capitalequipmentnews

CONSTRUCTION . OPINION PIECE ROAD BUILDING . LIEBHERR TOUR . MINING COMPANY PROFILE . INTO AFRICA . TRAINING TRENDS . MONITORING

DECEMBER 2013

Looking back on 2013Looking back on 2013

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CEN DEC

1 COVER STORY

1 Editor’s comment

2 Construction: Road building

Cover story: Looking back on 2013 6 Trysome’s gone underground 7 Doosan refl ects on 2013… 8 Komatsu celebrates 50 years in South Africa 9 Dura Equipment Sales keeps moving10 bauma Africa opens doors for Tower Cranes12 Becker offers reliable safety on the mines13 Saxeni only has up and ups in 201314 Making a date for Tyrexpo Africa 201416 SDLG comes of age

17 Mining: Trends

Mining: Company Profi le18 2013: A successful year for Melco

Mining: Information Tour20 Liebherr Media Information Tour 2013

23 Mining: Opinion Piece

Mining: Into Africa24 Redpath enters the raise boring market26 Shantui: Showing its yellow mettle27 MSP: Confi dence high on 2013 advancements

Mining: Monitoring28 QCIC: Gaining ground in the mining sector

1 Editor’s comment

Freight & Logistics: JIMS 2 Initiatives announced to boost competitiveness 4 Johannesburg International Motor Show

Cover story: Looking back on 2013 6 Free State fl eet buys 28 MAN buses 8 With Scania, there is a better way10 SCM and SAPICS explained12 Cummins mining capabilities13 Volvo Trucks SA reaffi rms commitment

Freight & Logistics: Fleet management14 RTMS providing benefi ts to VDS

Freight & Logistics: Fuel15 Total fuel contract16 Monitor, manage and protect fuel

17 Freight & Logistics: Road transport Nissan: What’s in a name…

Freight & Logistics: Rail18 Anti-vandalism on trains 19 Coming down the track…

Freight & Logistics: Safety20 Hard braking for Cowboy Country22 Signing Responsible Care public commitment

Capital Equipment News is published monthly by Crown Publications cc

Editor: Kim Kempcapnews@crown.co.za

Advertising manager:Claudia Bertschyclaudiab@crown.co.za

Layout and design:Anoonashe Shumba

Circulation:Karen Smith

OEMs share highlights, innovations, updates and changes in the past year and share 2014’s outlook.

capitalequipmentnews

Publisher: Jenny Warwick

PO Box 140 Bedfordview 2008

Tel: (011) 622-4770 Fax: (011) 615-6108www.crown.co.za

Printed by Tandym Cape

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher.

Sold copies 1st quarter

2013

Free distribution 1st quarter

2013

Total 1st quarter

2013

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Look for us on LinkedInand read our blog.

2013, a striking year…THIS YEAR, South Africa endured unprecedented labour action, distressing currency fl uctuation – with the Rand depreciating by almost 20% – and investor twitchiness all round.

The impact on the mining sector was inevitable, with even South African Reserve Bank Governor, Gill Marcus, voicing concern about the impact of strikes; although she said that the strike action had been “largely peaceful and legal” this year, compared with “a series of unprocedural and violent strikes” in 2012.

While strike action in the gold industry lasted just three days this year, the above-infl ation wage agreement is expected to cost companies an additional R1.5-billion in extra costs, in a climate where the private sector is constantly seen as the cure-all.

It would appear that not only South Africa is seeing a downturn in mining, especially in the precious metals sector, so what does the future hold?

According to a columnist on Forbes (www.forbes.com): “The global economy is likely to continue expanding at a moderate pace, pushing demand for metals and energy up to new highs. Unfortunately, it looks like we have more capacity mining than we need right now. The world will have to grow into the capacity we have. At that point, prices can head up again.

“How long that will be depends on the specifi c materials being mined. The longer the time lag to increase production and the more capital-intensive the sector, the longer it will take before prices recover. On average, look for more price declines for metals and other minerals.”

I sincerely hope that Santa brings stability to this sector (and to the land) this Festive Season…

So, on that wistful note, we at CEN/TFL wish you and yours a safe holiday.

comment

...on the fl ip side: TFL

contents

Looking back on 2013, page 6

CEN DEC

2CONSTRUCTION: ROAD BUILDING

The eMalahleni road

rehabilitation project is rapidly

approaching completion in line

with forecast deadlines, thanks

to the high-quality standard of

tools supplied to the project by

Diamond Products.

APPOINTED AS THE CONTRACTOR for the eMalahleni-bound portion of the N12 concrete highway project, in mid-2012, by South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL), KP Projects assumed responsibility for the rehabilitation of a total of 42km of road, which involved more than 220km of concrete cutting and jointing.

Work on this demanding project offi cially started in December 2012, and KP Projects Site Supervisor, Darin Phillips, says that Diamond Products’ range of specialised tools has proven to be a highly effective replacement to standard specifi cation tools that were initially used.

“The tools originally selected for the project were providing a performance considerably lower than expected, which ran the risk of the project falling behind schedule and over budge t. Despite a short notice period, Diamond Products successfully provided us with the relevant tools, which have exceeded expectations. As a result, the expected completion date is December 2013,” he says.

According to Darin, rehabilitation on the road surface was required as the old silicon joints in the road had lost their watertight properties. “This leads to water ingress under the ground surface, resulting in deterioration of the sub-base and cracked and uneven roads.”

He says that the rehabilitation project involved texturing the road surface, by cutting special grooves 4mm deep and 2cm apart, in order to increase the tyre traction of the road surface during wet weather conditions.

Removal of the old silicon joints which are

no longer watertight.

DIAMOND in the rough…

CEN DEC

3 CONSTRUCTION:ROAD BUILDING

Diamond Products Director, Darryl Gray, says that this process was undertaken using a specially designed texturing machine and the company’s range of 350mm GC77 cutting blades, along with 600mm RC38 diamond blades, used for removing broken and failing concrete panels.

“The Diamond Products range of GC77 Green Concrete blades is designed for use on low to medium horse power saws in the 13 to 35hp categories. All GC77 blades are fi tted with wedge segments for the protection of the steel centre. What’s more, they are laser-welded to eliminate the risk of segment loss, additional costs or unexpected down time,” he adds.

In addition to texturing the road, a total of 67 KP Projects employees have been involved in cutting, grinding and drilling the road surface. “The diamond blades were used for cutting and grinding the road surface, while RC35 core bits were used for exploratory samples and drilling holes,” he explains.

In addition to supplying the highest quality tools, Darryl points out that Diamond Products provided KP Projects with unrivalled after sales and technical support. “The company assisted our team in selecting the blades and core bits that were most appropriately matched to the hardness of the concrete. I have no doubt that this level of customer service excellence added substantial value to the project,” he says in conclusion.

ww.diamondpc.co.za

Above left: Checking that the grooves are at least 4mm deep after conducting the texturing process.

Above: Specially designed texturing machine and 350mm GC77 cutting blades.

KP Projects Site Supervisor, Darin Phillips, says that Diamond Products’ range of specialised tools has proven to be a highly effective replacement to standard specifi cation tools that were initially used.

CEN DEC

4CONSTRUCTION: ROAD BUILDING

Tennessee-based highway

contractor, Robert Smith Inc.,

recently laid more than

49 000 of compacted

concrete at a Jack Daniels

distillery site.

THE OFFICIAL NICKNAME for Chattanooga in the USA is Scenic City – reinforced by the city’s growing reputation as a haven for all kinds of outdoor activity. It’s surrounded by various mountains, lying between the Appalachian Mountains and Cumberland Plateau and about 190km to the northwest of Atlanta, Georgia.

After four decades in the asphalt paving business, Robert Smith began dabbling in Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC) – a heavy-duty cement mix that can be poured as quickly as asphalt. The company has perfected the process of laying thousands of metres of RCC in just a few days for its industrial client base. Such has been its success, that today, more than 90% of its workload comprises RCC work – jobs that the company completes with its Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) ABG7820 paver.

That’s the spirit Robert Smith Inc. was contracted to repave the Jack Daniels distillery site in Lynchburg, Tennessee, to deal with a major maintenance issue regarding its warehouse access roads. The asphalt roads were breaking down because of the weight of trucks carrying products to and from the warehouse. About 92m2 of concrete was laid every hour by the Volvo ABG7820 paver, which covered over 49 000m2 of new roads and stockyards. About 13cm of compacted concrete was placed over 15cm of compacted aggregate base.

Volvo tracked pavers are particularly suitable for paving a wide range of materials from the wearing course, down to the base courses on diversified paving contracts. The Volvo ABG7820 paver features a smart power paving mode that supplies high power when needed and reduces fuel consumption when less power is required. It features an Electronic Paver Management (EPM) function that combines intuitive and simple operation, with an extensive range of possibilities for storing and analysing machine data.

RCC has been used for decades but it hasn’t caught on in many parts of the US because the material has been competing with asphalt and the more traditional poured-in concrete. RCC is less damaging to the environment, an aspect that was key to Jack Daniels selecting concrete instead of asphalt.

Rolling out the carpetAt another jobsite in Dalton, north of Chattanooga city, Robert’s crew paved the final sections of a 1830m3 industrial lot for a Shaw Carpet facility, with dump trucks dropping more than 6m3 of concrete into the paver’s hopper at a time. The machine’s flexible screed was set to 6.7m wide and its dual-tampers compacted the concrete to 96% density. Workers could walk on the cement – poured about 14.5cm thick – immediately after it was laid.

A pair of Ingersoll Rand compactors (which have been manufactured by Volvo CE under the Volvo brand since 2007) brought the concrete to its final density and smoothed off the surface in two passes. Later, it was treated with a wax-based curing compound.

“I can push a truck straight up a mountain with the Volvo ABG7820 paver, it’s just so powerful,” says Robert Smith, the owner of the company. “I’ve seen people come and go in this industry but I couldn’t have done it without our Volvo paver. It has changed our whole philosophy about the jobs we go after.”

Robert Smith Inc., bought the paver through its local Volvo CE dealership, ASC Construction Equipment USA, which has an office located in Chattanooga. “What I like about the Volvo ABG7820 paver is that compared to a conventional paver, it’s extremely solid,” says Robert Jr., Smith’s son and paver operator. “The machine never strains, ever, which is down to its unbeaten power,” he concludes enthusiastically.

www.volvo.com The concrete is durable and smooth.

Getting into the

spirit…

Making it look easy.

m2

THE CONCRETE CULVERTS are manufactured by Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA), member Aveng Manufacturing Infraset and designed by the company’s Technical Marketing Manager, Coenraad Groenewald. These are some of the country’s largest culverts thus far and could well be its biggest single culvert order ever. Weighing 12.8 tons each, they are produced at Aveng Manufacturing Infraset’s Brakpan manufacturing facility.

International consulting engineering concern, DRA Mineral Projects, is responsible for the engineering, project management and construction work on the entire project.

This is the fi rst time that DRA has used precast concrete culverts for erecting coal stockpile tunnels. Although steel and in-situ concrete were considered, DRA Project Engineer, Arthur Oosthuizen, says recent durability and maintenance concerns with steel tunnels and time constraints with in-situ concrete construction prompted the decision to opt for precast concrete.

The culverts comprise solid steel-reinforced concrete and are designed to handle well in excess of the maximum 20-ton loading they are likely to encounter at the Tweefontein buffer zones. Each contains 600kg of reinforced steel and measures 3.5m (height) x 5.3m (width) x 1m (depth). The walls are tapered, with a maximum thickness of 350mm at the top end, which narrows to 300mm at the base of each foot.

The initial requirement was for a height of 4.7m, but this would have rendered the culverts too large for transportation by road. To make up the required height, the foundations have been built with elevated uprights measuring 500mm.

Given the culverts’ non-standard dimensions, six custom-made steel moulds are used for the horizontal casting. Seven 200x200mm steel utility plates are cast into the inner sides of each culvert, to be used as attachment points for channelling electrical cabling and conduit. Once cured, the culverts are loaded horizontally onto low-bed trucks, each bearing two culverts.

Rather than using custom-made machinery to shift the culverts into the vertical plane on site, Coenraad Groenewald adopted an innovative approach by using gravity, by attaching a steel beam to the upper end. By lifting this end with a crane, the culvert gains its vertical elevation; it is then raised and lowered into position on the foundation.

“We are under severe time constraints and are currently working a double shift, which means at maximum output we can produce 12 units a day. We are also working on Saturdays to ensure that the culverts are delivered on time,” concludes Coenraad.

Colossal concrete culverts Close on 800 giant precast concrete culverts, three-and-half

metres high and just over fi ve metres wide, are being been

deployed in the construction of two buffer (stockpile) tunnels at

Glencore’s Tweefontein Optimisation Project near Witbank.

CEN DEC

6

TRYSOME, the market leader in heavy-duty, auto-electrical and collision avoidance systems, has expanded its operation to service the underground mining sector. The new Trackless Mining Technologies division, known as Trysome.TMT will supply the sector with services such as the rebuild of electric boxes for all makes of underground, as well as above-ground mining equipment.

The aim of the new division is to deliver quality service, on time and within budget, to mining companies that need to have their old machines refurbished to OEM standards. Currently, Trysome.TMT is the only company that manufactures electrical enclosures and harnesses to this criteria.

The company will be the main hub for the development of new and exclusive products for Trysome, including research, design, prototyping, testing and fi nally manufacturing of products in line with industry demand. Trysome.TMT will offer customisation and modifi cation of existing products to satisfy the specifi c needs of the customer.

Included in its offering to market, are onsite services which offer a small and dedicated fi eld service section for customers requiring fault fi nding on their underground mining equipment; the rewire of machines on site; electrical enclosures for machines being refurbished and the building of harnesses for underground equipment.

Trysome.TMT will continue manufacturing products for Trysome such as the SAFEmine Enclosures, Battery Boxes, PDUs(Power Distribution Boxes) and Battery Charging Bays as well as a number of other distinctive products supplied by Trysome.

“At Trysome, our products are often the solution for

the industry segments we serve! In line with our philosophy – if an off-the-shelf product isn’t perfect for our customer then we either refi ne it or engineer

a new, customised product – Trysome identifi ed

the need for a division dedicated to bringing

these unique offerings to market.”

Wouter Kriel, Trysome.TMT Divisional Manager

Trysome Auto Electrical (PTY) LTDContact: Lesley Bennett, Marketing ManagerTel: (011) 823 5650Fax: (011) 823 5662Email: Lesley@trysome.ccWeb: www.trysome.cc

Trysome’s gone undergroundlo

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LOOKING BACK ON 2013

CEN DEC

7 LOOKING BACK ON 2013

ROD WATSON, Managing Director, DISA Equipment (Pty) Limited, trading as Doosan, part of Invicta Holdings Limited says, “What keeps Doosan ahead in southern Africa’s highly competitive earthmoving sector, is the company’s commitment to ongoing research and product development. This forms part of the company’s strategy to meet exact requirements in Africa’s harsh operating conditions. Our robust machines, which are designed to cope effi ciently and safely in arduous environments, require minimal maintenance and offer extended service life.

“Refl ecting on 2013, where market conditions in mining, civil engineering and construction remained relatively fl at, we have seen positive market reception locally, for our machines.

“The successful launch this year of ADTs DA30 and DA40 units and DL wheel loaders, will be supported in 2014 with the introduction of the DX220A excavator, in the 20-ton class.

“In spite of the current sluggish market, we are cautiously optimistic about a turnaround in the economy in the new year. We hope market conditions will improve just before the election and we will continue to extend our range of construction and heavy earthmoving equipment to cope with more buoyant conditions in 2014.”

A highlight for Doosan this year, was to participate at bauma Africa 2013, where the company showcased its diverse range of machines. bauma was the perfect forum for the introduction of the DA30 and DA40 ADTs, which enables Doosan to offer a complete solution for equipment required to excavate, load and transport all types of materials, in any conditions.

