FleetWatch always loves it when we hear of members of the trucking fraternity reaching out to help society for it shows the warm heart of this industry – and here we have another case in point. Apart from doing incredibly well with their truck sales chalking up 440 units sold in March, FAW Trucks South Africa is also giving back to society as evidenced by their participation, in partnership with FAW Paarl – MyRide Commercial, in the 15th Annual Truckers Function held in Vredendal which is aimed at raising funds for old age homes in the surrounding areas, including Vredendal, Lutzville, Klawer ..read more

The South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference (SATMC) plans to build on the gains achieved over the past year and reinforce its commitment to the local tyre manufacturing industry in 2024. Its multifaceted approach for 2024 encompasses key initiatives to combat illicit trade, foster local manufacturing, prepare for the future of the industry, address skills development, and enhance environmental sustainability in the local tyre sector. In 2023, the SATMC successfully advocated for the imposition of anti-dumping duties on unfairly traded imports of passenger, truck and bus tyres from China. T ..read more

Cost efficiencies and safety – for both drivers and vehicles – are primary considerations for any logistics or freight company and Unitrans has taken this to a new level with the launch of its newly upgraded Centre of Excellence (COE). “The launch of our upgraded COE marks a significant milestone for Unitrans and the industry as a whole,” says Jacques Greeff, Executive of Solutions at Unitrans. “We are thrilled to unveil this state-of-the-art facility that will drive value creation and operational excellence for our clients across Africa.” The modern supply chain is driven by ‘big data’ with i ..read more

bp Southern Africa (bpSA) has entered into an agreement with two logistics companies – DP World and Makwande Supply & Distribution – to take over its secondary transport business. “The outsourcing decision is aligned to the bp strategy of outsourcing highly specialised, important but non-core functions as we transform from an international oil company to an integrated energy company with a streamlined vision. Most importantly, this is a continuation of our focus on contributing meaningfully to the transformation of the industry,” says bpSA CEO Taelo Mojapelo. Taelo Mojapelo CEO bpSA: “Outs ..read more

There are a handful of people among the over 62-million South Africans who ever give any thought as to how the products they buy reach the shelves and yet behind each purchase – whether it be a simply chocolate bar or a trolley full of goodies – there lies a huge effort to keep the shelves stocked, all of which fall under the general banner of retail logistics supply chains. In this article, Solly Engelbrecht, National Logistics Executive at The SPAR Group in South Africa, gives some insight into the logistic challenges faced by the retail sector emphasizing the importance of continuous improv ..read more

Did you know that the tyres on the trucks you’re driving can, at their end of their operational life, be used in the construction of the roads you’re driving on? Well, that’s happening and the use of large amounts of recycled rubber crumb for the manufacture of road surfaces and related products is propelling South Africa towards a circular economy where waste products are usefully used to address key infrastructure needs. Dr Mehran Zarrebini, CEO of Hammarsdale-based radial truck tyre recycler, Mathe Group, says that much of the production from the Mathe Group factory, which recycles approxim ..read more

After increasing somewhat in December 2023, the Ctrack Transport and Freight Index (Ctrack TFI) declined notably in January to an index level of 119.3, a drop of 2.1% compared to December’s level of 121.9. The extent of the weakness evident reminds of the pressure the sector experienced amid the KZN looting and flooding episodes – see graph 1. Though the weakness was quite broad-based, the Ctrack TFI is still 5.1% above year-ago levels. The abrupt deterioration in January is indeed a stark reminder that the sector still faces many challenges at the beginning of 2024. In January, five of the si ..read more

The on-going recall of peanut butter products has put the spotlight on reverse logistics, an often-neglected aspect of supply chain management, according to SAPICS (The Professional Body for Supply Chain Management). Earlier this month, the National Consumer Council (NCC) urged consumers to stop consuming and return certain brands of peanut butter to stores due to heightened levels of aflatoxin. The NCC continues to call on manufacturers of peanut butter and peanut butter-based products to test their products. But how prepared are South African businesses to protect the public through swift, e ..read more

It is perhaps a sign of the times in South Africa that you when you arrive at a truck OEM press conference, instead of seeing on display the latest high-tech truck with all new safety features incorporated under a sleek aerodynamically designed cab as we did in the past, you’re confronted with a sort of box like cab which has the aerodynamics of a brick-wall and features flat ballistic glass bolted into each window frame with gun-ports in the windscreen and side windows. It’s a beast rather than a beauty. That is what was on display at the UD Trucks Southern Africa (UDTSA) press conference and ..read more

Volvo Trucks South Africa has announced its top performing dealers of 2023. Mega Dealer of the Year honours went to Volvo Trucks & Buses Johannesburg while the company’s Harrismith dealer claimed the top spot in the Medium Dealer of the Year category. Volvo Trucks & Buses Beaufort West was named the Small Dealer of the Year. Other award winners included the best dealer performances in uptime, measured against various KPIs, and their commitment and ability to quickly repair customers’ vehicles at breakdown. In the Customer Satisfaction category, one of Volvo Trucks’ core values, the win ..read more