Truck&Fleet ME April 2017

VEHICLES/ TECH / TrAnSporTATIon/LoGISTICS

MIDDLE EAST

O39/APRIL 2O17 PU BLI CATI O N LI CENSED BY D U BAI PRO D U CTI O N CIT Y

THe NeW GH5e eNGINe 180-240HP OF FUeL eFFICIeNT POWeR

S K C U R T D U S T I S D N I F

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A B M GE ium d e m y p p a ah e k i r t s l l i w w it o h n o s k c ner u o r C UD Tr w e n e h th t i w n o i g e r in the

n r o B E r S ITS ICONIC A LEGEnd T RevIve S A e e L D ID eR SAFARI NISSAN M PATROL SUP

contents

contents

coveR stoRy

14 / A hAPPy medIum

UD invites you into its gemba to find out why the Middle East is high priority for the new Croner

also this issue …

NetWoRK

06 / tesLA’s dubAI debut

06

10

Tesla will follow Dubai launch with a full charging infrastructure roll-out in the region FLeet oveRvIeW

20 / mAKINg choIces Why Image Group has opted for one major truck supplier in its fleet RePoRt

22 / cAN do IN KeNyA

36

T&FME ventures into Africa to meet a dealer who is opting for European vehicles teLemAtIcs

26 / vIsIoN oF the FutuRe What can we learn from the US industry in terms of telematics and monitoring?

WoRKshoP

32 / NeW ReguLAtIoNs A-MAP welcomes moves in the UAE to tighten controls on counterfeit spare parts

26

AssembLy

22

34 / LIghteR, stRoNgeR How can opting for lighter trailers and bodies help keep your fleet running efficiently LubRIcANts

36 / FLuId thINKINg ENOC takes us behind the scenes of its answer to the first upgrade in heavy engine oils for a decade

32 APRIL 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 01

WELCOME

CPI tRADE PUBLISHING pO Box 13700, Dubai, UAE tel: +971 4 375 5470 Fax: +971 4 447 2409 www.cpimediagroup.com PUBLISHING DIRECtOR

MARKEtING

RAZ ISLAM

MARKEtING MANAGER

raz.islam@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5483 EDItORIAL DIRECtOR VIJAYA CHERIAN

the workshop has been busy

vijaya.cherian@cpimediagroup.com

Like any old vehicle that’s been out on the road for a few years, it was time to bring Truck & Fleet Middle East into the workshop for a service and some overdue care and attention.

When we first prepared to launch the magazine almost five years ago now, we wanted to go for a modern and appealing design that put the vehicles first. Since then the magazine, like the market it covers, has evolved and we have broadened our horizons to focus not just on commercial vehicle and fleet cars themselves but also the industry that surrounds them.

In each issue, we more than ever concentrate on the challenges presented to fleet owners and those that are entrusted with ensuring their vehicles stay ready and able to hit the road. We have also learned about the importance of emerging technology as well as the wealth of information there is available on the discipline of fleet management. While we have been overwhelmed by the response to the magazine in the market, we have found it harder to squeeze it all in to its ageing and creaking pages.

So we have taken a moment to analyse how we feel the world of fleet management and ownership has changed and how the magazine can be better placed to reflect those changes. Fortunately our workshop has some highly creative designers who can interpret our notes and bang them into a fresh grille and engine tune-up for the magazine. I think the net-result is a magazine that should feel sufficiently familiar to long-term readers but also has a fresher and up-to-date look to it. We’ve also expanded the Workshop section to be more than just a collection of short news stories. It now includes in-depth articles in its own right and starting with this issue we will use the section to look at the technical side of fleet purchasing and management. Elsewhere the vehicle pages have been traded in for a newer model. We will still look at our monthly special vehicle type (this month is Sedans) but we want to cover as many launches as we possibly can.

As ever we always appreciate your input and feedback. So do drop me a line if you have anything you would like to see us cover in the magazine.

stephen.white@cpimediagroup.com

+971 4 375 5472 EDItORIAL EDItOR StEpHEN wHItE +44 7541 244 377 CONSULtANt EDItOR GAVIN DAVIDS gavin.davids@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5480 SUB EDItOR AELRED DOYLE aelred.doyle@cpimediagroup.com ADVERtISING SALES MANAGER BIpIN SONEJI bipin.soneji@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 433 2856 DESIGN ARt DIRECtOR SIMON COBON simon.cobon@cpimediagroup.com

