The Belgian family-owned Beherman Group is entering a new phase in its long history, with its subsidiary Beherman Motors appointed as the official importer of Mitsubishi FUSO Truck and Bus Corporation vehicles in the Netherlands, expanding its territory to the entire Benelux.

By taking over this role from Daimler Truck, the group not only grows geographically but also reinforces a strategic repositioning that has been underway for several years.

From Chrysler to Minerva, Saab, and Mazda

Founded in 1929, Beherman initially built its business around the import and distribution of American vehicles, most notably Chrysler and Plymouth, helping to introduce large-scale industrial automotive distribution to the Belgian market.

In the post-war period, the group further expanded its activities through local assembly and production, including the assembly of Skoda cars and later Morris and MG cars for the Belgian market in the fifties and sixties. And even a model that was all the rage at the time: the Mini. Later, in the seventies, Beherman also assembled Peugeots in Mechelen/Malines via Ragheno.

There are also links with historic Belgian brand Minerva, which, in its new form, assembled Land Rover models under license for military and civilian use.

That marked the beginning of a long and fruitful collaboration with Land Rover and Range Rover that would last until 1996. Another milestone was the BDX armoured personnel carrier.

This early combination of import, assembly, and specialized vehicle expertise laid the foundations for a broader industrial and technical profile.

Established automotive importer

In the decades that followed, Beherman became one of Belgium’s established automotive importers, representing brands such as Mazda and Saab, alongside a range of premium and niche marques, including Rolls-Royce and Bentley at various points.

Its role extended across the full value chain, from homologation and logistics to dealer network development and aftersales, while maintaining activities in more specialized and professional vehicle segments.

Like many independent importers, the group faced a structural turning point as manufacturers progressively shifted toward direct sales models in Europe.

The loss of key mandates and the consolidation of distribution networks forced a strategic rethink. Rather than competing with factory-owned organizations, Beherman gradually shifted its focus toward segments where its flexibility, technical expertise, and local market knowledge remained valuable.

Repositioning around commercial vehicles

This evolution has led to a clear repositioning around light and medium-duty commercial vehicles and, increasingly, electrified urban mobility. Today, alongside FUSO, the group represents Farizon and Piaggio Commercial, building a portfolio aligned with last-mile delivery and zero-emission transport.

FUSO, originally Mitsubishi’s truck division and now part of Daimler Truck, is a global manufacturer of light and medium-duty commercial vehicles, best known in Europe for its Canter range and the electric eCanter.

FUSO, still part of Daimler Truck, is also expected to be integrated with Hino Motors, Toyota’s commercial vehicle subsidiary, in the future as part of a broader industry alliance aimed at strengthening competitiveness and accelerating the transition to zero-emission transport.

In this context, FUSO’s distribution expansion into the Netherlands is particularly significant. It creates a unified Benelux structure for the brand and reflects a broader reorganization of European distribution.

Providing additional scale

In this, manufacturers increasingly rely on specialized regional partners. For Beherman, the move confirms its relevance in a changing ecosystem while providing additional scale to support its ambitions.

In market terms, both FUSO and Farizon remain relatively modest players in the Benelux light commercial vehicle segment, but their positioning is strategic.

FUSO has long held a niche in light-duty trucks and is gaining visibility with its electric eCanter. At the same time, Farizon represents a new wave of electric entrants seeking to establish themselves in Europe. Together, they place Beherman at the intersection of two major trends: the electrification of fleets and the transformation of urban logistics.