Construction World February 2016

EQUIPMENT

MODULAR CONCEPT IN ZAMBIA MAN Truck & Bus sub-equatorial Africa celebrated the opening of Africa’s first Modular Concept Workshop for heavy commercial vehicles in Lusaka, Zambia, in October. >

“We’re not new to the pressures of transportation in Gauteng – highways with high traffic volumes, extended peak time congestion, eTolls, and generally aggres- sive driver behaviour. Key to our efficiency formula is the net cost-per-cube of our concrete product. We intend to continue securing contracts, offering competitive pricing by ensuring we have a high volume throughput from our West Rand opera- tions,” says Petzer. Not prepared to disclose the planned output for the West Rand plants, Petzer was willing to say that the volume targets are ‘aggressive’ and will demand superior customer service on the part of Scribante. In turn, the demand on the FAW truck fleet will be for maximum uptime, easy and effi- cient driving, highly effective parts supply, and lowest cost of operation. A history of working together “We’re up for it. We’ve been in the business for over 16 years, we have the advantage of a strong foundation through the Scribante Construction Group and we have the experience and know-how needed to distinguish ourselves in this highly competitive industry. “With respect to our transportation requirements, we have ‘walked the road’ with FAW and ironed out many ‘bumps’. Our relationship today is a highly collabo- rative one.” The specialised truck modifications required and designed by Scribante have been incorporated by FAW SA into their offering. “These specifications can be applied to the benefit of other FAW clients for their ready-mix concrete mixer trucks,” says FAW regional manager, Vernon Rudman, who is the main point-of-contact for Scribante Concrete, looking after their needs regarding the FAW fleet. “The changes requested by Scrib- ante were approved by our parent plant; applied to the mixer trucks, chassis and mixer bodies. The continuous improve- ment we were able to incorporate once again underpins the value of pursuing and maintaining a close relationship with a customer. They know their business best and we know our trucks best. Together we can improve and provide solutions that satisfy our customers’ needs. “Together with Scribante Concrete, we at FAW SA have literally ‘refined’ our robust and durable mixer trucks to provide even stronger and longer-lasting oper- ational efficiency. This serves both our customers’ and our own interests; really a win-win situation. “As Scribante has shown continued support of our brand, so too will we continue to develop and improve, not only our product, but our personal service and aftermarket support,” says Rudman. “Scribante’s planned strategy and its success in Gauteng, depends partly on our FAW vehicles – a challenge for which we too are fully prepared.”

support of MAN sub-equatorial Africa operating out of South Africa, as well as local MAN dealer- ship, Turnpan Zambia Limited, situated in Kitwe. “From a global product competitiveness point of view, this paucity of representation has allowed competitor brands to gain market share in Zambia, at the expense of MAN. In some cases, this has resulted in the monopolisation of certain transport applications,” Siakamwi added. “Lusaka is a very important market for MAN Truck & Bus, specifically for its location in the region, as well as due to the economic growth it is experiencing. Zambia’s economy remains strong, with an expected GDP growth by the end of 2015 of over 6%. Inflation is expected to fall below 7%.” MAN’s extensive dealer network of 45 deal- erships throughout southern Africa with fully trained technicians and off-the-shelf genuine parts provide around-the-clock support to customer fleets. The prospects for rapid growth at CLA Lusaka Truck & Bus are extremely promising, concluded Siakamwi: “We have identified a German finance partner who is keen to work with us and the Zambian Ministry of Transport and Communication on the prospect of a women-owner-driver transport opera- tion scheme. “Working in conjunction with the Develop- ment Bank of Zambia and other key industry players, such as mining, manufacturing, farming, construction, fuel, retail, this project is expected to commence with at least 400 trucks and 100 buses, and is designed to empower Zambian locals who are currently working in the transport sector. This new facility will play a pivotal role not only in the empowerment programme, but in the growth of Zambia’s transport sector as a whole.”

A Zambian consortiumof entrepreneurs wholly owns the new dealership, CLA Lusaka Truck & Bus, with executive director, Felix Siakamwi, providing hands-on leadership at the new facility. Situated alongside the capital city’s main logistics arterial, Kafue Road, the new modullar workshop, which makes use of four shipping containers under-roof on a concrete slab, boasts a reception office, parts warehouse, admin office and an engine room. The workshop floor can accommodate four trucks or buses at a time to undergo servicing and/or repair work. The modular concept facilitates rapid construction at a fraction of the cost of an equivalent brick and mortar workshop. According to Siakamwi, who addressed over 100 guests, including Zambia’s deputy minister of mines, Richard Masukwa and acting director general of the ZambiaWildlife Authority, Andrew Kombe, there to welcome the ‘ONE MAN kann’ Journey on its Lusaka stopover, as well as commemorate the opening of the dealership: “All of us at CLA Lusaka Truck & Bus are proud to be commencing operations for our official sales, repair and servicing of MAN trucks and buses, and Volkswagen trucks and buses in Zambia. It is indeed a great milestone for our country.” The new modular concept workshop is designed in Germany and CLA Lusaka Truck & Bus is the first commercial vehicle operation in Africa to construct the MAN-approved plan. “We are extremely proud to be the first deal- ership in Africa to commence operations with this plan that until now has only been a concept for MAN Truck & Bus. “Up until now, MAN Truck & Bus has not been adequately represented in Lusaka or in the central and southern regions of Zambia. The lead-up to representation has been through the

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD FEBRUARY 2016