The new ADTs are designed for safe and effi cient operation have a higher load capacity than previous models and offer enhanced power and performance, easier operation, increased fuel effi ciency, greater driver comfort and faster travel speeds. DA30 series’ fi ve-cylinder, Tier 2 diesel engine offers a gross power output of 276kW, which is an 8% increase in engine power, compared with the previous MT31 series. The DA30 has 30% more gross torque (1873Nm@1300rpm) to produce the powerful rim-pull required to cope effi ciently in extreme hauling conditions.

In the DA40 series, the six-cylinder Tier 2 diesel engine offers a gross power output of 368kW, powerful than previous units.

A new cab design provides more space and improved visibility for the operator, as well as reduced noise levels and a fully automatic climate control system. For easy operation, Doosan has introduced electronic systems and simplifi ed fi ngertip controls, with a digital display of machine functions.

Easy access to all components, including the engine oil fi lter, radiators and grease inlets, enables quick maintenance and prevents contamination to the environment. Doosan launched a new range of robust wheel loaders, the DLA series, which is a new generation after the Mega series, with several improved design features for enhanced performance.

It effi ciently handles diverse materials handling applications, including loading and transporting granular materials and handling bulk loads in industrial, construction, mining and quarrying environments.

Doosan DL250A, DL300A and DL420A wheel loaders have new features for optimum effi ciency, improved operator comfort and control, low maintenance requirements and greater durability. These wheel loaders, with bucket capacities between 2.5m³ and 4.5m³, boast greater tipping load volumes than previous machines. Driven by Doosan Tier 2 engines, which are less sensitive to fuel quality than Tier 3 engines, they offer reduced fuel consumption and low emissions. Other recently launched machines include Doosan DX140LC and DX700LC hydraulic excavators which have been well received by the local market.

Doosan provides a technical advisory, maintenance and spare parts service throughout SA.

The Doosan range of

earthmoving equipment, which

is manufactured in South

Korea, encompasses track,

wheel and mini excavators,

articulated dump trucks (ADTs),

wheel loaders and various

attachments.

Doosan refl ects on 2013…

Doosan DA40 articulated dump trucks (ADTs) launched in South Africa this year, have been designed for safe and efficient operation in tough conditions.

DISA Equipment (Pty) Ltd, t/a Doosan Equipment (Pty) Limited Contact: Rod Watson, Managing Director, Tel: (011) 974 2095Fax: (011) 974 6330Email: rodw@doosan.co.za Web: www.doosan.co.za

CEN DEC

8

HALF A CENTURY LATER, the reputation of durability and performance in the fi eld is still relevant and Komatsu continues to win over the next generation of plant machine operators.

In the 1960s, family-owned Illings (Pty) Ltd, based in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal, concluded an agreement to bring a limited selection of Komatsu machines to the country. Shortly thereafter, the company sold a Komatsu D50-11 dozer to the Department of Bantu Administration and Development on 29 October 1963.

Besides the introduction of various other bull dozer models D60, 80 and 120 that followed in the 60s, Illings introduced the Komatsu GD37 motor grader in 1964 and the HD180 dump truck in 1969.

Growing up toughSoon agriculture and construction industries prompted the expansion of the range of Komatsu equipment, resulting in the company catching the attention of multinational mining and industrial giant, Anglo American, which bought the company in 1967, retaining the Illings name.

The 1970s saw consolidation and acceptance of the brand as a leader in the market and by 1977, the company became known as Sigma Motor Corporation, Equipment and Truck Division. In 1979 the company was renamed Sigma Power Corporation (a division of Sigma Motor Corporation). By now the range had expanded to include HD320, 460 and 680 dump trucks, the W70, 90 and 120 wheel loaders, the WS23S motor scraper and introduced D155 and D355 bull dozers.

In 1981 the equipment division was renamed KSA Equipment (Pty) Ltd and marked the beginning of exclusivity with Komatsu equipment. The introduction of PC 200 excavators, the HD785-1 dump truck, the D455 bull dozer, GD623 motor grader and the JV100 rollers, were added to the over the next decade.

Current positionInvestments across border have led to far-reaching benefi ts for the company. The recent award of a multi-million Rand tender to supply of 23 Komatsu 960E dump trucks and supporting equipment to Husab Uranium Mine in Namibia, is an example of how the reputation of the company and the quality of equipment has grown.

Komatsu Southern Africa is determined to realise its vision as a leading supplier in the industry, offering reliable high quality products, paired with exceptional customised after sales service. Investment in a state-of-the-art parts distribution centre (PDC) promises to improve parts delivery dramatically and remanufacturing facilities will soon give customers the ability to extend service lives of their machines.

Here’s to another 50 years of Komatsu in Southern Africa!

During the pioneering entry of

Japanese heavy equipment into

the country in the early 1960s,

Komatsu machines struck a

chord with local operators and

the brand grew in stature.

Celebrating 50 years in SA

Komatsu Southern Africa (Pty) LtdTel: (011) 9231000Fax: (011) 923 1303Email: info@komatsu.co.zaWeb: www.komatsu.co.za

look

ing

back

on

2013

Spreading wings

By the 1990s Komatsu Ltd increased its range of mining equipment and procured Haulpak in the USA - the manufacturer of electric dump trucks - and Demag of Germany, the manufacturer of large mining shovels. These products where marketed by Komdresco.

In 1991, a joint venture between KSA Equipment (Pty) Ltd and Dresser South Africa, established Komdresco.

In 1995 Komatsu Ltd acquired 50% stake in Komdresco with Anglo American Corporation remaining the other shareholder.

In the same year, Indresco Namibia Limited was established.

In 1997 Komatsu Ltd acquired an 80% stake in Komdresco and established Komatsu Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd.

1998 saw the name of Indresco Namibia Limited changed to Komatsu Namibia Limited, as a subsidiary of Komatsu Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd.

In 1997, Komatsu Southern Africa acquired Tswana Equipment – the Komatsu Distributor in Botswana – from Anglo American Corporation and Indresco BV, and established Komatsu Botswana (Pty) Ltd.

In 2005, Komatsu Namibia Mining Equipment Limited was established as a subsidiary of Komatsu Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd, with Komatsu Zambia Limited, following suit in 2010.

Major supply contracts for electric drive dump trucks, like those to Sishen (Iscor) iron ore mine and Grootegeluk coal mine, were some of the biggest at the time, fi rmly positioning the company as a market leader in South Africa.

LOOKING BACK ON 2013

DURA EQUIPMENT SALES was founded in 2007, as a sister company to the well-established West Rand Plant Hire that has been in operation since 1971.

Affordable. Reliable. Trusted

The most common industry requirements and expectations of earthmoving equipment, in all sectors, are that a fl eet should be affordable, reliable and trusted and provide maximum availability.

In terms of affordability, the Dura Equipment Sales team is committed to fi nding the best value for money solutions for its clients within their existing budgets. Its product portfolio’s reliability is reinforced by the brand’s pre and post sales service commitment, based on the company’s core business values of integrity, honesty, product knowledge and reliability.

Product portfolio

Dura Equipment Sales’ product range includes all brands of: TLBs; ADTs; dozers; excavators; wheel loaders; skid steers; graders; rollers and more. Its expertise extends to the supply of used construction and earthmoving equipment. Dura Parts, a division within Dura Equipment Sales specialises in procurement of used equipment that is stripped for parts.

Company experts offer insight, experience and unrivalled knowledge of earthmoving equipment, to ensure that only the highest quality products are bought and sold through and by the business. There is no brand bias on sales – only good advice and tailor-made deals, that ensure customers buy according to their budget and their application.

For the past two years Dura Equipment Sales has been the sole South African agent for the Foton Lovol wheel loaders – a partnership that has grown from strength to strength. The Foton Lovol range is durable, robust, reliable, designed and built to withstand tough operating and handling conditions across the African continent. The machines are easy to operate and maintain. Versatility and adaptability are made possible through a wide range of applications and each machine comes with excellent warranty and product support packages.

Support infrastructure

Dura Equipment Sales offers its clients a comprehensive support infrastructure with services that include: new and used equipment sales; after-sales support; service; parts; fi eld support; used equipment procurement; import and export.

Field Support

Dura Equipment Sales’ qualifi ed technicians are on call around the clock. Their objective is to have a qualifi ed support technician with its clients within the shortest time possible. Once the problem has been diagnosed, a recommendation is made and authorised repairs follow, ensuring the shortest down time possible.

Commitment to service excellence

Customers have come to expect the best products from Dura Equipment Sales at affordable prices, backed by superior service, support and spare parts availability. “We embrace change and innovation and have earned a reputation as a trusted market leader in this highly competitive market,” says Kobus van der Merwe, Sales Manager for Dura Equipment Sales. “We would like to thank our customers for their loyal support throughout 2013. We look forward to continuing our partnerships in 2014, where once again we will endeavour never to let them down.”

Dura Equipment Sales boasts a

wealth of industry experience

in excess of eight decades.

It prides itself on offering

a comprehensive one-stop-

shop solution to everything

pertaining to earthmoving

equipment – be it new or used.

Keeping Africa’s earth moving

CEN DEC

9 LOOKING BACK ON 2013

Boksburg’s head offi ce includes:

• Product display areas where display equipment can be viewed;• Training facilities where operator training is offered;• A spray booth for repairs and maintenance;• A state-of-the-art Foton Lovol parts warehouse;• A designated Foton Lovol workshop;• Field support vehicles and • An equipment testing area.

Dura Equipment SalesTel: (011) 918 4760 Fax: (011) 918 3102Email: admin@durasales.co.zaWeb: www.durasales.co.za

BASED IN SPAIN, Linden Comansa, (Construcciones Metálicas Comansa SA) is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of tower cranes and luffi ng-jib cranes. Supported by the latest technology, the company offers a complete range of products, designed under the Flat-Top modular system: 37 Flat-Top tower cranes and 12 models of luffi ng-jib cranes, with maximum load capacities from four to 64 tons.

With its comprehensive range, Linden Comansa offers solutions to a variety of construction applications: residential; commercial; industrial; public works; infrastructure; mining, etc.

The company’s modern premises, allow rapid manufacturing, reduced delivery times and competitive pricing. Since the creation of the company in the 60s, Linden Comansa has manufactured more than 16 000 cranes and has dealers in more than 60 countries on fi ve continents.

Tower Crane Services is Linden Comansa’s offi cial dealer in South Africa since 2010, and operates in numerous African countries. Established in 1990, Tower Crane Services is a family business based in Germiston, Johannesburg, and is managed by Richard L. Fletcher. His father, Anthony Fletcher started working on tower cranes in 1969, and is still active as a consultant, offering over 76 years of combined experience in the tower crane market. In 1996, Tower Crane Services started operating on mines, which now constitutes one of its specialised markets. Most of the Linden Comansa cranes sold by Tower Crane Services are high capacity cranes (such as the 21LC750, with maximum loads from 24 to 48 tons), and are working on mines or industrial projects across Africa, including: Congo; Ivory Coast; South Africa; Lesotho and Zimbabwe.

At bauma Africa, Tower Crane Services and Linden Comansa shared a booth, where the only tower crane at the entire fair, a 21LC290 from the Spanish manufacturer, took pride of place. The crane was erected with a height of only 15 metres, a perfect height to enable visitors to inspect the machine.

Several companies with interests in construction and mining visited the joint exhibit by Linden Comansa and Tower Crane Services and according to Richard Fletcher, “Many visitors were South African construction companies that we had not made contact with before, and who have a real need of tower cranes for their projects. There was also interest shown by visitors from various African countries, the Gulf and even as far as India. We hope to develop long and meaningful business relationships with contacts made at the show.”

They didn’t have to wait long for the fi rst bauma sale and Tower Crane Services has subsequently ordered a new 5LC5010 tower crane with maximum capacity of fi ve tons, for a project in Lesotho, with more deals in the pipeline.

The bauma Africa Exhibition took place in Johannesburg from September 18th to 21st. with more than 700 exhibitors and attended by close on 15 000 visitors from 110 countries.

The Spanish manufacturer

was the only exhibitor to

erect a tower crane at the

Johannesburg tradeshow.

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LINDEN COMANSA HEAD QUARTERSContact: Luis Bergareche SunsundeguiTel: +34 948 33 50 20Web: www.comansa.com

Tower Cranes ServicesContact: Richard FletcherEmail: sales@tower-crane-services.co.zaTel: (011) 865 3202Fax: (011) 865 3219Web: www.towercraneservices.co.za

10LOOKING BACK ON 2013

CEN DEC

CEN DEC

12

THE MODULAR SYSTEMS, which range from a simple, low-cost single technology system, to an integrated multi-technological system, encompass all aspects of advanced mining communications and technology.

Becker’s latest patented tri-technology Collision Avoidance System, with four proximity warning zones, has been designed to overcome the limitations of existing systems and can bring a mine vehicle to a complete stop, should this be necessary.

“This reliable system, which is installed in various mine vehicles and cap lamp battery packs, acts as an early warning indicator to vehicle operators and pedestrians, playing a vital role in enhancing safety,” says Johann Smit, Chief Sales Offi cer, Becker Mining South Africa. “CAS is a necessary safety system on the mines, particularly underground, because in this harsh environment, it is impossible for a vehicle operator to always be fully aware of other miners and vehicles in his immediate proximity.”

Becker collision and personnel avoidance systems consist of personnel and vehicle tags and machine mounted devices that detect them. Higher end tags warn personnel of an approaching vehicle. These products may be utilised as a simple stand alone, or complete system and can be deployed using a phased approach, to minimise initial capital outlay.

First in its class, the new CAS-400 series receiver provides audible voice annunciation (customisable in different languages, on request) and visual warning proportional to the position of the threat. An onboard buffer enables authorised personnel to download daily movement details, either physically or via a wireless network.

Miners are cautioned by a transceiver tag, Personnel Avoidance System or PAS, when they come close to any vehicle, by means of a fl ashing light and buzzer on a cap lamp. The number of fl ashes, which is limited to fi ve, indicates the number of vehicles in a miner’s vicinity. The detecting range can be set according to specifi c requirements. The combination of this system provides a warning where miners are alerted to machines; machines are warned of personnel and machines are warned of other machines.

A further advantage of Becker’s new multiple technology approach is that mines now have the fl exibility to monitor both slow and fast moving equipment on surface and underground, with one system.

With the new patented tri-technology Collision Avoidance System, absolute distances constituting each zone transition threshold are variable, but default values for slow moving vehicles – less than 10kmph – are clearly defi ned. In the critical zone, up to fi ve metres, vehicles are forced to stop. In the warning zone, between fi ve and 12m, there is an intense warning for vehicle operators and miners. In the caution zone, between 12.5m and 100m, there is a gentle warning for vehicle operators and miners. In the safe zone – more than 100m, no warning is necessary.

An important feature of Becker Mining South Africa’s safety systems is that they are designed to facilitate future upgrades.

Collision Avoidance Systems

(CAS), developed for the mining

sector by Becker Mining South

Africa, prevent fatalities,

injuries, damage and down time

resulting from the operation

of vehicles in the proximity of

personnel - on the surface, or

underground.

Reliable safety on the mines

Becker Mining South Africa’s latest patented tri-technology Collision Avoidance System (the CAS-

400 series) with four proximity warning zones, has been designed to overcome the limitations of existing systems and can bring a mine vehicle to

a complete halt, should this be necessary.

