Construction World April 2017

explains. “There is information shared with the driver within the cab itself indicating his driving patterns and habits, and we also do a lot of data downloading from the vehicle which is proactively shared with the driver.” The Scania-developed in-house fleet management system consists of the entry package which is free of charge and then two higher performance packages aimed at increasing the productivity of the fleet. All that is required is a communicator unit installed in the vehicle and an email address for automatic reports. Looking at the construction industry from a vehicle perspective, Taftman says the South African commercial vehicle market is based on four segments: light commercial, medium, heavy and extra heavy. “The extra heavy starts at 16,5 tonnes and upwards and this is the vehicle and the load; in other words the weight of the complete vehicle as it stands on the ground. “Trucking is a tool to make money, and the vehicle that can generate the highest profit back from the investment is the winner.” He believes it’s a numbers game. “It is slightly different in terms of a construction vehicle,” Steenkamp asserts, “because the driving factors are different. Payload is crucial with uptime also being important.” Increased payload This was confirmed by Christiaan Fourie from Fourie Sands who has just purchased his first new Scania Twinsteer. The man is modest and says the machine has been on trial for the last three weeks and is doing phenomenally. He has second-hand Scania horses which have more than proven their worth. “I have one operation where I use my sliding bins but where they can only manage five loads, I am now able to do about nine or 10 loads with my new Twinsteer. My turnaround time is much faster.” Asked about the general feeling in the industry in terms of Twinsteers, he says “everyone is going for the twins with the trailer. One can move about 40 tonnes where one can only move 30 tonnes with the sliding bins. “The new machine is lighter on fuel and guarantees a higher payload with minimal cost. There is also a lot less wear and tear than with the larger sliding bins.” The last person Construction World spoke to was Theuns Naude, key accounts manager for construction, who is upbeat about the construction industry in the Western Cape in particular. “We have grown over the last two years, we have loyal customers and our product is good. Uptime is key and this is the same in the readymix industry. “We recently handed over two Cone Mixers to Chris Tate at Haw & Inglis, and he is saving about R30 000 a month on fuel. “Scania has always been known for its fuel consumption and it is fantastic to

Scania’s classic concrete mixer is one of the lightest three-axle mixers on the market.

Diversifying into other segments: The Scania water bowser.

display and today we have nine, which makes us very proud.” Discussing volumes in the construction sector, he says around 200 vehicles are sold annually in the construction sector and of that 80% is normally either the tipper application or mixer application. Then of course the water tankers, brick carriers, road sweepers, and compactors – all of which make up the remaining 20%. During 2016, we saw quite a big move towards the 8 x 4 tipper versus the normal 6 x 4, which historically has been the bigger mover.” “It’s an important segment for us to compete in,” Taftman points out. “Because 200 vehicles in our total volume (which is around 1 550 vehicles annually), is still a big portion. We managed to sell our first vehicle in 2015, and in 2016 we sold 24 vehicles, bringing us into second position in the market. This year, there many opportunities in the tipper market but we are also focusing on the mixer segment, together with the other applications which make up the remaining 20%.” Steenkamp says it is worth mentioning that not an average Joe Soap can sell into the construction arena. “It is far more than just a vehicle; one is selling the body as well, all of which is part of the solution offered to the customer. Our sales team has been in the industry for many years; they have the knowledge, experience and understanding of the industry and the customer’s specific needs.” Training solution A training solution is offered with every new vehicle sold. Scania offers many solutions from a training perspective including instructor-led training in the classroom to on-the-road training in various facilities. “We are moving towards many solutions in terms of on-road training, and the vehicle itself is also a training tool,” Steenkamp

have our customers coming back to us with positive feedback.” Haw & Inglis has also purchased eight Twinsteers. He says there is a buzz in the air. “Providing unique solutions for our customers is just a formality; there is nothing we can’t do. We are out there, we are supplying and I believe things are turning around in the Western Cape.” Judging from the many people attending the onstruction Day and eavesdropping on some of their comments, Scania is well on its way to becoming formidable force in the construction equipment market. 

Loyal customer: Christiaan Fourie from Fourie Sands has purchased his first new Scania Twinsteer.

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD APRIL 2017