Focus September 2014

SPECIAL REPORTChina rising – everything you need to knowEurope: driven to be more efficient than ever

Top-class transport: how other countries do it

Can gas solve SA’s energy problems?

THE NEW

Eurocargo:

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b |FOCUS| September 2014

We know it takes a lot more than wheels and a chassis to keep things moving forward.

It takes a clear understanding of how your business operates. It takes expertly trained

people who care about providing the best advice and the best service possible.

Hino prides itself on delivering cost-effectiveness and operational effi ciency. It’s why

every Hino is built for your business.

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September 2014 |FOCUS| 1

conTEnTs

13

28

64

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2014m e d i a g l o b a lC H A R M O N T

on TransporT and LogisTics

The arrival of Iveco’s all-new Eurocargo range is around the corner. Turn to page 10 for a sneak peek.

COvER

Published monthly by Charmont GlobalUnit 17, Northcliff Office Park, 203 Beyers Naude Drive,

Northcliff, 2195. P O Box 957, Fontainebleau, 2032, South AfricaTel: 011 782 1070 Fax: 011 782 1073

EDITORCharleen Clarke

Cell: 083 601 0568email: [email protected]

ASSISTAnT EDITORGavin Myers

Cell: 072 877 1605 email: [email protected]

SUB-EDITORJeanette Lamont


JOURnALISTSJaco de Klerk


Claire RenckenCell: 082 559 8417

email: [email protected]

InDUSTRY CORRESPOnDEnTFrank Beeton

Tel: 011 483 1421Cell: 082 602 1004


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PUBLISHERTina Monteiro


ADvERTISInG SALESEmma Bowden


Margaret PhillipsonCell: 083 263 0451


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© Copyright. No articles or photographs may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without specific written permission from

the editor.

2 Steering Column

4 Wheel Nut

6 Vic’s View

8 Letters

54 Global FOCUS

60 Short Hauls

61 Subscription form

62 Naamsa figures

68 Hopping off

REGULARS

13 THE RED FLAG RISESThe Chinese commercial vehicle market is something of a mystery. We all know it’s the world’s largest; that’s been the case since 2009. But who are the major players? What products are they developing? And should other manufacturers around the world be a tiny bit afraid?

28 vIEW(S) FROM THE TOPHow will the transport industry become more efficient and environmentally friendly? And what is the future of mobility? FOCUS gets the answers, to these and many other questions, at the VDA’s International Press Workshop.

36 FOR THE LOvE OF FUELMalcolm Walker of Ultrafine Depth (UD) Filtration offers some very interesting insights on the topic of fuel filtration and fuel quality in South Africa. He feels that everyone in the transport and ancillary industries should be very concerned by the fuel situation as it exists in our country.

44 nO MORE nODDInG OFFIn the European Union (EU), 30 percent of fatal car accidents are caused by driver fatigue. In response, the Instituto de Biomecánica de Valencia (IBV) – the Biomechanics Institute of Valencia – has come up with an innovative system, which anticipates driver fatigue in the vehicle, to prevent accidents.

64 CAn SA MAKE ITS CITIES MORE TRAnSIT-ORIEnTED?The world’s leading cities owe their success, in part, to government investment in transit systems that use a range of solutions to move residents safely and affordably, including bus rapid transit (BRT) networks. FOCUS asks what the South African bus industry can learn from the rest of the world.

SEPTEMBER

We know it takes a lot more than wheels and a chassis to keep things moving forward.

It takes a clear understanding of how your business operates. It takes expertly trained

people who care about providing the best advice and the best service possible.

Hino prides itself on delivering cost-effectiveness and operational effi ciency. It’s why

every Hino is built for your business.

– SO NO MATTER WHAT YOUR BUSINESS, YOU CAN KEEP ON TRUCKING.

1000

5382

JB/

JHB/E

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2|FOCUS|September 2014

STEERInGCOLUMn

Charleen Clarke

i have just returned from the VDA’s

International Press Workshop (a truly

fascinating affair; read all about it

on pages 28 to 34 of this issue

of FOCUS). While in Germany, I was able

to meet with three of the most influential

men on the global trucking landscape: Dr

Wolfgang Bernhard, member of the board

of management at Daimler; Anders Nielsen,

chief executive officer of MAN; and Heinz-

Jürgen Löw, member of the executive board

(sales and marketing) at MAN.

It is, of course, slightly easier to interview

Bernhard – Daimler is flourishing, both

internationally and locally, but he is not

complacent. I asked him if there were any

manufacturers that he feared, and I could

see him visibly sit up in his seat. “We

respect every manufacturer and we take

them seriously. Never underestimate a

competitor! Always be wide awake and be

wary! Don’t fall asleep! Whoever is too quiet

will rust!” he responded instantly.

Be this as it may, Daimler is still looking

pretty – whereas MAN isn’t having the best

of times. Both Nielsen and Löw acknowledge

this, although they insist that the situation

will improve. I asked Löw about MAN in

South Africa, and whether the management

changes had impacted on sales. He didn’t

think so.

“Yes, we have undergone some major

changes. I asked Geoff du Plessis to bring

the flock under control. I don’t think that

the staff changes have impacted on market

share. We have had some hiccups with

our products. I had a very interesting

meeting with our top customers. We have

found the solutions, and we now have the

problems under control,” he stated openly

and confidently.

Nielsen, of course, has the challenging

task of bringing the global flock under

control. He concedes that this is a tough job.

“It is my responsibility to get this company

into safer waters and yes, it is a challenge,

but of course I am enjoying it.”

As part of his job, he is ensuring that

all the necessary structures are in place.

“We have to get the costs down, meaning

optimising the production network. In the

best of worlds, it doesn’t mean laying off

people, but we need to leverage growth.

Daimler and MAN have mixed

feelings about the South African

commercial vehicle market. Be

warned: some drastic moves

could be in the pipeline …

SomE coNcErN, SomE coNfidENcE

souTh africa:

Pictured from left: Dr Wolfgang Bernhard, member of the board of management at Daimler; Anders Nielsen, chief executive officer of MAN; and Heinz-Jürgen Löw, member of the executive board (sales and marketing) at MAN, recently shared their thoughts about the South African market with FOCUS editor Charleen Clarke.


STEERInGCOLUMn

We need a better profit level to finance our

growth plans,” he revealed.

Löw, on the other hand, is focusing on

the network of dealers. “The network is the

backbone of our business. It is important

for customers to really experience the

quality and performance of the MAN

vehicle. We have to speed up. We need a

clear strategy here, and we need to steer

the network development. It is no secret

that I am not satisfied with our work in this

area thus far,” he said, with characteristic

honestly.

While Löw feels that work needs to be

done in this area, he doesn’t lose sleep

over the ongoing industrial action in South

Africa. “Having lived in France for eight

years, a strike is not something that can

shock me too much. It’s most important

to have a sound relationship with our

workforce. We have ongoing discussions

with our workforce in South Africa and I am

not too concerned. We have been in South

Africa for more than 50 years. We really

know how to deal with local conditions …”

he said.

Bernhard has a completely different

opinion. “I am delighted with our factory

in South Africa. The quality is good and

the people are very motivated. However,

we are affected by the strikes; they are

affecting the entire transport and supply

industry. We have had standstills because

of suppliers and this is not good! It is up

to the political leadership of the country

to keep the social fabric together. The

leaders need to balance the hopes of the

population with what can be fulfilled!” he

stressed.

Clearly, this isn’t happening in South

Africa. “I see some frustration with the

progress South Africa has made thus far.

If this situation continues, and the social

fabric continues to deteriorate, we could

see developments for the worse,” Bernhard

commented.

Could this mean that the Mercedes-

Benz factory could close? “We are watching

the situation very closely. We won’t rush

into any decisions. South Africa is a good

market. It is the springboard for the whole

African region. It has potential, but we have

to ensure that the social cohesion of the

country is not falling apart …” he warned.

Surprisingly, none of these three

leaders were hugely frustrated about the

postponement of South Africa’s “clean fuel”

regulations beyond 2017. The consensus

was that, as long as they knew about the

regulations (or lack thereof), they could deal

with the situation. There are, after all, many

other markets for their highly sophisticated

trucks … |FOCUS

“It is up to the political leadership of the country to keep the social fabric together. The leaders need to balance

the hopes of the population with what can be fulfilled!”

4 |FOCUS| September 2014

WHEELnUT

In the light of the glut of international research

indicating that a reduction in speed limits returns

a reduction of urban collisions and fatalities,

Steunenberg questioned why local authorities

have not yet chosen to follow the trend.

Steunenberg used a collection of qualitative

data, disseminating a ten-item online

questionnaire to 450 South Africans, selected

from the 2013 SATC delegates. This meant that

a high percentage of the sample were engineers

and transport specialists (50 and 24 percent

respectively). The study makes for interesting

analysis, with the results pointing to somewhat

of a mismatch of speeding perceptions and

actions.

The numbers reveal that reckless driving,

speeding and disregard for traffic regulations

make up about 70 percent of the perceived

cause of accidents; indicating, according to

Steunenberg, that “it’s possibly a cultural thing in

South Africa – we are prone to speeding”.

What potential, then, could a reduced urban

speed limit hold? An unsurprising 40,5 percent

said it’ll make very little difference – citing driver

behaviour and a lack of enforcement for it

possibly being ineffective.

The other 60 percent, though, thought it

would see somewhat of a lowering in urban

collisions and fatalities. Despite this number,

only 21,2 percent would call for a decrease, the

majority of respondents (70 percent) suggesting

leaving the speed limits, but improving

enforcement.

While some of our transport ministers have

thrown the idea of lowering speed limits around in

recent times – albeit with no concrete resolution

as yet – the research sample suggested that

there are a few stumbling blocks before the

theory could become local reality. A lack of public

support came into question, as well as (with so

many instances of drivers ignoring the road

laws) the ability of the authorities to enforce

the law.

In this vein, it was revealed that most of the

sample based their driving speed on the posted

limit (although it was questioned why speed limits

are sometimes seemingly not set according

to road and/or environmental conditions) and

over a third called for an innovative solution to

enforcement – like average speed trapping.

Steunenberg concluded: “The willingness

to see these trends implemented locally isn’t

high. This suggests a somewhat outdated and

complacent attitude among respondents; a

paradox of misaligned attitudes with positive

action. That’s probably the biggest obstacle in

implementing reduced speed limits.”

Indeed, as the study indicates, we are aware

of the risks speeding holds and the exponentially

increased chance of fatalities the faster one

drives. The majority of the sample seemed to not

want them lowered, though.

I’m willing to guess this sentiment would hold

true for the majority of South African drivers,

and, if the limits were to be lowered, they would

still be broken. Of course, there will always be

arguments for and against.

If you ask me, we need to get our enforcement

in order before (potentially meaninglessly)

changing legislation. As one insightful delegate

pointed out: “In South Africa we introduce a law;

we don’t enforce it, and then introduce a stricter

law to fix the problem.

“We need to begin with ensuring people

stick to the 60 km/h limit, and then reduce the

limit if that doesn’t make a difference. We can’t

do it without strict enforcement; it will bring

dangerous driver behaviour such as overtaking

and big speed differentials.” |FOCUS

A contentious issue, the

lowering of speed limits will

forever be hotly debated. It

seems that, while it may work

in theory, the reality might just

be a waste of time, money and

resources

SpEEd or

safETy?

Gavin Myers

The recent Southern African

Transport Conference (SATC)

presented an opportunity to gain

insight into some of the more salient

issues affecting the South African transport

industry. The likes of freight and logistics, public

transport, legislation and regulation as well as

infrastructure and traffic management offered

a broad spectrum of topics, presented by some

rather learned and high-ranking individuals.

The more than 80 papers could directly

provide content for this entire magazine for quite

a few editions, but I’ve chosen to focus on one

specific subject here, presented by Stellenbosch

University’s Ian Steunenberg – who accused

South Africans of not wanting what they can

see is good …

As you might have guessed, he dealt with

some form of road safety – specifically the

reduction of national speed limits (60 km/h in

urban areas, 120 km/h on highways), a topic

that has been hotly debated overseas (notably in

the United Kingdom) for some time.

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vIC’SvIEWvIC’SvIEWvIC’SvIEW

One of this country’s most respected commercial vehicle industry authorities, VIC OLIVER has been in this industry for 50 years. Before joining the FOCUS team, he spent 15 years with Nissan Diesel (now UD Trucks), 11 years with Busaf and seven years with International. Do you have a comment or thought you would like to share based on this column? Visit www.focusontransport.co.za and have your say!

adriver holding a code EC licence

can drive an articulated heavy

motor vehicle (heavy motor

vehicle drawing a trailer[s]) with

a gross combination mass (GCM) exceeding

16 000 kg or a combination of a bus or

goods vehicle with a gross vehicle mass

exceeding 16 000 kg.

To get clarity on the minimum size

of vehicle that would meet the set legal

standards to obtain a code EC driving

licence, I spoke to Pieter Van Tonder, the

owner of Amohelang Training Services, a

company that specialises in driver training

and development.

I was amazed (and concerned) to find that

a learner driver, being tested for his or her

code EC driving licence, could do the physical

yard and road test with an articulated vehicle,

which had a GCM of 16 t or more, coupled

to a semi-trailer with a minimum length of six

metres. This means that a 4x2 truck tractor

coupled to a single-axle semi-trailer could be

used for the test.

What I also established was that the test

vehicle used for the test need not be loaded.

Without a load, the GCM of the truck tractor

and semi-trailer would only be approximately

8 000 kg, if the smallest vehicle was used

for the test.

My concern is that once the driver passes

his or her test and obtains a code EC driving

licence and Professional Driving Permit, he or

she can legally drive a truck and trailer where

the GCM is 56 t.

Van Tonder said that this actually happens

and quoted the example of a driver who had

obtained his code EC licence using a 4x2 truck

tractor and six-metre-long semi-trailer and,

without any further experience, was employed

to drive an extra-heavy truck tractor with a set

of interlink semi-trailers on a route with steep

gradients.

This would have been a terrifying and

dangerous experience for the new driver, as

driving a rig with a GCM of 56 000 kg is

completely different to a rig with a total mass

of 8 000 kg. The driver would have had no

experience in driving a big rig down a mountain

pass.

Van Tonder also said that there are

companies that employ drivers without

establishing that the applicant is competent

to drive the vehicle in a safe and professional

manner. He said that often one of the

workshop technicians is asked to test the

driver and the test normally consists of a trip

around the block – which is far from adequate.

This lack of proper testing often results in

truck accidents.

Discussing the high accident rate that we

experience on our roads, Van Tonder said that,

in his opinion, heavy-duty truck drivers are badly

treated. He said that he would like the South

African government to take more interest in

the welfare of long-distance drivers by providing

better facilities along the main artillery roads –

places where the drivers can park their vehicles

safely, have a clean shower and buy healthy food

at a reasonable price.

He said that many drivers adopt a negative

attitude, saying that they are not treated well and,

therefore, they drive the vehicle without respect

for the law or the vehicle that they drive.

My advice to transport companies is to

spend more time on driver training. Ensure that

the driver you employ can handle the vehicle

(that he or she will be required to drive) in a safe

and professional manner, before you allow the

vehicle to leave your yard.

Don’t accept that, because the driver

possesses a heavy-duty driving licence,

he or she is competent to drive your

vehicle. |FOCUS

Is the minimum size of the truck tractor and semi-trailer, required and used to obtain a code EC driving

licence, contributing to our high and unacceptable truck accident rate?

our TESTS NEEd To BE

ToughEr

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lettersFOCUS

FACTS ABOUT OILYour oils and lubes feature, in the May 2014 issue, could do with another perspective. All too often people comment on the perils of using inferior lubricants, but fail to explain to the layman how to identify quality and suitability of engine crankcase oil. As a result, the perception is that only the major petroleum companies can manufacture quality oil and the rest is substandard. That is not true.

The professionalism within the lubricant industry is not about name dropping, it’s about knowledge. It’s also not all about price. Large margins have traditionally been the preserve of the major oil companies and hence the array of “micro blenders” and “local blenders” – an interesting terminology used to describe lubricant manufacturers other than the majors, who themselves, in one way or another, are local blenders.

What is important to know, however, are the basics about lubricants – which are specific to the areas in which they will be used. Automotive oils are blended from base oils and additives. Most base oils are locally produced from crude by the major oil companies and are known as group I base oils. Other, more refined, base oils, known as group II and III, are available as imports.

Additives, which enhance the properties of the oil, are exclusively sourced and imported from common global suppliers. To anybody who matters in the blending industry, the knowledge of additive treat rates, their combination and functionality to achieve the desired specifications, is common.

As a blender, your ultimate goal is to meet or exceed these specifications, which are determined by international organisations that are widely respected by the petroleum industry worldwide.

One such organisation is the American Petroleum Institute (commonly referred to as API). All quality automotive oils will carry an API specification. (15W40 API CI-4/SL ) which is largely made up of the letter “C” for commercial and “S” for service. I like to remember them as “C” for compression (diesel) and “S” for spark (petrol) which, when together, indicates a combination of a diesel engine specification. and a petrol engine specification.

The letters that follow are in chronological order and the latest specification is designated a letter furthest down the alphabet. The API specification determines the additive treat rate and the selection of additives appropriate for engine classifications, types and models. It is an “open-ended” system, which allows for additional new designations. All original equipment manufacturer (OEM) manuals will refer to API specifications. Other specifications support this standardisation of engine oils, but are too detailed to mention now.

Another important acronym is that of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). This body determines the viscosity grade by which we identify the suitable “thickness” of the oil.

Multigrades (SAE 15W40) dominate these days and, unlike Monogrades (SAE 40), have a distinctive “W” thrown in between two sets of numbers. “W” stands for winter and these oils have the ability to maintain the correct viscosity at operating temperature, yet have a significantly lower viscosity at start-up, which is why they were originally formulated for countries with extreme cold climatic temperatures.

The synthetics, which, unlike mineral oils, have the inherent ability to withstand extreme pressure and thermal stress, thereby extending the drain intervals, are designated radically different grade numbers such as 05W40. Here the viscosity at start-up is “infinitely” lower than that, at operating temperature, of the SAE 40 grade. Again, any OEM manual will refer to the appropriate SAE grade.

Further performance levels are determined by the OEM’s required tests and these are engineered into the chemical make-up of the additives sold by the respective additive companies. The automotive additive packs, which determine all performance levels and specifications, are the responsibility of the additive chemical companies within the petroleum industry.

Blenders are responsible for selecting the correct base oils and combining them with the suggested automotive packs and a few individual additives, such as defoaments and viscosity index improvers. All OEM manuals and technical data sheets will refer to the required performance levels.

That basically leaves the question of engine oil component quality and blending method. Cleanliness levels are part of a standard engine oil test, which can be performed at a modest cost by independent laboratories nationwide.

Oil blending companies can be measured against their quality control certification; including ISO 9001 (and nowadays also the ISO 14001) environmental certification. Being a member of the Rose foundation also helps. These are all quality and environmental assurances that customers can rely on, and no doubt all the majors comply with – but so many of the other lubricant blenders do too.

These are the checks one should undertake. Knowledge should drive your choice. That is how you quantify quality and cost, not by name dropping. Purchase oil that meets, or exceeds, the specifications blended by companies who have the required assurances and you will be surprised at how much you will save.

Alex HimeVISCOL Industrial & Automotive Oil

CAn’T WAIT FOR THE FUTURE

Charleen Clarke’s Steering Column in the August edition of FOCUS really got me thinking … While autonomous vehicles may seem like something out of science fiction (who could forget Will Smith’s Audi in the film I, Robot) we have to admit that we all knew, one day in the future, they would become a reality. Now the future is almost here, and I must say, I think it could be quite scary!

Not the fact that the driver is surrendering most of the control to the vehicle, but wouldn’t other vehicles on the road pose a risk? Imagine South African taxis cutting an autonomous truck off every couple of hundred metres – and I mean on the highways! I think this would be a great test of the vehicle’s ability, actually.

All jokes aside, I’d really like to experience Mercedes-Benz’s vehicle. Maybe by 2025 I’ll be able to go over to Europe and do so!

Johan Vermaak

Thanks for your letter, Johan. We quite agree! You can get even more info about Future Truck 2025 on page 54, in Frank Beeton’s Global Focus – Ed.