LISA JUStICE lisa.justice@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5498 MARKEtING EXECUtIVE IVANA pESIC ivana.pesic@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5498 CIRCULAtION & PRODUCtION DIStRIBUtION MANAGER SUNIL KUMAR sunil.kumar@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5476 PRODUCtION MANAGER VIpIN V. VIJAY vipin.vijay@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5713 WEB DEVELOPMENt MOHAMMAD AwAIS JARRIS pEDROSO SADIQ SIDDIQUI fINANCE ACCOUNtS NAHEED HOOD naheed.hood@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5474 CREDIt CONtROL EXECUtIVE

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published by and Copyright © 2017 CpI trade publishing FZ LLC licensed by tECOM

StEPHEN WHItE EdiToR, TRUCK&FLEET ME STEPHEN.WHiTE@CPiMEdiAGRoUP.CoM 02 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

the publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. the opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication, which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the reader’s particular circumstances. the ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing.

THERE IS ONLY ONE HARDOX ®

Genuine Hardox only comes from the Swedish steel company SSAB. Hardox has for more than 40 years set the standard for extreme wear resistance and extreme toughness.

The marking will also tell which steel batch it comes from, the serial number, its length, width and thickness.

It’s like each Hardox wear plate having its own passport.

Just by looking, you know you are getting the real thing.

You can always tell it’s an original Hardox wear plate from the marking printed over every plate’s red surface.

Learn more about the world’s only Hardox wear plate at hardox.com

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CONSTRUCTION

IS HyPERLOOP HyPE gOINg IN CIRCLES?

Carillion venture contractor for Dubai Expo project

INFRASTRUCTURE

Minister tours UAE’s first nuclear power plant

In pictures: Nakheel’s Deira Islands megaproject in Dubai

CONSTRUCTION

Work starts on Dubai’s Meydan One Mall

CONSTRUCTION

Al Futtaim breaks ground on 78,000sqm site in Dubai

CONSTRUCTION

RAK Properties signs $3m works contract for resort 04 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

In pictures: Riyadh Metro carriages roll off production line at Alstom plant

We hear announcement after announcement about the ‘Hyperloop’ coming to the UAE. As your report (Hyperloop ‘aims to start UAE works by 2019’, March 8) said, the US company is looking to secure regulatory approval that will allow it to start production in the UAE within the next three years. While this would undoubtedly bring opportunities for one or two contractors in the UAE, let’s be realistic about this.

There has for years been speculation that such a system will come to the UAE, but it is yet to arrive. And it has never been tested with reallife passengers.

Don’t jump on board just yet.

Name withheld, Abu Dhabi, via email

NETWORK

UBER IN JORDAN / DUBAI fOOD TRUCK REgULATIONS / A DECADE Of DAEWOO AL fUTTAIM gOES gREEN / fORD EDgE vICTORy / ISUZU SEES MIDDLE EAST SALES SLUMP

network

Elon Musk reveals plans for Tesla’s Middle East launch MIDDLE EAST LAUNCH Electric vehicle specialist Tesla is to open a store in the Dubai Mall as it begins a roll-out of a physical presence in the Middle East for the first time.

At a press conference held in Dubai, Musk said the company is planning to open a service centre on the city’s Sheikh Zayed Road in July this year. A

second store and service facility will follow in Abu Dhabi in 2018, said Musk, before adding that the company will further expand into Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman.

28 charging stations, including two so-called supercharger locations, are expected to be ready for the launch and will increase to 50 by the end

of 2017. The Tesla Model S will retail for $75,000 with the 250 km/h Tesla X available for $94,000.

“We are going to put a major investment into the UAE and the surrounding countries,” said Musk.

“We’re just starting out but we’ve had a lot of good meetings with the UAE government and ministers and it is clear

that there is a very strong commitment for the UAE to be a leading country in the world in sustainability.”

Musk added: “We’re going to be rolling out supercharger locations throughout the region so you will be able to go wherever you want to go.

We’re going to make sure you love the experience, that’s the overarching goal.”

ACCORDINg TO fROST & SULLIvAN, NEW CAR SALES IN THE MIDDLE EAST WILL REACH 4.4 MILLION By 2020, AND BRINg THE TOTAL NUMBER Of vEHICLES IN OPERATION TO 44.5 MILLION

06 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

NETWORK

fORD EDgE CONTINUES WINNINg STREAK

2,000 illegal Uber drivers close to government approval

REgIONAL AWARD Crossover utility vehicle (CUV), the Ford Edge, has added a fourth regional trophy to its mantelpiece after securing wheels magazine’s Crossover of the Year 2017 title.

The latest award comes after it has won the Lebanon’s Automobile Car of the Year, Oman’s Automan Car of the Year, and EVO Middle East’s Car of the Year. As T&FME went to press, Ford Edge was due to contest for yet another award, the MECOTY

2017 award in the Compact SUV category with the Volkswagen Tiguan.

