he is confident that activity will improve in the coming months.
The company is currently working on the renovation of its Vallejo facilities and the image update of the Cuautitlán branch , projects that are progressing while the market for new units continues to show weakness.
According to Swaine, the environment has led many carriers to limit purchases to only the essentials and extend fleet renewal cycles .
In response, the company is primarily seeking to strengthen its after-sales business , a segment that has become increasingly important for commercial vehicle distributors.
“The only way to have a long-term relationship with the customer is if I provide good after-sales service,” he stressed.
Currently, the company operates eight mobile workshops and two roadside assistance units to perform preventive and corrective maintenance, as well as off-site repairs . In addition to the metropolitan area, its services extend to states such as Querétaro, Puebla, Hidalgo, Morelos, and the State of Mexico.
The executive explained that the customer service approach has also changed compared to previous years, when customers went directly to dealerships to resolve any service or repair issues. “Today, we come to the customer,” he stated.
The operation also incorporates telemetry and remote diagnostic tools that allow faults to be identified before reaching the unit and the necessary spare parts to be prepared in advance.
Although he acknowledged that carriers already use monitoring and security technologies, Swaine noted that there is still room to leverage them more broadly within operations.
The company’s first stage was marked by the vision of Desmond J. Swaine , who championed the development of trucking in Mexico from scratch.
Subsequently, Roberto “Bob” Swaine spearheaded the growth and professionalization of the operation, strengthening internal processes and consolidating the name within the industry.
Currently, Pablo Swaine represents the third generation at the head of the business, with a strategy focused on strengthening after-sales service, incorporating new technologies, and developing the internal work team.
When defining what it represents today, Pablo Swaine summarized the essence of the company in a single word: reputation .
“We have been building it for 70 years,” the executive said, noting that the long-term relationship with customers and the trust within the industry have been a fundamental part of the company’s history.
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