LETTERS

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COvERSTORY

options (seven manual, three automated and

three automatic), 4x2 and 4x4 drive, 13 wheel

bases (from 2 790 to 6 570 mm) and three

types of cabs with two roof heights.

The company’s R530-million Rosslyn plant,

near Pretoria, will initially tackle five models

and nine derivatives. These include the MLC

120E22, MLC 140E22, MLC 150E24 W, MLC

150E24 WS, MLC 150E22 H, MLC 180E28

(manual and automatic) and the MLL 180E28

(manual and automatic).

(For those who don’t speak Iveco, the MLC

and MLL indicate whether it’s a day or sleeper

cab, respectively, with the number after that

indicating the vehicle’s GVM.

For example, the 120 indicates that it has

a 12 t GVM. The digits after the E indicate

the horsepower – just add a zero. The new

generation, as Lowden mentions, is also

available in a 4x4 version – with the WS being a

traditional off roader and the W having a double

set of wheels on the back axle. The H indicates

that it is a model with a reduction hub.)

“We do offer more models and derivatives,

but these aren’t currently part of the local range,”

states Deon Wannenburg, the company’s

product manager. “But they can be ordered

from our dealer network.”

He adds that the locally assembled range

comprises exactly the same vehicles that can be

found in Europe, just with reconfigured engines.

“We’ve ‘de-rated’ the Euro-5 engine to comply

with Euro-3 specification fuel, which makes it

ideal for various African markets,” Wannenburg

points out – adding that the new models offer

more power than the previous generation.

Iveco is also building these to endure local

hurdles. “The first model, of each vehicle that

we produce, is tested at Gerotek, just outside of

Pretoria, in a shakedown examination – which

includes 2 000 km of gruelling challenges,”

says Wannenburg. “This helps us to identify any

shortcomings on the units, enabling us to refine

the assembly process.”

He adds that the new Eurocargo offers

better driver comfort and sports a more

modern look. “It now fits right in with the new

Stralis Hi-Way and Trakker, as it has the

same grill and design as these two models,”

Wannenburg points out.

The other major difference, when compared

to the previous model range, is the new

gearbox. “We’ve replaced the old Iveco nine-

speed gearbox with one from ZF, which offers

wonderful backup support to the local market,”

says Wannenburg.

Lowden adds: “The new Eurocargo is the

product that will allow us to substantially expand

in the 10 600-unit South African heavy market.”

Watch this space! More will be revealed

after the official launch of this proudly South

African Eurocargo … |FOCUS

Sunny South Africa is the envy of many with its natural beauty, (mostly) wonderful weather and cultural

diversity, but things aren’t always so sunny … many European original equipment manufacturers’ vehicles

can’t enter our market, as fuel quality presents a massive problem. Iveco is breaking the cycle, however,

with its new Eurocargo – assembled in Africa for Africa!

WiTH AN AfricAN TWiSTEurocargo

Time flies when you’re having fun

… 2014 must have been very

enjoyable as there are only three

months left before the end of this

year! A few exciting events remain, however,

before all is said and done. One is the launch of

Iveco’s new Eurocargo – this manufacturer’s

first truck to be produced in South Africa.

The transport community received a sneak

peek of the new proudly South African Eurocargo

about a year ago – at the 2013 Johannesburg

International Motor Show. This was just a

preview, as the company planned to launch the

vehicle in the second half of this year.

“All customer demands find their answer

with this truck,” says Bob Lowden, managing

director of Iveco Southern Africa. “Eurocargo is

the most versatile heavy truck on the market,

with over 11 000 product variants to suit every

application, including a 4x4 version.”

Lowden continues: “It is a vehicle

especially engineered for bodybuilding, thanks

to its completely flat and free upper chassis

structure that allows easy installation of any

kind of superstructure. Its 220 cm-wide cabin

and 12,4-m turning circle guarantee high

manoeuvrability even on the narrowest roads.”

Iveco states that the Eurocargo has seven

gross vehicle mass (GVM) variants (from six to

19 t), five horsepower categories (from 180

to 280 hp, or 132 to 206 kW), 13 gearbox

??????????????


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2015

TRUCK TEST

it’s probably safe to say that the annual

Truck Test programme has become one

of our industry’s “must attend” events.

It’s a proving ground for vehicle original

equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to show

what their vehicles can do, and it’s taken more

seriously each year.

Since 2012, FOCUS, in partnership with

Hellberg Transport Management (HTM) and

Engen, has run tests in the medium, heavy and

extra-heavy segments. What could we do next,

we thought? The answer: go back to where

Truck Test started and – as we’ve done each

year – make the event more stringent, so as to

return the most accurate figures possible.

So, EHCVs are up again. That’s not a bad thing

as – since we first ran them to Ballito and back in

2012 – the market has changed a bit: we’ve seen

the introduction of numerous new models, with

some more to come before next year’s event.

The way the test is run has also changed

somewhat. All was detailed at a breakfast

briefing, kindly sponsored by Engen, in July.

As these vehicles are aimed at the long-

haul market, a single, laden return run will be

completed – as with our original EHCV test.

In 2015, the vehicles will run from

Roodepoort, on Johannesburg’s West Rand,

along the N4 to Komatipoort, Mpumalanga

– the total distance being around 950 km.

The starting point will be AfriSam’s Roodepoort

cement factory. The company has kindly come

on board to sponsor a standard load for all

participants.

This is the first of numerous important

changes to the Truck Test programme: all

vehicles will be loaded to the same maximum

gross combination mass, which will be 500 kg

less than the legal limit for the two applicable rig

configurations. These rig configurations are also

vitally important to Truck Test 2015 …

Two trailer options will be available: curtain-

side interlinks and van-body tri-axles. These will

be supplied by Afrit and GRW, respectively. Each

type will be built to the exact same specification.

Trailer performance, then, is nullified.

And that is what will make Truck Test 2015

the most significant, and accurate, yet … It will be

a test of the tractor units alone – which have to

be standard, off-the-shelf units. Aerodynamics will

also be strictly controlled; limited to a standard

aero kit with no additional side-skirts or wheel

covers allowed.

Numerous entries have already been

received for the test, and we expect that up to

20 vehicles could depart from Johannesburg

on Wednesday April 15, 2015. They’ll return on

Thursday April 16, each participant having done

their utmost to return the best results possible.

We can’t wait! |FOCUS

Truck Test 2015 will see the return of extra-heavy commercial vehicles (EHCVs). It also promises to be

the best event yet. GAVIN MYERS reveals the plans

hEavy going

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??????????????


SMOKE, LIGHTS, ACTION!FAW opens Coega assembly plant

EXCLUSIVE: We test all-new Chinese trucks

OPINION: Will China conquer the trucking universe?

INSIGHT: One-on-one with the captains of the Chinese truck industry

SpEciAL rEporT:

china

on TransporT and LogisTics

??????????


chinaFOCUS On

fear. You can practically smell

it when you mention the word

“China” in international trucking

circles. It’s a fear of the unknown,

and a worry at the relatively short period

of time that has seen China catapult to the

world’s number one truck market.

It all started in 1953, when Mao Tse Tung

set about creating an automotive empire. At

the time, the country had emerged from eight

years of war against Japan and three years

of civil war between the Communists and the

Guomindang. The automotive industry didn’t

exist.

Chairman Mao was determined to change

this and, with the assistance of its main ally, the

Soviet Union, he established First Automobile

Works (now commonly known as FAW) in

1953. Chairman Mao was exceptionally proud

of his new company and its first medium-duty

truck; the model CA10, which immediately

became a daily sight to people throughout China

and a symbol of industrial pride to the country.

China had entered the trucking industry with a

vengeance!

Mao Tse Tung adopted a different strategy

when he launched his second automotive

company, rather unimaginatively called Second

Automotive Works (SAW). In 1969, when

launching the company, he decided to hide it

in the Hubei Province, a remote, mountainous

region of China – ostensibly to protect the

factory from any danger.

When he encountered the company’s

products for the first time, he experienced

even more pride, saying that they were akin

to “the wind that blows from the east” – or

Dongfeng, the company’s name today. This

name is particularly significant; the Chinese

believe that the east wind will blow all over the

world …

CHInA TODAYFast forward 45 years and both FAW and

Dongfeng are still going strong. In fact, the

former now employs 120 000 people around

the world and sells products in over 70

countries. The Dongfeng Motor Group, on the

other hand, employs 160 000 and it has lofty

international aspirations.

“We want to develop a global and well-

THE rEd fLAg

risEsThe Chinese commercial vehicle market is something of a mystery. We all know that, since 2009, it’s

been the largest in the world. But who are the major players? What products are they developing? And

should other manufacturers around the world be a tiny bit afraid? CHARLEEN CLARKE travelled to China

in order to produce this special report …

??????????????


recognised brand. We don’t only want to be

a Chinese brand. We want to increase our

overseas sales to 20 percent of our business

within ten years. It’s not just about selling

overseas, however, it’s also about earning

trust. The trust is more important than the

volume,” reveals Huang (Gary) Gang, president

of Dongfeng.

The reality is that companies such as these

two state-owned enterprises (SOEs) do have

a captive market on their doorstep. Chinese

customers purchase over four million trucks

a year (in 2010 commercial vehicles sales

passed the one million mark for the first time,

thanks not least to the booming Chinese

construction sector).

Most of those trucks are purchased by

SOEs. In fact, from January to May this year,

China’s top ten heavy truck companies (all

SOEs) achieved a 96,89 percent share of the

market. That’s because this is an exceptionally

price-sensitive market, and Chinese trucks

cost one third of their premium (European)

counterparts. Not surprisingly, premium

trucks account for a mere one percent of this

market …

These SOEs also have a rather well-heeled

backer. “We are 100 percent owned by the

central Chinese government, as is Dongfeng,”

confirms Robert Doub, who is in charge of

after-sales marketing and after-sales support

development at FAW. “Some other truck and

car makers are owned by provincial and local

government.”

Does this mean that these businesses can

rest on their laurels? “No,” says Doub. “We

need to make a profit, but the government

has a responsibility to serve the people and so,

within an SOE, we work very hard to create jobs.

We strive harder to create employment, and

probably employ more people, than a typical

private-sector company.”

Still, this doesn’t mean that companies such

as FAW and Dongfeng have it easy. “We have

way too many commercial-vehicle producers

in China,” explains Doub. Some truck makers

– Chang’an Automobile Group, Brilliance China

Automotive, Anhui Jianghuai and Jiangling,

for instance – only produce light commercial

vehicles.

Other major players include Shanghai

Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC),

Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation

(BAIC), JAC, Sinotruk, the China National

Heavy Duty Truck Company (CNHTC), China

CAMC Engineering Co (CAMC), Dayan and

the Torch Automotive Group, whose heavy

trucks are distributed under the name

Shaanxi.

Doub insists that this proliferation

Above left: Stefan Albrecht, executive vice president of Beijing Foton Daimler Automotive, is pleased with the

success of the joint venture.Above right: Hyundai had a major presence at the Beijing

Auto Show earlier this year.Below left: The Dongfeng factory is modern and impressive.

Below right: The police in China have an interesting road safety programme in place - they display car wrecks at truck

stops.

»

??????????


chinaFOCUS On

of manufacturers is unsustainable. “The

market needs consolidation, and the Chinese

government is certainly in favour of this,” he

tells FOCUS.

Foreign companies, on the other hand, are

certainly not big fans of consolidation and they

are clamouring for a share of this lucrative

market. Western European truck makers that

are competing in China include Volvo, Scania,

Iveco, Renault, DAF, MAN and Mercedes-Benz.

Collectively, they have invested billions of

euros in the world’s biggest commercial vehicle

market. Only three – Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and

Scania – have achieved a modicum of success.

The rest are waiting with bated breath, hoping

that Chinese customers will appreciate the

benefits afforded by premium trucks – one

day.

Many of these companies have realised that

a joint venture (JV) is a logical way to go. This

has been borne out by Daimler, which joined

forces with Foton in 2011. Stefan Albrecht,

executive vice president of Beijing Foton Daimler

Automotive (BFDA), says that the JV has proved

to be exceptionally successful. “Our plants have

an annual capacity of 160 000 units, which

can be extended to 200 000, and we now have

450 dealers and more than 2 000 service

outlets in China,” he tells FOCUS.

BFDA will expand its production footprint in

China shortly, with the opening of a heavy-duty

engine plant. It will produce Mercedes-Benz

OM457 engines, which will be installed into the

JV’s Auman-branded trucks.

LEGAL REQUIREMEnTSExactly what sort of trucks are these companies

selling, and what do Chinese customers want?

Let’s kick off with a discussion surrounding

the legal requirements in China. According to

Yu Jing, editor-in-chief of China’s Commercial

Vehicle magazine, the maximum trailer length

is 13 m, and the total length of a tractor with a

trailer is 16,5 m.

Van-type body trailers, which are used on

high-grade highways, have been limited to a

maximum length of 14,6 m since January 1,

2008. Articulated vehicles with a van-type body

trailer are subject to a maximum length of

18,1 m. The maximum width is 2,55 m while the

maximum height is four metres. The maximum

payload is 22,5 t.

In the past, 6x2 truck tractors were the

most popular models, but, thanks to changing

weight restrictions, 6x4s have become more

popular.

Irrespective of which configuration

Chinese buyers opt for, they most certainly

want something that is cheap. Sophisticated

technology is not valued. Neither are safety and

quality. This means that it’s almost impossible

for Western brands to compete – they are

A brand new truck tractor leaves the Dongfeng factory.

relegated to specialised areas (hazardous goods

and cement trucks, for instance). Japanese

and Korean brands, which are sandwiched in

between the Chinese and Western European

brands from a pricing perspective, fare a tiny

bit better.

Like so many operators elsewhere, Chinese

operators also want to maximise payloads –

and overloading has been a massive challenge

in the country. “In the old days, in north east

China (where I am from), the underpowered

trucks all stayed in the right-hand lane and

the road literally sank from the weight of the

trucks,” reveals Doub.

Think that’s extreme? In November last

year a Chinese truck driver was fined 2,7 million

Yuan – the equivalent of 100 years’ average

income for city dwellers – and jailed for three

years after his overloaded vehicle caused a

bridge to collapse. Zhang Wenjun’s sand-laden

lorry weighed 160 t when he tried to cross a

concrete bridge, in Huairou on the outskirts of

Beijing, and the structure gave way.

Sophisticated technology is not valued.

neither are safety and quality. This means that it’s almost impossible for Western

brands to compete.

??????????????


Thankfully, incidents like these are not quite

as common as they used to be. “This situation

is changing. The government has built more

weighbridges and they’re manned all the time.

It has realised that a modern road system is

integral to the economic growth of the country,”

Doub says.

Captains of the Chinese industry say that

there are other positive factors emerging.

“Customers are starting to realise that they

shouldn’t only focus on the initial investment.

More and more smaller companies and owner

drivers are investing in premium technology,”

Kamlarp Sirikittiwatn, vice president vehicle

sales and marketing (China sales) at Volvo,

tells FOCUS. He reveals that Volvo opened a

representative office in China in 1992, although

the company has been selling its vehicles in the

country since 1934.

Dongfeng’s Gang agrees. “Chinese

customers are certainly becoming more aware

of the total cost of ownership. One of the

reasons is the advent of online shopping in this

country. Deliveries have to be fast, so uptime is

essential,” he points out.

Sirikittiwatn says that the growing

sophistication of the market has resulted

from considerable education on the part of

companies such as Volvo. “We are educating

the customers, explaining to them that we don’t

only provide a truck – we provide complete

support and profitability over the lifecycle of

the vehicle.”

But FAW’s Doub doesn’t believe that the

market is becoming more sophisticated. “I don’t

see how the European trucks will ever be able to

break into the mainstream business in China –

because Chinese customers don’t want them.

They want a cheap truck. I’m not saying we’re

building inferior trucks. The truck we’re building

today is light years from the truck we built ten

years ago. Our level of performance, durability

and reliability has risen dramatically. Is the level

of refinement the same as a European truck?

No, it’s not. If FAW wanted to build a truck equal

to a Benz or MAN, we could do it tomorrow,

but the Chinese market doesn’t want it,” he

contends.

Gang has a different opinion. “We have 44

years of experience in the truck business and

we are very focused on this segment. Over

these 44 years, we have developed strong

engineering capability and the ability to develop

the right product for the right segment. We

have a very strong distribution network and we

understand the customers’ requirements – but

we need to learn more,” he tells FOCUS.

Part of that learning process will come

courtesy of Volvo, which acquired 45 percent of

Dongfeng Commercial Vehicles last year. “We

are strong here (in China) and Volvo is a global

giant. Both are big groups. We have strong

synergy and through the cooperation with Volvo

Above left: Huang (Gary) Gang, president of Dongfeng, has global aspirations.

Above: Kamlarp Sirikittiwatn, vice president vehicle sales and marketing (China sales) at

Volvo, says some customers are appreciating the benefits of premium trucks.

Above right: FAW’s Robert Doub believes that Chinese customers don’t want

sophisticated trucks.

»

??????????


chinaFOCUS On

we can strengthen our competitiveness. This can support our goal

of entering the global market,” says Gang.

FUTURE PROSPECTSLooking to the future, there can be little doubt that many Chinese

companies will continue to work with manufacturers from other

parts of the world. Will this benefit the Chinese companies? Almost

certainly – although not nearly as much as in the past; Chinese

companies possess huge technological know-how (Dongfeng, for

instance, is quite happily building engines, axles and various other

components; Doub says FAW’s new 13-litre engine is simply

sensational).

Will this benefit the companies from abroad? Not as much;

trucks that emerge from JVs almost never bear the foreign

company’s name (à la BFDA’s Auman). This – and the nation’s

propensity to buy cheap local trucks – means that it’s hard (if not

impossible) for foreign companies to establish brand equity.

Meanwhile, Chinese companies will work at upping their quality

game. BFDA’s Albrecht says one cannot compare the quality of

Chinese and Western European trucks – at present. “But Chinese

original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) will improve their quality.

They have a clear target; they want to export everywhere, including

to Europe. This means improving quality. When will this happen?

That’s a very tricky question,” he ponders.

Of course, Chinese companies could settle for supplying the

local market, which will almost certainly keep them churning out

trucks well into the future. Road will remain the mode of choice

within China well into the future, it seems. According to KPMG, in

terms of traffic in tonnes per kilometre, road freight transport has

seen enormous growth over the last ten years, mostly because

the Chinese government has been strongly committed to road

construction.

Between 2000 and 2010 alone, the length of national highways

grew by an impressive 2,5 million kilometres. The current four

million kilometres is therefore certain to expand further. By 2020,

the expressways – primarily for inner- and inter-city traffic – will

also grow from 55 000 km to 85 000 km. In addition, the Chinese

government recently eliminated tolls for secondary highways.

These and similar developments will help to achieve continuously

strong growth in the road transport of goods.

Chinese companies could also opt to maintain the status

quo when it comes to quality and export to the less discerning

markets – South Africa, Brazil, India, Mexico and Russia, as well

as Southeast Asia.

However, chatting to Dongfeng’s Gang, I believe that the industry

would love to see China’s red flag rising all over the world. Not right

now, but in time. “Our home market is easy for us. We understand

our customers’ requirements. We respond quickly when it comes

to bringing new technology. Going abroad is different. We need

time to prepare our capabilities and technology. We need to focus

on emissions; we are on China 4, Europe is on Euro 6. That’s a big

gap. Right now, we need to learn and the European market is not

our focus,” he reveals.

That’s the situation right now. But one thing is obvious: the wind

that blows from the east will almost certainly blow to all corners of

our globe sometime soon … |FOCUS

Top: While trucks in China tend to be fairly utilitarian, the same cannot be said of the country’s bikes.Above: Hyundai has entered the Chinese truck market with a vengeance, even establishing its own factory in the country.

??????????????

