Author:focus-on-transport

Challenges of a brave new world

Tyre companies are changing, and corporate executives and those on the shop floor are acquiring new skills to meet a variety of challenges brought about by the dawn of the digital age Various trends are inexorably driving profound changes in the way that tyre manufacturers operate – and the kinds of skills they demand of their employees. Corporate executives and machine operators alike face tough challenges in the face of increasing digitisation, according to Bridgestone South Africa. Sensors, artificial intelligence, […]

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Wraps off!

The recent Futuroad Expo, co-located with Automechanika Johannesburg, saw the launch of a number of new trucks from Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Indian manufacturers. WYNTER MURDOCH and MARISKA MORRIS attended the events

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FIATA wraps up successful World Congress

Bribery, corruption and the illegal trafficking of wildlife were among the topics discussed World experts representing the logistics and freight forwarding industry recently concluded their annual international convention in Cape Town. The five-day International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) World Congress 2019 saw a full house of members gathered in the city’s International Convention Centre to discuss the challenges and issues facing the industry. Established in 1926, with its headquarters in Switzerland, FIATA is the world’s largest transport and […]

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Quality foremost at AutoX

Having recently undergone a high-tech upgrade, South Africa’s AutoX battery plant continues to produce products that consistently outperform international standards Port Elizabeth-based battery manufacturer AutoX has earned an enviable reputation globally for the quality of the products it manufactures – among them well-known brands such as Willard and Sabat and, for export, HiFase. The company’s recently upgraded factory – incidentally, the first battery plant in Africa to have achieved ISO 9001 quality management accreditation, one of many international standards ratings […]

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Getting the money to buy that truck!

Obtaining vehicle finance in an economic downturn is often perceived to be difficult for transport operators – but is that really the case? To put the matter into perspective, Andre van Eeden, regional sales manager for Scania Financial Services, answers some frequently asked questions  How easy or difficult is it for transport operators to obtain vehicle finance in the current economic climate? It is not really about whether it is easy or difficult to obtain credit. Even though the economic […]

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Chinese puzzle!

It may sound ironic, but a sales decline in China’s automotive market – the first in 20 years – appears to offer the country’s domestic producers an opportunity to become more competitive on a global level China continues to be the world’s largest vehicle market with the Chinese government predicting that domestic production will reach 30-million units by 2020 and 35-million units by 2025. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, over 27-million vehicles were sold in the country […]

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Opel cleans up!

Industroclean, a Level 4 BBBEE business that provides services to the industrial and institutional cleaning market, recently purchased a fleet of Opel Combo cargo vans with a view to transporting technicians and equipment into the field. According to a statement issued by Opel, the vans are aimed at helping Industroclean maintain its commitment to providing superior after-sales support to customers. “A fleet manager’s purchase decision is based on the value of a vehicle beyond its retail price. Return on investment […]

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Full faith in FAW

Mawire Transport and Logistics, based in Pomona, Kempton Park, relies on FAW trucks to deliver heavy loads in challenging environments. The specialist cross-border transporter and sub-contracting company is owned by Jerry Mawire, who operates a fleet of 10 trucks – five of which are FAWs. He currently owns two FAW 8.140 FL five-tonners and three FAW 16.240 FL eight-tonners. He says he saw other cross-border transporters using FAWs to transport loads into Africa and spoke to them about the brand. […]

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Incident simulation puts safety first

Uzuko Carriers, a joint venture between Cargo Carriers and Caltex Eastern Cape Marketers, master franchisor of more than 106 Caltex service stations in the province, recently undertook a large-scale emergency simulation on the N2 near East London. The initiative was staged to ensure the readiness of first responders in the event of an incident and was planned around a scheduled emergency simulation by the Buffalo City Fire Department on behalf of the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral). The […]

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Loadtech introduces its VIGIA system

The VIGIA system from Loadtech monitors and automatically regulates the pressure of a vehicle’s tyres. The system is handy for transportation companies, such as trucking companies and bus services, as it is said to improve the safety of vehicles, extending the lifespan of tyres and improving fuel efficiency. The air the system to tyres comes from an auxiliary tank which includes an in-line filter to eliminate any impurities. In the case of extreme pressure loss, the system shuts off the […]

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