Construction World August 2016

TRUCKING

STRATEGIC DEALERSHIP Two companies with a 100-year history met on the stage of a brand- new, Pretoria-based

Isuzu Truck franchise. Bidvest McCarthy has now invested in an Isuzu Truck dealership strategically sited just off the N4 at Gateway Industrial Park in Pretoria East.

Isuzu Truck’s chief operating officer, Craig Uren.

2016 is Isuzu Truck celebration of 10 years independence as Isuzu Truck South Africa coupled with a proven track record of being the leading local brand for three successive years. The Bidvest industrial conglomerate is extensively involved in freight management, logistics services, terminal operations, and marine and aviation services. The profile of the Isuzu truck range ideally suits the fleet requirements of Bidvest’s freight operations. With both impressive profiles, Bidvest McCarthy and Isuzu Trucks is an excellent match. Isuzu Truck’s chief operating officer, Craig Uren, emphasises the impor- tance of truck service and parts supply. “Isuzu Truck dealers are a service organisation that also sell trucks and this new dealer is a further develop- ment that flows out of a truck marketing study conducted in 2002. There are Isuzu truck dealers in Pretoria North, Pretoria West and Midrand. The Bidvest McCarthy Pretoria East investment now closes the service loop for this region in addition to a route presence on the N4,” he added At the helm of the new operation is Bidvest McCarthy dealer principal Liza-Marie Gibson, who has seven years of truck retail experience. Gibson comments,“We are a lean, mean teamwith a strong focus on the distribution sector where Bidvest industrial has a strong presence.” Steve Keys, group chief executive officer of Bidvest Automotive, concludes, “It’s a service business and with Liza-Marie Gibson who is a high-energy person, which fits perfectly the Bidvest profile and benefits customers. While South Africa is experiencing economic hard times, we do not see the market segments that this new dealership will serve contracting as much as the economy. Business success comes from co-operation and collaboration, and this is what we have established with Isuzu Truck South Africa today.” Bidvest McCarthy Isuzu Truck is offering on-site, after hours and Saturday servicing. In addition, there is a drivers’ lounge where drivers can relax comfortably while their trucks are being serviced. It matches Uren’s vision of “being a service organisation that also sells trucks”. >

ROUGH AND TOUGH OPERATION

Fleet operator and contractor on the project, Willie de Beer and his son, Michael, are themselves as rugged as they come when it comes to running the fleet with their staff of 24 people deployed as drivers, loader operators, technicians and administrative support. Since being re-assigned the contract, Willie de Beer purchased the FAW 28.280 10 m 3 tippers early last year. These ‘dirt monsters’ are moving a massive quota of about 4 200 ton sand, grit and loose stone mixture a day; roughly between 108 000 to 110 000 ton a month. Mining and moving andalusite, which is an extremely hard nesosilicate mineral, is highly abrasive on any equipment involved. This presents all the vehicles and heavy equipment with one of the toughest environments to work in. The residue sand and stone, after separating the core minerals, are no easier on the vehicle and equipment either. What made Willie de Beer decide to buy the FAW 28.280FD was the brand’s reputation for strength and durability.“These tippers have exception- ally good torque – 1 160 Nm between 1 400 and 1 700 rpm – they also have a strong chassis, great steel tipper bins and offer a solid payload at 28 t GVM. TheWeichai WDB615.50 engine has proven its capabilities over and over. We are very happy with the combination of this engine and the manual 9-speed FAW gearbox giving us a grade ability of 36%@V. We are able to move quickly and efficiently with these tippers across the hills and valleys of this terrain.” Since changing to FAW tippers, de Beer reports a 22% drop in fuel consumption. The site’s major obstacles are heat, powdered dust and extreme gradients, with the FAW taking all of these obstacles in its stride. “We enjoy the support of the FAWPretoriaWest dealer and Pieter Gerber, the dealer principal, in particular, when it comes to keeping the tippers moving. The dealer is responsible for servicing our vehicles on site, the supply of parts and the training of our drivers. Invaluable service and support when we have these types of site challenges to deal with,” saysWillie de Beer. “Another major selling point was affordability, as this is especially relevant when you run a relatively small fleet like ours. That’s why I’ve been buying FAW since 2008 and certainly plan to continue with the brand that has not let me down to date.” Dust, dirt, loose sand and corrugated roads are ‘all in a day’s work’ for the fleet of FAW 28.280FD 6x4 tippers operating on the andalusite operation of Imerys Refractories at the Rhino Mine site near Thabazimbi in Limpopo Province. >

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD AUGUST 2016