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chinaFOCUS On

Monthly sales of trucks

Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June Jan.–June

2014 264 868 253 349 406 415 345 821 272 123 229 518 1 770 703

2013 266 606 215 386 403 092 352 276 314 432 297 739 1 849 660

YoY Growth -0,65% 17,63% 0,82% -1,83% -13,46% -22,91% -4,27%

Monthly sales of heavy-duty trucks (GVW≤ 14 t)


2014 51 194 54 741 97 092 88 032 73 921 63 720 428 956

2013 43 012 39 617 86 128 81 549 77 279 75 085 402 679

YoY Growth 19,02% 38,18% 12,73% 7,95% -4,35% -15,14% 6,53%

Monthly sales of semi-trailer tractors


2014 18 220 17 372 32 341 25 462 24 727 22 800 140 429

2013 12 189 12 223 28 664 23 175 21 351 24 623 122 230

YoY Growth 49,48% 42,13% 12,83% 9,87% 15,81% -7,40% 14,89%

Monthly sales of medium-duty trucks (6 t GVW≤ 14 t)


2014 18 682 18 018 30 275 26 387 19 015 17 115 129 780

2013 22 476 14 980 35 756 32 702 27 126 26 300 159 338

YoY Growth -16,88% 20,28% -15,33% -19,31% -29,90% -34,92% -18,55%

Monthly sales of light-duty trucks (1,8 t GVW≤ 6 t)


2014 151 056 142 716 218 615 183 591 138 637 109 764 943 131

2013 150 212 117 958 222 528 191 178 167 828 153 766 1 004 004

YoY Growth 0,56% 20,99% -1,76% -3,97% -17,39% -28,62% -6,06%

Monthly sales of mini trucks (GVW≤ 1,8 t)


2014 43 936 37 874 60 433 47 811 40 550 38 919 268 836

2013 50 906 42 831 58 680 46 847 42 199 42 588 283 639

YoY Growth -13,69% -11,57% 2,99% 2,06% -3,91% -8,62% -5,22%

Sales of heavy-duty trucks by main domestic manufacturers

2014 2013 YoY

Growth/%

Total 428 956 402 679 6,53

Dongfeng 86 155 87 354 -1,37

SINOTRUK 69 909 63 011 10,95

FAW 68 405 64 705 5,72

Foton 64 001 58 281 9,81

Shaanxi Automobile 61 523 52 938 16,22

JAC 23 598 17 558 34,40

SAIC Iveco Hongyan 15 280 14 636 4,40

CAMC 11 810 13 342 -11,48

Dayun 7 945 7 063 12,49

Others 20 330 23 791 -14,55

??????????????


Monthly sales of trucks


2014 264 868 253 349 406 415 345 821 272 123 229 518 1 770 703

2013 266 606 215 386 403 092 352 276 314 432 297 739 1 849 660

YoY Growth -0,65% 17,63% 0,82% -1,83% -13,46% -22,91% -4,27%

Monthly sales of heavy-duty trucks (GVW≤ 14 t)


2014 51 194 54 741 97 092 88 032 73 921 63 720 428 956

2013 43 012 39 617 86 128 81 549 77 279 75 085 402 679

YoY Growth 19,02% 38,18% 12,73% 7,95% -4,35% -15,14% 6,53%

Monthly sales of semi-trailer tractors


2014 18 220 17 372 32 341 25 462 24 727 22 800 140 429

2013 12 189 12 223 28 664 23 175 21 351 24 623 122 230

YoY Growth 49,48% 42,13% 12,83% 9,87% 15,81% -7,40% 14,89%

Monthly sales of medium-duty trucks (6 t GVW≤ 14 t)


2014 18 682 18 018 30 275 26 387 19 015 17 115 129 780

2013 22 476 14 980 35 756 32 702 27 126 26 300 159 338

YoY Growth -16,88% 20,28% -15,33% -19,31% -29,90% -34,92% -18,55%

Monthly sales of light-duty trucks (1,8 t GVW≤ 6 t)


2014 151 056 142 716 218 615 183 591 138 637 109 764 943 131

2013 150 212 117 958 222 528 191 178 167 828 153 766 1 004 004

YoY Growth 0,56% 20,99% -1,76% -3,97% -17,39% -28,62% -6,06%

Monthly sales of mini trucks (GVW≤ 1,8 t)


2014 43 936 37 874 60 433 47 811 40 550 38 919 268 836

2013 50 906 42 831 58 680 46 847 42 199 42 588 283 639

YoY Growth -13,69% -11,57% 2,99% 2,06% -3,91% -8,62% -5,22%

Sales of heavy-duty trucks by main domestic manufacturers

2014 2013 YoY

Growth/%

Total 428 956 402 679 6,53

Dongfeng 86 155 87 354 -1,37

SINOTRUK 69 909 63 011 10,95

FAW 68 405 64 705 5,72

Foton 64 001 58 281 9,81

Shaanxi Automobile 61 523 52 938 16,22

JAC 23 598 17 558 34,40

SAIC Iveco Hongyan 15 280 14 636 4,40

CAMC 11 810 13 342 -11,48

Dayun 7 945 7 063 12,49

Others 20 330 23 791 -14,55

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??????????


chinaFOCUS On

first Automotive Works (FAW)

is no stranger to the South

African market as it has been in

the country since 1994 … The

company has now taken things to the next level,

investing around US$ 60 million (more than

R635 million) in the South African economy

through its newly built vehicle production plant,

in the Coega Industrial Development Zone

(IDZ) in the Eastern Cape.

“FAW has been in our market for 20

years, providing passenger and commercial

vehicles,” explained President Jacob Zuma

at the official opening of the plant. “However,

your decision to locate the production facility

in Coega is a most welcome vote of confidence

in Nelson Mandela Bay and in the Eastern

Cape Province,” he told the manufacturer.

Rob Davies, the Minister of Trade and

Industry, who joined the festivities, added

that this is the largest investment made

by any Chinese investor in South Africa.

“This is the culmination of a journey, that

our department has been engaged with for

some years, to bring a Chinese automotive

manufacturer to the Coega IDZ,” he

pointed out.

Originally announced in 2012, the decision

to construct the local FAW plant was not one

that was taken lightly, explained FAW Vehicle

Manufacturers South Africa: “We could have

gone to Kenya or Tanzania, where FAW has

been present in sales and service for over 30

years – but in the end we chose South Africa

because of the infrastructure.”

Qin Huanming, vice president of the China

FAW Group Corporation, added: “As a shining

pearl on the African continent, South Africa

enjoys sound political, economic and legal

systems, as well as excellent infrastructure

and abundant labour resources. These

favourable conditions have strengthened

FAW’s confidence to invest in South Africa.”

The local affiliate explained that it then

came down to a choice between East London

and Coega. “In the end Coega was chosen

because the infrastructure is perfect,” said

Richard Leiter‚ managing director of FAW

South Africa.

Zuma added that the US$ 60-million

investment will create much needed jobs

and promote an improvement in the lives of

many people in this area. “The investment

also augurs well for South Africa’s position

within the global automotive manufacturing

network and proves, once again, that we have

an attractive operating environment to host

global multinational companies.”

The total investment has been financed

by the China FAW Group Corporation and

the China-Africa Development Fund. “FAW

has chosen the right continent on which

to invest at this point in global economic

history,” said Zuma. “It is home to some of the

fastest growing economies in the world and

there remains greater potential for further

iN SouTH AfricA MadE

It seems that more and more Chinese vehicles are entering the African market, which comes as no

surprise. They might have started as the butt of automotive jokes, but are progressing to a force to be

reckoned with (striking fear in the hearts of manufacturers the world over) … This vigour, however, will

gain a South African flavour as FAW has opened a production plant in Coega

??????????????


Above left: The first South African produced truck bursts onto the stage!

Above right: President Jacob Zuma says that FAW has chosen the right continent on which to invest.

Below left: “It is my honour and pleasure to welcome FAW as a full commercial citizen of South Africa,” says

President Zuma.Below right: The 28 000 m2 plant will

supply trucks to the local market, as well as to the rest of Africa.

Production will be ramped-up to 5 000 trucks per annum at the newly built FAW production plant, in the Coega Industrial Development Zone.

growth as the volume of goods transport

increases.”

The first-phase of the Coega plant, covering

103 000 m2 of land and a 28 000 m2 plant

– complete with training facilities – will supply

trucks to the South African market, as well as

to the rest of Africa, in both right-hand and

left-hand-drive derivatives.

The current projections are that 40

percent of production will be destined for the

South African territories, while 60 percent

will be exported. Production will be ramped-

up to 5 000 trucks per annum (with 35 000

passenger vehicles to be manufactured here

in the second phase).

Davies added that FAW’s decision to

build commercial vehicles locally from

completely knocked down kits (CKD), the

first original equipment manufacturer (OEM)

to do so across its entire range in South

Africa, is a clear indication that government’s

plan to extend the Automotive Production

Development Plan to the commercial vehicle

CKD manufacturers, bus manufacturers and

local component manufacturing industry, will

attract further expansion in the automotive

industry.

The FAW range to be assembled locally

includes 14 models spanning the medium-,

heavy- and extra-heavy commercial vehicle

segments.

Future plans include the commissioning

of a body-building facility at the Coega plant

where tipper-truck bodies, mixers and

customised trailers will be built. This plant

won’t serve FAW exclusively, as it will be

the first South African-based OEM to offer

its body-building facility to other commercial

vehicle manufacturers.

Zuma said it best: “Today, opening the

FAW plant here in Coega, is a remarkable

example of the positive cooperation that we,

as South Africans, can attract from foreign

investors. We warmly welcome FAW’s

decision to assemble its vehicles locally. We

wish you success, growth and prosperity,

which will translate to growth and prosperity

for workers, their families and the local

economy.” |FOCUS

iN SouTH AfricA MadE

??????????


chinaFOCUS On

sometimes names don’t mean

much. Dongfeng’s new heavy-

duty truck, the Kinland Flagship,

is a case in point. Its Chinese

name actually means “dragon from the sky”

... Why on earth the company didn’t call it the

“Dragon” I really don’t know.

However, one thing that I can reveal is that,

with this new truck (which will make its global

debut at the 2014 IAA), the enormous Chinese

company wants to breath fire over the European

truck market. But can it take on the Europeans

at what they do best?

In order to answer this question, I travelled

to the Hubei province of China – and the city of

Xiangyang specifically. Like most other Chinese

cities, it is punctuated by enormous apartment

blocks in various stages of construction, soaring

upwards into the clouds.

Xiangyang is pretty special in trucking terms,

however, because that’s where Dongfeng’s

enormous testing facility is located. One

Dongfeng official tells me it’s the largest in Asia.

Maybe. It’s certainly one of the busiest; during

my visit a variety of makes and models whiz

around the banked circuit (it’s not only used by

Dongfeng to test its products, but also by the

industry at large).

We’re not bothered by mere mortals,

however. In typical grandiose Chinese style,

Dongfeng has closed off an entire section of

the proving ground; it’s reserved exclusively for

our use.

The start of our visit is fairly dramatic, as

we park on the side of the track ... and, seconds

later, two Kinland Flagships approach at high

speed. The one is deep maroon; the other is

black. They paint a melodramatic picture as they

race up to us and park.

Then it’s time for us to experience the duo

of Dongfeng darlings – but first we are taken

around the circuit by technical experts. They

point out the nuances of the track, insisting

that we don’t do more than 75 km/h on

particularly tight sections. Personally, I

think they’re nuts. I wouldn’t go faster than

60 km/h through such a tight turn –

especially given the fact that the rigs are fully

loaded to 55 t. But I remain mum ... and wait

my turn to drive.

I decide to start off in the easier of the two;

the so-called high-spec model, which is equipped

with a 13-litre Dongfeng Cummins engine and a

Volvo gearbox – the VT2214B.

Before I fire up the engine, the technical

expert takes me through the cab and its various

features. It’s all pretty standard, but I can see

that he’s proud of some aspects such as the

steering-wheel-mounted controls (for the sound

system and cruise control) and the sunroof

that closes automatically when you turn off the

engine (just in case you forget to close it and

it rains).

With its new heavy-duty truck, Dongfeng wants to take on the European market. Can the Chinese company

achieve this? CHARLEEN CLARKE travels to Xiangyang to find out

WorLd firST! driviNg THE

dragon

24|FOCUS|September 2014

??????????????


Unfortunately I cannot comment on the

interior too much – we’re driving prototypes and

the interior is not necessarily reflective of the

final design. However, what I see is practical and

utilitarian. I love the S-shape … it’s very yin/yang.

It’s not as plush as the European trucks – but it’s

certainly functional.

Then we’re off. Given the 55 t, I’m not really

anticipating a very smooth ride – thinking that

the truck may be a bit skittish. Not so. It pulls

off smoothly and effortlessly – there are no

vibrations or shaking mirrors or anything like

that – and soon we’re racing to the section that

is limited to 75 km/h.

The truck navigates the tight turn effortlessly;

the steering is direct, without being excessively

so. I really enjoy the leaf-spring suspension of

the vehicle; it has a wonderfully comfortable ride.

As my German International Truck of the Year

jury member colleague comments, there’s no

excessive body roll or sharp nose-diving under

braking …

Then we’re on the straight and the technical

expert encourages me to go faster. I flip the

switch, which converts the mode from economy

to power, and, within a minute or so, we’re

racing down the straight towards another

75 km/h control area.

I sense that my Chinese supervisor is getting

twitchy, so I tap off and use the retarder to

slow the beast to about 65 km/h (I’m still not

comfortable with the concept of blasting through

a particularly tight section).

All too soon, my first test drive is over. I slow

before the end of the circuit and gently apply the

brakes – which, it must be said, are quite harsh.

Never mind. They’re effective enough and we

stop in very good time.

Feeling rather plucky, I decide to tackle the

low-spec model next, which comes with the same

engine and load – but a manual ZF12AS2540

TO gearbox (12+2). I worry about making an

idiot out of myself while changing gears, but it’s

absolutely effortless ... and I even find myself

nearing that 75 km/h through the tight and

twisty bits.

The steering doesn’t feel as direct

and the suspension isn’t quite as

forgiving. On a positive note, the brakes

are considerably less harsh (or maybe

I am just becoming better friends with

the dragon).

At the end of both test drives,

I am greeted with an explosion of

flashes – as the Chinese take scores

of photographs of yours truly emerging

from the cab. The reason for their

enthusiasm is obvious: this is the first

time in the world that a journalist has

tamed their dragon.

Then it’s time to chill and chat to senior

officials from Dongfeng, who seek my opinion.

Will it sell in South Africa, they ask. Sure, I say

– once a right-hand drive derivative is available.

How should it be priced versus a Mercedes-

Benz, they ask. Considerably lower, is my rather

evasive response.

Finally, is it good enough to compete in

Europe? Not yet, is my totally honest response.

The Kinland Flagship is a true workhorse; it’s not

quite as refined and luxurious as its European

competitors.

But, ask me the very same question in five

years or so ... and my answer may be completely

different. Watch this space; the Chinese are

coming. |FOCUS

Technical specification of test driving Kinland FlagshipProject name 14#(H01) 15#(H02)Type of drive system 6×4Full speed 110 km/hEngine ISZ 480 40, Euro ISZ 450 40, Euro Maximum power (kW) 358 at 2 100 r/min 336 at 2 100 r/minMaximum torque (Nm) 2 320 at 1 200 r/min 2 237 at 1 200 r/minTransmission ZF 12AS2540 TO (12-speed manual) Volvo VT2214B (14-speed automatic)Drive axle Press-welding axle housing, single-reductionGVW (kg) 25 000Curb Weight (kg) 10 200GCW (kg) 49 000Riding Capacity 3Dimension (mm) 6 955 x 2 500 x 3 915Wheelbase (mm) 3 300 + 1 350Front track/ rear track (mm)

2 025 / 1 820

Approach angle 15,5°Departure angle 32°

Top: The Dongfeng team is understandably proud of the new truck.

Above: Five members of the International Truck of the Year jury recently met with Huang (Gary)

Gang, president of Dongfeng (centre). They were, from left, Gianenrico Griffini (representing

Italy), Charleen Clarke (South Africa), Shang Yanzhang (China), Oliver Willms (Germany) and

Maximilian Chernyavskiy (Russia).

??????????


chinaFOCUS On

Beukes starts by giving some

background to the company’s

history. From 2006 to 2009,

it was owned by Super Group.

In December 2008, Super Group announced

the sale of its industrial products division. In

early 2009, Norinco Motors – Beiben’s holding

company and the supplier of Powerstar vehicles

– expressed an interest in purchasing the

Powerstar business.

The deal was finalised on April 13, 2010.

“However, from 2010 until 2012, we were

left licking our wounds and trying to claw our

way back,” explains Beukes. “We needed to

re-establish our credibility.”

The first step was to focus on strengthening

the dealer network. “One of the first things

we did was to decentralise and split into

two regions – coastal and inland,” explains

Beukes. “We also started hosting regular

dealer conferences – we now have two every

year (one for sales and one for aftermarket).

Furthermore, we provide intensive technical

training, based on a syllabus we have developed

ourselves.”

Next, Powerstar worked hard on setting

the company apart from other Chinese

manufacturers, by taking a basic Chinese

product (the Beiben workhorse) and fine-tuning

it, here in South Africa (based on component

failures), into a more upmarket vehicle.

“Basically, we upped the local content of

the vehicles to improve their reliability. So, our

pricing went up and we became a second-tier

supplier,” Beukes elaborates. “We then also

had the confidence to extend our warranty to

three years/300 000 km.”

This is how the VX range was born. This range

comprises the 1627 4x2, 1729 4x4, 2628 6x4

short and long wheelbase, 2635A 6x6, 2642S

6x4, 3335 6x4 short and long wheelbase, and

the 4035 8x4. Using the renowned Weichai

engine, the VX’s torque output and workhorse

capabilities are excellent.

Last year, at the Johannesburg International

Motor Show, Powerstar introduced its new

long-haul, heavy-duty V3 truck tractor. This

luxury model boasts superior cab comfort and

ergonomics, with a premium all-round quality

finish and appearance.

The exquisitely sculptured design lines are

on par with European trends, making this a

beautiful as well as a productive and

reliable machine. The V3 2646

truck tractor, powered by a Weichai Euro-3

intercooled engine, has a maximum geared road

speed of 111 km/h.

In terms of aftermarket service, Powerstar

has a user-friendly, web-based electronic

parts catalogue (EPC). This system improves

communication between dealerships and the

In 2010, things weren’t looking so good for Powerstar. It was make-or-break time. In 2012, a major

restructure brought some radical changes. The strategy worked and there was a huge turnaround. CLAIRE

RENCKEN gets the lowdown from Mark Beukes, general manager: sales and aftermarket at Powerstar

powErA cHiNESE STAr WiTH SouTH AfricAN

BEHiNd iT

Mark Beukes (left) with Powerstar CEO, Bob Wang.

??????????????


central parts department to minimise incorrect

parts supply and services.

The warranty system is also web-based,

which means warranties can be submitted in the

shortest possible time, and Powerstar can react

quickly and give better service to its customers.

This system also facilitates reimbursements

to dealerships for their warranty claims via a

system that can run anywhere in Africa.

When asked what he believes the key

element was in Powerstar’s impressive

turnaround, Beukes says: “It was definitely our

ability to make the conversion from the Chinese

market to the world market. Their inability to

do so has always been the

Achilles heel of Chinese

manufacturers.”

The company’s shareholders in Beijing have

recognised that, and have realised that the

Powerstar business model is one that can be

applied in other emerging markets as well.

The brand, which was developed here in South

Africa, therefore has the potential to become an

international one.

“We are also very excited about our growth

in the rest of Africa. Last year we focused on East

Africa, and this year we’ve been conquering the

western part of the continent,” adds Beukes.

He believes that the reason Powerstar’s

business approach is so successful, is that it is

simple and transparent. “It’s simple in that we

have no grey areas – we’ve got the right vehicle

selling for the right price, to the right

niche market. It’s transparent

in that we’re like a small

family. Everyone

knows what the status of the company is and

what’s expected of them. So we all know where

we stand.”

In conclusion, Beukes explains: “We’ve

taken what we learned from European original

equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and have

integrated that with elements of our Chinese

OEM. So we have a ‘semi-corporate, semi-

Chinese’ culture, if you like. We don’t do

ties, we wear Levis to the office,”

he chuckles. |FOCUS

??????????


europeFOCUS On

for commercial vehicle manufacturers

was to achieve further reductions in fuel

consumption and, therefore, CO2 emissions.

“However, heavy-duty commercial vehicles

cannot be compared with passenger cars or

vans, for which the European Union already

has CO2 regulations. The commercial vehicle

business is like a football team; it has not only

defenders, but also midfielders and strikers.