“Ford vehicles have a deserved reputation for being the most fun to drive, and with the dynamic technology packages we have developed for the Ford Edge, including Ford Adaptive Steering, enhanced Active Park Assist, and the new powerful 2.7l EcoBoost engine on the Sport variant, we have set a new standard in the CUV segment,” said Crystal Worthem, director of Marketing, Ford Middle East and Africa.

REgULATION

Online-based transportation company Uber says that it is close to finalising a deal which will see it formally enter the Jordanian market.

Speaking to the Levant Venture magazine, Uber Middle East manager Anthony El-Khoury said the company is in talks with the government of Jordan to ensure its 2,000 currently unlicensed drivers in the country are properly regulated.

“We want to be regulated,” El-Khoury told Venture. “We just need to find the best regulation to allow people to drive with Uber easily because in 2016 we had around 2,000 drivers in Jordan and 70% of them were part-timers. You have the students that want to do a couple of trips after their universities, you have mums who can have an extra income after they drop off their children to schools; so for us to be able to provide these people with this economic opportunity the licensing needs to be easy.”

During the interview, El-Khoury said the process for licensing in Saudi Arabia had taken one and a half months to complete.

“They moved very quickly. The Saudi Public Investment Fund invested in Uber but I don’t think this is what moved them, I think they really saw the opportunity. The reality there is that it’s quite difficult for women to move around the city so they thought that this is empowering women to move around, and this is something that they wanted to push forward.”

El-Khoury added that Cairo is the fastest growing city for Uber in the European, Middle East and Africa region and it now has 70,000 drivers in the city.

“Across the Middle East most of our consumers were not consumers of taxis, they were taking their own cars. We want to continue reducing our prices to be able to provide this reliable transportation to everyone.”

fCA EXPANDS RAM LINE-UP TO MEET DEMAND EXPANSION PLANS Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Middle East has beefed up the presence of its RAM brand of trucks in the Middle East as it believes the region is one of its key export markets.

FCA Middle East has confirmed that the Ram brand portfolio available in the region has grown significantly in response to customer demand.

In an interview with the Muscat Daily, Maurizio Zuares, CEO of FCA

Middle East said that the company is ensuring that “the majority of new models are available in showrooms straight away. Ram is a key pillar of our expansion plans and will grow from 6% to represent 15% of our business, and even more over in the coming years.”

FCA estimates that pick-up and utility vehicle trucks account for 13% of vehicle sales in the region and it has launched the Ram 1200 metric tonne pickup to complement its Ram 1500 range.

APRIL 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 07

NETWORK

A DECADE Of DAEWOO Cvs CELEBRATED IN UAE CUSTOMER EvENT

MIDDLE EAST SLUMPS HITS ISUZU SALES MARKET SLUMP

Exports from Isuzu’s Thailand operation to the Middle East are expected to remain flat in 2017 as the Japanese brand struggles with unfavourable market conditions.

The Middle East accounts for 16% of Isuzu’s international sales but vehicle exports fell by 11% in 2016. Toshiaki Maekawa, president of Isuzu’s Thai distributor Tri Petch Isuzu Sales told the Bangkok Post last month that the company expects exports to be close to the 160,000 CBU and CKD shifted last year.

TATA Daewoo and United Diesel recently hosted the Daewoo Star Customer Meet at Dubai’s Desert Palm Resort to celebrate a decade of vehicle success in the UAE. A 100 customers from a wide array of sectors and territories joined the event and the Al Rostamani-owned distributor invited many of its early truck purchasers.

Al Haddad presented its first Daewoo truck bought in 2007 and revealed that it has gone on to clock 750,000km without major repairs. It was joined by other veteran buyers such as Engineer’s Office, Utmost Transport and Al Rama Transport – many of whom continue to add more vehicles to their fleet when needed. TATA Daewoo Commercial Vehicles’ Sudhanshu Shekhar and Gurshaman Singh gave an update on the latest ranges and said that there are almost 300 variants in the Middle East with an array of options available in configurations from 4x2s to 8x4s in cargo, tractors, mixers, dumpers and special purpose vehicles.

DM UNvEILS fOOD TRUCK REgULATIONS REgULATIONS Operators of food trucks in the emirate of Dubai have been given a new set of rules and regulations as the average number of permits quadrupled in the first two months of 2017.

Speaking to Gulf News, Noura Al Shamsi, head of permits and applied nutrition section at Dubai Municipality, said her organisation had issued

134 permits in the January and february. At an average of 67 per month it is far above the 17 per month average across the entirety of 2016.