Becker Mining South Africa (Pty) Ltd Contact: Johann Smit, Chief Sales Offi cerTel: (011) 617 6300 Email: info@za.becker-mining.comWeb: www.za.becker-mining.com

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2013

LOOKING BACK ON 2013

Saxeni Equipment – JHBTel: (011) 823 2028/(011) 823 2762Email: Info@saxeni.co.zaWeb: www.saxeniequipment.co.za

Saxeni Equipment – DBN Tel: (031) 827 6610/(031) 828 2790Email: info@saxeni.co.za Web: www.saxeniequipment.co.za

THE PAST YEAR has been a rollercoaster ride, and spearheading the company’s direction were Flip Hennop, Johan Meyer and Edwin Malan.

The company was fortunate to have been able to start the year off with equipment in its Boksburg stockyard, ensuring that it hit the ground running, with everyone seemingly wanting Sany cranes from its No1 Hoisting Dealer in Africa, Saxeni Equipment.

The company attended many trips, with Flip going to Germany for the bauma 2013 show, and taking clients to China, to not only to see the Sany Factories, but to also coincide with the 2013 BICES show, where Sany launched its Hybrid Mobile Truck Crane.

One of Saxeni Equipment’s highlight was the bauma Africa Show, held at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, visited by thousands of people, held over four days. Saxeni Equipment brought in their biggest crane, which is the SANY SAC2200F 220-ton All-Terrain Crane, specifi cally for the show. The crane was subsequently sold and is now working at Kusile Power Station construction site, along with some 20 other Sany cranes.

As the company strives to go bigger, better and bolder, Saxeni Equipment emphasises successes over the past couple of years: in 2011 it sold the SCC4000 and the SCC6300; in 2012, it obtained the approval of the Department of Transport for its STC1000C 100-ton Mobile Truck Crane and 2013 it aimed for a new target: to sell even bigger cranes. Saxeni Equipment sold Sany’s biggest export out of China to date, the SCC7500, a 750-ton Crawler Crane.

In striving to make Sany a stronger brand, this year, in September, Saxeni Equipment, with Sany CSA, held a Sany Dealer Summit with Sany’s central and southern African Dealers, for a day at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg. Many valid points were brought to the attention of both dealers and supplier.

With a number of cranes sold this year, including four STC1000C 100-ton Mobile Truck Cranes, Saxeni Equipment expanded its reach to better service its clientele by opening a branch in KwaZulu Natal, based in Pinetown, and have since been awarded the dealership for Sany’s Earthmoving products in KwaZulu Natal.

With a list of achievements under its belt, the company is looking forward to 2014 and to be the best service provider in the industry as its highest priority, with a growing customer base, they believe that they are doing things right.

As Saxeni Equipment looks

back on 2013, it recalls

some of the many highlights

experienced over the past

twelve months.

The ups and ups of the last 12 months

CEN DEC

13 LOOKING BACK ON 2013

CEN DEC

14

TYREXPO AFRICA 2014 takes place in the Sandton Convention Centre from 4 to 6 March next year, bringing African and international tyre manufacturers, retreaders, distributors, service providers and workshop equipment suppliers together under one roof.

For anyone involved in plant maintenance, tyre purchasing, supply contracts or servicing, this is a must-visit event.

Covering all aspects of the tyre industry, the show will focus on new tyres, retreading, repair and service equipment for the mining, construction and civil engineering industries.

That means dozens of tyre manufacturers and distributors with be exhibiting the latest products for specialised OTR, heavy truck and materials handling equipment and machinery.

Paul Farrant, Managing Director of Tyrexpo Africa organising company ECI International, says, “This is a show for people involved in tyres and service for heavy plant and equipment. As a trade only event, everyone is there to do business. The range and choice of tyres available to buyers at the show will be unparalleled at a single event in southern Africa.”

Among the many leading African-based companies on show will be Beltyre Africa, the local subsidiary of Belshina, the largest tyre manufacturer in Belarus. They are well known for ultra large OTR tyres for dump truck and earth mover equipment, as well as standard OTR products for scrapers, graders, loaders and dozers, in mining and large construction and civil engineering projects.

Richards Bay Tyres, the Kwa-Zulu Natal-based tyre distributor and service provider, will be at the show in partnership with Dutch wholesaler Bandenmarkt. Richards Bay is a Dunlop and Bandag distributor that provides a full range of tyre services for OTR, truck and passenger cars. For buyers of industrial and materials handling tyres, Trident International has developed a range of Solid Tyres designed for skid steer loaders, aerial work platforms, wheel loaders and container handlers. These pieces of equipment are usually fi tted with pneumatic tyres, prone to punctures and associated downtime, but which is eradicated with a solid fi tment. Trident says that solids have a lifespan three to fi ve times longer than conventional pneumatic tyres and are particularly targeted at demanding applications such as construction, ports and mines.

India’s Alliance Tire Group (ATG), which has a regional offi ce and R&D centre in South Africa, is a leading player in the global OHT (Off-Highway Tyre) business with its Alliance, Galaxy and Primex brands. The group has ambitious plans to exceed a global turnover of $1-billion by 2017, with a vision of being one of the top three market leaders in the Agriculture, Forestry, Construction (AFC) segment, while building a strong presence in niche OTR markets, such as port and mining.

Nitralife will continue its promotion to use nitrogen to infl ate tyres, instead of air. Long used in trucking, new growth in the mining sector has seen a prominent mining group no longer

permitting heavy trucks on-site without tyres infl ated with nitrogen. This decision was a result of previous tyre explosion fatalities.

Another of the many South African exhibitors is Leaderquip, one of the country’s major suppliers of garage and workshop equipment. With operations in Gauteng, the Cape, Kwa-Zulu Natal and Bloemfontein, the company will be exhibiting the latest workshop tyre service technologies from US equipment manufacturer Hunter and Italian brands Sice and

Werther.

Since its launch in 2004, Tyrexpo Africa has fi rmly established itself as an infl uential trade event, bringing together leading domestic and international

suppliers. Entry is free to bona fi de trade visitors, who can now pre-register to avoid delays on the day of their visit at www.eci-international.com.

Many of the world’s leading

tyre suppliers will gather in

Johannesburg next March to

participate in South Africa’s

only dedicated exhibition

devoted to all things

tyre-related.

Contact: Rowena Suthers, ECI International Sales DirectorTel: + 44 (0) 1892 863888Email: sales@eci-international.comWeb: www.eci-international.com

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2013 Making a date for Tyrexpo

Africa 2014

LOOKING BACK ON 2013

CEN DEC

16

NEWLY APPOINTED General Manager, SDLG, Grant Sheppard, is enthusiastic and excited about taking the reins of this increasingly popular Chinese OEM, that distributes exclusively through the Babcock International Group in Southern Africa.

Speaking from SDLG’s new premises, in Bartlett, Johannesburg, he chatted about where the OEM sees itself next year. “We are a stand-alone business unit within the Equipment business of Babcock, having already established our own premises in the major centres of Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town with the focus now on expanding our footprint into the SADAC region,” he says.

According to Grant, a committed effort to “get our name out there” has seen the value-added product offering going from strength to strength. “

At bauma Africa’s inaugural expo in Johannesburg, SDLG’s stand gave pride of place to the newly launched 17 ton SDLG 9190 grader and the SDLG 7120 12-ton hydrostatic roller to complement the existing product range, of wheel loaders: SDLG918; SDLG938; SDLG958;

SDLG978.

Future strategy and outlookIn the recent past, the ‘traditional South African

yellow metal ’ market has been wary of new value brand machine entrants owing to the perception of poor

after market support. However, that is

changing, as world class organisations such as Babcock

International, add to their global brand product line ups, offering excellent service and support to

their new brands. In addition, Africa is seen as a dumping ground for used machines, so one of the challenges is convincing customers to buy new machines with a warranty, rather than a used machine without a warranty. “Here,” he continues, “the SDLG price difference is benefi cial, as our equipment is competitively priced, robust and reliable. In the short time that SDLG has enjoyed a presence in South Africa, the SDLG brand and its products have developed a solid reputation for reliability and great support, backed by the reputable Babcock standard of ‘Trusted to Deliver’.

“SDLG is moving into a new era,” Grant says. “2014 will be a crucial year for the company as, up to now, only limited models were available, however next year will see the introduction of a wider range into the SDLG stable with continued expansion of Babcock’s excellent after sales support.” As the SDLG brand expands its footprint to neighbouring countries to the north, Babcock will continue to service the continent from its head offi ce in Johannesburg – sharing back offi ce support within the group – a parts holding in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg, as well as basic parts holdings in each of the SADAC countries in which it has a presence. “The strategy for parts support is that all scheduled service parts are stocked on the shelf before initial sales of the various models commence and as machine sales ramp up, a more comprehensive parts holding is introduced,” Grant says.

“The SDLG product lends itself to short-term contracts as customers look increasingly for cost-effective machines to service the contracts, with a replacement cycle of between two to three years. For 2014/2015 we are looking at selling in the region of +200 units in total, that is, across the board, from wheel loaders to graders and rollers.

“So roll on 2014,” he concludes enthusiastically.

Coming of ageWith merely two years in

the country, SDLG is steadily

increasing its presence here

and further into Africa.

As SDLG introduces new models into its range, it will continue to grow its footprint and strengthen

its presence on the African continent.

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2013

LOOKING BACK ON 2013

SDLG Construction Equipment Contact: Grant Sheppard, General Manager, SDLG Construction EquipmentTel: (010) 492 0519Email: grant.sheppard@babcock.co.zaWeb: www.sdlg.co.za

CEN DEC

17 MINININGTRENDS

WITH CHINA’S ECONOMY on course for a rude slowdown over the coming years, Business Monitor predicts Australia’s mining sector is set to suffer the painful spill over effects of a sharp investment slowdown. Already, the mining sector is feeling the crunch of plummeting commodity prices as a string of miners scale back their ambitions and slam the brakes on investment. Business Monitor forecasts the value of Australia’s mining sector to reach US$181-billion by 2017, growing at an annual average rate of 4.3% over the forecast period. This contrasts with an average growth rate of 23.3% per annum, over the past decade.

Australia has been among the biggest benefi ciaries of the China-led commodities boom in the past decade, attracting huge amounts of investment into the minerals space. Driven by China’s voracious appetite for key commodities such as coal and iron ore, the value of Australia’s mining industry increased by more than six-fold from $24-billion in 2003 to $147-billion in 2012. As a result, this has seen the sector’s share of GDP rising from 4.5% to 9.6% over the same period. However, Business Monitor believes the boom years in the mining industry are over.

It predicts that Australia will be the biggest loser from the mineral imports shift in China. The rising tide of economic nationalism, declining labour productivity and aggressive minimum wage legislation will compound the challenges in the mining industry, amplifying the downshift in Australia’s economy in future.

Despite the fading of the mining boom, Australia will remain a leading player in many segments of the global mining industry, given its rich deposits of minerals, including iron ore; nickel; bauxite; copper; gold; uranium; diamonds; zinc and coal. Moreover, Australia’s mining sector is one of the most business-friendly in the world, with domestic companies and overseas miners operating in the country. Business Monitor expects Australia to remain a highly attractive destination for foreign investment, despite the introduction of a 30% super profi ts tax on coal and iron ore miners on July 2012.

With its vast potential and high quality of infrastructure, Australia is home to some of the biggest players in the global mining industry. Multinationals operating in Australia include Australian companies BHP Billiton and Newcrest Mining and large overseas miners such as Rio Tinto, Norilsk Nickel and Xstrata. The report forecasts that the mining industry is set to witness a wave of consolidation activity over the coming quarters, as a growing number of miners come under pressure from weakening mineral prices.

www.businessmonitor.com

Is mining going

Business Monitor has just

released its latest fi ndings on

Australia’s mining sector in

its newly-published Australia

Mining Report.

down and under?

Business Monitor is a leading, independent provider of proprietary data, analysis, ratings, rankings and forecasts covering 195 countries and 24 industry sectors. It offers a comprehensive range of products and services designed to help senior executives, analysts and researchers assess and better manage operating risks, and exploit business opportunities.

CEN DEC

18COMPANY PROFILE

MELCO IDLERS have been successfully utilised in bulk materials handling applications in over 75 countries throughout the world, and installed on belt widths from 200mm to 3000mm. The Melco product range is comprehensive, comprising steel rollers ranging from 89mm to 215mm in diameter, with bearing and shaft arrangements from 25mm to 60mm in diameter. Offerings include HDPE rollers, idler frames and underground structure and Rulmeca motorised pulleys.

Looking back on the year that has been, Melco Managing Director, Gavin Hall, says that 2013 has proven to be a period of measurable achievements and milestones for the Johannesburg-based company. Among these recent successes is Melco’s steady gain in market share in Australia. Melco has had a presence in Australia through various distributors for over 15 years and Rulmeca Melco Australia, wholly owned by Melco Conveyor Equipment, was established in Brisbane in 2011, after the company identifi ed the need to establish a permanent presence in Australia, owing to major projects that it was servicing in the country.

Rulmeca Melco Australia Sales and Marketing Manager, Mark Robinson, says that a large percentage of business generated by Rulmeca Melco Australia is replacement sales to companies with existing conveyors.

The company services a number of metallurgical coal mining operations in Queensland, in eastern Australia. He says, “Queensland is arguably the leading producer of metallurgical coal in the world today. As a result, we decided to base our head offi ce in Brisbane, which boasts a warehouse facility that stocks around 15 000 rolls, to meet customer requirements.”

Owing to continued success in gold mining and iron ore regions of Western Australia, Rulmeca Melco Australia opened a dedicated sales offi ce in Perth. “Australia is a vast country, and

distances between the east and west coasts are immense. It therefore makes sense to establish a full time presence in Western Australia, in order to

further reduce delays related to travel.”

Following on from Melco’s recent 25% +1 Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) share transaction in March 2013, the company appointed Khetiwe McClain as a Non-Executive Director, in June 2013. She brings a wealth of experience and expertise as a Non-Executive Director at JSE-listed, Village Main Reef, and as founder

and Executive Director of Khusela Women’s Investment – an all women’s investment company that has made signifi cant inroads in the

mining industry.

The company acknowledges the importance of maintaining its competitive edge with customers by ensuring that it can assist them in reaching their procurement compliance targets set

out in the Broad-Based Socio-Economic Charter for the South African Mining and Minerals Industry.

A market breakthrough achieved by Melco this year was the company’s August 2013 introduction of a range of Rulmeca TOP return rollers. It fi rst

introduced the TOP roller range to the local market in 2012. Marketing and Sales Director, Craig Warmback explains that the range was not previously available as a return roller.

2013 Melco is one of Africa’s

major conveyor equipment

manufacturers, and has been a

proud member of the Rulmeca

Group of Companies since 2006.

Rulmeca is a worldwide group

of companies that specialises

in the production of rollers,

idlers, motorised pulleys,

fabricated pulleys and other

components for worldwide bulk

handling industries.

HDPE Anti - Runback roller and components.

CEN DEC

19 COMPANY PROFILE

“The range is now complete by incorporating a steel inner tube coupled with a modified and castellated HDPE tube. This ensures that TOP return rollers are now up to 50% lighter than similar rollers of the same length. The end result is that the company can provide a complete set of TOP rollers for belts of up to 1400mm in width.”

An advantage of the Rulmeca range of TOP rollers is its wear resistance, which guarantees a longer operating lifespan, while minimising maintenance requirements for the entire plant. Craig says, “The HDPE tube will not cause unnecessary wear-and-tear to the conveyor, as a result of its high resistance to chemical agents.

“What’s more, the range of TOP rollers are rust resistant, and capable of operating in temperatures ranging between -25oC and 50oC, making it suitable for numerous applications, including: quarrying; manufacturing; ports; harbours and general industry. The TOP roller complements the existing range of SUPREME HDPE idlers, which are used in heavier duty applications such as coal, platinum and gold mining.”