“The variety of models among heavy trucks

is so large that there cannot be any ‘standard

CO2 value’. The range goes from tipper trucks

on construction sites, to delivery vehicles

and all the way to long-distance haulage

trucks. Then there are also urban buses

and coaches. Many vehicles are tailor-made

for the customers. Very many factors affect

consumption – trucks vary in size, weight,

usage, mileage, operating conditions and

especially their loads,” Wissmann explained.

He noted that the industry has been very

proactive in terms of reducing CO2 emissions

viEw(s)from THE Top

ABOUT THE InTERnATIOnAL PRESS WORKSHOP

This extremely prestigious event

typically takes place a couple

of months before the IAA. It is a

precursor to the actual show. It’s a bit

of a scene setter … journalists from

around the globe gather to listen to

the captains of industry. During this

event, high-ranking representatives

of the commercial vehicle industry

from Germany and abroad provide

information for the media about

innovations and developments in the

world of commercial vehicles.

A by-invitation-only event, and the

single most important workshop on

the commercial vehicle calendar,

the International Press Workshop

is generally attended by European

journalists. However, three

international magazines were also

invited this year: FOCUS (the sole

African magazine), one publication

from Japan and one from China. This

is the second time that FOCUS has

participated in this event.

How will the transport industry become more efficient and

environmentally friendly? And what is the future of mobility? CHARLEEN

CLARKE gets the answers to these – and many other – questions at

the VDA’s International Press Workshop

The Dream Team: That’s

what the organiser of the IAA

International Motor Show, the

Verband der Automobilindustrie

(VDA), managed to assemble for this year’s

International Press Workshop. We were able to

listen to, and meet with, the captains of virtually

every major truck company, including Daimler,

MAN, Ford, Scania, Volvo and Volkswagen.

Of course, we also able to chat to Matthias

Wissmann, VDA president, who kicked off

proceedings on a very positive note, pointing

out that commercial vehicle markets were

surprisingly buoyant. “Western Europe has

seen three percent growth in its commercial

market this year. The market in the United

States has recorded double-digit growth

and the Chinese market increased by four

percent,” he revealed.

THE QUEST FOR GREEn

Wissmann stressed that the main challenge

??????????????


– without the need for regulations. “Trucks

already exist that consume only one litre of

diesel for each tonne of goods transported

over 100 kilometres, when operating at high-

capacity utilisation in long-distance transport,”

Wissmann emphasised.

Wolfgang Bernhard, member of the

board of management at Daimler, echoed

Wissmann’s sentiments. “This industry has

made great achievements in terms of fuel

efficiency. Fuel consumption has dropped

by 60 percent since 1965, and that was

without legislation. This was thanks to

customer demand. We haven’t only achieved

a reduction in fuel consumption; we have

also reduced emissions. At the same time,

we have increased payload capacities,

performance and safety,” he noted.

Anders Nielsen, CEO of MAN, agreed.

“The European transport industry has proved

its efficiency over the years. We are the

benchmark in the world. If I want to beat

Bernhard in the marketplace, I have to

provide a better vehicle. As such, customer

demand is driving economy improvements –

not just regulation,” he pointed out.

SIZE COUnTS

One way of ensuring future environment

progress is the introduction of so-called

“long” trucks. “A field trial with long trucks

has already shown how comparatively simple

changes can increase the capacity of road-

freight traffic. This reduces both mileages

and CO2 output,” noted Wissmann.

Nielsen was also enthusiastic about

the efficiency of long trucks. “The path

to ‘greening’ the industry need not be

complicated. Why not take the easy steps

first – long rigs. Those are available today.

They have been functioning successfully in

Sweden for decades,” he pointed out.

Daimler’s Bernhard shared his opinion

(and also his frustration at the delays in

introduction). “We do not understand why it

is not possible to introduce long trucks! The

Swedes are not known for risking the lives

of their citizens! It is difficult to understand

why we do not implement this solution

immediately!” he urged.

Furthermore, he noted that truck

manufacturers don’t have a vested interest

in pushing for long trucks. “It will mean that

we will sell two instead of three trucks. But it

is inconceivable for us that this is not being

pushed aggressively. It is a golden opportunity

to lower emissions!” he stressed.

Martin Lundstedt, president and CEO of

Scania, concurred. “The longer trucks would

really help because 70 percent of trucks in

Europe are loaded to the maximum volume

(not the maximum weight),” he pointed out.

Amadou Diallo, CEO of DHL Freight, was

even more outspoken in his comment on

long trucks. “We tried to get permission

to run these trucks in Frankfurt and it was

a nightmare. Then you get emotional and

pissed off and you stop trying,” he explained

to journalists.

TEAM EFFORT

But it’s not just up to the legislators and the

“We do not understand why it is not possible to introduce long trucks! The Swedes are not known for risking the lives of their citizens!”

Dr Wolfgang Bernhard, member of the board of management at Daimler, says long trucks are the logical

Thomas Heckel, Kögel Trailer board member, reveals that trailer companies have been reducing weight while retaining or increasing stability and increasing safety for decades.

»

??????????


europeFOCUS On

manufacturers to green the industry. “Sure,

we have not reached the end of possibilities of

fuel consumption savings, but the truck alone

won’t do it. We need fleet renewal; older trucks

have downsides in terms of consumption.

“Infrastructure is also important –

600 000 km of traffic jams (as experienced

in Germany) won’t help. We need the

cooperation of our trailer friends. The

tyre industry also has a great deal to do

in advancing this cause. We need the

cooperation of the fuel industry and the

drivers need to be properly trained,” he

commented.

Of course the trailer companies have long

been cooperating with truck manufacturers

to try to lower emissions, as Thomas Heckel,

Kögel Trailer board member, pointed out.

“We have been reducing the weight of our

trailers, while retaining or increasing stability

and increasing safety for decades.

“Advanced trailers have long been

available – for example, trailers that are

1,3 m longer than the usual length of

13,6 m. This moderate extension makes it

possible to transport up to eight more pallets

per journey (with an unchanged permissible

total weight). The benefits are obvious:

depending on the transport requirement, up

to ten percent fewer semi-trailer combinations

are needed, ten percent less fuel is consumed

and we can deliver a ten percent reduction in

CO2 emissions,” he noted.

These trailers are not, however, in

common use because of legislative challenges.

“Leading freight-forwarding associations have

been asking for legislation to allow the use of

these trailers for some time. I would like to

send a clear message to the politicians. Have

the courage to make pioneering decisions.

As trailer manufacturers, we are already very

“The commercial vehicle business is like a football team. It has not

only defenders, but also midfielders and

strikers.”

According to Dr-Ing Eckhard Scholz, speaker for the board of management of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, city authorities the world over are introducing legislations aimed at lowering emissions.

Matthias Wissmann, VDA president, says commercial vehicle markets are surprisingly buoyant.

??????????????


well prepared technologically. Now it’s your

turn: please provide the suitable framework

conditions.

“I would encourage the representatives

of the press to help us to make the

general public and politicians aware of the

opportunities and to implement measures

that provide a more efficient and more

environmentally friendly logistics system.

If we were given a little more freedom, we

could make goods transport by road much

more efficient and environmentally friendly,”

Heckel pointed out.

Claes Nilsson, president of Volvo Trucks,

shared his frustration. “To be able to make a

game-changing contribution to a sustainable

transport society, we need consistent and

long-term policies. For an innovation-driven

company, global harmonisation is very

important. New paradigm shift concepts are

very costly to introduce.

“Society must, therefore, give a clear

signal that it is prepared to engage in

introducing and implementing them. Here

we need political leadership that reaches

beyond borders. Determined policymakers

and innovative companies are the keys to a

sustainable future,” he stressed.

COACHES RULE

While it was obvious that levels of frustration

within the trucking fraternity are at an all-

time high, the captains of the bus and coach

industry present at the International Press

Workshop were somewhat less displeased

with the state of play.

The reason is simple. According to the

VDA’s Wissmann, coaches are leading the

field when it comes to green technology and

safety. “A full coach consumes only about

0,5 litres of fuel per passenger per 100 km.

Furthermore, numerous driver-assistance

and safety systems in modern buses ensure

the highest level of safety for the occupants,”

he noted.

Hartmut Schick, head of Daimler Buses,

concurred. “Compared to other modes of

transport, the coach generates the lowest

CO2 emissions, as demonstrated by the

data of the German Federal Environmental

Authority,” he told journalists.

Claes Nilsson, president of Volvo Trucks, was clearly frustrated at the lack of consistent legislation.

»

??????????


europeFOCUS On

Schick said buses would play a key role

when it came to transporting people in an

environmentally friendly manner. “Euro 6

has meant dramatically improved emissions,

a new generation of engines and costly

exhaust purification. The emissions are at the

validation limit.

“The disadvantages in fuel consumption

that were initially expected with Euro 6 have

been completely turned around through new

developments in the vehicle and powertrain.

In fact, we have achieved an 8,5 percent

consumption advantage versus Euro 5. The

future of mobility – when it comes to buses

and coaches – is definitely environmentally

friendly,” he stressed.

ALTERnATIvE PROPULSIOn

SYSTEMS

The manufacturers, however, are not resting

on their laurels – they want to produce

even greener vehicles in future. Coupled with

this desire to do better is a proliferation of

demanding legislation. According to Dr-Ing

Eckhard Scholz, speaker for the board of

management of Volkswagen Commercial

Vehicles, city authorities the world over are

marking out low-emission zones, introducing

driving bans and issuing targets for CO2

reduction.

“Singapore has set a target of 11 percent

by 2020, while Copenhagen wants to lower

CO2 emissions by an ambitious 84 percent

by 2030. On average we are talking about

a 45 percent reduction within the next 16

years!” he revealed.

On top of this come EU directives

leading to strict limits of 95 grams per

kilometre in 2020 for passenger cars.

At the same time the limits for light

commercial vehicles are reducing from

175 to 147 grams per kilometre by 2020.

“The market pressure will be even greater

still and the claims of the customers

for corresponding offers will get louder,”

Scholz warned.

Scholz said fleet operators would have

to prepare for this. “Commercial operators,

from bakers to courier services, have to

react within the medium-term future if they

want to remain able to make deliveries

within urban areas. Fleet operators, such

as Deutsche Post with 55 000 mail delivery

vehicles, are committing themselves to

in-house policies with clear targets of up to

30 percent lower CO2 emissions by 2020,”

he revealed.

How is this going to be achieved?

VW’s Scholz says gas has potential. “Gas

power is an underappreciated alternative

for reducing CO2. Natural gas is already

available today and provides customers

with high efficiency and unrestricted

mobility. Natural gas vehicles are only a few

hundred euros more expensive than diesel

models. Natural gas as a fuel is currently

around 20 percent cheaper than diesel,”

he pointed out.

Volvo’s Nilsson believes that methane has

considerable merit. “But, since a widespread

availability of a new fuel is even more important

in long-haul operation, the success of the

methane diesel depends on the dedication of

fuel producers and distributors. A wider use

of liquefied natural gas will also help boost the

demand for liquefied biogas produced from

renewable sources. We are also exploring

other solutions, such as electric hybrids and

trucks powered by dimethyl ether (DME),” he

revealed.

Nilsson said that the road to green was

being stymied by lack of uniform legislations

and standards. “The large-scale introduction

of alternative fuels requires clear political

directions,” he urged.

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are also

an option, but, as VW’s Scholz noted, they

don’t come without their challenges. “There

is one thing that electric light commercial

vehicles are not: profitable. Plus there the

“A forecast by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development is predicting global transport volumes to triple between 2000

and 2050.”

Anders Nielsen, CEO of MAN, believes that the European transport industry is extremely efficient.

»

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Future-proofing ourclients supply chains


To see how our smart supply chain solutions can improve your triple bottom line, call Mike Fanucchi 011 445 1600.

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At Barloworld Logistics, we go to great lengths to design, implement, operate and manage smart supply chain solutions.

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With innovative software and cutting edge technology we’re able to track, monitor and measure the impact on the environment at every turn.

Simply put, ethical, economical and environmentally friendly solutions. Solutions that reduce costs, increase efficiencies and improve carbon footprints.

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Our culture of operational excellence enable us to find new ways to minimise waste while maximising productivity, profitability and performance.


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europeFOCUS On

high acquisition price, due to the high battery

costs,” he pointed out.

Daimler’s Schick agreed that economical

issues were key. “Alternative powertrains

are not in demand in the market – simply

because of the economic viability factor.

However, I am absolutely certain that sooner

or later this will change and, when the time

comes, we will not come out with prototype

solutions. We are working intensively on an

economically justifiable, mature and highly

modular concept. I am convinced that, in the

long term, the future belongs to the fuel cell,”

he pronounced.

Of course, while alternative powertrains

are currently costly, they do have their

advantages. “For BEVs the costs of

maintenance, wear parts and consumables

are relatively low or even non-existent. And the

inexpensive price of electricity is persuasive

in comparison to conventional internal

combustion engines. However, savings on

running costs do not currently compensate

for the high purchase price,” Scholz noted.

As such, he believes that financial incentives

for going electric must be introduced.

“Switching over has to add up for the goods

and services sector. The cost per kilometre

driven may not be any higher than with

conventional drive systems. Our customers

have to earn money with their fleets!

“As soon as commercial vehicle customers

see a business advantage in using alternative

drive systems, or they are no longer allowed

to drive in city centres using conventional

engines, or are severely restricted in doing so,

they will switch to alternative drive systems,”

he noted.

MOvInG FORWARD

That switch will only come well into the future

and, according to the captains of industry,

this is only one of many highlights to come.

MAN’s Nielsen predicted a shift in living

patterns. “At present 50 percent of the

world’s population lives in cities. In future,

this will rise to 70 percent. All these people

need goods. Obviously they can order these

over the internet, but we cannot deliver

over the internet. As such, we can expect

massive increase in transport requirements,”

he suggested.

Bernhard Mattes, chief executive officer

of Ford-Werke, was similarly upbeat. “A

forecast by the World Business Council

for Sustainable Development is predicting

global transport volumes to triple

between 2000 and 2050. The megatrend

of urbanisation will trigger massive

changes.

“Another critical trend is the expanding

e-business. This sector’s growth rates are

gigantic. In 2016 the internet will contribute

€3,2 trillion to the economy of the G20

countries. That is nearly twice the amount

of 2010. The global e-commerce market in

the B2C segment alone has now reached a

volume of around €900 billion and in most

countries still sustains a double-digit growth!”

he noted.

Also on the subject of growth, Daimler’s

Schick predicted an increase in bus

and coach transportation – especially

in Germany. “Buses are the most

inexpensive mode of transport in German

long-distance transport. According to the

Federal Ministry of Transport, the number

of permits for long-distance bus lines in

Germany nearly tripled between 2012

and 2013. The bus will increasingly be the

preferred choice of transport mode in the

future,” he said.

Scania’s Lundstedt said we could expect

autonomous trucks in the not-too-distant

future. “The technology is already in place

to produce autonomous trucks. It’s not a

no-brainer and it could make sense to think

about this in a couple of years. The question

is which applications? Underground mining

could be ideal,” he pondered.

Volvo’s Nilsson agreed. “Platooning

(creating a road train by connecting a

number of vehicles electronically) has a

future. Volvo Trucks has been part of

successful field tests of platooning, for

instance within the Sartre project. While

the technology development is continuing,

a new legislative framework is needed

to enable an introduction of autonomous

vehicles in a larger scale,” he explained.

Daimler’s Bernhard pointed to even

safer trucks. “We have already made great

achievements since 2000. Transport

capacity has improved by 15 percent,

while accidents have been reduced by 60

percent. Our vision is accident-free driving,

because a truck in an accident has very

severe consequences. The best time for

the truck world is yet to come!” he noted.

The message is clear: there certainly are

challenges on the commercial vehicle horizon

– but the future looks good! |FOCUS

Heavy hitters … Dr Wolfgang Bernhard, member of the board of management at Daimler; Amadou Diallo, CEO of DHL Freight; and Matthias Wissmann, VDA president.

??????????????


www.anfs.co.za

FUELFILTRATIOn

is heavily contaminated with dirt particles.

The International Standards Organisation

(ISO) has produced a level of cleanliness code in

its publication, ISO 4406, which gives a numeric

code to the numbers of particles (between a

minimum and maximum range) that are found

in lubrication fluids and fuels.

MALCOLM WALKER of Ultrafine Depth (UD) Filtration offers some very

interesting insights on the topic of fuel filtration and fuel quality in South Africa.

He feels that everyone in the transport and ancillary industries should be very

concerned by the fuel situation as it exists in our country. Walker writes…

for THE LovE

of fuEL

There have been a number of articles

of late dealing with the quality of

diesel fuels available in Africa, but

none of the writers seem able to

show graphically just how bad the situation is.

Any user of diesel-powered equipment will testify

to the horrific cost implications of using fuel that


FUELFILTRATIOn

This was done in an attempt to classify

the cleanliness of the fluids and set minimum

standards, which suppliers are encouraged to

achieve. The chart allocates single and double-

digit numeric codes to huge numbers of dirt

particles, in an effort to make these amounts

more readable. Because these numbers

increase exponentially as the particles become

smaller, they use a logarithmic scale.

This means that for every step in the scale,

the number of particles doubles, so a code of

ten would mean more than 500 and less than

1 000 particles of a certain size. A code of 11

would mean more than 1 000 and less than

2 000 of a specific size, per 100 ml of fluid.

Onboard fuel filters are required to remove

this dirt, in order for the engine to operate

efficiently for a long time. So does this happen?

Onboard filters do remove some of the dirt

particles, but, as they use a small amount

of relatively inexpensive filter medium, their

performance is limited.

In the pictures on the following page, a

sample of 20 litres of fuel was deliberately

contaminated with 20 g of fine test dust,

and left exposed to atmospheric dust for two

weeks, after which a sample was taken to

microscopically examine the contamination. The

test fuel was then passed through a filter that

comes as standard equipment on a vehicle, and

another sample taken for examination.

These pictures show that the filter was

unable to remove the large amount of dirt

from the test fuel. Up to 80 percent of engine

failures can be traced back to dirty fuel. When

the fuel passing through the system is not

kept in pristine condition, the working life of the

turbo, catalytic converter, engine oil, pistons

and rings, valves, and the engine as a whole, is

dramatically shortened. The fuel system itself

suffers with pump wear and progressive wear

and tear of injectors, resulting in increased fuel

consumption and eventually injector and/or

pump failure.

Four factors contribute to the increase of

fuel flow through the injector:

Stiction: This happens when the movement

of the injector needle within the barrel becomes

“sticky” as dirt particles greater than the

dynamic clearances are trapped between the

moving parts. Scoring on the needle can be

clearly seen with the naked eye and the extent

of the damage is huge when viewed under a

microscope. Interference with the movement

of the needle lengthens injection time and can

also prevent the injector from closing properly

to shut off the fuel flow into the combustion

chamber.

Pitting and wear on the needle and seat:

This is caused when very hard particles are

trapped between the two surfaces. Surface

fatigue and extreme temperatures at the point

of contact can cause minute pieces of the

surface to be torn off, leaving a channel, through

which the fuel can escape into the cylinders of

the engine, when the injector should be closed.

Both of the first two events contribute to over-

fuelling and injector dribbling.

Spray hole enlargement by fluid erosion:

This has the effect of reducing the injection

pressure within the spray tip. This means that

the fuel is not blasted out of the holes with

enough force to properly atomise, resulting in a

slow burn with high exhaust gas temperatures

and unburnt fuel being lost out of the exhaust.

The pilot valve is held open by dirt

particles: This drains pressure from the head

of the needle. Although the pressures within

the injector are very high, the force to hold this

valve closed is of necessity quite low and small

dirt particles will hold this valve open without

damaging the seat. The reduced pressure will

not help close the needle, which may also cause

the injector to dribble intermittently, adding to

the problems described above.

In an effort to combat this dirt attack,

protect their products and give acceptable

working life, the engine manufacturers install

onboard filters to remove the dirt, before it

destroys expensive pumps and injectors inside

the warranty period. This may seem reasonable,

and quite noble, until a user reads the small

print of his warranty, and discovers that these

items are regarded as wearing parts (in the

same way as brake pads and tyres) and are,

therefore, not covered.