The new regulations include instructions to ensure that the kitchen area of the vehicle should be suitable for permitted

activities: “floors, walls and ceilings should be made of smooth materials; be easy to clean, nonabsorbent of water, fireresistant, light-coloured, non-toxic and without cracks,” said Al Shamsi. “It is also required to provide sufficient and appropriate places for storing.”

al-FUttaim provides green transport to ews-wFF SUSTAINABILITy

Al-Futtaim Motors (AFM) has donated a Toyota Prius to the Emirates Wildlife Society in association with WWF (EWS-WWF) as the organisations attempt to raise awareness in sustainability in the UAE. The Toyota Prius was the world’s first mass-produced hybrid vehicle (petrol-electric) when initially launched in 1997, and has since sold over 3.7 million cars around the globe. The new Prius employs a petrol engine and an electric motor, and can be powered by the engine, the electric motor or a combination of both, automatically choosing the most efficient mode for the best mileage and lowest emissions.

Thanks to the Prius’ lower emissions and smaller carbon footprint, EWS-WWF can demonstrate sustainability in its operations and play a role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from road transport, knowing that the Prius can save up to 1 ton of CO2 per year, said AFM. Tanzeed Alam, climate and energy director at EWS-WWF, said: “A move to low emissions vehicles like hybrid vehicles is critical to addressing climate change and improving air quality. This will save the country significant amounts of money. We are grateful to our partners Al-Futtaim Motors, as we are committed to ‘walk the talk’ and raise awareness.”

ABDUL LATIf JAMEEL AND TOyOTA MOTOR PLAN TO LAUNCH A fEASIBILITy STUDy ON BUILDINg A fACTORy IN KSA AS EffORTS TO ATTRACT MANUfACTURERS ARE RAMPED UP

08 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

LAUNCHES

UD LAUNCHES NEW MEDIUM DUTY / PATROL SUPER SAFARI / VOLKSWAGEN ARTEON 2017 COROLLA / RENAULT MEGANE / VOLVO S90 SEDAN / CADILLAC CTS

launches SMOOTH DESIGN 5% dECREasE in dRag

Croner rises from the East UD TRUCKS FOLLOW UP TO THE QUESTER IS A VERSATILE MID-DUTY WORKHORSE

The roll-out of the Quester from UD Trucks has been one of the biggest truck launch stories of the past 12 months in the region. This year, the Japanese company, which is owned by Volvo Trucks, is launching the all-new Croner, a medium duty truck that it is again promising reliability and ruggedness but at the more cost-effective end of the market.

T&FME was in Thailand for its official launch (and you can read more on that on page 14) and took the opportunity to take the truck out onto an admittedly short and flat trip

10 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

while over there. UD Trucks says the Croner is named after the Greek God Chronos, and as the name suggests the truck draws together its Far Eastern heritage with some inspiration (and no little investment) from its European owners. However, like the Quester, this is a truck firmly targeted at the emerging economies and UD told T&FME that it is specifically looking to growth markets across Asia, Africa, MiddleEast and South America.

The truck, which is available in three models (MKE, LKE, PKE) from 10.4t up to the

medium heavy duty 17t, on the outside shares a lot of similarities to Volvo’s most recent models and hums with UD’s desire to release a truck that smacks of the robustness and quality that hasn’t always been associated with vehicles in its class or price range. The inside is a much more stripped down office space compared to the Swedish company’s present designs but sits favourably with comparable vehicles.

Ride comfort and noise level on the track stacks up favourably too to other models T&FME has taken

for a spin recently. UD has identified that vehicle uptime, and the services needed to ensure that, is crucial for fleets and this is where the Croner may truly excel. Extra care has been taken with the driveline components, a new chassis frame and the redesigned cab reduces drag by 5% on older UD designs. The new GHE engine has also been optimised for fuel efficiency as has the automatic transmission. The package is wrapped up in the comprehensive set of UD Extra Mile Support services, such as UD Genuine Service

LAUNCHES

PATROL POWER 4.8L EnginE 280hp

a legend reborn

NISSAN MIDDLE EAST REVIVES ITS ICONIC PATROL

A SHIFT IN GEAR a six-speed automatic transmission is available on the Croner, a truck made for uptime.

and Parts, UD Driver Training, and UD Trust Service Agreements.

In addition to its Extra Mile Support, UD Trucks also offers professional telematics solution that provides customers with real time information and reports to improve their fleets’ operation. By connecting its trucks to the UD workshops, UD Trucks

enables proactive and continuous workshop support to its customers.

