Making every kilometre count

The coal transport industry is not for the faint of heart. To succeed requires grit, determination, astute business acumen and, importantly, a reliable and efficient fleet of trucks.

PCC Logistics, with its fleet of UD trucks, is based in South Africa’s coal-mining belt, in the small town of Carolina, Mpumalanga. Initially operating as an independent coal trader, the logistics side of the company was established in 2007.

“Leading up to the purchase of our own trucks, we made use of subcontractors to transport the loads, but it became a very challenging situation, as we were not in complete control of the entire operational chain and much of the logistics was out of our hands,” explains Maureen Reed, owner of Pyramid Coal Consultants (PCC).

Reed then decided to take the plunge into fleet ownership and management.

“We approached UD Trucks Bethal for advice on which trucks to buy for our specific business requirements and application. We haven’t looked back since that first UD Trucks purchase,” she says.

Two months after the initial purchase, it was clear that the company’s fleet needed to expand to keep up with its contract demand. Today, as a relatively small yet productive operator, PCC Logistics operates seven UD trucks, including some legendary UD 440s and later model Quon 460s. The company mainly transports coal from the mines in Mpumalanga, especially cross-border into Swaziland. At times the company also transports a variety of freight, including corn and aggregate.

Reed explains that PCC Logistics has a very open partnership with its service dealer, UD Trucks Ermelo.

“I have said it often before: our success lies in the fact that we service our trucks only at accredited UD Trucks workshops. Only qualified UD Trucks technicians are allowed to touch our horses,” she says.

“If the truck goes in for its scheduled maintenance service, and the technicians find any problems, the workshop communicates the solutions to us immediately. We value this advice and believe that it is the reason why some of our trucks have more than a million dependable kilometres behind them – and all our UDs are still going strong.”

UD Trucks Ermelo’s group aftersales manager, Jacques Horn, says: “We at UD Trucks Ermelo feel that we’re part of the family of PCC Logistics. We are very proud of the mileage, productivity and efficiency that the PCC fleet of UD trucks has achieved over the years.”

Horn says that UD Trucks Ermelo believes that the transport business is more than just merely retailing trucks.

“As an accredited dealer, we have to adhere to stringent quality standards, and are continuously measured across all disciplines, from parts, service and admin, to offer our customers only the best service and after-sales support,” he says.

“We understand all the complexities involved in today’s transport industry, and we are therefore able to offer customers complete solutions, no matter what the size of their business.”

Reed says that it is clear from PCC’s fleet DNA that the company is a great fan of UD Trucks. “A large part of our success has also been due to our experienced drivers, who have treated their UD trucks with respect on every journey.

“We tried bringing in another truck brand, but it simply didn’t work. More than just the trucks, it is about the level of support we receive that makes all the difference,” concludes Reed.