This tricky practice has only emerged

within the last few years, after the

manufacturers found they were being killed

with warranty claims resulting from the use

of dirty fuel. We have seen many vehicle and

equipment owners who have been stung by

this unsavoury practice of the equipment

suppliers hiding behind the use of dirty

fuel, whilst not supplying adequate filtration

systems on their machines.

Why then do the manufacturers not specify

and fit more efficient filters on the vehicles?

The answer, although it will never be admitted

by the industry, is simple: the sale of spare

parts and servicing generate huge profits for

their distribution outlets. The manufacturers

require these outlets to be profitable and thus

sustainable, thereby improving the overall

product value, by providing service, in the highly

competitive world market.

One could say, therefore, that they have a

vested interest in shortening the working life

of certain parts. The headlong surge towards


»


FUELFILTRATIOn

a “greener” planet has played right into the

hands of these same manufacturers, as they

modify and improve engine efficiency and

power, without having to ensure that the

fuel with which these new technologies are

designed to operate, is, in fact, used by the

consumer.

The manufacturers of filters also play a role

in this circle of deceit. Constrained by vehicle

manufacturers to provide small filters that can

handle minimum flow specifications and reach

a long service life, they are forced (and seem

happy to) use inefficient filter media that have

relatively large holes, and will thus not block up

and cause the vehicle to stall.

Another fact to note is that a relatively low

percentage of the dirt that passes through the

fuel system comes with the fuel supplied by the

fuel companies. Depending on the environmental

conditions, up to 80 percent of this dirt could be

ingested into the system through the fuel tank

breather. Therefore, filtration of the fuel before

it goes into the vehicle is not the complete

solution to the problem.

A system that incorporates dispensing

pump filters and efficient onboard units, which

will clean the fuel properly, before it passes

through the pump and injector system, would

alleviate most of the costly ramifications that

come with dirty fuel.

Problems caused by dirty fuel can be

kept to a minimum with proper filtration. Fuel

filtered to cleanliness levels way beyond those

recommended by the engine manufacturers,

will greatly improve the productivity and useful

life of diesel power plants. |FOCUS

These pictures show that the filter was unable to remove the large amount of dirt from the test fuel.

Up to 80% of engine failures can be traced back to dirty fuel. When the fuel passing through the system is not kept in pristine condition the working life of the turbo, catalytic converter, engine oil, pistons and rings, valves and the engine as a whole is dramatically shortened. The fuel system itself suffers with pump wear, injector performance shift (a benign word used to describe progressive wear and tear of injectors) resulting in increased fuel consumption and eventually injector and/or pump failure.

Four events contribute to the increase of fuel flow through the injector:-

Unfiltered sample at 50 to 1 magnification Filtered sample at 50 to 1 magnification















A sample of fuel was deliberately contaminated with fine atmospheric dust (left). Even once filtered (right), contamination is clearly evident.

??????????????


Achieving excellence in the transport industry is your number one

priority. Helping you get there is ours. Of course Masana provides

high quality fuel, but what makes us a leading fuel marketer is the

partnerships we develop with our customers. By understanding

your business needs, we are able to provide agile solutions and

service. Which means you can focus all your energy on achieving

success, while we fuel it.

To fi nd out about Masana, visit www.masana.biz

SUCCESS IN TRANSPORT STARTS WITH THE

RIGHT FUEL

73958B

www.masana.biz


FOCUS OnPETROCHEMICALS

Let’s start with the basics. First,

what is shale gas and why is it

important? Shale gas refers to

natural gas that is trapped within

shale formations. Shales are fine-grained

sedimentary rocks that can be rich sources

of petroleum and natural gas.

Second, what is fracking? This is the

process of drilling down into the earth,

before a high-pressure water mixture is

directed at the rock to release the gas

inside. Water, sand and chemicals are

injected into the rock at high pressure,

which allows the gas to flow out to the head

of the well.

The process is carried out vertically or,

more commonly, by drilling horizontally to

the rock layer. The process can create new

pathways to release gas or can be used to

extend existing channels.

Last, one might ask why fracking is

controversial. The extensive use of fracking

in the United States (US), where it has

revolutionised the energy industry, has

prompted environmental concerns.

The first of these is that fracking uses

huge amounts of water that must be

transported to the fracking site, at significant

environmental cost. The second is the worry

that the potentially carcinogenic chemicals

used, may escape and contaminate

groundwater around the fracking site.

(However, the industry suggests pollution

incidents are the result of bad practice,

rather than an inherently risky technique.)

There are also worries that the fracking

process can cause small earth tremors.

Finally, some environmental campaigners say

that fracking is simply distracting energy firms

and governments from investing in renewable

sources of energy, and encouraging continued

reliance on fossil fuels.

Many people, however, are of the opinion

that the case for, rather than against, natural

gas is clear. Displacing coal-fired power with

natural gas is the fastest and cheapest

route to reducing CO2 emissions in the global

power sector over the next 20-plus years.

Last year, coal was responsible for as

much as 44 percent of energy-related CO2

emissions – more than any other fuel. And in

the run-up to 2020, the incremental increase

in emissions from coal-fired power, in India

and China alone, is expected to be roughly

double the increase from the entire global

transport sector.

Natural gas is the fastest way to address

these emissions, because modern gas plants

emit half the CO2 emissions of new coal

plants, and up to 70 percent less CO2 than

the old steam-turbine coal plants.

The potential of natural gas as a cleaner

transport fuel is also coming into sharper

focus. Over the long term, gas can provide

a cleaner source of electricity than coal for

the world’s growing fleet of electric vehicles.

That would ease many countries’ need for

imported oil, especially in Asia.

There are also direct applications for

gas in transport. One is Liquefied Natural

Gas (LNG), which can be used to fuel-heavy

vehicles, such as trucks, ships, barges and

trains. It’s a smart way to reduce local

emissions of sulphur oxides and particulates.

It can also help to tackle overall greenhouse

South Africa has one of the largest petrochemical industries in Africa,

which is largely centred on coal feedstock, but during the course of the

last few years, “shale gas” and “fracking” have become the new buzzwords.

CLAIRE RENCKEN investigates

or NoT To SHALE?To shaLE


FOCUS OnPETROCHEMICALS

emissions, depending on where and how it

is used.

So, what does all this mean for South

Africa? According to Transport Minister and

former Energy Minister Dipuo Peters, the

US Energy Information Administration (EIA)

findings of 2011, which estimated that South

Africa possesses technically recoverable

resources of about 485-trillion cubic feet

of natural gas in the Karoo basin region, is

not something that government can easily

ignore.

Speaking at the Wits Business School’s

Infrastructure to Support New Oil and Gas

Resources in Sub-Saharan Africa seminar

in November last year, Peters said that, as

part of her stint as Energy Minister, in the

first half of 2013, the Department of Energy

extensively engaged on the issue of new gas

resources that were discovered in South

Africa.

Furthermore, she reiterated that

government had, in September 2012, lifted

the moratorium on shale gas exploration, or

hydraulic fracking, and stated that it would

actively seek means to advance exploration

activities in the Karoo basin in 2014.

“It would be wrong for government not

to explore all potential gas opportunities

that exist in South Africa, whether it be

offshore gas fields or land-based shale gas

extractions,” asserts Peters, who adds that

shale gas would likely produce 20 times the

amount of gas currently produced by national

oil company PetroSA.

However, other parties are voicing

concerns that natural gas might not be

the solution to South Africa’s electricity

shortfall and that the so-called “energy

boom”, which fracking could potentially

bring to South Africa’s economy, would

most likely be short-lived.

Arthur Chien, CEO of Talesun Energy,

Chinese manufacturer of solar modules

and solar cells, says: “Should fracking

become the norm in South Africa, the

long-term repercussions on the economy,

as well as the effect on the environment

and public health, may be staggering,

not to mention the potential clean-up costs

that will fall on taxpayers for decades

to come.

“Energy efficiency and renewable energy

should be among the country’s top priorities,

as they are the cleanest, and are a less

expensive solution to South Africa’s electricity

supply shortage,” he concludes.

One thing is for sure: supplying the world’s

rising energy needs in the years to come

is going to be extremely tough. Surely, the

most sustainable energy system will be one

in which cleaner fossil fuels, as well as

renewable sources, meet a growing share

of demand.

We cannot ignore the fact that natural

gas offers the fastest and cheapest route

to reducing CO2 emissions in the global

power sector by addressing the threat of

coal-fired power. Therefore, the larger the

world’s natural gas supplies, the more quickly

and economically we can displace coal-fired

power.

The world will need to invest heavily in all

energy sources – from oil, gas and nuclear to

wind, hydro, biofuels and solar. |FOCUS

Many people are of the opinion that the case for, rather than against, natural gas is clear.


BUSInESSTOOLS

it’s been dubbed the Great Recession,

the Second Great Depression, a Lesser

Depression or the Long Recession

… While many factors directly and

indirectly caused the global economic

downturn of 2008/9 (experts reportedly

place different weights upon various reasons),

it demonstrated just how interlinked the

world has become.

During this time, emerging economies

proved surprisingly resilient, however – with

some taking it on the chin slightly better than

others – and the results were better than

expected.

It would seem that these markets are

even stronger now, than after the onset of

the Long Recession, as they’re becoming

global players in their own right – especially if

you look at those on the African continent.

According to David Ross, FedEx Express

senior vice-president for Middle East, Indian

sub-continent and Africa, as a trading partner

the continent offers huge opportunities to

the world. “This is because of the change in

Africa over the last few years, regarding the

ongoing investments pretty much across the

board – particularly in sub-Saharan Africa,”

he tells FOCUS.

It’s no wonder that this global courier

and delivery services company has expanded

its southern African footprint, with the

acquisition of Supaswift businesses in South

Africa and six other countries, namely:

Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia,

Swaziland and Zambia. This, according to

FedEx Express, provides the company with

access to an established regional ground

network and extensive knowledge of the

southern African region.

“Our strength is our network and our

network is the world,” says Ross. “So the

more we establish ourselves in emerging

markets, particularly those in Africa, the

greater opportunity we have to grow our

business.”

The company is now connecting the region

to more than 220 countries and territories

worldwide, enhancing customers’ business

flexibility and speed to market. Ross adds:

“Now that Africa is becoming a greater global

player, you’ll see that the need for logistics

and courier services will grow exponentially.”

He explains that companies like FedEx

provide opportunities for small to medium

enterprises (SMEs) – and not just large

multinational corporations or specific

industries – to grow beyond their normal

domestic environments.

“Now, more than ever, logistics and

courier services are there to stimulate

growth and develop further opportunities –

not only within the existing and neighbouring

markets, but worldwide,” Ross emphasises.

The 2008/9 recession has made the business world a whole lot smarter, but there’s always room for

improvement … JACO DE KLERK takes a look at various tools that are stimulating economic growth, and

helping the transport and logistics industries achieve optimum performance

from rurAL rAgS To

ricHESLogisTicaL


BUSInESSTOOLS

“We’re a platform and key for everybody to

take their goods further without incurring

huge costs of entering local markets.”

This bodes well for the economies in which

these retailers find themselves, as SMEs

are usually a major part of every economic

environment in countries across the world. “If

SMEs have the ability to access new markets

and more information, then they’ll grow,” says

Ross. “And when they grow, the economy

grows, employment grows – and all of those

good things.”

He adds that all this is thanks to the

age of the internet, which allows goods to

move faster and beyond normal boundaries.

“People were selling goods domestically, they

then migrated to selling them regionally,

and now they can move their goods globally

without a huge cost – and the internet really

is the basis for that to happen.”

The internet isn’t the only logistics-aiding

techno instrument, however, as wireless

networks are proving to be important

business tools at ports. Michael Fletcher,

sales director at Ruckus Wireless, explains

that wireless networks are used at dry bulk

terminals to locate various containers and

keep track of where everything is going in

real time. An operator’s life would be very

difficult if he had to manually look for a single

container in a container-stack.

The problem, however, is that container

terminals are always changing. “It is like a

Lego village of blocks, where everything moves

around,” says Fletcher – which makes things

difficult for wireless networks. In explaining

why, he compares wireless transmission to

a light bulb.

“If you have a light bulb with a normal

globe, and you switch it on, the light just

goes wherever the light can go – it cannot

move,” Fletcher points out. “And if there is

a shadow in a particular place, you have to

move the light bulb, or you have to move the

environment, to dispel it – you can’t make

light move.”

Just imagine what mayhem could be

sown at a port if everything is set up and

functioning, and suddenly, a container is

placed in front of the “light”. The company

has pioneered a solution, however, named

BeamFlex – smart Wi-Fi if you will.

The technical jargon and functions are

a bit daunting, but Fletcher resorts to his

bulb example to clarify it. “BeamFlex’s smart

antenna system is like a whole lot of LED

flashlights where you can make the beam

go wider and narrower, as well as turn it up

and down.”

It also features some mean computing

skills. “So if you end up in a situation where

someone puts a giant container in your way,

the system can make the beam go a little bit

wider on the outside, calculate from which

container it can reflect the beam, and find

the optimal path to where it needs to go,”

explains Fletcher. He adds: “So it has the

ability to shift, and to manage interference in

a constantly changing environment.”

Currently, Ruckus has deployed its

BeamFlex solution in some ports in

Mozambique and East Africa. “There’s an

inland container port in Rosslyn, Pretoria, that

also runs with Ruckus equipment,” Fletcher

points out. “One of the motor manufacturers,

initially using a different vendor, was having

some challenges with its Wi-Fi, as it wasn’t

able to adapt to the changing container

environment – but we fixed this with a small

deployment.”

He adds that Ruckus has a few trials

running in Namibia as well. “In Africa, as a

whole, we’re really not doing badly and things

are picking up traction.”

So the future prospects of Africa are really

looking bright as various business tools are

boosting its logistical capabilities … enabling its

ports to achieve greater efficiencies through

smart Wi-Fi (which can keep the lights on

in an ever-changing environment) and the

continent’s economic enhancing SMEs (in

particular those in southern Africa) to get their

goods to the global market. |FOCUS


SHEQ InTRAnSPORT

This non-invasive sensor system,

known in Europe as the Harken

project, is able to measure the

heartbeat and respiratory rate

of the driver. According to José Solaz, the IBV

director of innovation markets in automobile

and mass transportation, “The variations

in heart and respiratory rates are good

indicators of the state of the driver, as they

are related to fatigue. Harken can monitor

those variables and, therefore, warn the

driver before the onset of symptoms of

fatigue.”

Until now, no system has been capable

of measuring those vital constants in a car

In the European Union (EU), 30 percent of fatal car accidents are caused by driver fatigue. In response,

the Instituto de Biomecánica de Valencia (IBV) – the Biomechanics Institute of Valencia – has come

up with an innovative system, which anticipates driver fatigue in the vehicle, to prevent accidents.

CLAIRE RENCKEN reports

No morE

nodding off

»


SHEQ InTRAnSPORT

Being able to deliver high-quality logistic and supply chain solutions requires having more than just a one- size-fits-all approach. At Cargo Carriers we pride ourselves on being customer centric and while vertical specific we are always looking for challenges and opportunities in new industries and regions. We strive for the highest levels of reliability in all that we move. With each customer comes an individual set of safety, health, environmental and quality requirements, and our innovative and service orientated offering means that we are consistently able to provide for your specific needs.

Call us. We go the extra mile

We don’t talk logistics solutions, we walk it

Innovative supply chain solutions

T025

72

Logistics Achiever Awards 2013

T02572 CC centipede A4.indd 1 2013/11/12 8:56 AM

www.cargocarriers.co.za


in a non-invasive way. The Harken device,

developed jointly by companies, universities

and technology centres, is an innovative

solution, because it measures both variables

– in a scenario affected by vibrations and

user movements – by means of intelligent

materials embedded into the seat cover and

the seat belt.

“The system detects the mechanical

effect of the heartbeat and the respiratory

activity, while filtering and cancelling out

the noise caused by the moving vehicle

elements (vibrations and body movements),

and calculating the relevant parameters

that will be integrated into future fatigue or

somnolence detectors,” Solaz explains.

The system is based on three main

components: the seat sensor, the seat belt

sensor and the signal-processing unit (SPU)

that processes the sensor data in real-time.

Solaz goes on to say: “The device has

been tested by users in closed-track tests,

in order to prove its effectiveness under

real-life conditions”. Preliminary tests have

had positive and reliable results. The project

will soon be allowed to have vehicles on the

road, in order to run tests in actual traffic

scenarios.

Traffic accidents caused by fatigue are

a significant problem in the EU. Fatigue

detectors inside vehicles may, therefore, save

thousands of lives per year, as well as many

millions of euros in health costs.

The same applies in South Africa. So, the

sooner this kind of technology reaches our

shores, the better. In the meantime, what

can drivers do to prevent tiredness from

making them another crash statistic?

For starters, get enough sleep the

night before a long trip – at least six

hours is recommended. Wear good-quality

sunglasses, avoid heavy foods and, of

course, don’t consume any alcohol during

your trip. If you can, have another person

ride with you, so that you will have someone

to talk to who can also share the driving.

Be on the alert for these signs

of sleepiness: trouble keeping your

eyes open, difficulty paying attention, or

yawning frequently. If you notice any of

these danger signs, stop periodically for a

rest, and if needed, a quick nap – even 20

minutes will help. During your break, get

some exercise; it helps you become more

alert, quickly.

The problem with long-distance driving

is that many people do not know (or choose

to ignore) how much driving is too much.

On long trips, schedule a 15-minute break

outside the vehicle every two hours or every

160 km. There is no set rule that stipulates

how far you should drive at any given time, but

no destination is worth risking your life. Don’t

overextend yourself. Determine a reasonable

distance in advance, and stop driving when

you reach it.

If you stop for a rest, choose a designated

rest area or parking lot. It is usually not

advisable to just pull off to the side of the

road to sleep, yet there may be times when

it is better to pull off the road and nap, than

to continue driving and chance falling asleep

behind the wheel.

You could be suffering from driver fatigue if:

• Your eyes go out of focus by themselves and

you battle to see properly;

• You have trouble keeping your head up;

• You can’t stop yawning;

• You can’t concentrate and you lose track

of time;

• You battle to keep an even speed and keep

drifting out of your lane;

• You don’t remember driving the last few

miles;

• You miss the highway off-ramp that you are

supposed to take. |FOCUS

FUCHS LUBRICAnTS COMMITS TO COLLECTIOn OF USED OILSFuchs Lubricants, in partnership with the Rose

Foundation, has committed to collect at least

80 percent of its collectable used oil from

customers in the mining, automotive, industrial

and related sectors.

John Anderson, automotive original equipment

manufacturer manager, Fuchs Lubricants, says:

“Our aim is to create awareness that used oil

is hazardous, but is also a recyclable resource.

We want to influence customer behaviour in

the handling and disposal of used oil through

educational and marketing campaigns.

We are developing synergistic, stable and

sustainable partnerships with groups that have

similar objectives, and in the process we are

raising awareness of the Rose Foundation’s efforts

and initiatives within member companies. This

will enable the role of the National Oil Recycling

Association of South Africa (Nora-SA) to be clearly

communicated and understood.”

Fuchs Lubricants is also considering investing

in the improved handling of various used-oil

containers at collector and bulking facilities, to

increase the volumes collected.

Traffic accidents caused by fatigue are a significant problem in the EU. Fatigue

detectors inside vehicles may save thousands of lives per year, as well as many millions of

euros in health costs.

SHEQ InTRAnSPORT

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ThaT carE!

FOCUS OnWELLnESS

The first company is Mercedes-

Benz South Africa (MBSA), which

has launched its Fleet Owner

Workplace Programme. The

second is Bakers SA Limited, which has

become the first company to complete this

programme. We think both deserve a hearty

pat on the back.

MBSA gets the first pat – because,

together with its corporate social responsibility

partner, Corridor Empowerment Project (CEP),

the company has launched the Fleet Owner

Workplace Programme. This initiative is truly

tremendous, in that it places truck driver health

and safety firmly on centre stage – which can

only be a good thing.

The Fleet Owner Workplace Programme

was born out of MBSA’s legacy of focusing

on employee wellness. As Dr Clifford Panter,

manager for health, safety, compensation and

benefits at MBSA, comments, the company

has been caring for its people in tangible ways

for quite some time. “Our drive for excellence

translates into benchmark achievements in the

field of occupational health and safety. However,

pockets of excellence can never be sustainable,

so, for more than two decades now, we have

made it a mission to share the lessons we have

learned around employee health management

with businesses and communities around us.