“It is our aim for Croner to make every moment count, through maximising productivity and minimising downtime on every run our customers make,” said Jacques Michel, President, Volvo Group Trucks Asia & JVs Sales at the launch.

SPECIFICATIONS GVW

10.4t (MKE)

17t (pKE)

Cab

2.1m day/sleeper

2.3m sleeper

HP

gh5E: 180 hp(Euro-3)/210 hp(Euro-3, Euro-4)/ 240 hp(Euro-4)

gh8E: 250 hp (Euro-3, Euro-4)/ 280 hp(Euro-3, Euro-4)

Manual 6s/ automatic 6s

Manual 6s,9s/ automatic 6s

Transmission

Nissan’s veteran Patrol Super Safari is coming back to the Middle East. A long-time favourite in the region, the Patrol Super Safari’s takes the Patrol’s go-anywhere reputation and wraps it up in leather-bound comfort.

“The return of the Patrol Super Safari reflects Nissan’s willingness not only to listen to its regional customers, but to also respond to their wishes,” says Samir Cherfan, managing director of Nissan Middle East. “The return is the direct result of customer demand for this legendary vehicle which has a strong heritage with the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula. Widely considered as one of the few truly all-terrain vehicles of modern time, the Patrol Super Safari continues to impress with its inherent ruggedness, durability and ability to cope with the extremes of the varied terrains and temperatures prevalent in this region.”

The re-imagined Nissan Patrol Super Safari still boasts a rugged design and off road capability, but takes a modern approach to the interior and features including special upgrades and enhancements that add to its usability and visual appeal.

The 2017 Patrol Super Safari nestles driver and passengers in all-new tan leather loungers and door trim with 8-way power seats for the driver and 4-way for the front passenger. New driver aids include a navigation system as well as front and rear parking sensors with rear view camera, Bluetooth, USB, CD, auxiliary input socket and FM/AM radio to complete the in-car entertainment offering. The vehicle comes equipped with automatic climate control and a built-in, refrigerated cool box. You still get the distinctive Patrol exterior

that has been replicated by many other manufacturers but the model also rides on distinctive machine cut 17” black alloy wheels with dual-tone body colours, flared fenders, a rear spoiler and a Super Safari body stripe all build on its iconic looks.

The Patrol Super Safari boasts a 4.8L DOHC in-line 6-cylinder engine producing 280hp and a mighty 46kg-m or 451Nm of torque which allows it to power up dunes or tow heavy objects with ease. The engine is mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission with manual mode. Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) keep everything on the straight and narrow while driving on the highway.

Complementing the existing Patrol line up which includes the V8, V6 and Patrol NISMO, Cherfan is confident that the market for the Patrol Super Safari is a healthy one thanks to its captive audience and devoted fans.

“We know this vehicle will appeal to many customers who have grown up with the Super Safari brand, and new generations will appreciate its deeprooted heritage in the region’s culture.”

SPECIFICATIONS 4.8L 6-cyl in-line dOhC engine, max 280hp, 46kg-m or 451nm of torque 5 speed automatic transmission with manual mode Rear locking differentials, electric front winch, front tow hook, rear pintle hook Tan leather seats and trim, leather and wood print steering wheel, navigation system, 8/4 way powered driver/ passenger seats, auto climate control, refrigerated cool box APRIL 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 11

LAUNCHES

round - up

2017 SEDANS

2017 corolla launches in the uae Building on 50 years of successful history, the new 2017 Toyota Corolla has been officially launched by Al-Futtaim Motors. The bestselling car has sold over 43 million units around the world since inception in 1966.

BEST IN CLASS 563L LUggagE sTORagE

In the UAE, over 200,000 Corollas have been sold since introduction in 1975, leaving an unforgettable mark into the country’s mobility scene.

The new 2017 Corolla reflects a more dynamic and sophisticated design.

VOLKSWAGEN ARTEON – A GT SEDAN The new Volkswagen Arteon made its debut at last month’s Geneva Motor Show and has frameless side windows, a wrap-around bonnet and finely detailed dynamic lines in the style of a GT car. The wideopening rear hatch that is hinged at the top gives easy access to the 563l luggage compartment – is best-in-class according to VW. The long wheelbase

of 2,841 mm enables a remarkably generous interior architecture for this body form that creates a spacious feeling with lots of headroom and legroom at all five seat positions.

The R-Line and Elegance equipment lines positioned above the base version further accentuate the sporty and elegant character of the new Volkswagen model.