The company continues to gain consistent market share through its range of uni-directional anti-runback conveyor rollers, designed to prevent an inclined conveyor running backwards in the event of a belt break. Standard steel and HDPE rollers are fitted with bearings that enable them to turn in both directions. The Melco anti-runback roller is fitted with a patented mechanism that allows the roller to turn in a single direction.

Gavin says that the anti-runback roller has been particularly popular in platinum, gold, coal and copper mining applications in African countries, as well as in Australia. “The product is appealing to engineers because of the inherent safety features of the anti-run back rollers, and because incline conveyors fitted with the product may experience less downtime in the event of a belt snap.”

In the event of a belt snap, he claims that the Melco anti-runback roller reacts instantly: “We have received positive feedback from numerous mining customers, that the anti-runback rollers, if installed in the correct pattern and quantity as recommended by the supplier, bring the snapped belt to a standstill within a short distance.”

The Melco anti-runback roller looks identical to the company’s range of standard steel and HDPE rollers and is identifiable only by a plastic directional arrow disc on each side of the roller. The company, in conjunction with the supplier of the patented mechanism, assists its customers in determining the exact ratio of standard to anti-runback rollers required for their specific application.

“Each conveyor belt is specific to its operating environment and, using the technical details of the conveyor belt, we are able to recommend exactly how many anti-runback rollers are required,” he assures.

Owing to their identical physical dimensions, standard steel and HDPE rollers (Ø25mm, Ø30mm and Ø40mm shafts) can be replaced with the equivalent anti-runback rollers with minimal effort. “The rolls can be interchanged with ease. The anti-runback rollers will last as long as the standard rollers fitted on the conveyor, thereby providing peace of mind with regards to durability and reliability,” he says.

www.melco.co.za

Anti-Runback HDPE roller.

The Melco range of anti-runback rollers have been installed at numerous mines and plants in South Africa, Canada and Australia, since first being introduced to the market in 2007. Gavin says that demand for the range is steadily rising across the rapidly developing African mining sector too.

Despite their numerous advantages, Gavin says that Melco anti-runback rollers are more capital intensive than their standard counterparts. “The uni-directional mechanism fitted into the anti-runback roller is expensive and therefore adds to the overall costs associated with the installation or upgrade of a conveyor belt. However, the engineers who have installed the them agree that the extra cost is justified when weighed up against the safety and operational benefits that the product provides.”

Gavin stresses that overall lifecycle costing should be taken into account when making a final purchasing decision: “Long and steeply inclined conveyors that carry heavy loads could be more prone to snapping. In applications such as this, it is important to weigh the initial and more expensive once-off cost against a failure further down the line, which could result in possible injuries to personnel, weeks of lost production and additional repair costs.”

Given the company’s measurable and consistent success throughout the duration of 2013, Gavin concludes by adding that Melco will be looking to expand its market share across all materials handling sectors in southern, East and West Africa throughout the remainder of 2013 and beyond.

a successful year for Melco

CEN DEC

20MEDIA TOUR

ARMED WITH INFORMATION from a variety of corporate presentations, the press team was able to gain a greater understanding of Liebherr’s component operations and to tour two high-profi le construction sites: FAIR, the new particle accelerator in Darmstadt and the Canopée Les Halles, in Paris, where we were able to witness, up close, Liebherr tower cranes in operation.

Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR)

In Darmstadt, Germany, on a 20-hectare construction site, are two Liebherr LB 44-510 rotary drilling rigs, deployed in the creation of one of the world’s largest research facilities, the international particle accelerator Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR). The new facility is being built in the immediate vicinity of the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, whose existing accelerator will serve as an injector for FAIR.

On site, 1400 reinforced, cast-in-place drilled piles, each with a diameter of 1.20m, measuring between 40 and 65m, are being placed into the ground in an effort to stabilise the sub-surface and provide a solid basis for the buildings, which will comprise 35 000 tons of steel and 600 000m³ of concrete. www.liebherr.com

About FAIR:FAIR GmbH was founded in 2010, to build and operate the particle accelerator. FAIR is funded by international shareholders and will cost some €1.6-billion. The Federal Republic of Germany, together with the state of Hesse, is assuming around three quarters of the costs with the remaining shareholders one quarter. Among the FAIR shareholders are Finland, France, India, Poland, Rumania, Russia, Slovenia and Sweden. Great Britain is an associated member of FAIR GmbH.

The decision by Germany to realise FAIR goes back to a recommendation by the German Council of Science and Humanities. This recommendation was evaluated at international level and reinforced with the inclusion of FAIR in Europe’s research timetable for large-scale devices, the Roadmap of the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), and the positioning as a highest-priority project by the Nuclear Physics European Collaboration Committee (NuPECC). With their investment in the high technology at FAIR, the partners intend to strengthen their role in global science. At the same time such a massive project can only be realised within international co-operation.

Left: With a torque of 510kNm, and enormous pull force, the LB 44-510 rotary drilling rig is the

largest and most powerful in Liebherr’s line.

Insert: A drill bucket loosens sand and removes drill cuttings during the rotary

drilling method .

This year’s Liebherr

Information Tour for the

International Construction

Trade Press took 40 journalists

from 13 countries to Germany

and France.

Liebherr

CEN DEC

21 MEDIATOUR

The fi rst series production unit of the LB 44-510 rotary drilling rig was delivered in August, with another in mid-September, working in a kelly drilling application.

The drilled piles are installed to the fi nal depth completely cased as, during the drilling process, the excavated material is removed under the protection of an advanced casing. The site has partially unstable ground with a high groundwater level, necessitating a waterload throughout the pile manufacturing process to ensure that the bottom of the boreholes are stabilised. With a drill bucket loosening and removing drill cuttings, the rotary drilling method ensures that the boreholes can be excavated down to the fi nal depth, completely cased, without the need for a casing oscillator.

Use of the LB 44-510 rotary drilling rig has obviated the need for two duty cycle crawler cranes which – with casing oscillator – were previously required to reinforce the piles, concrete and extract the casing during concreting work, all under the necessary torque and pull force. With the high torque and enormous pull force of the LB 44-510, there is no need for the machine units to be changed after the drilling process, thus making for greater productivity. The LB 44-510 rotary drilling rig is the largest and most powerful of its kind in Germany.

With little time required for set-up owing to the fact that the leader can be folded back for transportation, keeping the hydraulic hoses connected, the 170-ton LB 44-510 rotary drilling rig requires no disassembly while transporting between job sites. On the FAIR site, the two rigs were ready for operation within six hours.

With a torque of 510kNm, and enormous pull force, the LB 44-510 rotary drilling rig is the largest and most powerful in Liebherr’s line.

Reman programme Liebherr-Ettlingen

Liebherr prides itself on producing construction machines that are targeted at a life cycle of 25 years. However, it acknowledges that once a machine reaches a certain age, signs of wear are to be expected, particularly in the drive components.

While thorough maintenance and service schedules assist to prolong the lives of machines, subjecting them continuously to arduous environments takes its toll and it is no longer viewed as economical simply to repair damage. This is where refabrication or ‘remanning’ becomes a viable alternative to repairing. The process is economically and environmentally benefi cial, with reconditioned components requiring up to 75% less energy and raw materials by the time they are delivered.

Remanning is conducted according to industrial standards and entails recreating the quality of a new product from material that has already been used. This could mean completely reassembling an entire drive component, for example a diesel engine, from previously used or reconditioned parts. At Liebherr, prospective parts undergo stringent checks before being considered for re-use.

Upon delivery to the facility, the components are subjected to high pressure pre-cleaning and any parts that cannot be used are disposed of. The parts that can be used are tested diagnostically, with each part examined under the most stringent tolerance criteria, to assess whether or not it is suitable for (re)use.

International Media Information Tour 2013

CEN DEC

22MEDIA TOUR

Included in the renewal project are: a new garden; extended pedestrian precinct; simplified

walkways; a larger, more functional RER train station; more modern shopping centre;

reorganised underground road system etc. The entire area will be covered by ‘la Canopee,’ a

17 000m² nature-inspired, giant unfolded leaf, fitted with glass sections.

According to Kurt Schoellenberger, Managing Director of Liebherr-Ettlingen GmbH, “As an original manufacturer, we also have the ability to access required parts quickly, or to produce them according to demand without great expense. The latter applies particularly to older models that are no longer produced. Our series production operations can outsource this work for us if needed. This has clear time and cost benefi ts for the customer.”

Before being delivered to the customer, each component is tested at a state-of-the-art test bench, identical to that used by the series manufacturer, and is subjected to the new component test protocol.

Liebherr stresses that components that are remanned in its facilities must be on an equal level with new components and the component can thus offer the same guarantee for remanned components as for new ones.

From the start of 2013, and presented at bauma 2013, the OEM offers three different processing levels: Exchange components, general overhaul and ‘classic’ repairs.

Les Halles Renewal Project

On a visit to the Canopée Les Halles construction site, in the heart of Paris, the media team was given an exclusive peek behind the scenes.

La Canopée is part of the wider redevelopment project of the Forum des Halles in the First district of Paris, which, since the 70s, became a focal point of the Paris area. It is Europe’s biggest urban transport hub, comprising a huge shopping centre, sports and cultural facilities and pedestrian precinct.

With 750 000 people passing through the Les Halles every day, the site needs restructuring and the renewal project’s objective is to give back to the area its metropolitan function, and make it an improved experience for visitors.

On site are two Liebherr 380 EC-B 16 Litronic fl at-top cranes and a 280 EC-H 12 Litronic top-slewing crane.

The fl at-top models are being operated with a 50m boom, one with a hook height of 30m and the other with a hook height of 40m. The 280 EC-H 12 Litronic is being used with a 60m boom, offering a hook height of 80m.

In the cramped Parisian inner-city, mobility is key and the assembly weights of the EC-B header can quickly be reduced by the easily divided modules, allowing for use of small mobile cranes for assembly. Quick-action connections are used to assemble the cranes rapidly and safely.

While the tower crane operates as a feeder crane for lifting materials onto the construction site, both fl at-top cranes are being used for concrete work and the assembly of structural steel works. One of the two 380 EC-B Litronic models was assembled on the roof of the underground line. In order to distribute the forces on a large scale, a special steel construction was assembled under the 6m x 6m cross base.

The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

ACCORDING TO FIGURES from Standard Bank’s Vehicle and Asset Finance division, sales of mining and construction equipment fell 12% between January 2013 and May 2013 compared to the same period the year before. The decline in sales of yellow metal equipment is a consequence of a waning construction sector, labour uncertainty on South Africa’s mines and a Chinese economic slowdown that has undermined commodity prices.

“Many distributors of yellow metal equipment are now looking northwards to other African markets to try and counter the challenging conditions in South Africa,” says Sydney Soundy, head of Vehicle and Asset Finance at Standard Bank. “While the South African economy has been negatively infl uenced by developments in the mining sector, a drop in demand for some commodities, and operational cost increases that have reduced demand for capital equipment, sales into Africa are continuing at satisfactory levels.”

Higher import prices owing to a decline in the Rand, together with the rising cost of labour and electricity and increased uncertainty, has prompted some local miners to extend their replacement cycles and to postpone or cancel major projects.

However, even with the slowdown locally, international suppliers of heavy capital equipment such as graders, bulldozers and earthmoving gear, are still using South Africa as a springboard into the rest of the continent where demand for machines remains strong.

Increased demand for surface and underground mining equipment is being experienced in Namibia, Botswana, Angola, Zambia and Mozambique where major infrastructure projects like the building of refi neries, dams, mining infrastructure, ports, roads and railways are providing the impetus for equipment sales.

“Many emerging economies are intent on addressing backlogs which previously made logistics, and therefore expansion, diffi cult. With major projects on the drawing board for developments from energy to transport and telecommunications, the market is open for capital equipment manufacturers and suppliers prepared to meet the challenges that are still endemic to many African countries,” says Andrew Robertson, Standard Bank Head of Business Banking Africa.

He notes that established suppliers of yellow metal equipment still have the upper hand in Africa, with the dealer networks and technical support needed to service clients in many areas of the continent.

Sydney Soundy believes that competition for market share will intensify as new entrants with cheaper products move in and begin establishing supplier networks of their own. The arrival of new players in the local market has given South African buyers of yellow metal equipment an opportunity to purchase from non-traditional suppliers in Asia and other parts of the globe. This allows local suppliers to provide cheaper options that can compete on price against long established brands.

“Major suppliers of equipment see the demand for new yellow metal growing steadily for at least the next fi ve years. This translates into orders worth several billion Rand fi lling future order books. “Generally, the size of major mining and civil engineering projects dictates that, in many cases, fl eets of equipment are delivered as various milestones are reached on projects. This means that orders are placed for yellow metal up to three years in advance, offering a boost to the order books of equipment suppliers working in these areas,” he says in conclusion. www.standardbank.co.za

Standard Bank, Head of Vehicle & Asset Finance, Sydney Soundy, believes that competition for market share will intensify as new entrants with cheaper products move in and begin establishing supplier networks of their own.

South Africa’s yellow metal distributors look north

South African distributors of

heavy earthmoving equipment

are looking northwards to

other African markets, as half

the country’s platinum mines

and nearly 40% of its gold

producers fi nd themselves in a

loss-making position.

opion piece

REDPATH SA was commissioned in mid-2013 by the owner of the mine to assist in the expansion of the mine shafts through raise boring – a process of excavating circular holes between two levels of a mine, without explosives.

In order to undertake this highly challenging task, Redpath SA Managing Director, Ockert Douglas, says that the company is making use of the state-of-the-art Redbore 90 raise drill, entirely designed and manufactured in-house by Redpath Canada. “The Redbore 90 is able to meet the demand for wider diameter raises from 4.5m to 6m (depending on ground conditions) and can reach depths in excess of 600m.”

According to Redpath Senior Vice President, Michael Kelly, the machine boasts a considerably lower profi le than similar raise drills, providing the end user with a cost-effective method for boring large diameter raises underground, while minimising high costs associated with underground excavations.

“In the past, the work that the 6m-high Redbore 90 is currently undertaking, would have required a raise drill almost 9m in height. This height reduction ensures substantial savings on operational space, which is restricted underground. It is cheaper to transport and can be easily dismantled, ultimately ensuring safer and effi cient equipment mobilisation,” he says.

The raise boring process begins with placing the Redbore 90 on the upper level of the two levels that need to be connected. A small-diameter pilot hole is drilled to the level required. Once the drill has broken into the opening on the target level, the bit is removed.

Entering

Contract mining fi rm, Redpath

Mining South Africa, is

undertaking its fi rst-ever

African-based raise boring

project, to expand underground

shafts at a copper mine

in Zambia.

MQA-Accredited Training Centre Redpath South Africa recently established a Mining Qualifi cations Authority (MQA) accredited training centre at its head offi ce in Johannesburg, Gauteng, offering skills programmes, study assistance and safe working procedures training for its employees. The company is set to offi cially undertake theoretical and practical training by the end of 2013.

According to Redpath Mining South Africa’s General Manager – SHEQT, Johan Jansen van Vuuren, “As an MQA-certifi ed facility, the centre provides mandatory in-house induction training and safe working procedures training to employees. There are MQA accredited skills programmes for selected occupations, such as blasting assistant training; Competent A training - involving workplace safe declaration and Competent B training - involving semi-skilled underground workers.”

The training facility will serve as an invaluable means of simulating ‘real-life’ situations, enabling trainees to carry out the skills that they have learnt in a safe, yet practical and realistic environment.

Redpath SA will offer learnerships to learner miners and artisans, as well as study assistance for various job-specifi c correspondence studies and job-specifi c training, such as computer literacy courses and fi rst aid.

CEN DEC

25 MINING INTO AFRICA

Redpath SA Managing Director, Ockert Douglas, says that the company is making use of the state-of-the-art Redbore 90 raise drill in order to undertake the highly challenging task.