This is based on our own first-hand experience

of the benefits of a healthy workforce to the

sustainability of our business,” he tells FOCUS.

For instance, it has long supported Siyakhana,

which lends workplace wellness support to

small and medium enterprises around MBSA’s

production plant in East London. MBSA has

also long been an ardent supporter of the

Trucking Wellness project, an initiative of the

National Bargaining Council of the Road Freight

and Logistics Industry. This project provides

an education and basic healthcare service to

truck drivers along the major freight routes in

southern Africa. This includes dissemination of

information, testing and treatment of HIV/Aids

and other lifestyle-related illnesses.

The company decided that this wasn’t

enough, however, as it wanted to provide a

more holistic approach to the management

of health and wellness on the part of the fleet

owners.

It was thus that it joined forces with CEP

to produce a formal programme that could be

implemented at its customers’ premises – and

the very first “guinea pig” for the programme

was Bakers, which signed up for the Fleet

Owner Workplace Programme last year.

This wasn’t Bakers’ first foray into the

wellness arena; it did have an on-site medical

clinic that provided some basic primary

healthcare and occupational health services.

But, as Michelle Steyn, marketing director of

CEP, tells FOCUS, the programme delivered

so much more. “The MBSA Fleet Owner

Workplace Programme facilitated a workshop

with Bakers management where we discussed

chronic diseases (HIV/Aids specifically) and the

impact thereof on business. We discussed how

the prevention and management of disease

Many companies claim to care about people. Sadly, in the transport industry, we don’t often see much tangible evidence of this. CHARLEEN CLARKE pays tribute to two companies that are breaking the mould in this regard

mErcEdES-BENz ANd BAkErS: compANiES


FOCUS OnWELLnESS

could reduce expenses in an organisation,

and how improved use of health and human

resources data could assist management in

their risk management,” she reveals.

The next step was the establishment and

training of a Workplace Wellness Committee

that could take ownership of the Workplace

Wellness Programme within Bakers. “The

workshop focused on understanding the

diseases that post the highest burden in South

Africa; HIV/Aids, tuberculosis, high blood

pressure, diabetes, obesity, alcohol and drug

abuse and addiction,” she comments.

A Workplace Wellness Policy was

established at Bakers and guidance was

provided when it came to interpreting data from

the clinic (this is obviously vital for management

to use in terms of risk management).

On this note, Abdool Tayob, chief executive

of Bakers SA Limited, says the MBSA Fleet

Owner Workplace Programme has proved

to be an exceptional risk management tool.

“Health and safety are the cornerstones of

our human resources strategy; we know

that a healthy employee is a productive

employee. We understand the conditions

in which our drivers work; it is our moral

obligation to support them as best we can,” he

tells FOCUS.

It’s clear that he really does value his drivers.

“They are the lifeline of our business and of the

country as a whole,” he notes. MBSA’s divisional

manager for group corporate affairs, Mayur

Bhana, concurs. “For every truck that is not on

the road (for whatever reason), our economy

suffers. It is impossible to keep a fleet moving if

the drivers are not in tip-top health,” he points

out.

Tayob adds that employee wellness also

makes sense. “The benefits of this programme

are two-pronged. Yes, it’s about wellness, but

it’s also a business decision because it boosts

productivity.”

In fact, the Bakers CE says that the

bottom-line impact, of an initiative such as

this programme, goes far beyond what we

may construe. “I have done some calculations

and I believe that this programme could add

R7 million to our bottom line. This will enable

us to extend our wellness programme and

provide an improved holistic package for drivers

including, for example, parking facilities, a clinic

and a gym. In essence the programme pays

for itself and is, therefore, self-sustainable,” he

tells FOCUS.

Tayob’s calculation is based on the

positive impact of keeping experienced

drivers. “Experienced drivers can reduce

running costs by at least seven to 13 percent.

Furthermore, the life of a vehicle can increase

by 25 percent when it’s placed in the hands

of an experienced driver. Keeping professional

drivers with the company for longer has a

substantial impact on the profitability of the

company,” he explains.

Based on this, and also on the positive spin-

off for the drivers themselves, Tayob encourages

other companies to participate in the Fleet

Owner Workplace Programme. “We are now,

without a doubt, a pioneer when it comes to

wellness. I am proud to say we are a role model

in this regard. We would like to challenge other

companies to take wellness more seriously. The

industry as a whole has been dragging its feet

for too long,” he stresses.

Let’s hope that other companies heed this

challenge. The industry will be a much better

(and more profitable) place to be. |FOCUS

Above right: Bakers SA celebrated the signing of its workplace wellness policy with stakeholders involved in the Fleet Owner Workplace Programme initiated by Mercedes-Benz South Africa. Pictured (from left) are Mpho Nkhumeleni, sales manager at Daimler Truck and Bus; Tersia Stroh, acting national secretary of the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry; Abdool Tayob, chief executive of Bakers SA; Shabir Tayob, national marketing and logistics director; Mayur Bhana, divisional manager group corporate affairs at Mercedes-Benz South Africa; and Themba Mthombeni, operations director of the Corridor Empowerment Project.

??????????


sleep apnoea is a serious

condition, in which airflow from

the nose and mouth is restricted

during sleep, resulting in pauses

in breathing, which can last ten seconds or

more. It can occur up to 400 times a night.

As they don’t sleep properly lying down

at night, people who are affected by sleep

apnoea (or obstructive sleep apnoea), suffer

from various symptoms, including: excessive

daytime sleepiness, heavy snoring at night,

falling asleep at inappropriate times, impaired

concentration, irritability, personality change

and memory impairment.

For professional drivers, these symptoms

are potentially deadly. Driving is a skill which

incorporates many simultaneous activities by

the brain, thus requiring full concentration. It

is thought that up to 20 percent of fatigue-

related accidents are related to nocturnal

sleep deprivation.

Of course, daytime sleepiness

may occur in people without a sleep

disorder, for instance those who take

certain medications – some anti-allergic

medications, antidepressants, or sleeping

pills – but obstructive sleep apnoea has

been found to be the most common reason

for habitually drowsy driving.

These drivers are as dangerous as

those with high blood-alcohol levels and

the condition cannot be picked up in a

breathalyser test, so the drivers themselves

have to be aware of their sleepiness.

During investigations, it has been

found that drivers, who were involved in

major incidents, had stated that they had

been fighting sleep when these incidents

occurred and had noticed themselves to

be sleepy before the incident, but had failed

to appreciate that extreme sleepiness is

accompanied by a high likelihood of actually

nodding off.

In these cases there is a “micro sleep”

of a few seconds or so where the driver will

have driven up to 100 m while sound asleep.

Obstructive sleep apnoea occurs most

often in moderately or severely obese persons

Sleep apnoea is an ever-increasing problem for professional drivers, thus deserving great exposure.

Dr Betty Maguire highlights the condition

A NigHTmArE for

drivErs

ITOYEXCLUSIvE

??????????????


drivErs

As regular readers of FOCUS know, this magazine has been appointed an associate member of the International Truck of the Year (IToY)! FOCUS is the sole South African magazine to have joined this prestigious body. One of the advantages of this association is access to exclusive articles, specially written for FOCUS by ITOY jury members. This is one such article.

2014

who attempt to sleep on their backs – four

percent of men and two percent of women

are affected. Obstruction of their breathing

passages causes a repeating cycle of sleep,

snoring heavily, sudden obstructive choking

and then awakening with gasping. Daytime

drowsiness follows.

This problem is one of the sleep disorders

and can be diagnosed fairly quickly and dealt

with equally rapidly.

If a driver suspects he or she might have

sleep apnoea, an assessment should be

arranged as a matter of urgency, preferably

by a specialist, as there are immediate

measures that can be taken. For example,

there is a nasal mask that can be applied

immediately and may eliminate the apnoea

and improve daytime alertness. This is known

as the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure

(CPAP) mask.

There are surgical treatments, which

involve widening the airways, and nasal

surgery is also an option. There is the fairly

drastic means of surgical weight loss. This

has been found to have a most dramatic

effect on sleep apnoea. However, some minor

behavioural changes, such as sleeping on the

side rather than the back, also help.

As the body mass index (BMI) correlates

closely with obstructive sleep apnoea (and

the professional driver has a tendency to be

overweight), a Canadian Insurance company

– that had details of drivers’ weights –

found that there was two to three times the

risk of accidents with sleep apnoea in the

overweight driver.

It is important to assess the

professional driver carefully, as their

livelihood is at stake. There is no good

objective test to foretell sleepiness. We

must, therefore, rely on the driver’s

own report of sleepiness, their spouse’s

assessment and any previous accidents

due to sleepiness. An assessment of their

own attitude to the problem, (including

their stated intention to avoid driving while

drowsy) as well as a medical examination,

is also important.

As part of a study of the mechanism of

accidents, a steering simulator was used,

which demonstrated impaired steering

ability with increased wandering around the

road and delayed responses to distracting

events. This was found in persons with sleep

apnoea, and was a result of a combination

of increased sleepiness and poor hand/eye

coordination. All these factors were found to

have improved in the drivers who wore the

CPAP mask.

In fact, in professional drivers, who

require a higher standard of fitness than

those who only drive for short distance,

there is evidence that, even though there is

some sleep apnoea in these drivers, their

accident rate is generally low. Bearing that

in mind, fear of losing their licences should

not inhibit drivers from reporting episodes

of sleepiness, as the problem might then go

underground.

Finally, it is the driver who has to decide

whether or not to drive if he or she is sleepy.

Some responsibility also falls on the driver’s

medical doctor, and also those who are

involved in granting driving licences. Greater

awareness, rapid diagnosis and immediate

treatment, where appropriate, would seem

to be the answer to this problem. |FOCUS

ITOYEXCLUSIvE

The more obese a person, the more he or she is likely to suffer from sleep apnoea.


COMPAnYSPEnD

Encouragingly, 68 percent of companies

review their funding options on an annual basis.

“Companies are getting far more astute. Ninety-

two percent are willing to change if their funding

exercises show there’s value in doing things

differently. Warning bells should sound for the

26 percent that don’t have a detailed funding

analysis.”

How are companies managing their fleets?

There is a shift from pure finance to a fleet

management overview using outsourced

providers. “Globally, corporates are moving to

view all economies in the whole basket. Finance

is not the biggest element of cost anymore, it’s

all the other elements driving it that they want

to consolidate in order to address their costs,”

says Du Plessis.

Further, he notes that vehicles are not core

to the business of many companies – they’re

coincidental and, therefore, a heavy cost. Thirty

percent of the sample said they outsource

finance and maintenance, 17 percent outsource

only the finance and a mere six percent

outsource all fleet-related services. Du Plessis

is confident that number will rise as fleet

management suppliers become even more

mature.

Is an allowance a better alternative?

Whatever options are taken, it must be

affordable to the company and cost-neutral

to employees. “More than 60 percent of

companies put staff, whose business

is essential, in vehicles that represent

the corporate image and allow control of

maintenance. But a lot of companies aren’t

doing the calculations,” he cautions.

The cost of travel allowances is also not

fully understood: 61 percent of companies

have allowance policies, but 39 percent have

no formal process in place to calculate cost.

Fuel, driver behaviour and other factors

Fuel now equates to around 44 percent of

total fleet costs – the single biggest cost,

having increased 570 percent in the last

15 years. “Some companies don’t realise

what it can cost to give an allowance – 21

percent give a fuel card as well, nine percent

also pay for vehicle maintenance. These are

massive costs that they are giving away for

free!”

To control this, 43 percent of companies

restrict private mileages on allowances and

company cars and, while it is in fact law,

69 percent of companies offering allowances

are now making log books mandatory.

“Corporates in South Africa are becoming

more socially responsible, but 70 percent

still have no formal fleet policy. Bringing more

control to fleets will help control costs and

also flow back to the economy,” concludes

Du Plessis. |FOCUS

Eqstra Fleet Management’s 2014 annual travel benchmark survey illustrates that, while some are getting there, most South African corporates still have a way to go in managing their fleets and controlling costs

A mATTEr of

cosT

The concept of running a fleet of

vehicles that allows a company’s

staff to do their jobs is sometimes

mystifying and can end up costing

a company far more than it should.

For the past two years, Eqstra Fleet

Management has published its annual travel

benchmark survey, telling companies running

fleets what the key market issues are, and how

to address them. This year’s survey attracted

107 respondents representing 36 000

vehicles and 243 000 employees.

“This is the biggest (and probably only) study of

its kind in South Africa,” says Hein du Plessis, head

of Eqstra Fleet Solutions. The study points out

that the cost of finance is no longer the biggest

deciding factor; maintenance, fuel and driver

management are more important than ever.

How are companies financing their fleets?

In its 2013 survey, Eqstra found that 60 percent

of respondents outsourced finance to procure

vehicles. This year, the figure dropped to 47

percent, which, it would seem, indicates a move

away from outsourcing finance.

“It’s not that companies have more money

to spend,” explains Du Plessis, “with the sample

growing I don’t think there’s a statistic shift

towards a different funding methodology.” To

illustrate his point, Du Plessis indicates that the

more mature the market (like Europe), the more

there’s a shift towards outsourcing.

We are passionate about delivering measurable value to our customers

By integrating all fleet solutions into one view

Contact us: [email protected], +27 (0) 11 458 7555 or www.efm.co.za

www.efm.co.za

??????????????

September 2014 |FOCUS| 53www.mixtelematics.co.za

It is estimated that fatigue is the underlying cause in 90% of road accidents as well as 10 to 20% of fatalities on our roads. The question is: are �eet operators doing anything to prevent this from happening? Fatigue can be identi�ed and, therefore, managed.

Contact MiX Telematics on 011 654 8004 to arrange a consultation. As always, we're here to partner with our customers and equip them with innovative tools to boost safety and reduce risk.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Focus on T & L_Sept 2014_print.pdf 1 2014/08/26 12:47 PM

www.mixtelematics.co.za


GLOBALFOCUS

Powertrain Control, an Intelligent Transport

Systems Vehicle Station, radar sensors, a

stereo camera as well as vehicle-to-vehicle

and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication.

The end result was an articulated combination

which could, under certain circumstances,

drive itself.

At the present state of the art, a driver is

still present to take over should circumstances

dictate. These circumstances include starting,

stopping and overtaking slower-moving traffic.

While on the move, however, driver intervention

by steering, braking or accelerating is largely

discretionary, as the vehicle can take care of

incidents – such as broken down vehicles at

the roadside, an emergency vehicle wishing to

overtake or gusting crosswinds – entirely on

its own. While not required to intervene, the

driver can attend to administrative business,

plan his next trip, listen to music or generally

relax while the truck drives itself in an efficient

and totally legal manner at speeds up to

80 km/h.

Is this science fiction? Not at all! Logically,

autonomous (or self-driving) vehicles are only

a progressive extension of the safety and

convenience functions that are already found

in many modern vehicles.

These include the electronic control

of functions to manage and optimise the

In his monthly review of global news for local truckers, FRANK BEETON expands on the autonomy theme

exemplified by Daimler’s “Future Truck 2025”, speculates on a future direction for European truck design,

and updates the detail on Iveco’s new Daily van, truck and bus line-up

morE, from THE

fuTurE

The unveiling by Daimler Trucks of

its “Future Truck 2025” concept,

during July, was deservedly the

subject of much media attention

– you may have read Charleen Clarke’s

interview with it last month …

Essentially, this rig was made up

of a Mercedes-Benz Actros 1845 truck

tractor coupled with the manufacturer’s

Aerodynamics Trailer concept, but also

equipped with “Highway Pilot” functionality.

This integrates and coordinates a

multitude of on-board systems including

Proximity Control Assist, Emergency Braking

Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Predictive


GLOBALFOCUS

drivetrain, suspension, braking, lights, cruise

control, lane deviation, seatbelt tension,

airbags, seats, interior climate control,

entertainment and navigation, and even

parallel parking.

These functions are also able to cross-

communicate to enhance performance,

cornering, braking and collision avoidance

and, as a last resort, “prepare” the

vehicle and its occupants for a seemingly

unavoidable accident in such a way that injury

is ameliorated.

Historically, most of the innovation has

been directed towards assisting the driver

to improve his/her performance, find the

intended destination, be entertained, or

keep out of trouble. However, if all of this

functionality is added together, it follows that

vehicles should be able to drive themselves,

without any direct human input.

This is particularly significant, given the

global situation where more than one million

people die annually in traffic accidents, and

it begs the question of whether the human

element – that is directly, or indirectly,

responsible for the vast majority of fatal

accidents – should be taken out of the

equation?

The concept of fully automated, or

autonomous vehicles, has recently gathered

a great deal of momentum, particularly in

the light-vehicle arena, and there have been

several predictions of commercially available

versions from about 2020 onwards.

It is now well-accepted that the electronic

management functions of vehicles could also

access public information systems, providing

details of weather, road condition and traffic

density, and that individual vehicles could

“talk” to each other. This would allow them to

take appropriate pre-emptive action to avoid

accidents, or cope with sudden changes in

climatic or road conditions.

The Mercedes Benz Future Truck 2025

represents an important step by a truck

manufacturer into the realm of autonomy,

and we look forward to the promised unveiling

of the “final and spectacular version” of

this concept at the 2014 IAA International

Commercial Vehicle Show.

In the meantime, manufacturers will

continue with testing and development, until

a totally practicable “autonomous” solution is

evolved. Obviously, this technology will carry a

substantial cost, and there has been much

discussion about its ultimate affordability. morE, from THE

fuTurE

Daimler’s Future Truck 2025 can interact with traffic while the driver does his office work!

Renault’s 2008 Optifuel concept added a short bonnet to the front of a typical European cab. This could be an important pointer to future design.

»


GLOBALFOCUS

There are also concerns about the

degree to which it will be dependent on

outside cues, such as road markings, and the

possible consequences of less than perfect

infrastructure upkeep.

However, there is little doubt that

autonomous vehicles will have the potential

to make roads safer, and save lives. Global

Focus will be following the progress of this

technology closely over the following few

years.

THE FUTURE OF EUROPEAn

DESIGn?

The single most important difference

between American heavy-truck operators

and their counterparts in the rest of the

world is the persistent refusal of the former

to consider anything other than conventional

(normal control, bonneted) cabs, for the vast

majority of their fleet purchases. This reflects

the preferences of drivers, based on their

safety perceptions, and mechanics requiring

convenient access to major mechanical

units.

The traditional American “18 wheeler”

rig consists of a bonneted 6x4 prime mover,

with luxurious sleeper cab, hitched to a

tandem-axle semi-trailer, and there are very

few exceptions to this rule.

In Europe, Asia and South America,

however, the picture is very different, with the

vast majority of operators opting for forward

control (cabover) layouts, in order to fully

utilise axle mass limits, and to accommodate

the largest possible volume of freight within

prescribed legal dimensional parameters.

With major truck groups, such

as Daimler, Volvo and Volkswagen,

headquartered in Europe, that continent

is pretty much the centre of the universe

for truck design in the 21st century, and

its manufacturers have expended vast

amounts of technical intellect, money and

ingenuity to ensure that their favoured

slab-fronted truck designs progressively

emit fewer emissions in line with ever-

tightening environmental legislation, while

still improving fuel efficiency.

The evidence of this could be seen in

the highly integrated product designs that

emerged during 2012 and 2013, ahead of

the final implementation of Euro-6 emission

standards at the beginning of this year.

However, the quest for environmental

Utopia does not stop, and there is always

the challenge of clearing the next legislative

hurdle, while still keeping transport operators

(and the truck manufacturers) in business.

With mono-nitrogen oxide (NOx) and

particulate emissions under firm Euro-6

control, the emphasis has now shifted to the

reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) outputs,

and this has led to a call for Europe to

consider relaxing its widespread 16,5-m

(articulated) and 18,75-m (truck and drawbar

trailer) length limits to allow for more efficient

operation.

One school of thought advocates the

use of multiple trailers, similar to the

Australian B-Double and South African

interlink combinations, on the principle that

individual prime movers can then move

more freight, thus reducing the number of

vehicles on the road emitting CO2, but there

has been considerable political resistance

to any suggestion of bigger or heavier

“juggernauts”.