SAFETY IN NUMBERS FOR S90 SEDAN Volvo Cars’ new S90 sedan has helped the car maker to be the first to score a full six points in the Autonomous Emergency Braking for Pedestrians (AEB Pedestrian) test procedure and boasts an overall 5 Star rating. The results of the S90 alongside the V90 wagon surpassed the best overall

score of any model tested last year and now make Euro NCAP’s top-3 best ever performing cars all Volvos.

There are three petrol engines for the S90 including the 2.0l turbocharged and supercharged T6 engine, a turbocharged T5 motor, and the T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid unit.

the new specced-up renault Megane The Megane Sedan, a new four-door sedan, is part of the renewal of the Renault range which was once upon a time was best known for its (yellow) coupe models.

The new model’s three-box body also benefits from a

capacious trunk (508 dm3 VDA). Like the rest of the Megane family, it includes a 7-inch colour TFT digital counter, an 8.7-inch I-surface multimedia tablet, a colour head-up display, Easy Park Assist and and EBS.

5-STAR SAFETY REpUTaTiOn is saFE

the cts puts theM in the rearview The 2017 Cadillac CTS features a new grille design in the front fascia and an allnew rear fascia with vertical exhaust orientation and valence panel changes. Rear camera mirror, the industry’s first application of full-display

12 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

rearview mirror technology that debuted in the 2016 Cadillac CT6 prestige sedan, is available in Cadillac CTS models in 2017. It shares an ultra-rigid, rear-wheel-drive chassis with the smaller ATS Sedan and Coupe.

COVER STORY

Welcome to UD trUck’s…

T&FME is in the Far East to talk philosophy and medium duty truck launches

…

new g

14 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

COVER STORY

gemba!

APRIL 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 15

COVER STORY

W

hat is a gemba?

It could be a cab, a site office, or the workshop, or the coffee house across the road.

Wherever it is that you do your best work, that’s your gemba.

From its original Japanese it can be translated as the real place or place where value is added and you can add gemba to your list of great Japaneseinspired approaches to manufacturing like Kaizen or just in time.

“The word gemba is where things are happening,” says Jacques Michel, President, Volvo Group Trucks Asia & JVs sales, giving his own take on the concept. “Where are things happening when you think about a truck? It happens in the plant, in engineering and development but gemba also happens in the customer’s hands. “(For us) this philosophy is about being extremely close to the customer, where we are taking care of their truck for them. The driver who lives and breathes with the truck – his gemba – is also our customer. Gemba is also in the workshop because that’s where service is happening.”

T&FME is in Thailand for the launch of UD Truck’s new Croner truck. It’s a replacement for the out-going Condor and marks the company’s most fully-fledged and modern medium-duty platform since being bought by Volvo Trucks a decade ago. There’s a new chassis, automatic transmission, rugged upgrade to the exterior that also improves aerodynamics, and much more to the truck. On top of the revisions and upgrades there’s the whole wraparound Extra Mile Support services to minimise downtime.

Taken as a whole package, UD looks like it is successfully bringing premium truck technology and services down into the more rustic climate at the value end of the market. It has also tapped into the original philosophy of founder Kenzo Adachi who 82 years ago set out to “build the trucks the world needs today”.

Adachi typified the gemba spirit, taking his first LD1 truck and ND1 engine out on a 13-day, 3,000km hike. Given that Japan was far from the advanced country it is today, it must have been a bruising jaunt but Adachi returned with zero breakdowns and his company’s (then called Nihon Diesel) reputation intact

FROM THE FACTORY FLOOR As part of Volvo’s investment programme, UD Truck’s Thailand plant has been extended by 20,000sqm and includes a modern assembly line, cab plant and paint shop.

16 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

the word gemba is where things are happening. this philosophy is about being extremely close to the customer where we are taking care of their truck for them”

Despite helping to create the Japanese truck industry and bringing what was then state-of-the-art technology like the vertically opposed piston engine (the name UD comes from the company’s Uniflow Diesel engine) and later pioneering SCR in the 1980s, the company lost its ground to its competitors in the global market.

Investment from Volvo Trucks since it acquired 100% of its shares in 2007 has seen the company take on the sales of the Swedish companies own trucks in Japan and crucially helped boost its manufacturing and development capabilities.

UD sold 20,700 trucks last year across the heavy and medium-duty segments, with half of its sales in Japan and half in international markets. The introduction of the Quester in that time has seen the Middle East catch-up on the heavy duty range which has been in available since 2013 elsewhere.

The Croner shares much of the same DNA as its larger brother, especially as a proposition to growth markets such as the Middle East as well as South Africa, Asia and Oceania.

“The Quester has been a little bit delayed in the Middle East compared to other countries. Now we are there, I can tell you that we are very happy,” says

COVER STORY

EXTEnSIVE TESTInG The Middle East was chosen alongside six different sites to conduct 1.4 million km of testing ahead of the Croner launch.