“A reamer head of the required diameter is then attached to the drill string and raised back towards the machine. The drill cuttings from the reamer head fall to the fl oor of the lower level. The fi nished raise has smooth walls and does not require rock bolting or other forms of ground support,” Ockert adds.

In order to ensure optimal levels of effi ciency, Michael says that highly qualifi ed Redpath Canada personnel have been sent to South Africa to train local Redpath staff on all aspects related to the systems and technology of the raise drill.

He continues: “This ensures that Redpath SA is able to provide clients making use of system with a comprehensive and all inclusive service offering, which combines the raise boring process with sinking and development functions. Redpath SA is taking full responsibility for this holistic solution, which eliminates the risk of errors and consequent downtime as a result of miscommunication when numerous contractors are involved.”

The fi rst unit of Redbore 90 raise drill was developed by Redpath Canada in 2011, with a second model manufactured in 2012. Following unprecedented success at mining projects worldwide, a third Redbore 90 machine is currently going through the fi nal stages of manufacture and is expected to be fully complete and ready for operation by December 2013.

www.redpathmining.com

the raise boring market

YELLOW

CEN DEC

26MININGINTO AFRICA

SHANTUI VICE GENERAL MANAGER for equipment in Southern Africa, Garron Troskie, explains that the SE480 excavator was launched by the company at the bauma Africa Trade Fair in September, in response to increasing demand from the local market for a larger and more powerful machine.

He elaborates on the specifi cations of the new excavator: “The Shantui SE480 excavator is powered by a Cummins QSM11 254kW engine. It boasts a heavy duty boom and short arm with a 2.3m3 double radius bucket for an increased breakout force of 256kN, making it ideally suited to moving large loads,” he explains. “In addition, it comes equipped with segmented roller guards; a deck guard; window guard and belly plates, to ensure that it is able to withstand the most hostile terrain and operating conditions.”

An adjustable track frame allows for the extension of the track width by up to 600mm, ensuring increased stability during operation in challenging underfoot conditions. This feature ensures savings on transportation costs, as the track width can be reduced to such an extent that the excavator can be transported on a standard lowbed truck, as opposed to a specialised and more capital intensive, transportation vehicle.

Garron continues, “The excavator features specifi cations required for mining applications, with performance meeting, and even exceeding, that of better known brands,” he attests. “This robust and high quality production machine is available at a substantially lower price than its competitors, which is a considerable factor for operations seeking maximum productivity in a challenging economic climate.”

The Shantui SE480 excavator has been well received by the local market since its offi cial launch at bauma Africa, according to Garron and he believes that the introduction of the machine will result in measurable growth in Shantui’s mining market share, “especially considering the overwhelmingly positive response we have received from the industry to date,” he claims.

Africa has proven to be a fundamental contributor to the continued success of the Shantui brand, which currently has a total machine population in excess of 5500 units throughout the continent, of which more than 550 units are in southern Africa.

Although current market conditions are challenging, Garron is optimistic of the long-term outlook for the local industry and for Shantui. “Growth plans for Shantui in Africa are

expansive and calculated. We are currently in the process of implementing a long-term strategy for building a mature distributor network on

the continent via our three principal local subsidiaries,” he concludes.

www.shantui.co.za

Showing its

Chinese earthmoving

equipment manufacturer,

Shantui, has displayed its

commitment to expansion

in the African mining and

quarrying sectors, following the

local launch of its new 48-ton

SE480 excavator .

Packed with features to cope in arduous and challenging underfoot conditions, the new

Shantui excavator is made for Africa.

mettle

VEREENIGING-BASED MSP is jointly owned by international manufacturing and engineering company DCD Group, and Robor – a manufacturer and supplier of welded steel tube and pipe, cold formed steel profi les and associated value added products.

In October 2013, the company launched a fi rst-of-its-kind onsite dynamic testing facility in the southern Hemisphere. The revolutionary new dynamic testing facility consists of a vertical press that is able to accurately simulate underground seismic activity by testing static loads of up to 100 tons and dynamic loads of 40 tons at three-metres-per-second.

The press can test units up to 4.2m in length, and allows MSP to test the compliance of its support units in accordance with the Mine Health and Safety Act (MHSA). MSP has invested approximately R3.5-million in the dynamic testing facility, which has taken three years from concept to completion.

The vertical press consists of a top platen that can be adjusted for different sized samples. A bottom base, housing the hydraulic cylinder, extends 3.5m underground and has a moveable middle platen. Hydraulic oil is pressurised and stored inside two large hydraulic accumulators. This allows for enough energy to be stored to produce the 6850lpm needed to achieve three-metres-per-second movement of the middle platen. The oil is released into the largest cylinder in Africa, via two 100mm logic valves. When the oil is released at such high speeds and pressure, it causes the middle platen to jerk up at three-metres-per-second, which simulates various degrees of seismic activity that may be encountered underground. Additionally, the middle platen of the press moves up from the bottom at 30-mm-per-minute during the static load, testing up to 100 tons of force. A load deformation graph is then plotted for analyses.

MSP selected Gauteng Metrology Services to design, manufacture and install the in-house hydraulic press. “The company boasts in-depth skills and expertise with regards to this type of equipment, and is also responsible for its calibration and certifi cation,” MSP General Manager, Conrad Engelbrecht says.

Looking ahead, he believes that the MSP in-house dynamic testing facility will add substantial value to the company’s product and service offering. “This facility enables us to work closely with rock engineers to determine exactly what they require for their specifi c project. It also places MSP in the position as the only company in the local market that can fully substantiate its product quality in terms of physical testing.”

“We want to develop new products with our partners in the industry,” he concludes.

www.dcd.co.za

Confi dence high on 2013 advancements

Continued technological

innovation and advancement

has placed Mine Support

Products (MSP) as a frontrunner

in the provision of industry

leading health and safety

solutions for the international

underground mining sector.

The press can test units up to 42m in length.

CEN DEC

28MINING MONITORING

QIC-FLEET BOASTS an on-board global positioning system (GPS) that tracks vehicles and through on-board intelligence, manages on-site productivity. QCIC Director, Brian McKenzie, says that a combination of labour unrest and fi nancial constraints has led to an increase in demand for QIC-FLEET in local mining applications.

“Mining companies are turning to asset management solutions such as QIC-FLEET, which can locate mobile assets on-site, before being rerouted to areas of greater production importance, by directly contacting the vehicle operator,” he explains.

QIC-FLEET can be installed on mining-related vehicles, including: forklifts; handling plant; bulldozers; loaders; ADTs; RDT and cranes, as well as on transport vehicles, such staff transporters.

The company is in the process of supplying multinational engineering and electronics conglomerate Hitachi, with the QIC-FLEET system, which has been installed on a fl eet of approximately 400 assets at the Kusile and Medupi coal-fi red power station projects.

“The system has been installed on light-duty and heavy duty equipment, such as generators, compressors, cranes, elevated work platforms and materials handling plant equipment,” Brian adds, and continues, “It is being used by Hitachi to monitor productivity, availability of machinery, breakdowns and the hours worked for internal billing of cost centres at the respective power stations.”

Using a complementary CAN-BUS add-on, QIC-FLEET plots the data on a map with GPS positions to identify the cause of an incident and the precise location where it occurred.

Another advantage of the CAN-BUS and QIC-FLEET combination is that it has the ability to warn of a potential accident through an in-cab buzzer, based on the set-up of

the device installed in the vehicle. CAN-BUS offers additional monitoring of oil pressure, water temperature, PTO take off, fuel used/burnt, fuel tank level

and exact hours worked.Essential data such as RPM, speed and braking is recorded, while a warning is sounded to the driver to take necessary action before failure occurs. “Should the driver fail to take the action that was prompted, the system boasts a crash analysis feature, which makes available to the relevant manager, recorded data 21 seconds before and

six seconds after the incident.”

QCIC currently manages a call centre that monitors QIC-FLEET fi tted vehicles on a 24/7 basis. “A major safety advantage of establishing

a call centre is that the call centre operator can contact the driver, should any alarms or exceptions be ignored,” he says.

Gaining ground in the mining sector

Asset management solutions

provider, QCIC, continues

to make signifi cant inroads

in the southern African

mining industry through its

fl agship QIC-FLEET GSM fl eet

management solution. The

QIC-FLEET solution enables

fl eet owners to effectively and

affordably manage numerous

variables related to the location

and performance of individual

vehicles and equipment, by

transmitting relevant data on

the GSM network.

The future of automation

Brian believes that the local mining industry will eventually move from labour intensive

practices towards remote mining - whereby equipment operators will no longer be required to

physically work in the cabin of the production equipment. “The rapid advancement of technology

enables mining vehicles to be equipped with high-resolution cameras and local RF networks that

enable operators to control the equipment from a remote location.”

Bearing this in mind, he concludes by adding that he is confi dent that QCIC will continue to gain

measurable market share in the mining industry through its range of unique telemetry solutions and

services, that act as a complementary add-on to mechanical automation technology.

Transport Freight and Logistics

December 2013

JOHANNESBURG MOTOR SHOW . FUELFLEET MANAGEMENT . TRANSPORT RTMS . BRAKING . RAIL . SAFETY

Looking back on 2013Looking back on 2013

CEN DEC

1 COVER STORY

Transport Freight and Logistics is published monthly by Crown Publications cc

Editor: Kim Kempcapnews@crown.co.za

Advertising manager:Claudia Bertschyclaudiab@crown.co.za

Layout and design:Anoonashe Shumba

Circulation:Karen Smith

OEMs share highlights, innovations, updates and changes in the past year and share 2014’s outlook.

Looking back on 2013, page 6

Publisher: Jenny Warwick

PO Box 140 Bedfordview 2008

Tel: (011) 622-4770 Fax: (011) 615-6108www.crown.co.za

Printed by Tandym Cape

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher.

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Transport Freight and Logistics

November 2013

JOHANNESBURG MOTOR SHOW FLEET MANAGEMENT TRANSPORTRTMS BRAKING RAIL SAFETY FUEL

• Looking back on 2013• Looking back on 2013

Safety fi rstTHE END OF THE YEAR is coming towards us and with it, the holiday season; that time of year infamous for road carnage.

Somewhere it was said that 54% of road deaths in SA are pedestrian-related; people running across freeways or simply stepping off pavements without fi rst looking. While this may be true, vehicle accidents can kill scores of people in one terrible blow.

With the number of truck and bus-related accidents reported recently and thus still fresh in our minds, I can only hope that operators are going to have safety uppermost in their minds when deploying fl eets across the country.

However, while we lambaste the trucking fraternity and curse the buses and taxis, traffi c education starts with the children. Who of you remembers the Road Safety classes we had in Primary School, where, on either bicycles or tricycles (dependent on age and ability) the children rode around a track that was a mini representation of a road network, complete with yield and stop signs, overseen by ‘Traffi c Offi cers’ who would direct and correct ‘bad’ driving?

I was thrilled to hear that apparently there is such a facility in Randburg – the Randburg Junior Traffi c Training Centre – recently renovated, complete with working traffi c lights (which in reality is not the case in Joburg, especially after a storm, but I digress...)

I look forward to seeing the roll-out of this facility in a generation of courteous and responsible drivers, who no longer see taxi operators as a point of reference, who understand the responsibility of driving a vehicle and who don’t see a pedestrian as a running target…

So, on that considerate note, we here at TFL/CEN wish you and yours a safe and relaxing Festive Season!

comment

...on the fl ip side: CEN

contents 1 Editor’s comment

Freight & Logistics: JIMS 2 Initiatives announced to boost competitiveness 4 Johannesburg International Motor Show

Cover story: Looking back on 2013 6 Free State fl eet buys 28 MAN buses 8 With Scania, there is a better way10 SCM and SAPICS explained12 Cummins mining capabilities13 Volvo Trucks SA reaffi rms commitment

Freight & Logistics: Fleet management14 RTMS providing benefi ts to VDS

Freight & Logistics: Fuel15 Total fuel contract16 Monitor, manage and protect fuel

17 Freight & Logistics: Road transport Nissan: What’s in a name…

Freight & Logistics: Rail18 Anti-vandalism on trains 19 Coming down the track…

Freight & Logistics: Safety20 Hard braking for Cowboy Country22 Signing Responsible Care public commitment

1 Editor’s comment

2 Construction: Road building

Cover story: Looking back on 2013 6 Trysome’s gone underground 7 Doosan refl ects on 2013… 8 Komatsu celebrates 50 years in South Africa 9 Dura Equipment Sales keeps moving10 bauma Africa opens doors for Tower Cranes12 Becker offers reliable safety on the mines13 Saxeni only has up and ups in 201314 Making a date for Tyrexpo Africa 201416 SDLG comes of age

17 Mining: Trends

Mining: Company Profi le18 2013: A successful year for Melco

Mining: Information Tour20 Liebherr Media Information Tour 2013

23 Mining: Opinion Piece

Mining: Into Africa24 Redpath enters the raise boring market26 Shantui: Showing its yellow mettle27 MSP: Confi dence high on 2013 advancements

Mining: Monitoring28 QCIC: Gaining ground in the mining sector

THE LOCAL MOTOR INDUSTRY is in the throes of recovering from a seven-week strike – the longest in history – and has been a major topic in the news as its manufacturing future is debated, so the encouraging words from Minister Davies are sure to be welcomed by vehicle and component manufacturers alike.

The most important initiative is a programme to raise competitiveness and encourage excellence in production in the component manufacturing industry. An amount of R23-million has been spent on this project already this year, while R63-million has been budgeted to improve competiveness in the automotive supply chain in a three-year programme. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will contribute 50% of the latter amount and other stakeholders the balance.

The minister said that the promised early review of the Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP), which was instituted at the beginning of the year, will be completed before the end of the next financial year with the terms of reference being announced by the end of February. Minister Davies added that early indications are that the APDP is proving a success and has already resulted in significant investments in new projects; investments totalling R15-billion have been made since 2009, linked to the implementation of the APDP in 2013.

Although Dr Davies did not announce any specific plans to encourage labour stability in the motor industry he said all the stakeholders, including government, were being encouraged to create the very necessary stability.

He said that he was encouraged by a constructive meeting that had been held with members of the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA (NAAMSA) and the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (NUMSA) and a joint statement will be issued shortly. (The secretary-general of NUMSA, Irvin Jim, was present at the official opening of JIMS but did not address the gathering).

During his address, the minister stressed the importance of the automotive sector in the context of the overall South African manufacturing environment and said the DTI and other government departments were always looking at ways to increase industrialisation.

One of these initiatives involves the Department of the Environment and Water Affairs, which is embarking on a programme to build charging stations for electric vehicles, to encourage increased use of this eco-friendly power source.

Initiatives Several initiatives are to be

implemented or developed to

assist the South African motor

industry to become more

competitive globally. This was

announced by the Minister

of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob

Davies, speaking at the official

opening of the Johannesburg

International Motor Show.

to boost competiveness

announcedThe promotion of the manufacture of electric and hybrid vehicles in SA was seen as important, and here the APDP would play a role. In addition, the government was compiling standards for these categories of vehicles and had a research programme under way with the University of Port Elizabeth, as well as a commitment that the government would buy electric vehicles where they were suitable.

“In the medium term, South Africa must become a manufacturing base for energy efficient, green vehicles as global trends indicate that this is where growth will come in the future,” said Dr Davies. The current programme to promote the local manufacture of buses and minibuses from semi-knocked down (SKD) kits will continue until 2015, after which production will switch to assembling completely knocked down (CKD) kits

The minister said that progress was being made to develop a multimodal vehicle manufacturing plant in the East London Industrial Development Zone, with six companies short listed to run this operation, which will assemble vehicles for a number of companies as a collective venture. The decision on the operator will be made before the end of the year.

