Grand Lakes Veículos, a company that belongs to Adone Holding and official dealership of Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus in Angola, received the awards for Best After-Sales and Best Sustainability Project when participating for the second year in the High Performance Program, created by the automotive industry to importers from Latin America and Africa, during an event held in São Paulo (SP).
This is not the first time that the company has been recognized by the award. In 2023, Grand Lakes was the winner in the Outstanding Innovation category. This year, in addition to the aforementioned awards, the company also received the Yellow Cap, a symbol that qualifies it for first place in the program in the first quarter of 2024.
According to José Roberto Colnaghi, president of the Board of Directors of Adone Holding, the best After-Sales award is validation of the efforts made over the years. “We invested a lot in this area and today we have now a team of more than 200 employees, 80 of whom are mechanics trained by VWCO who undergo annual recycling promoted by the brand and in a 3,500 square meter warehouse” emphasizes Colnaghi.
Grand Lakes Veículos has been the market leader in the segment in Angola for 12 years and seeks to generate more and more jobs in the country. By offering the best products and services to its customers, it achieves greater possibilities for growth and expansion in the country. “We have the technical and human capacity to increasingly participate in local development and this brings us excellent prospects”, highlights José Maurício Caldeira, shareholder and member of the Administrative Council of Adone Holding.
The Sustainability award is a recognition of actions aimed at the sustainable development of the African country, especially the support for the NGO Baluarte in Luanda, since 2018, being the Institution’s largest partner, which serves children in situations of social vulnerability. Last year alone, Grand Lakes donated a vehicle and land measuring approximately one hectare to expand service capacity and built a high-quality library. “Combining economic and social development for sustainable growth is an extremely important part of the work we carry out in Angola”, highlights the director of Grand Lakes, Geraldo Kulaif.
Baluarte
The Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) works to help, protect and protect children and families in situations of extreme social vulnerability. The first school was founded in Luanda, Angola in 2017 and is not just an institution, but a vital link. It is a beacon of hope, a fortress of dreams and a refuge of transformation that currently serves 400 children.
In 2023, Baluarte began the construction project of the Educational Complex on the property donated by Grand Lakes Veículos, in Capollo II, Luanda. The institution aims to accommodate up to 3,000 children and, at the same time, equip parents with skills for a better future. Through this initiative, the school will flourish and become a self-sustainable entity, radiating hope and transformation throughout the community.
The Company
Headquartered in Luanda, the company belongs to Adone Holding and has been operating in the heavy vehicle segment on the African continent since 2007, with a dealership in the capital Luanda and a branch in Catumbela, in the province of Benguela. In June 2023, it opened two more branches – one in the province of Cabinda and the other in the province of Huila. The company is an official dealership for the Volkswagen Truck and Buses among other complementary brands for the segment.
Since 2019 the company has delivered more than 1800 buses to the Regular Urban Passenger Transport Project (TURP) whose objective is to map and define the main operational routes and select urban and interprovincial bus stops, which makes it possible to transport thousands of people daily. Since 2022 more than 200 trucks have been allocated for the Integrated Rural Trade Development Program (PIDCR), which aims to improve the flow of products from the countryside to consumption areas and boost the growth of the rural sector.