July 2012

The Cover Story this month focuses on Isuzu. At the time of the launch in March 2010, Isuzu Truck South Africa presented 13 all-new F-Series models. The Isuzu FX/GX models were announced as the F-Series range ‘Big Brother' and arrived later in 2010. They are now here - eight Isuzu FX/GX models, positioned as the heavy-duty end of the F-Series range. The entire Isuzu F-Series model line-up now consists of 24 models with gross vehicle masses (GVM) from 10000kg to 28000kg, and gross combination masses (GCM) from 7050kg up to 45000kg. There is an Isuzu F-Series GVM and a GCM for every task and application - formidable indeed.

In the Company Profile, we take a look at the product line up of Big Lift Trucks SA (BLT SA). Recently established, this is a predominantly women owned BEE-based company, specialising in the supply and support of materials handling equipment. The new company, with its head office at the harbour in Durban, offers a wide range of material handling equipment throughout South Africa. This includes the supply of new and refurbished empty and loaded container handling equipment, as well as variable reach trucks, mobile container handlers and terminal tractors.

It's the simplicity of the concept that has the Sleipner system creating converts across the globe, with a design that has revolutionised the transportation of excavators and shovels across the mining world. With the innovative system, handling excavator transport becomes at least 80% faster, compared to the traditional method, namely, walking the excavator on tracks. The time that is saved can be used productively in loading or digging, as the system is easy and quick to use, making it beneficial in even in short transport operations. Read about this amazing piece of equipment in the Innovations article.

In our bumper Freight and Logistics section focusing on fleet Management, Ashley Sowerby, Managing Director, Chevin Fleet Solutions, addresses the statement from South Africa's Finance Minister, made at last month's G20 summit, which highlighted the serious risks of a further slowdown in Africa's biggest economy, while Imperial Logistics discusses how, by using an onboard computer, a fleet manager can find the location of vehicles as well as their direction and speed of travel by using a satellite system that collects information about the vehicles. This device has enabled fleet managers to work much more efficiently owing to their effective and user friendly nature.

In Tyre and Track this month, as the world's best sailors approached the end of their gruelling round-the-world adventure in the Volvo Ocean Race - Volvo Construction Equipment used the race's penultimate stopover in France to underline the company's long standing commitment to developing innovative solutions. At a press event held during the stopover, more than 30 leading journalists from across Europe, the Middle East and Africa were given the chance to operate Volvo's latest equipment in a real world situation - and learn more about the PL3005 pipe layer, which was launched to the EMEA market during the press event.

So, be informed and enjoy the read!

Finance

Scania is one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks and buses for heavy transport applications, as well as industrial and marine engines. A growing proportion of the company's operations consist of products and services in the financial and service sectors, assuring customers of cost-effective transport solutions and maximum uptime. Read about their new insurance product this month.

Major purchases

SA Earthworks has become the first African-based company to purchase the 120-ton Hyundai R1200-9 excavator, which was officially launched to the local market in Pretoria on June 21, 2012 by HPE Africa - the sole distributor of Hyundai earthmoving equipment in southern Africa.

Mining

A Western Star 4900SB 8X6 rigid truck fitted with a Schramm T685 drill rig truck has been bought by Mr. Hennie Booysen of Booysen Bore Drilling Co. (PTY) Ltd headquartered in Kuruman, Northern Cape. The rigid has specifically been customised with numerous components that are common to both Western Star and Freightliner trucks operating in South Africa, so that it can easily be supported by one of fifteen approved Freightliner/Western Star dealers nationwide.

Next month: Along with our usual selection of Regulars, look out for our quarterly Lifting feature.