The Trade and Industry Minister said he did not see the recent announcement that Nissan was to build vehicles in Nigeria as a negative for the SA motor industry, but rather as an excellent opportunity for local vehicle and component makers to benefit as suppliers of products and technology to the Nigerian operations.

“Developments such as these are very good for growing industrialisation on the African continent, which is to be welcomed and I am to sign a co-operation agreement with my Nigerian counterpart in the near future,” he explained.

The minister said he was encouraged by recent positive developments in the local motor industry. These included Mercedes-Benz announcing it was to lift the annual output at its plant in East London to more than 100 000 units, while Iveco and Larimar were building an assembly plant in Rosslyn, at a cost of R530-million. He added that the visiting CEO of the Ford Motor Company, Alan Mulally, had been positive in the outlook for his company’s subsidiary in South Africa which builds vehicles in Silverton and engines in Port Elizabeth.

“Our local motor industry is now solidly established and well positioned for future growth,” he said in conclusion.

Although Dr Davies did not announce any specific plans to encourage labour stability in the motor industry he said all the stakeholders, including government, were being encouraged to create the very necessary stability.

of SA motor industry

TFL DEC

4JOHANNESBURG INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW

MONTHLY VEHICLE SALES statistics for October, released by the Department of Trade and Industry, showed continued loss in momentum in vehicle sales, after four years of positive growth. Year-on-year sales do, however, remain in the black, with 2013 still set to be a growth year for the South African motor industry and the OEMs appear optimistic in this regard.

The National Association of Automotive Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA) reported that a total of 56 927 vehicles were retailed in October, while vehicle exports improved dramatically to near pre-strike levels.

During October General Motors South Africa (GMSA) achieved a market share of 10.2% with strong sales of its key passenger and light commercial vehicle (LCV) models.

“October sales dipped slightly below forecast, in part owing to inventory limitations in popular locally produced lines, in the wake of the industry-wide strike during the third quarter. Total sales of 56 927 vehicles reflect a drop in growth to 3.9% for the ten months to date compared to 2012,” said Brian Olson, GMSA’s Vice President Vehicle Sales, Service, and Marketing.

“The goal of 5% growth for the year may still be achievable as the industry drives towards its third best year ever,” he added.

In total, Toyota South Africa Motors sold 10 698 vehicles in October, while exports grew from 1913 units in September to 4929 units in October. This remains well below past export levels, but holds promise of further growth in November and December. “We look forward to a speedy return to our sales levels, but will have to accept that a number of the strike-delayed orders in September and early October – both locally and for the export markets – have been lost and that we will not be able to reach our original sales targets,” said Calvyn Hamman, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, at Toyota South Africa Motors.

The OEMs drew crowds of potential and actual buyers with offers of increased warranties, improved driver safety, better fuel efficiency, innovations, new dealerships and one-stop solutions.

Scania’s Managing Director, Steve Wager, illustrated Scania’s wide product offering covering nearly every sector of the commercial vehicle truck and bus market segments, finance and fleet management and specialised service and maintenance solutions for specific sectors. He expressed an optimistic outlook for the SA market. Predicting that SA’s GDP could grow by as much as 5% next year, he explained Scania’s market offensive with new and improved products in represented sectors and introduced an innovative rental solution called Scania Rental, now available to local operators to overcome ‘peak period’ challenges.

Scania sold a huge quantity of trucks, as well as one of the first examples of it sophisticated new bus, known as the Scania Touring, on the first two days of the Show.

Gideon de Swardt, Public Relations Officer for Scania in South Africa, says, “On the very first day of the show we sold this example straight off the stand! Then on the same day, a cross-border customer placed a double-digit order for some very specialised truck-tractors, to be used mainly in the mining industry. On the second day, we sold a further eight vehicles, comprising various models. One of the customers flew in a private aircraft from Louis Trichardt, landed at Rand Airport, arrived at the show and straight away purchased the Scania Streamline, our latest edition to the range, launched in Europe only a few months ago. This is one of our flagship truck models.

“We truly are the one-stop-shop truck manufacturer represented in South Africa,” he added.

Vice President of Hino SA, Dr Casper Kruger, told the gathering at the Hino stand that he was pleased with the way Hino had performed in terms of sales in SA during the first nine months of 2013, with the 2950 units sold in this period equating to a 12.8% share of the total truck market, excluding sales by Associated Motor Holdings Pty Ltd (AMH). Sales were up by 327 units and share by 0.3%, compared to the situation a year ago.

Despite fuel hikes and the

threat of e-Tolls, ongoing

strikes in the motor industry

and many OEMs recording

a slowdown in sales, the

Johannesburg International

Motor Show pulled out all

stops and put on the calibre

of exhibition that has become

synonymous with the event.

JIMS

5TFL DEC

JOHANNESBURG INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW

Hino retained its position as the second highest selling truck and bus company in the country, with continued dominance of the medium truck category and second place in sales in the heavy truck category. Casper said he was very pleased with the level of confidence in the brand being shown by the dealer network.

Bob Lowden, Managing Director of Iveco explained Iveco’s 2014 market offensive, projecting substantial growth for the brand in every segment in which the OEM was represented and, like most OEMs, reaffirmed its commitment to the SA operator. He put it quite simply: “Iveco’s goal is to be the best service provider in South Africa.”

Along with a number of new models, Iveco’s aftersales and financing services were represented on the stand for visitors to learn more about the various services and product assistance packages, original spare parts and accessories offered for the entire product line-up.

Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) used the show as a platform to showcase the advancements it has made in safety innovation, addressing the responsibility of truck drivers and owners. Vice President for Commercial Vehicles sales and Marketing, Kobus van Zyl said, “One of the most important peace-of-mind benefits for our fleet customers, that comes standard across our diverse brands, is that our wide range of products will not only be an efficient part of their business, but is backed by thoroughly tested and proven safety solutions.”

MAN Truck & Bus Chairman, Geoff du Plessis, acknowledged the many challenges facing the industry locally and went on to say that MAN’s strategy remains focused on using the South African infrastructure as the burgeoning platform to launch operations into Africa. The single most important goal, he said, is consistent and continued investment into infrastructure and development by the South African government and industry alike.

The OEM showcased some of the benefits of the ProfiDrive philosophies, as well as how Fleet Management technologies can be combined to improve overall vehicle and driver efficiency.

“The need for on-road intelligence is crucial if fleet operators want to cut their operating costs. MAN ProfiDrive and MAN TeleMatics, when used in conjunction, have the power to harmonise the interface between driver and vehicle by pinpointing where either is in need of remedial attention. MAN ProfiDrive helps drivers get the most out of their vehicle while MAN TeleMatics allows fleet owners to be proactive in the management of both drivers and vehicles, putting right minor glitches before they become major problems,” said MAN CEO, Bruce Dickson. Powerstar’s display of trucks left no doubt about the world-class quality of this enterprising and innovative Chinese truck manufacturer. Impressive was the extremely competitive pricing of these powerful and durable vehicles, and the effort that has been put into making Powerstar trucks custom-made for South African conditions.

Powerstar SA has shown an increase of 300% in sale of vehicles, from 2011 to 2012 and Sales and Networking Director, Mark Beukes, said that one of the key success factors has been the company’s ability to do things ‘its way’.

“We have kept the elements that have been working and got rid of those that have not. We are not afraid of using our instinct to make decisions and to get things done. We are guided by our vast combined experience in the trucking industry and the belief that the reason for being in business is to satisfy our customers’ needs while creating a workplace environment that our team is happy to be in each day.”

Despite the unfortunate slow down in vehicle sales growth, 2013 is still expected to be one of the three best years in South Africa’s history.

Market segment October 2012 October 2013 % change Passenger Vehicles 41 962 40 102 -4.4%

Light Commercial Vehicles 14 101 14 125 +0.2%

Medium Commercial Vehicles 901 996 +10.5%

Heavy Commercial Vehicles 567 456 -19.6%

Extra Heavy Commercial

Vehicles

1 016 1 155 +13.7%

Bus 84 93 +10.7%

Vehicle exports 24 892 21 125 -15.1%

Overall market (local) 58 631 56927 -2.9%

Naamsa figures

ACCORDING TO MALUTI Bus Services CEO, Gert Engelbrecht, “We transport 200 000 passengers, with our buses, covering some 800 000 kilometres per month between Phutaditjhaba, Harrismith and Bethlehem. At least 35% of the routes are gravel, which place a heavy toll on our vehicles. Apart from complying fully with the government specifi cations for commuter buses, these MAN units have parabolic suspension systems that are unbeatable, providing both durability and passenger comfort.”

The consignment includes 19 MAN HB1 65-seater units, fi ve HB4 79-seater units and four HB5 79-seater units, each with upholstered seats, heaters, a roll-over cage, two roof escape hatches and eight emergency window exits.

Bruce Dickson, CEO, MAN Truck & Bus South Africa says, “In any modern society, motorised mobility is an essential part of life, of community development and, in remote areas like Phutaditjhaba, this is especially true. The new buses are safe, reliable and comfortable and have already proven their merits in rural commuter applications in Limpopo and Mpumalanga.”

Powered by MAN’s Euro III 240hp D08 common-rail diesel engine, the 4x2 HB1 is equipped with a six-speed ZF manual transmission, a Voith retarder, an electronic anti-lock brakes (EBS and ABS) and traction control (ASR). With a torque rating of 925Nm@1200-1800rpm and a planetary (hub reduction) rear axle, the HB1 is an ideal people-carrier for shorter trips on gravel roads where optimum traction is required.

The 6x2 MAN HB4 26.310 and HB5 26.310 Lion’s Explorer units are designed primarily for longer on-tar routes and are powered by MAN’s Euro III, 310hp D20 turbo-charged, intercooled common-rail diesel engine, with a torque rating of 1550Nm@1000-1400rpm. The HB4 is fi tted with a 12-speed ZF TipMatic automated manual transmission, a ZF intarder and a hypoid drive axle.

The HB5 Lion’s Explorer which will service the fl eet’s longer routes, is equipped with a fully-automatic Voith Transmission, a Voith retarder and a hypoid drive axle, with air

suspension on both rear axles. An electronic braking system, with ABS and ASR, rounds off the drivetrain safety features on

both derivatives.

With a 15000km service interval and a two-year/unlimited-mileage driveline warranty for all three derivatives, the MAN Lion’s Explorer range is now South Africa’s market leader in the commuter and inter-city passenger transit industry. For Maluti Bus

Services Chairperson, Jackie Ntshingila, the rebranding of her organisation came to fruition with the delivery

of the newly liveried buses: “Are these buses not beautiful?” she asked guests at the event.

“MAN buses are built to meet the stringent requirements of South African bus operators who seek safety, reliability, fuel-effi ciency and lowest possible total-cost-of-ownership. Furthermore, MAN has a value chain that is focused on relationship-building, where long-term partnerships with our customers are forged by providing purpose-built vehicles that are comprehensively supported throughout their service life.

“While MAN has a nationwide dealer network, Phutaditjhaba is a remote location and, in order to ensure optimum vehicle uptime for Maluti Bus Services, a technical skills-transfer programme is being implemented by MAN which will enable the fl eet to become a self-servicing operation. Through our combined efforts, I have every confi dence that MAN’s partnership with Maluti Bus Services will become a key driver of social and economic development in the region,” he concludes.

The Free State town of

Phutaditjhaba, QwaQwa region,

recently celebrated the hand-

over of 28 MAN Lion’s Explorer

buses to local commuter bus

operator, Maluti Bus Services.

The vehicles form part of the

fl eet’s government-funded

recapitalisation programme,

bringing the total fl eet

size to 36.

MAN Truck & Bus (SA) (Pty) LtdContact: Patience DumisaniTel: (011) 928 6800Email: Patience.Dumisani@za.man-mn.comWebsite: www.mantruckandbus.co.za

Free State fl eet buys 28 MAN buseslo

okin

g ba

ck o

n 20

13

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6LOOKING BACK ON 2013

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SCANIA HAS HAD a successful year, all told, with a constantly growing footprint through wholly-owned depots in the main centres of South Africa: Johannesburg, East Rand, Durban, Cape Town, Kimberley, Richard’s Bay and Bloemfontein.

Through its support ‘hub’ in Johannesburg, Scania South Africa is responsible for the supply of trucks, buses, engines and spare parts to neighbouring countries including: Namibia; Botswana; Zimbabwe; Malawi; Zambia; Tanzania; the southern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique.

The OEM offers fi nancing through Scania Finance Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd, one of the in-house fi nancing companies of the Customer Finance division, within the Scania Group and has become synonymous with driver training and promoting safety awareness, providing its customers with a professional level of driver training that covers a wide range of situations and vehicle types.

This year at JIMS, the OEM made record-breaking sales straight off the exhibition fl oor, selling numerous specialised truck-tractors into the mining sector, an area that is increasingly becoming an area of focus for the OEM.

According to Chris Swanepoel, Mining Sales at Scania, South Africa, Scania prides itself in offering complete, tailored

solutions. “Case in point is a start-up mine in the Northern Cape, where Scania will be looking at

materials handling and staff transport on-site, supplying diesel and water bowsers; lubrication

vehicles and generators. It could turn out to be a Scania mining pilot project, where we will take care of everything, barring the ground engagement equipment,” Chris says with

barely concealed excitement. “The mine is in the ramp-up phase and we will go in and streamline the entire process. If all goes according to plan, the mine should be fully operational in June/July 2014.”

Continuing, he says, “This year we covered signifi cant ground in product development, regarding our trucks. We have evolved our

product and focused extensively on meeting and improving safety criteria for work on the mines, getting the product to the level where it

can be accepted onto a BHP mine, for example, with its stringent safety specifi cations.”

Earlier this year, Scania designed a one-of-a-kind staff carrier for the mines, to move workers during shift changes. “This was a highlight for us,” he beams, adding, “and it is due to undergo rigorous testing at Gerotek, including torque, brake and acceleration testing – basically everything, as we want this vehicle to be the safest people mover on the mines! This is a signifi cant fi rst, not for South African mining, but globally,” he adds.

(At the time of writing, the vehicle was due for delivery to Venetia Mine, Limpopo, 29 November.)

According to Chris, “In southern Africa, we can report with confi dence, that we have trucks that have been running for over 6000 hours without any type of mechanical failure, in the extreme environments.”

In conclusion he says, “We have history and our products exemplify the quality that we promise.”

Leading the fi eld in technology,

safety and style, the Swedish

OEM is looking forward to the

year ahead.

With Scania, there is a better way

Scania South AfricaContact: Chris SwanepoelTel: (011) 661 9600Fax: (011) 661 9605Email: chris.swanepoel@scania.co.zaWeb: www.scania.co.za

TFL DEC

8LOOKING BACK ON 2013

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9 COVER STORY

SCM and SAPICS explained

According to the national

treasury, the elements of

SCM in the public sector

include demand management;

acquisitioning management;

logistics management; disposal

management and supply

chain performance.

SCM IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, is the overarching discipline that deals with getting the right products and services to the right place, at the right time and cost, in order to satisfy customer needs. It encompasses operations including: production; inventory; materials management; purchasing; distribution and logistics. Any company, whether in the private or public sector, is only as good as the weakest link in its supply chain. From large retail chains to government departments, meeting profi t and service delivery targets is infl uenced by the supply chain’s performance and, how effectively and rapidly it can respond to unexpected change.

However, supply chain challenges are hampering public and private sectors’ efforts in multiple areas. Part of the problem is failure to understand that supply chain dynamics lie at the heart of many of the issues relating to service delivery. As a result, a Supply Chain Professional is becoming an increasingly sought after resource.

