Capital Equipment News April 2018

ADR TRANSPORT

Kulani has bought a total of nine Scania trucks since December 2017.

Gaining early traction into ADR In a world of narrow margins, it is attention to detail that makes all the difference. For Kulani Africa Gas Transport, a newly-established transport company that specialises in transportation of bulk liquid petroleum gas, optimised availability, fuel efficiency and uptime, were key aspects that informed the decision to purchase a total of nine Scania vehicles for its very first fleet. The decision is paying dividends in a very short space of time, affording Kulani early traction into a challenging transport sector. By Munesu Shoko.

N o other haulage business is stances, better known as ADR goods. Besides the usual requirements that the vehicles need to comply to, vehicles used to transport ADR need to meet several other additional requirements regarding their build, engine, wiring and other components. Apart from the special laws and regulations, operators have to navigate the ever-shrinking margins. Balancing narrow margins in the face of increasing costs calls for an optimised, fit-for-purpose truck solu- tion, which not only cut costs, but also boosts revenues. It is for these reasons that Kulani Africa Gas Transport, a subsidiary of Kulani Africa Gas, a specialist in the bulk storage and supply of liquid petroleum gas (LPG), chose a fleet of Scania ADR spec’d trucks to kick- start its bulk LPG transport business. The Kulani Group has many years of experience in the supply of petroleum gas and other petroleum products into southern Africa. as tough and unpredictable as transporting bulk hazardous sub-

Having started in 2001 in Cape Town with a special focus on converting vehicles to run on LPG as an alternative to petrol, early years of success saw the business diversify in 2005, changing focus to supplying bulk orders, before the company expanded its business reach into the supply of LPG and propane gas. The latest leg of diversification has seen the group establish its subsidiary that specialises in the transportation of LPG throughout southern Africa. Having outsourced this function to transport companies over the years, the group saw

a gap in its portfolio to offer a reliable transport service for LPG.

Closing the logistics gap Speaking to Capital Equipment News, Stefan Heling, GM of Kulani Africa Gas Transport, says the business was formed out of Kulani’s understanding that southern Africa has very specific energy challenges, compounded by a taxing logistics environment that makes trading in petroleum products in the region a specialist field. Leveraging many years of experience supplying petroleum products

Stephen Heling, GM at Kulani Africa Gas Transport

“Fuel consumption is very important to your total cost of operation. Bear in mind that, on average, fuel consumption constitutes about 20% of your total cost of operation. If you can save at least 5 ℓ of fuel per 100 km per vehicle, that translates to about R8 000 per month.”

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS APRIL 2018 6