Michel. “The customer feedback so far has been very good. Being what the customer needs is the most important thing – the rest I call ice cream and balloons.”

Michel adds that the Quester shows UD is making trucks for end-users that are built to last longer than the competition in its segment: “What they like about the truck is that it is a robust truck and it is truck that can work in tough conditions. You have some… special heat in the Middle East which you don’t find anywhere else in the world. We’ve made a truck which can exist in all different environments. The customers have been very happy with Quester in that sense.”

Michel tells T&FME that the Middle East was among the areas selected to test the Croner prior to launch: “We have been testing and running the truck for 1.4 million kilometres in six different countries, some that are very high altitudes like Peru. It is running on the roads of Thailand and Indonesia, as well as South Africa.”

Nobuhiko Kishi, SVP of UD Brand and Product, says the testing was crucial to ensure it had managed to design a medium duty truck with heavy duty strength.

“Medium duty usage is less than heavy duty trucks but we have tried

You have some… special heat in the middle east which you don’t find anywhere else in the world.

We’ve made a truck which can exists in all different environments”

to keep really good durability and quality. After those you need to be able to meet customer expectations – and that’s why we’ve done a very strong field test of 1.4 million kilometres.”

Looking further back to the beginning of the Croner’s development, Michel recalls how the process worked at UD. “When we start with a concept, you have a lot of ideas internally,” he says. “Fortunately we have a lot of people with great ideas which is good but the most important thing was to listen to customers. We went out of our design centre in Japan and went to the customers in the market. We had to find out what their experience with UD Trucks has been and how they see the future changing.

We worked with our customers all the way through the development. That, I think, has been the most important thing.”

Finding out what the customer wants and needs has been incorporated into the company’s own interpretation of the gemba philosophy.

“Curiosity of the customer and firmly understanding what they need now and in the future is part of our DNA,” says Kamlarp Sirikittiwatn, president of Volvo Group (Thailand).

HOw UD TRUCkS FITS InTO THE VOLVO GROUP… “From a group perspective, each brand in the group needs to stand by itself and manage its future,” says Jacques Michel, president, Volvo Group Trucks Asia. “You can leverage all the good things about the Volvo Group that you want but UD should be in a pull mode not push mode and take what its needs.”

“UD Trucks manages its own future. We have a sales organisation, an engineering organisation, we have a manufacturing organisation, a brand and marketing organisation – and by this we are one unique entity. Life is never perfect, but the most important thing is how reactive you can be and proactive to solve your issues. You also need to have a contingency plan.”

APRIL 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 17

COVER STORY

He adds that now the truck is in the wild, the company is working hard on training distributor technicians and salesmen as well as their customers to understand how to make the most of the new truck. UD is also making sure that parts back-up is there.

“We’re working with dealers customers, listening and picking the right truck for them,” he says.

While the Croner is a versatile truck platform, the company is focused on the construction and food distribution sectors in the region.

“The 11t has been a backbone in the past,” says Michel “Of course construction is very imporant so you’ve got a mixer and tipper which can support that segment and infrastructure developments and general construction.”

Nobuhiko Kishi says of the three combinations that will arrive in the Middle East – the MKE, LKE and PKE – the LKE is likely to be the most popular: “It’s very compact, 4 cylinder but with a high GVW. It’s an interesting combination that

Japanese companies have not always had.”

One thing that UD Trucks has had in the past is the ability to assemble CKD (complete knock down) units in Saudi Arabia. It is an approach that Michel reveals that the company is not currently contemplating.

“In the past, UD had an assembly plant in Saudi Arabia, but today we are going to be delivering CBUs to Saudi for Quester and Croner,” he says. “We are starting with CBU but we will look at the volumes in Saudi and whether it makes sense to assemble.”

Total cost of ownership has become a much bigger concern for fleets in the region since fuel prices began to rise and some sectors witnessed an increase in competition. Michel admits that the Croner will retail for more than the previous model, the Condor, but says that the care into its build, the advances in its design and the improvements to customer support make it a stronger proposition to potential buyers.

“You have more technology on this truck but there is more added value for the

We went out of our design centre in Japan and went to the customers in the market. that, I think, has been the most important thing”

customer,” he says. “Yes there is a bit more cost, but you are much more fuel efficient.

The price is just one part of it but it is not the most important thing for the customer that can get financing. Over five years the price isn’t the major impact, the most important impact is the total cost of ownership for the customer is in the running costs.

“If you take the engine – it has a service interval that is double that of the Condor.