SAPICS, through various initiatives, represents the interests of these professionals in the global supply chain through:

Providing up-to-date, relevant supply chain and operations education across the African continent. In so doing, SAPICS is making a meaningful contribution to addressing the skills shortage on the continent necessary to its development and progress;

Growing membership by providing outstanding value, support and global representation;

Cultivating strong alliances with like-minded associations;

Facilitating the sharing of knowledge for the benefi t of its members and the African Supply Chain Management profession;

Since its foundation in 1966, SAPICS has become the leading provider of knowledge in Supply Chain Management in southern Africa.

As a professional, knowledge-based association, that enables individuals and organisations to improve business performance, SAPICS builds operations management excellence in individuals and enterprises, through superior education and training; internationally recognised certifi cations; comprehensive resources and a countrywide network of accomplished and educated industry professionals. This network is ever expanding and now includes associates in other African countries.

SAPICS membershipThe SAPICS membership community is composed of individuals from a broad spectrum of companies across southern Africa, including manufacturing; service; retail; wholesale; motoring; mining; energy and transport. SAPICS members hold titles from Production Planner to Director of National Supply Chain and Chief Financial Offi cer.

SAPICS education offeringSAPICS is the leading provider of high quality education programmes aimed at advancing supply chain and operations management professionals’ ability to succeed in a changing and increasingly competitive market-place. The SAPICS education offering is one of the most comprehensive and is the perfect stepping stone to a future in the competitive world of operations management.

SAPICS conference and exhibitionThe leading event in Africa for Supply Chain Management Professionals, the Annual SAPICS Conference and Exhibition, is the premier educational and networking event in Africa for Supply Chain Management Professionals. The conference is designed to offer practical and relevant information by providing delegates with excellent educational presentations, case studies and interactive workshops.

SAPICS

Contact: Heidi Lamb

Tel: +27 (0) 11 023 6701 / 2 / 3 / 7Email: heidi@sapics.org.zaWeb: www.sapics.org.za

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10LOOKING BACK ON 2013

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CEN DEC

11 COVER STORY

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12LOOKING BACK ON 2013

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USA-BASED CUMMINS is a global leader in the manufacture, sales and servicing of diesel engines and related technology and has developed a strong presence in the mining sectors of South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Nigeria, Namibia and Zambia.

The Cummins brand of engines has consistently gained popularity in numerous African mining applications, including: gold; diamond; copper and coal projects, as the high power engines have, over time, proven to withstand harsh operating environments.

The two most popular series of Cummins engines that are used in the African mining industry are the QSK and the K series engines , which power a wide range of earthmoving machinery, such as wheel loaders, haul trucks, excavators and large loading shovels.

The QSK series engines are among the most environmentally friendly in the world and are fully compliant with Tier 1 or Tier 2 low emission standards,

set out by the American government’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Compliance with EPA specifi cations ensures that this series of engines minimise environmental

damage by generating clean power, while increasing fuel effi ciency and lowering operating costs, without

affecting the power of the engine.

EPA laws are world class and, although the specifi cations are not yet a legal requirement in

a number of African countries, it places local fl eet owners and mining

houses in a position to stay one step ahead of the game by adopting the new

technology at an early stage.

The Cummins Power Generation division is able to meet African mining projects’ energy needs, including: continuous; prime; peaking; standby; cogeneration or a complete turnkey

power plant. Cummins Power Generation is recognised as a world leader in the design and manufacture of pre-integrated generator sets, ranging

from 8kVA to 3300kVA.

Major components, including engine, alternator, transfer switches and control systems, are designed and manufactured according to the highest standards of quality set by Cummins.

The company has a global network of 500 company-owned and independent distributor facilities at more than 5200 dealer locations, in over 190 countries.

In addition to mining, the Cummins range of engines is used in a wide variety of applications, including: trucking; boating; power-generation; construction and agriculture. Established in 1919 in Indiana, USA, today Cummins employs more than 40 000 people worldwide, and has an annual turnover of $10.8-billion.

Heavy-duty mining machinery

is only as reliable as the engine

that powers it, which is why

the Cummins range of engines

has steadily gained strong

market share in the African

mining industry.

Cummins mining capabilities

Cummins South Africa Pty LtdContact: Andre Kuhn, South African Mining ManagerTel: (011) 321 8783Fax: 086 587081Email: andre.kuhn@cummins.comWeb: www.cummins.com/southafrica

13TFL DEC

LOOKING BACK ON 2013

Volvo Trucks SA reaffi rms commitment to southern Africa

Volvo Trucks Southern Africa

launched four new truck

ranges, including its fl agship

FH16 model, strengthening its

position as one of the leading

truck manufacturers in

the country.

VOLVO TRUCKS SOUTHERN AFRICA forms part of the Volvo Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks, buses, construction equipment, as well as marine and industrial engines. The Group provides fi nance and service solutions, and sells its products in more than 190 markets around the world. In 2012, the Volvo Group’s sales amounted to about SEK 304-billion (Swedish kronor).

With an assembly plant in Durban, and more than 500 employees across the region, Volvo Trucks Southern Africa has reaffi rmed its commitment to the region.

“The launch of our fl agship range, the FH16, FH, as well as the new FM and FMX ranges, signals a new era in the history of our company,” said Torbjörn Christensson, Managing Director of Volvo Trucks Southern Africa. “We now have an almost entirely new product offering for our customers.” The company currently has 15 dealers in South Africa, and is in the process of strengthening and developing its footprint in the country and into the region. As part of this commitment, the Volvo Group SA recently announced plans to establish an integrated 11 500m² parts facility for its brands in Johannesburg.

“We believe that the region holds untold potential and we are committed to contribute to its successful development by providing products and services that suit southern Africa’s unique business and operating conditions,” he said. “We are making these investments in order to more effectively support our dealers and customers going into the future.”

The launch of the FH range in South Africa follows short on the heels of it being announced as the International Truck of the Year. The award was decided by some of Europe’s leading commercial vehicle journalists, representing 25 publications. Upon receiving the award, Volvo Trucks’ President, Claes Nilsson, said: “When we introduced the new FH in Europe in 2012, we claimed that it was pushing the envelope of what a premium truck could offer. The International Truck of the Year award confi rms that the Volvo FH lives up to this promise.”

At the FH Series’ launch in South Africa, he said that it was becoming increasingly important for the company to keep careful pace with a developing region like southern Africa.

“Going into the future, it is becoming more and more important to explore and understand a region’s local operating environment, and to adapt our business in order to meet our customers’ transport requirements,” he said and added, “ However, operating in South Africa for over 13 years, we believe we are able to meet these requirements and offer our local customers total transport solutions and support.”

He said that as transport operators expanded their operations throughout the region, Volvo Trucks SA had been there to capture this market demand and support customers every step of the way. “The launch of the FH and FM/ FMX model ranges signals of one of the most intensive and exciting periods in the history of Volvo Trucks. With the most modern and innovative Volvo line-up ever, we now have an ability to help customers in all segments to improve productivity and profi tability,” he stressed.

Volvo Trucks SA has spent many months training its dealer staff in order to effectively support their customer, with innovative support offerings that include a new telematics system, a mobile phone application and numerous fuel saving features to effectively assist fl eet owners cut their transport costs.

“We believe that Volvo Trucks Southern Africa is leading the way in supporting fl eet owners in a modern and interactive yet very practical way,” concluded Torbjörn Christensson.

Volvo Trucks Southern AfricaContact: Valentia Hobbs, Head of Marketing & CommunicationTel: (011) 842 5000Fax: (011) 842 5100Email: Valentia.hobbs@volvo.comWebsite: www.volvotrucks.co.za

TFL DEC

14FREIGHT & LOGISTICSFLEET MANAGEMENT

VEHICLE DELIVERY SERVICES (VDS), which operates a fleet of 250 truck-tractors and a similar number of trailers, has a complement of 330 drivers.

The company’s Safety, Health, Environment and Quality Assurance (SHEQ) Manager, Pierre van Schalkwyk, put it succinctly in a recent interview in his office at the company head office in Kempton Park, when he said: “We had a number of systems and structures in place but they were like a bunch of loose ropes. Revisiting our internal controls and management systems, using the RTMS guideline, served the purpose of pulling the ropes together.

“There have been a host of spin-offs with the most impressive being a reduction of 60% in high risk driving behaviour, while the incidence of serious accidents has decreased by 49%, from 0.813 incidents per one-million kilometres, to a figure of 0.472. System-based speeding infringements have fallen by 25% from 6.312 per million kilometres, to 4.444. This translates into substantial cost savings as well as a significant decrease in risk.”

He said that what is important is that VDS and all its team members took the implementation of RTMS seriously and were prepared to do whatever was required to meet the required standards. The first audit took place in 2011 and immediately showed where corrective action was needed with certification granted in 2012.

Pierre is in overall charge of the process, while two RTMS assistants have been appointed to monitor the programme at the depots in Durban and Cape Town.

The implementation of RTMS has resulted in the introduction of stringent monthly assessments of each driver and this is proving challenging but rewarding, according to the VDS SHEQ Manager. Currently the factors considered in the evaluation are: fuel consumption; vehicle damage; traffic violations; DriveCam rating and a rating from the tracking system on driving style. There is also a subjective rating from the line manager. Next year, green band driving and excessive idling will be included in the parameters.

The driver evaluation system led to the setting up of an annual driving competition which will be held for the second time this year and involves drivers from various companies in the OneLogix Group, including VDS.

The finalists are selected after filtering a year’s performance, with the evaluation period running from the beginning of October to the end of September the following year. Not only will the best drivers per division be involved in the Driver of the Year competition, but also the worst performers. The worst performing drivers per division will have a separate programme, and the opportunity will be taken to inspire them to improve to join the ranks of the best.

Quarterly Imbizos are held as a communication platform with the drivers and they are encouraged to actively contribute to problem-solving and to make suggestions to improve operations.

VDS appointed driver coaches accompany drivers with below standard records on trips to evaluate shortcomings and ensure remedial action.

Driver training is a serious matter with VDS and drivers have to undergo training using 13 modules. The company has professional driving learnerships, where it takes on 30 aspirant drivers a year and puts them through a stringent one-year training course, using a combination of the company’s driver trainers and the assistance of outside service providers.

At the end of the period, VDS takes on those drivers required to fill the staff complement and any others are released to the industry as trained drivers, which is an important service to the general trucking industry.

VDS, which started out as a cross-border car ferry company, is still involved in this business and has 86 rigs running into Africa, mainly to Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with some trips taking two to three weeks.

RTMS providing benefits to VDS

The decision in 2010 by

the management of Vehicle

Delivery Services (VDS), part

of the OneLogix Group, to

implement the self-regulatory

Road Transport Management

System (RTMS), is proving

beneficial for this highly-rated

vehicle carrier.

Seen with one of the Hino 700 Series truck-tractors at the VDS depot in Kempton Park are VDS staff (from left): National Driver

Trainer, Fred Fourie, SHEQ Manager, Pierre van Schalkwyk and National Driver Manager,

Aobakwe Moseta.

VDS runs a mixed fleet with Hino’s representation currently at 50 500-Series models and 10 700-Series truck tractors operating on the Johannesburg to Durban run. A further 10 Hinos will join the fleet soon. VDS is currently on an 800 000km truck replacement cycle.

“Hino is a staunch and active supporter of the RTMS system to improve road transport in Southern Africa and we are delighted that VDS, as one of our important customers, is gaining many benefits from implementing the system in such a short time,” said Hino SA Vice President, Dr Casper Kruger.

TFL DEC

15 FREIGHT & LOGISTICSFUEL

Total fuel contract

A fuel distribution contract

that entails the delivery of

more than one billion litres of

petrol and diesel per year – and

over three million kilometres

of travel annually – has been

awarded to Imperial Logistics

group company Tanker Services

by Total South Africa.

A THREE YEAR fuel contract was awarded to Tanker Services for fuel distribution services in Cape Town, Pretoria, Polokwane and Mpumalanga. The petrol and diesel will be delivered to Total South Africa clients that include mines, service stations and commercial customers.

According to Imperial Logistics divisional CEO Lucky Maluleke, “Tanker Services secured this contract on the strength of its expertise, systems and skills in the testing fuel industry – which means we are able to consistently deliver on world class standards.”

A signifi cant factor in this contract win, he stresses, is that the company is on target with plans to ensure that all locations get Road Traffi c Management System (RTMS) accreditation, which refl ects Imperial’s commitment to road safety. “On achieving RTMS accreditation, in some of the locations, Tanker Services has become the fi rst fuel business to be accredited. RTMS is an industry-led, voluntary self regulation scheme, that encourages consignees, consignors and transport operators engaged in the road logistics value chain to implement a vehicle management system that preserves road infrastructure, improves road safety and increases the productivity of the logistics value chain,” he explains. “The system recognises sustainable, high standards in driver behaviour and fl eet maintenance.”

Compliance with health, safety and environment (HSE) and vehicle quality standards are critical aspects of this contract. Lucky elaborates: “Tanker Services acquired 40 new vehicles to conform to Total South Africa’s stringent standards, which include the stipulation that Tanker Services’ vehicles cannot be older than fi ve years at any time in the contract. This 40-vehicle fl eet will operate 24 hours a day, loading and offl oading seven days a week, according to the time schedule.” He says that the vehicles will operate in accordance with Euro III and IV emission standards technology, which will see emissions reduced and ensure an environmentally friendly fl eet for Total South Africa.

Outlining further aspects of this challenging contract, he says that Imperial Logistics’ in-house driver trainers will ensure that operators comply with company and legal requirements, and Imperial has also appointed in house health, safety, security and environmental (HSSE) teams to conduct audits on the drivers and vehicles twice a year. “Each operator is assessed on a six monthly basis on driving, loading and offl oading. If he does not meet the required criteria, he is removed from the working environment until he meets the standard. Each vehicle is serviced on a monthly basis, in line with legal and company requirements.

“Imperial values the partnership that has been built over years with Total,” he concludes.

www.imperiallogistics.co.za

TFL DEC

16FREIGHT & LOGISTICSFUEL

TANK-I HAS BEEN DEVELOPED for level measurement on the vehicle fuel tank and is a solution that allows fl eet operators to monitor, manage and ultimately protect their fuel.

A small, non-invasive ultrasonic sensor is bonded to the external base of the fuel tank. The system calculates the height of the liquid in the tank, from the time taken for the signal to be transmitted and then received from the liquid surface. Signals from the transducer are fed into the proces sor and then output to a separate system. The package is supplied as a sensor / processor pair. The system can be confi gured to work in a low power mode which can be controlled from the telemetry system where required. When combined with a GRS telemetry tracking system, the fl eet manager can get an accurate and up-to-date indication of the vehicles’ fuel consumption and be warned of any excess consumption, owing possibly to fuel theft.

Tank-i is ATEX (safety) approved for hazardous areas where required and easy to install – with no down-time and no penetration of the tank vessel. It can be retrofi tted to existing tanks/fl eets and is unaffected by temperature fl uctuations. Void of moving parts, there is no maintenance on the unit.

Currently, Tank-i has found application in refrigerant receivers; low pressure gas (LPG) tanks; distilled spirits vats; beer tanks and tankers; pure water tanks; liquid chlorine tanks; acid and solvents tanks. Tank-i is used by leading beverage, pharmaceuti cal and chemical companies around the world, for accurate, reliable, simple and safe tank contents gauging.

www.instrotech.co.za

Monitor, manage and protect fuel

With the ever-escalating cost of

fuel these days, the siphoning-

off of fuel from vehicles for

illicit sale in commercial fl eets

and industry in general is,

not surprisingly and most

alarmingly, on the increase.

Rototherm, represented locally

by Instrotech, uses the proven

Canongate technology.

TFL DEC

17 FREIGHT & LOGISTICSROAD TRANSPORT

What’s in a name…Nissan has invited key

stakeholders from taxi

organisations in South Africa to

discuss the forthcoming Nissan

NV350 Minibus Taxi and play a

part in its introduction.

