Boosting productivity in high-demand logistics industry

UD Trucks’ Quon range continues to solve many of the issues facing fleet owners in the local transport industry, such as fuel efficiency, productivity, driver safety and comfort, as well as uptime.

Launched in 2019, the Quon Euro 5 level range features eight derivatives aimed at bringing cutting-edge innovation to the local operating environment.

“Time is money, and this is especially so in the current transport environment,” says Filip Van den Heede, managing director of UD Trucks Southern Africa. “As competition in the logistics industry becomes fiercer, customers demand shorter turnaround times, and transporters therefore should improve efficiency.”

Increased payload is key to efficient transport. “We have refined every component on the Quon range to make it lighter, while enhancing the vehicle’s load-carrying capacity of up to 200 kg, depending on the model. Quon also uses disc brakes and high-tensile steel rails on the main frame of the vehicle to reduce vehicle weight,” he explains.

New air suspension with an increased height adjustment range enables an optimal height for loading docks and connecting the trailers, with an adjustment range of 140 mm upward from the neutral position.

“Greater ease of loading, improved bodybuilding compatibility, and a smoother creeping speed for approaching docks all boost fleet productivity,” he points out.

The company’s focus is on providing customers with reduced operating costs as related to aspects like fuel efficiency, payload ability, and uptime. Secondly, UD Trucks is concentrating on the people factor within the transport business, making trucks even safer and more environmentally friendly.

Key to a modern fleet’s productivity is telematics, which enables fleet owners to keep track of their vehicle’s productivity and fuel efficiency through various functions like geofencing, driver reports and manual navigation.

“Today, society and the logistics industry are facing serious challenges and disruptions. For the transport industry this means increasing pressure on cost and efficiency, tougher regulations and changing transport demands,” says Van den Heede. “The world needs a logistics system that meets these challenges and harnesses the potential benefits of new technologies, such as connectivity through telematics.”

UD Trucks’ telematics system, which is standard on all models, monitors the heartbeat of the truck as it provides real-time positioning, information on preventive maintenance and manages critical alerts to limit downtime. This also provides fleet owners and UD Trucks dealers with all the information they need to do the required preventive maintenance on time and to schedule standard services more efficiently.

It empowers fleet owners to streamline their operations, getting the most out of their investment while delivering added value, including enhanced turnaround times, to their customers.

Telematics also provides mission-critical information about a fleet to enable operators to know where their trucks are and the progress or status of deliveries.

“More uptime means more time on the road and ultimately being productive, and this goes a long way in contributing to the success of a business,” says Van den Heede.