However, the drive for reduced CO2

levels is very powerful, and the Transport

Committee of the European Parliament

recently voted to relax truck overall length

limits in the pursuit of increased aerodynamic

efficiency. If the European Council concurs,

and new regulations are adopted by the 27

European Union countries, rules could come

into force by 2022 allowing truck cabs to be

800 mm longer than at present.

However, merely adding a longer

aerodynamic “nose” to the existing cab

designs is likely to be undesirable in terms

of front overhang dimensions, turning circles

and approach angles. Some degree of

configuration change would be necessary,

with wheelbase dimensions increased and

front axles moved forward under the “nose”.

This will inevitably necessitate a substantial

redesign of the typical European heavy truck,

into something presumably about halfway

between the present continental and North

American patterns.

Truck manufacturers would warmly

welcome a more universal design approach

It seems highly likely that heavy trucks, in the third decade of the 21st century, will

differ considerably in appearance from those currently seen on the roads of the world.


GLOBALFOCUS

Global FOCUS is a monthly update of international news relating to the commercial vehicle industry. It is compiled exclusively for FOCUS by Frank Beeton of Econometrix. Do you have a comment or thought you would like to share based on this column? Visit www.focusontransport.co.za and have your say.

that would suit all of the world’s major

markets. The present situation, where a

completely different layout is required for

North America, is an expensive distraction

and works against the global amortisation

of product development costs. Side benefits

of a European move to longer cabs would

probably include increased internal space,

which is likely to be welcomed by drivers and

trade unions.

In the past, several European

manufacturers have exhibited truck concepts

at shows featuring longer cabs, but most

were primarily intended to address driver

safety concerns about being placed at the

extreme front of the vehicle in the case of

an accident.

Renault’s 2008 “Optifuel” concept,

however, added a 300 mm nose to its

Premium cab, and returned a 13-percent fuel

consumption benefit under test, while MAN’s

2010 Concept S and matching semi-trailer

claimed a 20-percent reduction, but needed

a two-metre length increase to achieve it.

These designs could most accurately be

described as “semi-forward” control, rather

than outright conventional, and this may give

some hint of future direction.

There can be no doubt that designers

and engineers at the major European truck

builders are already applying their minds

to these new possibilities, and, given the

leading position that Europe enjoys in the

global industry, it is to be hoped that the

resulting designs may find wider geographic

acceptance, and do away with the inconvenient

Transatlantic dichotomy .

Whatever the outcome, it seems highly

likely that heavy trucks, in the third decade

of the 21st century, will differ considerably in

appearance from those currently seen on the

roads of the world.

nEW DAILY In MORE DETAIL

In our recent coverage of Euro van news, we

made mention of Iveco’s totally redesigned

third-generation Daily range that was due to

make its debut in June, 2014. More detail

on this range, which contains 80 percent

redesigned components, has now emerged,

and there have been some interesting

specification developments which justify a

second visit to this topic.

The Daily was first introduced to the

European market in 1978. Significant

revisions were made in 1999, and now in

2014. Daily production in Europe, South

America and Asia has totalled more than

2,6 million units to date, with sales in more

than 110 countries. The latest iteration of

this highly successful product line stems

from a $US 700 million (about R7,5 trillion)

investment in product development and

upgraded production facilities.

As noted earlier, the new generation

retains Daily’s traditional ladder-frame

construction, facilitating the offering of

chassis/cab derivatives for light-truck

applications, and there are now two distinct

frame layouts, optimised for chassis/cab

and van applications, respectively.

Models with gross vehicle mass (GVM)

ratings up to 3,5 t are now equipped with

a new semi-independent Quad-leaf front

suspension, using double quadrilateral

transverse leaf springs, while single rear-

wheel models have a redesigned rear

suspension providing reduced loading height

and improved cornering stability.

Revision of the wheelbase/length

relationship of the van design has resulted

in nine configurations with volume capacities

ranging from 7,3 m³ to 19,6 m³. The

chassis/cab line-up includes six wheelbase

lengths ranging from three to 4,75 m, and

GVM ratings covering the spectrum from 3,3

to seven tonnes.

The power unit selection supplied by Fiat

Powertrain Technologies comprises 2,3- and

3,0-litre diesel or natural gas engines, offering

power outputs from 80 kW (106 hp) to

150 kW (205 hp). Both engine displacements

are available at the Euro-5b+ compliance

level, using Exhaust Gas Recirculation, while

the Euro-6 rated three--litre adds Selective

Catalytic Reduction.

The Euro-6 engines are equipped with a

new generation 2 000-bar pressure, common-

rail fuel injection system, and all engines drive

through six-speed transmissions, including

ZF’s Agile automated unit.

Improved aerodynamics, push-button

engine mapping, Smart Alternator kinetic

energy recovery, low-friction interventions and

operating logic control of the air-conditioning

have resulted in a claimed average fuel

economy improvement of 5,5 percent over

the previous model Daily.

Four Euro-6 fully finished minibus variants

will also be available off the assembly

line in Suzzara, Italy, to cover the specific

requirements of interurban, touring, urban

and school bus operators. These buses will

feature Electronic Stability Control, Lane

Departure Warning, improved climate

control and air suspension, and offer seating

accommodation for up to 22 adults, 32

primary scholars or 32 high school scholars.

A bespoke motor home conversion will also

be available from this source. |FOCUS

Iveco’s Daily has a new face, and different frames for bus and truck derivatives.

USEDvEHICLES

“Transport is a trust business, you have to do it morally,” says Melville.

used vehicles – and their

salesmen – are always all

painted with the same brush. In

the case of the vehicles, they’re

high-mileage rust buckets that will fail on you

at the very first load. Their salesmen: greasy-

haired sharks out for a quick buck.

Who, then, could be better to sell you a

used vehicle than someone who once bought a

high-mileage rust bucket – which failed at the

top of Van Reenen’s Pass on the first load –

from a greasy-haired shark?

This man is Ronald Melville, used-vehicles

sales manager at Scania South Africa. “I was

lied to when I bought that vehicle; I battled

from then on, because it was continuously

problematic,” he tells us. “It was the wrong

vehicle for the application, totally unreliable and

the dealer didn’t care. It’s also what happens

when you don’t buy from a reputable dealer …”

This kind of first-hand experience is what

has allowed Melville – who has been with

Scania since 2005 – to give honest guidance

to his clients. “It’s fine to make the numbers,

but transport is a trust business and you have

to do it morally,” he notes. Clearly, this attitude

bodes well for business.

Melville likes to form relationships based

on reliability, affordability and efficiency, he

emphasises, noting that the support offered

by Scania South Africa – wholly owned by its

Swedish parent company – makes this much

easier to achieve.

“There is a great support function. As soon

as you can support the product, productivity

and efficiency can go up. Once you can help a

customer become efficient, he’s not going to

run far from you,” Melville explains. “We like to

connect reliability to that – especially given the

reputation associated with used vehicles.”

Scania’s approach to its used-vehicle

operation involves investing in the vehicles

themselves, so that they are in top condition,

as well as in the technicians responsible

for their new lease on life and post-delivery

support – especially regarding cross-border

operators.

The company offers different “ranges”

of vehicles. Some trucks are off full-repair

and maintenance contracts, but have been

fully maintained by Scania. These are offered

with premium packages including extended

warranties.

Then there are vehicles that have had

only a service contract. All vehicles are sold

with roadworthy certificates and warranties

dependant on mileage: either six-months/

100 000 km or three-months/60 000 km. It

also sells vehicles from other manufacturers,

with the option of an aftermarket warranty not

carried by Scania.

Melville says it best: “We clean up the

vehicles and go through them thoroughly in

the workshop – we don’t just add a splash of

lipstick!”

Melville explains that most used-vehicle

customers are new to the industry, “not

many big operators buy a lot of used

vehicles,” he says. “A new operator will buy

his first truck from us and probably the next

two. Then, generally, after the third he’ll buy

new.”

Melville says it’s interesting to see how the

market fluctuates, with most used vehicles

sold in the second half of the year. “We get a

lot of ‘seasonal buys’ – farmers, for example,

normally take higher-mileage vehicles that will

still be good for a long time because they only

use them in-season,” he explains. “Vehicles

from the mining sector work a lot harder, but

we disclose this information. If you’re going to

be running high mileages, your vehicle will go

through its second life quickly, so sometimes

it’s better to buy new … Each vehicle sells on

its own merit,” he continues.

In this regard, education is something

Melville emphasises. His staff regularly attend

training courses. “We need to sell customers

the vehicle they need, not the one we want

to move. We’ve got no problem disclosing

information [about the vehicle’s past] and we

give a lot of direction and support to these

new entrants.

“I want to see our customers succeed and

be a partner in their success. I want to say,

‘there’s somebody who’s made it … I started

with him on his journey’,” says Melville.

If ever there was a man and a company to

disprove the idea of greasy-haired sharks out

for a quick buck, it’s Melville and Scania Used

Vehicles. |FOCUS

doNE propErLy

uSEd

vEhicLEs

Used vehicles, and specifically their dealers, tend to attract a lot

of “bad press”. Scania Used Vehicles is changing that, though



MOBILESOUP KITCHEnS

since launching its feeding

programme in 2007, Shoprite’s

fleet of Mobile Soup Kitchens

has served 19 million cups of

soup to people living in dire circumstances

and those who are victims of natural

disasters.

“In association with our partners, the

Shoprite Mobile Soup Kitchens provide a

nutritional meal of fortified soup and bread to

approximately 600 000 South Africans per

month,” comments Neil Schreuder, Shoprite

Checkers marketing director.

Those souping up this wonderful initiative

alongside Shoprite include Albany, Sasko,

Mercedes-Benz South Africa (SA), Toyota

SA, Volkswagen SA and UD Trucks Southern

Africa.

Shreuder adds: “The mobile units are

also deployed to offer relief to victims of

natural disasters, such as floods and fires, in

the most affected areas. The supermarket

group is aware of the ongoing economic

pressures experienced by all South Africans,

especially in underprivileged communities,

and we believe that our Mobile Soup

Kitchens offer not only a cup of soup, but a

meal of hope.”

FROM HUMbLE bEGINNINGS

Starting off with only two Mobile Soup

Kitchens, serving the Gauteng and North

West provinces, the programme was

gradually extended to 12 units, in order

to cover more disadvantaged communities

in need across South Africa, the retailer

notes.

Today, the fleet has grown to a magnificent

22 units (with an additional ten trucks being

added earlier this year). It’s projected that this

total will bump up the feeding programme’s

reach to more than seven million people –

this year alone!

CELEbRATIONS

To commemorate these 22 stars

(customised with fully-functional kitchens,

where the nutritional soup is prepared, and

manned by well-trained crew members),

Shoprite did what these units do seven days

a week, across all nine provinces: it served

hundreds of hot meals to those in need.

The formalities took place at its

distribution centre in Centurion, Gauteng,

but groups were deployed countrywide to

spread some hope. Celebrities such as

Winnie Khumalo, Dr Malinga, Liezel van der

Westhuizen, Ismail Abrahams, Nomonde

Vakalisa and Brümilda van Rensburg

were thrilled to join Shoprite in making a

difference.

The Gauteng beneficiaries that received

a visit from the Mobile Soup Kitchens include

Tlhakanang Primary School in Tembisa, Bona

Lesedi Disability Centre in Diepsloot West

and the Danville Liggiehuis in Pretoria.

Beneficiaries in other parts of South Africa

included: Tswellang Special Needs School in

Bloemfontein; Slindokuhle Soup Kitchen in Joe

Slovo, Port Elizabeth; Sijongephambili Early

Childhood Development Centre in Lwandle,

Cape Town; and Amatikwe Primary School in

Inanda, Durban.

MAKING A REAL dIFFERENCE

Jeanne Cerff, general manager of food at Mars

Africa – producers of Royco Soup, one of the

Mobile Soup Kitchens’ sponsors – comments:

“In a country where only half of our families

have enough food to eat and hunger is a reality

(especially among children and the elderly), we

believe that the communities served by these

mobile soup kitchens benefit from the fortified

soup that has been developed specially for this

programme.” |FOCUS

According to the World Bank’s report, Nutrition at a Glance: South Africa, it is estimated that our country

loses about US$ 1,1 billion (R11,87 billion) every year in gross domestic product (GDP) as a result of

vitamin and mineral deficiencies arising from malnutrition … but Shoprite is fighting the good fight with

its Mobile Soup Kitchen programme

puTS THE Soup oN shopriTE

www.isuzutrucks.co.za

www.michelin.co.za

www.diagonalsolutions.co.za

www.zaf.sika.com


HAULSSHORT

CaRgO CaRRieRS TakeS PROTea CHemiCalS inTO THe CHlORine maRkeT

Until recently, the South African

chlorine market was dominated

by one chemical giant. Since

August 2013, however, a new

player has been competing in

this sector: Protea Chemicals.

The company has constructed a

new independent chlorine filling

and distribution plant, based on

a long-term supply agreement,

to source chlorine from Sasol.

In May last year, Protea

Chemicals contracted bulk-

haulage specialist, Cargo Carriers

(which has in excess of 20 years’

experience in this industry), to

transport its chlorine to Protea’s

specialised warehouses in

Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

Given the potential hazards of

transporting chlorine – a leak

or a spill can result in injury or

death – safety is non-negotiable.

Andre Jansen van Vuuren,

marketing director at Cargo

Carriers, says: “The safety

issue is the reason we use

custom-built trailers – Cargo

Carriers is the only haulier in the

industry using them.” The newly

designed interlink trailers have

two specialised safety features:

semi-circular cradles to hold the

load more securely, and cranes

to facilitate safe loading and

offloading of 70 kg cylinders, as

well as one-tonne drums.

In the unlikely event of a leak

en route, the crane allows the

driver to remove a portion of the

load quickly, and hand it over to

emergency services. All vehicles

transporting chemicals are

fitted with hazardous chemicals

safety boards and transport

emergency cards (containing

product classification and

emergency specialist contact

numbers).

“We’ve been transporting

dangerous loads for more than

35 years,” says Van Vuuren.

“We focus on ongoing driver

training and skills upgrading, in

both road safety and handling

hazardous materials.”

a Sneak Peek OF THe 2015 ViTOThe new Mercedes-Benz Vito’s launch is imminent in the United

Kingdom, but it’s going to be a while before we see it on South African

roads … it’s scheduled to be launched middle 2015. Here, however, is

a sneak peek of what we can expect!

All three derivatives (the panel van, combi and minibus) are

140 mm longer than the preceding Vito, which can be attributed to

an extended front end. The resulting vehicle lengths are 4 895 mm,

5 140 mm and 5 370 mm – with a maximum vehicle height of

1 910 mm, depending on the model.

Mercedes-Benz states that interior dimensions have been

increased as well, resulting in enhanced space for the driver and

passenger. The company adds that the stowage concept received

plenty of attention during development. “After all, for many drivers

the new Vito is their office and a living space too.”

The 2015 range also offers more choice as it is available in both

rear-wheel and, now, front-wheel drive. “The correlation is clear: the

new front-wheel drive system in the range is very light,” notes the

manufacturer. “When unladen or carrying only a light load, front-

wheel drive offers better traction.”

It has a transverse-mounted, compact four-cylinder engine with a

displacement of 1,6 litres and is available in two power ratings: the

Vito 109 CDI with 65 kW and the Vito 111 CDI with 84 kW.

Mercedes-Benz adds that proven rear-wheel drive is the right

solution for all applications involving heavy weights, high towing

capacities and exceptional driving dynamics.

This derivative has a four-cylinder engine with a 2,15-litre

displacement. It is available at three power output levels: Vito

114 CDI, 100 kW; Vito 116 CDI, 120 kW; and Vito 119 BlueTEC,

140 kW.

The manufacturer states that every new Vito benefits from long

service intervals of up to 40 000 km or two years. Local specifications

and pricing will be released closer to the launch date.


SHORTHAULS

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SUPPLY CHAIn IS KEY TO CUSTOMER-CEnTRICITYBarloworld Logistics’ 2014 supply chain

foresight survey reveals that South African

companies are going through a transition

phase, as they strive to become more

customer-centric.

Kate Stubbs, marketing executive for

Barloworld Logistics, explains: “Over the

past few years we have seen the rise of an

increasing need to understand customers

and service them better and more

intricately, as well as the need to respond

proactively to changing market demands –

which all speaks to customer-centricity.

“It is clear, from responses to this year’s

survey, that companies are also trying

to find ways to set up their businesses

differently, so they can address different

market segments with customised

solutions, instead of the traditional one-size-

fits-all approach.”

Respondents recognise the need to

understand their customers better, but the

statistics show that there is a disconnect

between the desire to achieve customer-

centricity, and the ability to do so.

Survey responses indicate that the

supply chain is seen as being integral to

servicing customers better. Out of all those

who responded, 92 percent said customer-

centricity cannot be achieved without a

supply chain strategy that is focused on

delivering customer value, while 78 percent

ranked improving customer service as the

top strategic supply chain objective.

“This highlights the need to ensure

that all elements of the supply chain, both

internally and externally, are integrated to

deliver what customers want. This needs

to be supported by the use of technology

to gather information and convert it into

business intelligence, which can be used

to anticipate and respond to customers’

needs,” says Stubbs.

“While this might cost money in the

short term, it will create greater value for

the customer. This will, in turn, lead to

business growth and longevity,”

she concludes.

nEW OnE-STOP UD TRUCKS SHOP In

KZn

Combined Motor Holdings (CMH) has announced

the opening of a new, modern R45-million UD

Trucks dealership in KwaZulu-Natal. This new

facility, situated in Pinetown, offers customers

a proverbial one-stop shop with complete sales,

service, parts and finance support.

UD Trucks and CMH have a relationship that

spans more than 35 years, with UD being one of

the company’s first franchises.

“We believe that UD Trucks offers truck

owners a variety of applications, dependability,

quality and cost effectiveness, no matter the size

of their fleet,” says Ron Byng, dealer principal

of CMH Commercial UD Trucks. “The people

behind the brand are passionate and professional,

supporting us every step of the way.”

The new CMH UD Trucks dealership features

a number of in-house services, including brake

roller and brake testing equipment, roadworthy

testing, vehicle financing, maintenance contracts

and transport consultancy services. Other

services customers can also depend on are

24-hour roadside assistance, an express service

and maintenance bay, as well as after-hours

servicing.

Jacques Carelse, managing director of UD

Trucks Southern Africa, says: “As a manufacturer,

with a local presence of more than 52 years, we

are extremely privileged to have a dealer group of

CMH’s calibre, as part of our dealer network and

our dealer council. We greatly value CMH’s input,

expertise and industry knowledge and we believe

that it is an outstanding ambassador of the UD

Trucks brand.”

http://www.focusontransport.co.za/component/contact/12-contacts/1-general-enquiries.html


nAAMSA

Light Commercial Vehicles < 3 501 kg Total: 15 081AMH 806Fiat Group 28Ford Motor Company 2 947GMSA 2 744GWM – estimate 242Jaguar/Land Rover 19JMC 29Mahindra 234Mercedes-Benz SA 19Mitsubishi Motors SA 61Nissan 2 438Peugeot Citroën SA 17Renault 41Suzuki Auto 9TATA 161Toyota 4 802Volkswagen SA 484

Medium Commercial Vehicles 3 501 – 8 500 kg Total: 856AMH 22FAW 3Fiat Group 9Ford Motor Company 16GMSA 201Iveco 40JMC 13Mercedes-Benz SA 184Peugeot Citroën SA 4TATA 28Toyota 212UD Trucks 58Volkswagen SA 66

Heavy Commercial Vehicles 8 501 – 16 500 kg Total: 421FAW 21GMSA 101Iveco 5MAN 8Mercedes-Benz SA 54TATA 35Toyota 90UD Trucks 107

Extra-Heavy Commercial Vehicles > 16 500 kg Total: 1 265Babcock DAF 30FAW 29GMSA 52Iveco 49MAN 122Mercedes-Benz SA 384Powerstar 41Renault Trucks 21Scania 132TATA 17Toyota 35UD Trucks 121Volvo Trucks 232

buses > 8 500 kg Total: 102GMSA 3Iveco 4MAN 47Mercedes-Benz SA 21Scania 9TATA 10Volvo Bus 8

*Source: National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa).

coMMErciaL vEhicLE saLEs rEporT for JuLy 2014Note: For the time being, Great Wall Motors SA (Pty) Ltd will only report aggregated sales data. The GWMSA market split volumes are estimates based on historical trends and forecasting techniques.


