Author:focus-on-transport

Powerstar Genuine Parts: wherever, whenever

With three major parts centres and a distribution network across southern Africa, Ever Star Industries ensures all its customers have original parts delivered when needed. Ever Star Industries (ESI) is committed to around-the-clock aftersales support, which covers every vehicle under the ESI umbrella – Powerstar, Powerland, Shantui and NHL. ESI has three parts distribution centres. The main central parts distribution (CPD) centre – a 1 200 m2 warehouse – is based at the assembly plant in Pietermaritzburg, with two other distribution […]

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Digitise or die

Supply chains are becoming ever more dependent on technology to manage challenges and improve productivity, but this same technology can also present its own obstacles. FOCUS looks at how companies can stay ahead of the digital curve. Accenture, a South African business management consultant, predicts that software as a service for the supply chain management market will reach US$ 4,4 billion (R52 billion) in 2018. Software as a service and digitisation are needed to manage the complex supply chains faced […]

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Dissecting rubber damage

Irregular tyre wear can be a tell-tale sign of underlying mechanical problems. WILLIAM GEORGE finds out about the root causes of tyre damage and ways to manage them. The relationship of tyres to a vehicle is similar to that of the heart to the human body. If a tyre is worn or damaged, it could result in malperformance of the other parts of the vehicle. Old and worn tyres are common causes of accidents, which makes it critical to keep […]

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Passion for production and people

It’s not every day that one walks into a production facility to find a company producing world-class vehicles and employees, too. However, this is exactly what GAVIN MYERS discovered when he met with Deon Flusk, regional product centre manager at Scania South Africa. While Scania South Africa has been assembling vehicles in this country since its reintroduction to the market in 1995, the completely knocked-down facility in Aeroton, Johannesburg, has been running since 2003 – and, in that time, has […]

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Mitigating the impact of a crash

While the role of the Road Accident Fund (RAF) is important and has been a major life-changer for those who have been drastically affected after a car crash, it might be time to consider another way to lessen the financial strain on the institution. This is the opinion of Eugene Herbert, MD of advanced driver training company MasterDrive. His comments come amid the increase in the general fuel levy of 52 c/litre, 30 c of which will go to the […]

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Boosting road safety among the youth

With three children under the age of 15 dying on South African roads every day, transport logistics and supply-chain specialist Cargo Carriers has partnered with Active Education, which provides unique Scholar Road Safety Education to public schools on behalf of the Department of Basic Education. Cargo Carriers recently supplied more than 5 000 reflective sashes to Active Education for its training programme. Students will wear these “walking seatbelts” every day as official components of their school uniforms to significantly improve […]

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Competitive X-Class pricing announced

It’ll land on local shores only in May, but Mercedes-Benz South Africa has released the pricing of its eagerly awaited X-Class pickup. A member of the Mercedes-Benz Vans family, the X-Class will be available in South Africa in two levels of trim, described by the company as: “The X-Class Progressive, which is aimed at people seeking a rugged bakkie with extra styling and comfort functions, while also being a comfortable, yet prestigious, vehicle for private or dual use. “The X-Class Power, which is […]

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Last chance to voice your opinion on Aarto

Gauteng motorists will receive a last opportunity to provide their inputs and express their concerns with the Aarto Amendment Bill, which primarily seeks to migrate traffic fines completely out of the jurisdiction of the courts and into a purely administrative system. The Gauteng Provincial Legislature is holding public hearings on the Aaarto Amendment Bill at three venues around Gauteng in the coming weeks: Date Venue Area Thursday, March 22 Braamfontein Conference and Recreation Centre, Cnr Harrison and Smit Street, Braamfontein […]

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With the rising sun

For 40 years, Isuzu has been producing light commercial vehicles (LCVs) in South Africa. With the announcement by General Motors (GM) that it would completely withdraw from the local market by the end of 2017, this proud heritage – and that of the separate Isuzu Trucks division – came under threat… The brand is, however, now set to enter a new dawn. Isuzu Motors, the Japanese parent company, has taken over 100-percent ownership of the local operations and formed Isuzu […]

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Mobile home overload

While not strictly of interest to the readers of FOCUS, Gavin Myers was able to visit the 2018 Caravan, Motor, Touristik (CMT) show in Stuttgart, Germany, with Mercedes-Benz Vans. I could never have imagined just how big the business of caravans and motor homes is in Europe. I was utterly gobsmacked as we trawled through hall after hall, after hall, to see all manner of converted vans, trucks and bespoke mobile homes and caravans for the leisure market. One could, quite […]

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