Author:focus-on-transport

Sinotruk’s new product lineup shines at Big 5 August 2, 2024 Earlier this year, China National Heavy Duty Truck Group Co., Ltd. (Sinotruk) showcased multiple new products at the Big 5 Construct South Africa 2024, highlighting its leading position and innovative capabilities in the African market. Sinotruk SA, a wholly-owned South African subsidiary of Sinotruk, is dedicated to providing high-quality integrated solutions for engineering and logistics transportation to South Africa and neighbouring countries. Upholding the tradition of Sinotruk, the company […]

Futuristic tradition August 5, 2024 Jenny Heyes, marketing director at Castrol Africa, seems like the perfect fit for a venerable brand with its eyes firmly fixed on the future.  Developing lubrication fluids for highly sophisticated vehicles requires technical wizardry of the highest order. It follows that the person mandated to market one of the industry’s most respected lubricant brands should ideally have the ability to understand the issues and speak credibly to fleet managers and vehicle owners. Technical knowledge isn’t […]

Survey highlights gender inequality in supply chain August 1, 2024 Coinciding with Women’s Month in South Africa, The Professional Body for Supply Chain Management (SAPICS) has announced the results of its latest Women in Supply Chain Leadership Survey. It reveals that women in the supply chain profession earn less than their male counterparts and that the majority have faced gender discrimination in the workplace. A worrying 64% of the female respondents said that they had experienced or witnessed gender discrimination […]

And now for something completely different… July 31, 2024 Forklifts aren’t only used in warehouses, factories, and at transport operators: two Clark forklift trucks are working hard at a Düsseldorf art foundry. The family-owned Schmäke art foundry was founded on 1 April 1926 by Gustav Schmäke and was continued by Herbert Schmäke. The family’s third generation, led by Prof Karl-Heinz Schmäke, established the business internationally, and Karl-Heinz also taught the craft at the Dusseldorf Art Academy. Fast forward to 2024 […]

Female entrepreneur drives change in Ekangala July 29, 2024 It’s Women’s Month – and there’s no better time to shine a spotlight on transport’s leading ladies. Nomathemba Selesho, owner of Themba Liyeza Logistics, is one such woman. TERRENA RATHANLALL paid her a visit. Like thousands of other young people in Ekangala, Bronkhorstspruit, Nomathemba Selesho had few job prospects when she finished school. So, she studied accounting sciences and found a job at a local bank. She gave all that up, […]

Transport industry on brink of transformation July 22, 2024 The rail freight sector is facing a crisis of operational efficiency that is harming the country’s economy. As a result, road freight has become the backbone of the logistics sector, responsible for transporting goods. According to Erik Bergvall, managing director of Scania Southern Africa, this increased pressure calls for road fleet operators to adapt and implement technological innovations to boost efficiency. An increased demand for road transport, largely driven by South […]

Stamford Tyres carries Prometeon Pirelli torch August 19, 2024 In 2019, FOCUS editorial director Charleen Clarke travelled to Milan to get to know more about the Prometeon Tyre Group, which was officially established in 2017 as a spin-off from the industrial division of Pirelli Tyre. This thriving global enterprise left a lasting impression on her, and its South African distributor, Stamford Tyres, aims to do the same. One of the fashion capitals of the world, Milan was absolutely stunning – […]

Saboa Conference underscores operator resilience August 20, 2024 If one thing emerged from the 2024 Southern African Bus Operators Association (Saboa) Conference, it was the sector’s resilience. COLIN WINDELL reports that bus and coach operators appear eager to embrace operational changes and new technologies to remain profitable, sustainable, and able to offer improved services to customers. In the wake of several incidents involving school commuters and other bus users, discussions on scholar transport, electronic ticketing, and battery-electric bus services took […]

MCV launches cross-border city-to-city luxury bus August 19, 2024 MCV South Africa launched a new cross-border city-to-city luxury bus – the MCV S140 New Generation – at the Saboa Conference. Colin Windell reports that the new bus is ideal for African operating conditions. The decision to launch a new cross-border city-to-city luxury bus sends a positive signal to a market still recovering from the massively damaging Covid lockdown, a stagnant economy, and high interest rates. The introduction of the MCV […]

Female representation on the rise in SA’s transport sector August 23, 2024 As South Africa celebrates Women’s Month this August, it’s vital to highlight the transformative strides made by women in the transport sector. The Commercial Transport Academy (CTA) has been instrumental in driving gender neutrality within the transport and freight industry. However, this progress has been the result of collective efforts, with key contributions across the value chain from grant funders, employers, and partnerships between the private sector and […]