THE NEW MODEL is Nissan’s successor to the E20 minibus – a vehicle that holds a strong sense of nostalgia in South Africa and which sees many of the 71 000 units sold between 1973 and 1996 still in operation today.

The Nissan NV350 Minibus Taxi has been developed to meet local regulations and market needs and arrives in early 2014, as the return of a legend. It will form strong ties with the South African taxi industry and the 15-million people it transports every day.

In line with the company’s innovative approach, Nissan has invited key stakeholders from taxi organisations to take part in naming the new Nissan NV350 Minibus Taxi.

Says Freddie Louw, Chief Marketing Manager of Light Commercial Vehicles at Nissan South Africa: “After the legendary Nissan E20 formed such strong bonds with the South African taxi industry – which played a large role in making the E20 what it is today – it is only appropriate that we involve customers in the very core of our product planning. Never before has a South African vehicle manufacturer allowed customers, who will be buying their product and using it on a daily basis, to give it the name of their choice.

“We are looking for a name that adds extra value to what will be a formidable competitor in the local taxi industry – something distinctly African that will encourage and inspire drivers and which will impart the strength and reliability they can expect from their Nissan NV350 Minibus Taxi.”

Powered by a 2.5-litre petrol engine and featuring a practical 16-seater passenger capacity, the Nissan NV350 Minibus Taxi reiterates the strong values of spaciousness and fuel economy that made the E20 so popular for over 20 years.

“We are doing the necessary background work right now, ahead of the 2014 launch, to ensure that the taxi is suited to the South African taxi industry – and so far the response has been decidedly positive,” he adds.

The Nissan NV350 ‘Name to Fame Game’ is currently in its third round which sees the provincial taxi organisations submitting its top fi ve names as received by the regional, metropolitan and district associations, to their respective organisational bodies and fi nally to Nissan. The winner gets their suggested name applied to the new model as well as R50 000 towards his/her new Nissan NV350 Taxi.Further to the involvement of the taxi industry, Nissan is strengthening the brand’s ties to the 2013 National Arrive Alive campaign. In full support of safer roads and a reduction in fatal road accidents over the busiest driving seasons in South Africa, Nissan will sponsor ten brand-new vehicles to the campaign for the 2013 festive season.

www.nissan-global.com

About Nissan

Nissan Motor Co Ltd, Japan’s second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with approximately 236 000 employees globally, Nissan sold more than 4.9-million vehicles and generated revenue of $116.16-billion in fi scal 2012. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of over 60 models under the Nissan and Infi niti brands. In 2010, Nissan introduced the Nissan LEAF, and continues to lead in zero-emission mobility. The LEAF, the fi rst mass-market, pure-electric vehicle launched globally, is now the best-selling EV in history.

About Nissan in South Africa

Nissan South Africa is the operational hub for Regional Business Unit South, serving Nissan’s key South Africa market and 42 other countries in Sub Saharan Africa, including: Angola; Ghana; Kenya and Nigeria. The company offers a range of locally-produced and imported vehicles in these markets. Employing nearly 2000 people, its Rosslyn plant manufactures light commercial vehicles which include the NP200 half-ton pickup and NP300 one-ton Hardbody.  It also produces the Livina and Sandero passenger vehicles, the latter for Alliance partner Renault. Nissan South Africa is one of the top three automotive companies in South Africa. In fi scal 2012 the company sold 50 542 vehicles.

Anti-vandalism on trainsHammerglass SA was launched

at the 2nd Annual African

Railway Summit, held on

5 and 6 November, at the

Radisson Gautrain Hotel in

Johannesburg.

TRAINS OPERATE in harsh environments where glass windows can be broken by fl ying objects. If train windows break, there is a major injury risk. With Hammerglass, a safer environment, free from broken glass is guaranteed, as Hammerglass vehicle glass is almost unbreakable.

Hammerglass is an abrasion-resistant, chemical-resistant, age resistant polycarbonate which is 300 times stronger than ordinary glass, half the weight of glass, and virtually unbreakable. Sheets are coated with a thin fi lm of silicon oxide that looks like glass and protects against scratches and wear. Nanotechnology provides UV protection of 99.96%, which helps prevent the glass from becoming cloudy, bleached or otherwise aged over time.

The product is available for fi tting new trains, where existing glass windows can be replaced with Hammerglass with a 10-year warranty against discolouration and a fi ve-year general guarantee.

A 12mm Hammerglass sheet weighs 14kg/m2. To achieve the same protection with safety glass, a 24mm thick sheet with a weight of 70kg/m² would be the equivalent.

Train windows are subjected to ever-increasing levels of vandalism in the form of glass etching and theft. Vandals use everything from rocks and keys, to needles and acid, to create their tags.

Applying a sacrifi cial fi lm on the Hammerglass is a way to reduce costs of this type of vandalism. The thickness and three-layer construction increases resistance of the screen to scratching, etching and blows, thereby protecting the underlying surface. Thanks to the coating’s special adhesive system, it can be easily and inexpensively replaced after an attack.

Hammerglass vehicle glass is available as heat-reducing 6mm green shade HMG-IR and 12mm grey HMG-IR. Hammerglass IR reduces heat in trains by up to 55% as the polycarbonate granules are mixed with a heat absorbing medium, stopping solar heat from entering the train.

The product has been tested and approved in explosion tests performed by the Swedish Technical Research and Test Institute. A 12mm Hammerglass sheet, installed in a Hammerglass framing system, withstands 3kg of TNT, detonated at a distance of three metres. These Hammerglass applications will be marked ‘RABS approved’. RABS is an acronym for glass windscreens in vehicles for use in places where there is a risk of explosion, vandalism and theft.

www.cetabsa.co.za

The window glass has been tested and approved for the following classes:

R43: Extensive series of tests for glass windows. Compulsory for vehicles that travel more than 50km/h.

AXE: Sharp object (EN356, P8B). The glass sheet receives a minimum of 72 blows from an axe mounted in a test machine.

BLAST: Pressure wave from detonation (EN13123-2 and EN13124-2). 3kg of TNT is exploded three metres from glass sheets fi tted in an approved steel frame.

STONE: Heavy object at high speed (EN15152-2). A 1kg aluminium projectile is propelled at a speed of 450km/h and angle of 90° at the glass.

Clear glass material for Hammerglass vehicle glass comes in thicknesses of four, six, eight, 10, 12, 15 and 17mm. Heat reducing glass is available as a green shade in 6mm HmG-IR and grey in 12mm HmG-IR.

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18FREIGHT & LOGISTICSRAIL

Coming down

the track…The coal mining industry in

Africa is creating a new export

market for Transnet. Recently

it shipped three trains, ten sets

of coaches and ten wagons to

Mozambique.

TRANSNET’S LATEST CONSIGNMENT brings the number of trains to seven and the coaches to 21 in total, shipped to a mining company in Mozambique. Transnet says this is a vote of confi dence in its engineering capabilities and a boost for inter-regional trade.

According to General Manager for Marketing and Strategy, Thoba Majoka, this is contributing to integration between the countries in the region. He says, “We are serving as a catalyst for regional integration, because when you have the same rolling stock with the same standard, it makes it easy for integration between the different countries in the region.”

He adds, “This is to be fostered, because trains with commodity can run from one country to another without problem.”

The expansion of Transnet’s export market is creating job opportunities in the engineering fi eld. “Every project that we bring to the African continent means that we are either creating jobs from our country or we are sustaining jobs that we have. It is not just about exporting; we try to make sure that we form partnerships with the railways in the regions. You will fi nd that many of them have shortages of skilled people. What we have offered to a number of railways in the region, is the training facilities in our country,” he adds.

Another 118 wagons will be sent to Mozambique before the end of March next year and Transnet is looking at supplying Botswana with wagons.

www.transnet.co.za

Hard braking for Cowboy Country

The horrifi c Fields Hill truck

accident that occurred on

5 September this year in

KwaZulu-Natal, left 27 people

dead and a lot of questions

unanswered.

WHILE THE TRUCK OWNER and driver in the Fields Hill accident face potential criminal charges for causing the accident, KZN traffi c authorities have determined that the truck involved, suffered from faulty brakes, as do several other trucks in the owner’s fl eet.

According to KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Willies Mchunu, “My offi cials got to the scene very quickly and it did not take long before they informed me that the truck had faulty brakes prior to the accident.”

However, the truck owner, Gregory Govender of Sagekal Logistics, claims to adhere to stringent routine maintenance practices. “A meeting was held on Sunday 8 September with the investigators, where we shared our information regarding the matter. We handed over copies of the invoices for the brake linings and spares for services that were undertaken on both the truck and trailer, a few days before its departure,” he says.

A can of worms

With no clear prognosis as yet from the vehicle assessment team on why the brakes were faulty, or why they failed, the truck transport industry in South Africa cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the fact that comprehensive quality assurance is needed in maintenance, servicing and daily checking of truck and trailer braking systems, states Simon Dolphin, Technical Manager, SAF-Holland South Africa, a subsidiary of global truck axle, brake and suspension OEM, SAF-Holland AG.

“All too frequently, my colleagues and I are confronted with warranty claims on our drum brakes where, after inspection of the returned brake shoes, we can clearly see that replacement linings have been fi tted. The big problem is, the linings are not original OEM components and furthermore, they have been fi tted incorrectly,” Simon says.

With most truck trailers in Africa utilising drum braking systems (rather than disc brakes), poor-quality stopping power on the trailing equipment of a truck-tractor is a recipe for disaster, he adds.

“The truck trailer is the primary braking unit on an articulated rig, with the electronic braking system activating the trailer brakes before those on the truck-tractor to effectively slow the vehicle and prevent jack-knifi ng. Obviously, poorly serviced brake shoes on the trailer will seriously compromise the braking power of the rig.”

SAF-Holland world-renowned for its low-

tare trailer equipment.

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20FREIGHT & LOGISTICSSAFETY

Rivets in the shoe

Of major concern to SAF-Holland is that brake lining replacements are often conducted by unskilled technicians, be they in fl eet workshops or in brake repair shops. A common malpractice is to use a drill instead of a specialised rivet removal tool to remove the rivets that hold the linings to the brake shoe. This effectively enlarges the rivet holes, causing premature brake lining wear and also causes metal distortion of the brake shoe. “Operators should be made aware that all brake linings come with a standard size rivet for the application being used and no over-sized rivets are to be used on any type of commercial vehicle brake shoe. End result – the linings come away from the shoes and brake failure occurs,” Simon explains.

Having spent several years as an SAF-Holland technician in the UK, he is shocked by the fact that South Africa (nor indeed countries north of our borders) has no legislated regulations for brake lining repair and inspection.

“In the margin-sensitive trucking industry, many transporters in southern Africa are looking to cut their vehicle servicing costs and the fi tment of cheap, inferior-quality brake linings is an all-too-frequent practice. The reality is, a truck can clock up 600 000km on a set of genuine SAF-Holland linings while pirate counterparts last a mere 60 000km,” he stresses.

According to brake specialist, Patrick Bruinette, Managing Director of Inline Distributors, “Price is the number one purchasing criterion for fl eet owners in southern Africa. Our brake relining equipment is of premium quality but costs in the region of R50 000. Chinese brake relining machines cost around R4500. It may seem like a good deal, but the Chinese machine doesn’t de-rivet the lining from the brake shoe, where ours does.”

Dead or aliveAccording to Simon, “Operators may believe they’re cutting costs by fi tting cheap components with cheap tools and unskilled labour, but genuine bottom-line savings from this approach are a myth.”

Patrick adds, “A brake servicing Code of Practice does exist, SABS 0253, but it only covers the fi tment of linings to new brake shoes. When it comes to brake relining and de-riveting practices, there are no local guidelines at all.”

“Brake lining fi tment regulations need to be implemented and a specialised truck brake inspectorate needs to be established to police the entire supply-chain, from importer/manufacturer, to fi tment workshop, to the end user, to the vehicle test centre,” Simon believes.

While legislators and regulators get their act together, Patrick has an ingenious solution to prevent heavy-duty trucks from causing mayhem on steep descents: “Braking is all about heat dissipation and heat management. Brake drums should run at under 200°C if the driver is using the truck’s auxiliary brakes properly. Traffi c authorities need only position two thermal imaging cameras alongside the road to monitor truck brake drums as they pass through a go-slow lane immediately before a steep descent. If the brake drum temperatures are over 150°C, or a variance of temperature exceeding 10 to 15% between respective brake drums on the left and right-hand sides of the truck-tractor and trailer is registered, the truck should be pulled off the road to cool off while its brakes are inspected.”

Simon concurs by saying, “The Fields Hill disaster made it all too clear – it’s cowboy country out there and government needs to put the brakes on hard to stop the dodgy fi tment of truck trailer brake linings. It’s a matter of life or death.”

www.safholland.co.za

A new SAF-Holland brake shoe with correctly riveted lining. Note the countersunk rivets.

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21 FREIGHT & LOGISTICSSAFETY

22TFL DEC

FREIGHT & LOGISTICSSAFETY

Signing Responsible Care Public Commitment

Responsible Care, a global

initiative by the chemical

industry assists members to

improve their Health, Safety

and Environmental (HSE)

performance by continuously

raising standards in

management and operations.

AS PART OF Responsible Care Commitment, CAIA members sign a voluntary pledge, committing themselves to the guiding principles of Responsible Care and undergo regular assessment and third-party audits to ensure compliance.

Vijay Naicker, CEO of Impro Logistics and Koos Snyman, CEO of FBN Transport Logistics, have become the latest members of the Chemical and Allied Industries’ Association to sign the Responsible Care (RC) Public Commitment, thereby committing their companies to implementing the guiding principles of this voluntary initiative.

Louise Lindeque, Responsible Care Manager says: “Companies such as Impro Logistics and FBN Transport provide an important service to the chemical industry by distributing our sector’s products throughout South Africa. We are delighted that these two companies have decided to sign the RC Public Commitment hereby demonstrating their commitment to supporting and implementing the RC codes and practices and working towards continually improving their company’s performance in the safety, health, and environmental arenas.”

Impro Logistics began operations in 2011 and specialises in the transportation of break-bulk dangerous goods in South Africa including all areas of KZN, certain areas of the Eastern Cape and Swaziland. Its trucks are fi tted with cranes, thereby eliminating the need for customers to unload the vehicles themselves. The company has its headquarters in Umbogintwini in Durban, from where it services chemical companies.

Vijay Naicker says: “The implementation of RC within our company will add value to the further development of our company’s existing health, safety and environmental management systems and policies. The health and safety of our employees, customers and related stakeholders is of paramount importance to Impro Logistics and we will do everything in our power to ensure that our company standards of safety and the protection of the environment are appropriately maintained.”

FBN Transport is a family run business that has been serving the needs of the SA transport industry for the past 25 years. It provides a number of services, including the capability to transport dangerous goods, as well as warehousing. Cargo is handled under strict supervision and security. The company, with headquarters in Congella, Durban, has has been audited to the requirements of the South African Safety and Quality Assessment System (SA SQAS).

Koos Snyman says, “We want to ensure that FBN Transport continues to contribute towards the safer transportation of dangerous goods on our roads. Our commitment to safe and healthy work practices will be strengthened by the RC codes and guidelines. Our employees and customers will benefi t by our company implementing the requirements of this initiative.”

With over 150 companies that are signatories to the voluntary RC initiative in South Africa, this initiative is more than a set of principles and declarations. Through sharing of information and a rigorous system of checklists, performance indicators and verifi cation procedures, it enables the industry to demonstrate how it has improved over the years and to develop policies for further improvement.

www.caia.co.za

Koos Snyman, CEO of FBN Transport Logistics and Louise Lindeque, Responsible Care Manager of CAIA

Vijay Naicker, CEO of Impro Logistics and Louise Lindeque, Responsible Care Manager

of CAIA..