Capital Equipment News September 2018

strong support solutions, the new series promises to deliver maximum lifetime profitability to the customer and fast track their business growth,” says Singh. Singh is excited about the prospects of growth in the 8 t segment with the Pro 6016. With the Pro 6016, VECV is targeting both city distribution and long haul applications. Singh reasons that the 8 t manual transmission market is divided between premium and economy, and the Eicher product falls in between the two categories. He reasons that this segment is increasingly gaining traction in the market, especially if the price is right and the offering is good. “From a strategy point of view, it is a sweet spot for us,” he says. The key talking points on this range are fuel efficiency and ease of maintenance, both crucial parameters in running a successful transport business. The Eicher Pro 6016 is powered by the VEDX5, a 5,1 l CRS technology engine designed in collaboration with the Volvo Group. The 4-cylinder, 4-valve engine delivers 210 hp and 825 Nm torque. “The Pro 6025 delivers best-in-class torque with optimum horsepower, which results in 5% better fuel efficiency compared with some of the offerings in this size class,” says Singh. With the Pro 6025 T, VECV is targeting a number of applications, including construction tipping and concrete mixing. It is powered by the VEDX8 engine, a 7,7 ℓ CRS technology engine. The 6-cylinder, 4-valve engine delivers 250 hp and 950 Nm torque. Both the engines are equipped with Volvo Group’s Engine Management System (EMS 3.0) that maximises performance in various operating conditions. The EMS 3.0 has a high processing capability and maintains optimum balance between load demand, fuel efficiency and emission control. Meanwhile, the FIE (Fuel Injection Technology) system with advanced Japanese technology delivers greater fuel pressures, maintaining optimum fuel economy. A key selling point of the Pro 6025 T is the Engine Protection System. “It is the only truck in the mid-premium market segment with a standard engine protection system,” says Singh. The 4-way engine protection system protects the engine from driver ignorance and brings it to ideal rpm. The engine protection system comes with a low oil pressure indicator, which prevents engine failure due to poor lubrication. The system also de-rates the engine at high coolant temperatures, thereby protecting it from

The new Pro 6016 (8t payload) is a 16 t GVM freight carrier.

overheating. It also has the starter motor thermal cut-off mechanism, which avoids starter failure due to over cranking. The automatic exhaust brake engages during downhill, preventing engine over-speeding and ultimately offering greater fuel consumption. Aftermarket approach Antonie Bekker, Director of Aftermarket at VECV South Africa, says the company believes a strong aftermarket support system will differentiate it from other brands in the market. “Aftermarket is one of the most exciting departments in every business. Our aim is to have a fully engaged, efficient and profitable aftermarket dealer network,” says Bekker. Bekker says the company’s aftermarket strategy is driven by five key pillars, namely, fast response times, parts availability, a system driven approach, customer focus and a fully engaged dealer network. When it comes to parts availability, the current parts supply rate stands at approximately 96%. Meanwhile, initial stocking of parts for the Pro 6016 has already been supplied to the Eicher dealer network. Over 1 000 line items for the Pro 6000 Series are currently available at VECV’s warehouse. “Major aggregates for Pro 6016 and Pro 6025 will arrive in South Africa by mid-September,” says Bekker. Bekker says another key competitive edge of the new range is the parts commonality between Pro 6016 and the Pro 6025. A high percentage of the service parts are common across the range. Many body parts are also common within the

Pro 6000 Series, which reduces operating costs for customers. In terms of other markets, Singh says the group has placed a major focus on three regional clusters in its vision to reach 100 000 units a year globally. The three regions of importance for Eicher are South Asia, Middle East and Africa. The group now has 289 distributors in South Asia, five in Middle East and 26 in Africa. The African market has been divided into two segments: right-hand drive and left- hand drive markets. The targeted left-hand drive markets comprise Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, DR Congo, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Republic of Congo, Liberia, Benin, Madagascar and Somalia. The right- hand drive markets include South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius, Malawi, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland. VECV South Africa is in charge of southern African markets, including Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland and Lesotho. After South Africa, Zimbabwe is currently the second- biggest market in terms of units sold. “In Zimbabwe we have one of the largest automotive dealers in the country, Croco Motors, as our representative. In Namibia, we are in the final stages of finalising a dealer agreement with one of the largest truck suppliers in the country. Lesotho and Swaziland are currently supported by our South African dealers,” concludes Singh. b

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 20