STOPSBUS

New V-ClaSS reCeiVeS red dOt awardAs part of the Red Dot Gala during July in Essen, Germany, the new Mercedes-

Benz V-Class received the Red Dot Award for product design.

The multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) impressed the jury primarily with its

elegance and sportiness. Thanks to its design elements, the new V-Class is

unmistakably a member of the Mercedes-Benz family and exudes an air of

modern luxury.

The powerful front is underscored by an upright radiator grille with a three-

dimensional, centrally positioned star, and gives the vehicle its character. Typical

features of the brand also include the headlamps, which extend far into the

wings.

The interior, too, demonstrates the Mercedes-Benz design philosophy. The

cockpit, in particular, features strong passenger car characteristics, with the

design of the circular instruments, the ventilation outlets and the freestanding

central display. The intelligent use of space is also impressive.

Gorden Wagener, head of design at Daimler AG, says: “Sensuous, dynamic

contours, intelligently showcased high-tech and exquisite high-class appeal,

make the V-Class an automotive icon that blends elegance and functionality to

perfection. The new V-Class is a self-confident statement of modern luxury and

embodies our design philosophy of sensual purity in striking fashion.”

eNVirONmeNtal SUStaiNaBility: daNger tO hUmaNS?Green has become the new black as original equipment manufacturers

(OEMs), the world over, are embracing environmental sustainability

through vehicles that run on alternative fuels. This might, however, be

dangerous to humans – especially when it comes to buses …

SP Fire Research – part of SP Technical Research Institute of

Sweden and one of the largest fire research facilities in the world – has

been involved in the investigation of an incident, in the south of Sweden,

where two gas buses collided and started to burn.

“The work was commissioned by The Swedish Accident Investigation

Authority,” the research institution notes in a media statement. “The

reason for fire was that gas ignited oil in the engine compartment.

As part of the investigation, a full-scale reconstruction of the bus fire

was carried out, in order to establish the cause of ignition and answer

the question of why the fire suppression system did not manage to

extinguish the fire.”

The investigation led to a number of conclusions and

recommendations from The Swedish Accident Investigation Authority

to the Swedish Civil Contingencies and the Swedish Transport Agency.

These include: a pressing need to develop procedures for first

responders on how to approach compressed natural gas (CNG) bus

fires; establishing requirements for fixed fire-suppression systems in

engine compartments; required function control of fire-suppression

systems in conjunction with the regular vehicle inspection; and extended

and customised professional driver training for bus drivers with

exercises in fire safety and evacuation.

Studies like these are of the utmost importance, as various

alternative fuels are emerging to replace their fossil counterparts the

world over. “Hybrids, natural gas, all-electric and even hydrogen buses

are currently being used,” notes SP. “The overall benefit is great, but the

fire risks change with new fuels and technical solutions.”

So, as SP relates, one hindrance to the introduction of alternative

fuels is the perception that they may result in explosions and increased

risk. “Dissemination of present knowledge and development of new

data is key to the wide-scale introduction of alternative fuels.”


PUBLICTRAnSPORT

Let’s start by looking at cities like

New York and San Francisco. Both

boast a sustainable, pedestrian-

friendly urban form that reduces

the need for cars. Transit-oriented cities have

better air quality, with lower greenhouse gas

emissions and benefit from reduced traffic

congestion with shorter commuting times.

Evidence even shows that people in cities

with a range of transportation options, like

Vancouver, are less sedentary, get more

exercise and are happier and healthier as

a result.

There’s growing recognition that

prioritising transit is crucial to moving a

region forward. For example, since the 1970s,

Curitiba, Brazil – a city with a population of

1,9 million people – has invested billions in its

BRT network. There, public transportation is

fully integrated into planning decisions.

High-density hubs with shopping centres

and office buildings are located within walking

distance of transit stations and commuters

have access to a fleet of more than 2 000

modern, low-emission buses, servicing 390

routes that crisscross the city and connect

it to surrounding communities. Eighty-five

percent of Curitiba’s residents use the BRT

system, which has reduced car trips by a

whopping 27 million a year.

Toronto’s Thorncliffe Park also illustrates

how transit investments can improve

residents’ lives. In his book, Arrival City, Globe

and Mail columnist Doug Saunders argues

that easy access to transit, among other

factors, is one reason that Thorncliffe Park

has avoided many social problems that plague

similar inner-city neighbourhoods. Though

most residents are recent immigrants, half

speak a first language other than English and

many are poor, Thorncliffe Park residents

integrate well into Canadian society, and

many enter the urban middle-class within a

generation.

Saunders believes this is in part because

the neighbourhood is well connected to

Toronto’s downtown, with bus and subway

routes, and has easy access to schools,

The world’s leading cities owe their success, in part, to government investments in transit systems that use a

range of solutions to move residents safely and affordably, including bus rapid transit (BRT) networks. CLAIRE

RENCKEN takes a look at what the South African bus industry can learn from the rest of the world

cAN SA mAkE iTS ciTiES morE

TransiT-oriEnTEd?


PUBLICTRAnSPORT

employment and other opportunities. Transit

facilitates social and economic links to the

core of the city and helps residents overcome

the physical isolation that plagues many

communities.

In terms of logistics and being user-

friendly, Vaughan Mostert, senior lecturer

in the Department of Transport and Supply

Chain Management at the University of

Johannesburg, feels that London’s public

transport system is arguably the best

example of a good one, at least in the English-

speaking world.

“Not only does it use the latest technology,

but its operating practices are good as well.

This means good frequencies (every ten to

15 minutes), good route coverage, a good

ticket system that allows transfers, a fairly

easy-to-use website that shows maps and

times, and an easy-to-read font and logo

that is common on all documents, publicity

material and destination signs.”

Paul Browning, a public transport

consultant with TransForum Business

Development, says: “The most significant

lesson that our public transport industry

might learn from other developed countries

is that, in almost all of them, public transport

services are planned in an integrated

fashion by local/metropolitan authorities

and operated under contract by private

companies. The operating companies are

paid a rate per kilometre designed to meet

all their operating costs plus an agreed

amount for profit.

“This is indeed the pattern described in the

South African National Land Transport Act

(NLTA) 2009. Implementation is, however,

proving to be very slow. One reason is that the

emphasis has been on BRT systems, which

are infrastructure-led. The bus companies

should press for urgent implementation of

the relevant provisions of the Act.

“The Act provides for the first such

contract to be negotiated with existing

operators rather than put out to competitive

tender. It also states that these first contracts

can be for a period of up to 12 years.”

So, perhaps South African bus companies

should agitate for the implementation of the

NLTA throughout the country. “In doing so,

they might point to the practices adopted in

other countries,” suggests Browning.

At present, in Gauteng there are plans

for another 140 km of Gautrain to be built.

On June 15, the Sunday Times published

an article stating that the new line from

Mamelodi to Roodepoort “has been given

the green light by the Gauteng government”.

The new network will see an additional 16

stations being built.

However, Mostert is not so sure about

the wisdom of this decision. “Despite the

promises of systems such as the Gautrain

and the various BRT systems around the

country to reduce the number of cars on

the roads, to ease traffic congestion and

reduce harmful emissions, no real difference

has been recorded to date. This begs the

question – would it not be better to take

R20 billion and rather inject it into improving

existing transport systems?”

One could, for example, pump it into the

taxi industry, and improve and upgrade what

is already there, in order to provide people

with a real door-to-door alternative, truly

incentivising them to use public transport

rather than hopping in their own cars.

Effective transit and transportation

solutions can spur economic productivity,

protect the environment and improve quality

of life. It’s time to get moving! |FOCUS

TransiT-oriEnTEd?

HOW DID BRAZIL DO IT FOR THE 2014 FIFA SOCCER WORLD CUP?

More than 1 000 Hyundai vehicles

were used for ground transportation

at the recent Soccer World Cup in

Brazil. As one of the official partners,

the South Korean vehicle manufacturer

delivered 1 021 sedans, sports utility

vehicles and vans to be used as official

transportation during the tournament.

To support its fleet, Hyundai Motor

Brazil (HMB) deployed service teams

to all the World Cup stadiums and FIFA

facilities. Prior to the delivery, HMB’s

service team trained over 1 000 drivers

to become familiar with each model, as

well as to learn about maintenance, safe

driving techniques and routes.

Since Hyundai Motor signed its

1999 sponsorship agreement with

FIFA, the company has served as its

official partner during the 2002, 2006,

and 2010 World Cups. Following on

from Brazil, the deal will also extend

to the Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022

tournaments.


GLOBALBUS

following on from July’s coverage

of Optare’s new MetroCity, we

can now also report that rival

British bus builder, Alexander

Dennis Limited (ADL), has launched its own

new two-axle double-decker, designated

Enviro400 (E400).

ADL is Britain’s largest bus and coach

manufacturer, with a long heritage dating

back to the establishment of Dennis Brothers

in 1895, and Walter Alexander coachbuilders

in 1924.

Dennis buses were a fairly common

sight in South Africa between the two world

wars, and then made a brief reappearance,

as Hestair-Dennis, during the 1980s. ADL

currently has a strong focus on international

business, with partnerships in North America,

Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia

and the Middle East.

The new E400 has been developed

after a three-year customer engagement

programme involving more than 70

operators. Powered by a Euro-6,

6,7-litre Cummins diesel engine, it features a

lightweight bolted structure of aluminium

extrusions, stainless steel, composite roof

panels and an integrated steel chassis frame.

The curved windscreen and rear windows

are bonded into position, while each side

window employs quick-release glazing allowing

for three-minute replacement by a single

operative working inside the bus.

The E400 is available in low-height

(4,3 m) and standard-height (4,4 m) variants,

and has a radical new heating and ventilation

system that ensures a constant temperature

throughout the bus.

ADL claimed, at time of launch, that it

had already received some 400 orders for

its new bus, at a total estimated value of

£80 million (about R1,5 trillion). Four pre-

production units had been built, and series

production was due to commence in May at

ADL’s Plaxton facility in Scarborough.

The E400 bodywork will be offered on

ADL’s own Dennis chassis range at lengths

of 10,3, 10,9 or 11,5 m, in four low-floor

versions with single or double entrances, or on

Euro-6 Scania and Volvo chassis. |FOCUS

FRANK BEETON reports that Alexander Dennis is taking on rival Optare

A NEW

from ALExANdEr dENNiS“dEckEr”

ADL claimed, at time of launch, that it had

already received some 400 orders for its new bus, at a total estimated value of £80 million

(about R1,5 trillion).


GLOBALBUS

while recently perusing some

Brazilian truck and bus

market statistics, we came

upon an unfamiliar brand

name: Agrale. Although the numbers were not

particularly large, the presence of this name

across all of the light, medium and “semi-heavy”

segments of the Brazilian truck market – gross

vehicle mass (GVM) from six to 15 t – caught

our attention.

On further investigation, however, we

discovered that Agrale also has a substantial

presence in the country’s bus chassis market

– to the tune of more than 20 percent market

penetration during the first quarter of 2014 –

so we decided to dig a little deeper.

It seems that the company was founded in

1962, under the name Agrisa, to manufacture

agricultural cultivators and diesel engines. In

1965, it was taken over by the Stédile Group.

Its name was changed to Agrale SA Tractors

and Engines, and the operation was moved to

Caxias do Sul.

In 1982, truck sales commenced, and in

1996, the on-road vehicle line-up was extended

to include small bus chassis. In 1998, contract

assembly of medium and heavy-duty Navistar

International trucks commenced, but this

agreement was terminated in 2013.

However, an arrangement was also initiated

in 1998 to supply bodybuilder Marcopolo

SA with chassis for its Volare midibus. This

agreement has resulted in more than 47 000

unit sales to date.

In 2007, a new truck range was launched,

and the bus chassis range was extended

upmarket to include a 15 t GVM model. In 2009,

diesel-electric hybrid bus models were unveiled

and, in 2011, a new range of Euro-5 trucks was

introduced.

The current domestic bus chassis range

for the Brazilian market covers front-engined

models with GVM ratings from 8,7 to 17,5 t,

while the export line-up extends from 7,9 to

15 t GVM, and also includes low-entry, rear-

engine models.

The home market MA 17.0 flagship

presents as a ladder-frame, front-engined

chassis with retracted front axle, powered

by an SCR-equipped International MaxxForce

7,2-litre six-cylinder diesel, developing 165 kW

(225 hp), coupled to an Eaton FS 6406A six-

speed synchromesh transmission.

Other specification features include Meritor

front and rear drive axles, semi-elliptic leaf

springs with double-acting shock absorbers all

round, wheelbase dimensions of 5,25, 5,95

or 6,5 m for overall lengths of up to 13,35 m,

S-cam full air brakes and ZF hydraulic power

steering.

The 15-t GVM MT 15.O LE for export uses

a vertically mounted MaxxForce 4,8 engine

with SCR emissions control situated aft of the

rear axle, and driving forward through an Allison

T-270 five-speed full automatic transmission.

Front and rear axles are supplied by Dana,

both located by full-air suspension. The five-metre

wheelbase provides for an overall length of

11 m. The chassis runs on 275/80 R22,5 tyre

equipment, and has air-operated disc brakes on

the front axle and drums at the rear.

Agrale’s current business profile includes

providing automotive products to the

commercial, defence and agricultural sectors.

Clearly, the extensive and well-accepted use

of brought-in proprietary major components

by Brazilian manufacturers makes it relatively

simple for an operation such as Agrale to

compete with global brands in its domestic and

neighbouring South American markets.

The large discrepancy that exists between

Agrale’s performance in the truck and bus

markets is, however, interesting, and a possible

field for future investigation. |FOCUS

WHo, or WHAT, iS

agraLE?

FRANK BEETON reports on an

unknown Brazilian manufacturer

and racing-derived technology for

London busesFLYWHEEL POWER

FOR LOnDOn BUSES

United Kingdom (UK) public transport operator, The Go-Ahead Group, has placed an order with GKN Hybrid Power for 500 Gyrodrive systems for installation in its buses operating in London and Oxford.

The UK-developed system, which is intended to reduce fuel consumption and CO

2 emissions, is

based on Formula One racing technology, and was used by Audi in its R18 e-tron racing car to win the 2014 Le Mans 24-hour endurance race.

Earlier this year, GKN announced the acquisition of Williams Hybrid Power from Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, and set up GKN Hybrid Power to deliver complete hybrid solutions for vehicle, power and industrial applications.

GKN Hybrid Power’s Gyrodrive electric flywheel technology is a Kinetic Energy Recovery System, also known as KERS. When fitted to a vehicle, it harvests the energy normally lost as heat when the brakes are applied. The high-speed GKN Hybrid Power carbon-fibre flywheel stores the energy and returns it to the driveline when required; boosting power, saving fuel and reducing emissions.

When the driver applies the brakes, the advanced EVO electric-traction motor on one of the axles slows the vehicle, while generating electricity at the same time. This electricity is used to charge the flywheel, spinning it up to 36 000 r/min. When the driver accelerates, the system works in reverse, and energy is drawn from the flywheel and converted back into electricity to power the traction motor.

This reduces the work done by the internal combustion engine, potentially improving fuel economy by up to 25 percent. The system also uses a GKN-designed gearbox, is claimed to be significantly cheaper than battery hybrid systems, and is designed to last the life of the vehicle.

The Gyrodrive technology is being further developed for other mass transit applications including trams, as well as construction and agricultural equipment.


vIC’SvIEW

HOPPInGOFF

Vaughan Mostert is a senior lecturer in the Department of Transport and Supply Chain Management at the University of Johannesburg. He developed a love for public transport early in life, which led to a lifelong academic interest in the subject. Through Hopping Off, Mostert leaves readers with some parting food for thought as he continues his push for change in the local public transport industry.

i feel sorry for the 30 000 or so people

who have been hit hard by the collapse

of the “R699” car scheme. But have

we learned anything? While it wouldn’t

have surprised anyone familiar with motor

car economics, on the other hand it probably

hasn’t taught us much either.

Most South Africans don’t bother to keep

track of how much their personal transport

arrangements cost them. This makes them

easy prey for the motor/oil/road construction

fraternity which, quite understandably, is out to

sell more cars and fuel and build more road

space.

Oh, I forgot the banks, some of which are

only too happy to finance all of this. Hopefully the

R699 investigation will also throw some light on

their role.

So, while we may smugly dismiss these

suckers as victims of yet another Ponzi scheme,

some soul searching is in order. South Africa

(SA) is on slippery ground with its failure to focus

properly on motoring costs. Our entire road

network is a long-term Ponzi scheme, with many

motorists (including the writer) driving cars

which are too big for them.

Unlike the R699-type of scheme, which

usually collapses spectacularly, but hurts a

relatively small number of people, our national

Ponzi scheme just slowly bleeds the whole

economy, diverting resources that could be

used for other purposes; such as building

houses, for example. We need a reminder

that our transport costs are unsustainable

and that the economy is hurting as a result.

Let’s unpack a few numbers.

1. If every car on SA’s roads was valued at

R150 000 (a figure which is probably on the

low side), that gives us a total investment of

R1,2 trillion. That is a lot of money – if we could

shave it by 10 percent, we could release R120

billion back into the economy to spend on other

things. What is more, unlike a house, which

should last forever (in theory) a car has to be

replaced about every ten to 15 years, meaning

our already-battered economy has to find the

money to replace cars, over and over again.

2. Then there is the question of our balance

of payments. Although the amount varies from

month to month and is impossible to pin down

exactly, we have a permanent trade deficit, a

big slice of which is due to the importation of

cars and the fuel needed to keep them moving.

To compensate for this we have to stay on the

treadmill of exporting raw materials.

3. Then there is the cost of the journey to

work. The cost of moving goods around the

country is always under the spotlight (see the

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research

(CSIR) State of Logistics Report), but no similar

calculations are done for annual motor car costs

– which are in the order of R400 billion a year.

If 50 percent of this is “work-related” (a South

African National Roads Agency (Sanral) figure)

we should add R200 billion to the cost of doing

business in SA.

Sadly, numbers like this are not taught at

South Africa’s business schools, neither are they

on the radar of our accounting profession, our

economists or sociologists. They are also not

likely to resonate with our well-paid and middle

class who see a car as an essential item.

We have come to believe that what is good

for the motor industry is good for the economy.

Economists – especially those aligned with the

banks – would have us believe that car sales are

a “barometer of confidence” in the economy.

Indeed one economist has gone so far as

to argue that the Government’s Automotive

Development Programme (why not just call it

a subsidy?) that “develops” the industry to the

tune of around R10 billion a year, has resulted

in a bigger variety of cars in South Africa which

is good for “staff morale”. (Business Day, April

11, 2013).

“Cash-strapped” motorists often complain of

high fuel costs and e-tolls, but looking at some of

the vehicles on our roads, and the way they are

driven, there are very few motorists who can

honestly say that economical motoring is high on

their list of priorities.

This plays right into the hands of the oil/

motoring/construction/banking fraternity. If

motorists are going to be irrational, why should

the government be any different when it comes

to constructing more roads and financing them

in questionable ways, such as e-tolls?

So what does the number 699 mean? It

represents not only a monthly repayment, but

is also the number of billions of rand that could

be saved in ten years if we fixed our public

transport.

In the meanwhile, keep on contributing to

Outa’s war chest. We are going to need it to pay

for legal fees. |FOCUS

Bringing you 699 reasons to keep on

paying into the Opposition to Urban

Tolling Alliance’s (OUTA’s) war chest

WHAT’S iN A

nuMBEr?


STOPSBUS

www.topused.co.za

??????????


Always Visible

012 450 2222 • [email protected] • www.ctrack.co.za

Introducing Ctrack On-the-Road with video and snapshot functionality, a complete in-vehicle system that features everything you need to ensure a more productive and efficient fleet. What’s more, On-the-Road also offers task management, advanced navigation, messaging, optimal routing, PIN enabled driver identification, voice communication and even driver behaviour feedback – keeping your drivers informed, on the move and always visible.

Know everything your fleet gets up to.

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