Construction World June 2016

COVER STORY

FAW IS ‘FIT FOR PURPOSE’ in construction sector

Reviewing the FAW commercial vehicle range, it is clear that FAW China has made great headway in adapting its products to match customer demands across various world regions.

Success on the move The Coega plant in the Eastern Cape is slowly adding to its production line, in tune with demands from customers across a board range of applications – in construction, mining, long-haul and distribution sectors. The local plant’s bodybuilding facility, adjacent to the main plant, is reviewing the various Africa customer requests for locally built bodies onto the FAW chassis cabs coming from the main production line. The plant and training facilities, which were opened in 2014, have allowed the company to provide its Southern African client base the benefits of sourcing their vehi- cles from a plant on the same continent. Earlier this year another 10 FAW J5 tippers units left the local Coega-based production plant for Tanzania. A growing number of Africa truck dealers who traditionally placed their orders with FAW China continue to move their orders to origi- nate out of South Africa owing to the shorter lead-time for delivery, the high levels of quality from the South African plant, and the reduced cost of sourcing FAW vehicles here. Cheng Zhang explains: “There are many advantages of sourcing FAW products from our South African base – the most important being time-to-market in the Africa countries, and of course for the SADC and AU, the added advantage which comes from the import/ export duty agreements,” he adds. From the cost point of view, the African buyer can save vehicle import duty between 25% and 40%. Another advantage importing through FAW locally is that customers can get their vehicles within 30 days of order; much sooner than from China, which normally requires three months between order place- ment and delivery. FAW SA says it plans to support sales in almost all the right-hand drive African countries. “However, our plan is to assemble the left-hand drive vehicles to supply to the African Union countries in future, where they too can get duty advantages”. The Tanzania dealer noted that among their best sellers is the FAW 28.280FD 15 m 3 tippers used in the many projects and proving to be a stalwart product in the African construction sector. With its high payload capacity, it provides good return on invest- ment for most any operation. For aftersales support, FAW SA is already supplying parts to those African dealers who import SA-spec models. Some dealers who import local spec models from FAW, still source their parts stock from China directly, because the purchase process is familiar to them and uptime in not affected. FAW Vehicle Manufacturers SA indicated

Mixer trucks FAW provides purpose-fit mixer trucks able to run cubic payloads of either 6 m 3 or 8 m 3 with the FAW 33.330FC and the FAW 35.340FC respectively. The mixer trucks can conquer the rigors of any building site. There are few mixers to match FAW strength and long-lasting working capability. Both mixer models offer easy driveability because of a strong chassis frame, the high standards of all materials and processes used in the manufacture of the truck, the drivetrain and the mixer body. The operating profiles of the FAW mixers are excel- lent – especially considering their good fuel consumption figures, be it driving or idling. The mixer trucks are reputed to display very low mechanical wear and tear. Tippers Exceptionally robust chassis and build materials are the cornerstones of FAW tippers, which provide consistently good service on even the ‘meanest’ of sites. Treacherous entry/exit slopes, dust, gravel, loose sand and stone – in fact, any terrain to challenge most trucks FAW tippers can handle. The FAW tippers range include the FAW 8.140FD with 3,5 m³ load capacity, the FAW 16.240FD with 6 m 3 load capacity, the FAW 28.280FD with 10 m 3 and the FAW 35.340 FD with 15 m 3 load capacity. Whether it’s the 4X2, 6X4 or the 8x4 tipper respectively, the FAW tippers can provide what any construction project demands. Supporting FAW’s uptime promise is a host of aftersales back-up services, and maintenance and parts supply through a wide dealer network. FAW trucks Serving the construction industry does not end with mixer trucks and tipper vehicles. FAW also offers a broad range of vehicles to carry anything – from steel girders, palletised bricks, boxed tiles and bagged construc- tion materials; and can take payloads from 5 tonne on its newest addition – the FAW 8.140FL – to over 35 tonne on its extra-heavy- weight 28.460FT 6x4 truck tractor, depending on trailer configurations. Whatever a customer requires – a FAW truck can do the job; affordably and cost effectively, with exceptional reliability.

he vehicles from the FAW stable have taken on more modern designs, new technical innovations where appropriate, increased

quality production, safer environments for all, and ethical practices, as their modern-day mantra. This ethos has enabled FAW world- wide to provide ever better vehicles, which remain easy to drive, easy to maintain and service, and positively contribute to lowering the total cost of fleet operations. Added to this is a growing respect for the Chinese brand. Similar to Japanese products post-WW2, international acceptance has had to be earned. Over the last few years FAW has proved the brand’s claims of being robust and durable without compromising performance or payload. FAW has proved it can produce good quality vehicles at an affordable price despite global economic challenges. Furthermore, FAW Vehicle Manufacturers SA has proved its commitment to listening to customers, as is evident from the numerous adaptations and special adjustments applied to locally built FAW trucks to suit unique African challenges. So too in the local construction sector, FAW vehicles are becoming more and more visible on sites as public and private infrastructure projects continue to spur the sector on and progressively move the industry forward. However this is not without increasing cost pressures and demand for excellent operational efficiencies. Affordable, reliable and cost-effective construction vehicles – whether compa- ny-owned, hired or contracted through a second-tier operator– are essential to every successful and profitable construction project. Cheng Zhang, marketing and strategy manager, and spokesperson for FAW Vehicle Manufacturers SA, says: “In the construction sector specifically, FAW vehicles have gained good traction owing to our broad range of tippers, mixers trucks and dropside or flat- deck options. “FAW delivers on all the requirements of running an effective fleet – whether it is a multi-vehicle fleet or a single unit. Choosing a FAW vehicle will provide great cost efficien- cies in terms of capital outlay, uptime, low fuel consumption, reliable parts supply and affordable maintenance,” he affirms.

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD JUNE 2016