trailer world issue Three 2009

26 Issue Three 2009 The branded German products can even be found as far away as Kenya. The requi- rements that must be met are very diverse. Andre Cilliers and his approximately 80 em- ployees have thus adapted to the market by specializing in meeting these requirements. Work is carried out in two shifts to complete orders, which come from many different ty- pes of customer, including trailer manufactu- rers and large freight forwarders. Business is also treated confidentially and customers are not questioned about their motives should they think of going to a competitor. Derek Reinhardt, who heads South Africa’s largest privately owned forwarder, with 540 trucks, has been a loyal customer of BPW for years and once fell for an offer from a competitor. The relationship between Reinhardt Transport and BPW is especially close. A self-made entrepreneur, Reinhardt has been relying on quality German axles since 2000 and uses them in his bulk cargo trucks, which are operated under extreme conditions. Measuring 22 meters in length, these double-trailer road trains, or “inter- links” as they are known in South Africa, have a weight of 56 tonnes distributed across four axles with 4 wheels each. The trailers are towed by a 6x4 tractor. The harsh opera- ting conditions, which involve transporting chrome ore, coal, bulk material and fertilizer, frequently have to be endured across country borders, where the roads are worse and the demands placed on the equipment higher. The average Reinhardt truck travels some 18,000 challenging kilometres under varying conditions each month. The long-distance routes in neighbouring southern African countries, where the valuable raw material deposits are located, cannot be compared to the smooth roads of the expansive regional highway network. Potholes the size of bath- tubs, muddy roads during the rainy season and washboard-like surfaces take their toll on man and machine over hundreds of miles. A breakdown is all the more serious here and can ultimately mean a total loss. Expensive raw materials such as copper are popular tar- gets for organized thieves who operate in the north around the capital city of Pretoria. It is not uncommon for an entire vehicle to be stolen, together with the driver, and hidden in a secret location for an indefinite period. Harsh everyday working conditions ne- cessitate the use of robust, reliable equip- ment. It therefore wasn’t too surprising that the much less expensive axles from China, which the laid-back transport tycoon had fitted to his side tipper trailer a couple ye- ars ago, failed. The price, however, had been simply irresistible and the offer seemed too good to refuse. “In the end, the Chinese or- deal turned out to be more expensive than if we had stuck to axles from BPW!” exclaimed Derek Reinhardt as he ran the calculations. This is music to the ears for service profes- sional Cilliers, whose many years of serving the South African transport market have re- vealed that it is fairly common for customers who place great emphasis on the total cost of ownership to return to and stay with BPW. Demand for heavy-duty trucks for the do- mestic market is largely saturated with ap- German quality for harsh conditions on the roads of Africa, where BPW axles have proven their worth for 47 years. International Test of material: Vehicles and components are taken to their limit every day to transport raw materials. Success story: Andre Cilliers heads BPW in South Africa.

trailer world issue Three 2009

Pages