So instead of coming to the workshop every two months and you run the same way than you go every four months. And if you put that into a full year, the customer can run that truck for two weeks more.”

He adds: “The world is changing and we’ve recognised that we need to be adaptable. But it is not only about adapting, we need to change. “ Not only is the world changing, but the economy is changing, the regulations are changing, the transport industry is changing.

So it is very important that we work with all the people that manage those changes and see how we can help our customers.”

80 YEARS OF UD TRUCkS The 3,000km test run Kenzo Adachi founded Nihon Diesel Industries (later UD Trucks) in December 1935. The company developed the first Japanese-made diesel truck engine in 1938, followed by the first Japanese-made diesel truck, LD1, in November 1939. Adachi drove the LD1 on a now legendary test drive of 3,000km in the same year.

Although Japan’s roads at the time were unpaved and the country was full of narrow roads and bridges, not a single bolt came loose and not a single spring broke on the LD1 on its journey.

Birth of UD engines At the start of the 1950s, construction of infrastructure that included power sources, roads, railways, ports and large-scale plants led to rising demand for

18 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

large, high-horsepower trucks. In January 1955, two new diesel UD engines were released: the three-cylinder 110hp UD3 and the four-cylinder 150hp UD4. The six-cylinder 230hp UD6, launched in June, was the most powerful in Japan, and acclaimed as the lightest engine per horsepower in the world at the time. The engines used pioneering ‘uniflow scavenging diesel engine’ technology – abbreviated to UD – and the UD name and symbol has been on all engines and trucks the company has released ever since.

Introduction of the 6Tw The 6TW, launched in 1958, contributed to infrastructure development, during rapid economic growth. The truck was used in the construction of Kurobe Dam, a famously challenging

dam to build. With the 1964 Tokyo Olympics just around the corner, 6TW also played an important role in construction of infrastructure that ran from highspeed expressways to the bullet train, and high-rise hotels. The T80 2-axle export version also became a popular workhorse in Asia and around the world.

Condor debut In the 70s, there was a shift from the mass production of single products to high-mix, low-volume production and the expansion of cold chain logistics for transporting fresh products and frozen foods in the food distribution industry.

Consequently, there was greater demand for medium-duty trucks capable of economical and efficient transportation

over short and medium haul.

Condor, launched in 1975, met those needs, and the model has developed over the years and went through a full model change in 2011. new UD Trucks As a means of unifying its identity as a global brand and as one of the leading brands in the Volvo Group, in 2010 the company name was changed from Nissan Diesel to UD Trucks Corporation along with adopting UD Trucks as its unified brand name.

FLEET OVERVIEW

What RoI means to us Image Group of Companies’ Harjinder Singh on the importance of MAN’s support and training

“

We always go beyond the expectations of our stakeholders.

That has led to our success and pride in our dedication and perseverance to our work,” says Harjinder Singh, the founder of the UAE’s Image Group of Companies.

With 200 contracts and projects underway in the emirates, and a lengthy but successful track record in construction and transportation, Image deploys a huge fleet of vehicles and equipment.

It also has a veritable army of welltrained employees ready for action in both the UAE and Australia. It is a far cry from when Singh first arrived in the UAE in 1982 having made the journey from the Indian city Hosairpur in the Punjab.

20 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

“The idea was to help people and bring labourers from India to give them jobs,” he says. “We’re firmly grounded in a philosophy of mutual understanding and open collaboration throughout the company.

We always want to put people first and it is an approach that extends to our clients and the people that support us too.”

Singh has created a group of businesses that excels in infrastructure and materials transportation. The group’s clients include Abu Dhabi’s GTC, the Tristar construction company, Al Naboodah and NSCC International. It is an impressive list of major players charmed by the group’s professional approach.

Powering away at the heart of the operation is a well-maintained and capable

We continue to achieve a consistent growth strategy even through challenging market conditions”

fleet of 200-plus MAN trucks which provides logistical support as well as transportation services. The trucks, he adds, help Image to be both lean and effective.

“We have delivered each assignment on time and within, or below, budget targets,” he says proudly.

Image continues to achieve consistent and successful growth even through challenging market conditions. The general contracting arm of the group is an infrastructure powerhouse and has made its mark on a series of rail, road, O&G and civil works projects.

It has recently provided steel structure, civil work and all concrete work for a theme park development in Dubai as well as constructed the roadworks and pipelines for the Al Maktoum Airport on the outskirts of the

FLEET OVERVIEW

THE IMAGE MAkER ANd MAN Image Group of Companies was founded

by Harjinder Singh in 1995. Today it owns a large fleet of equipment and vehicles, including 200 MAN trucks.

city. It has also built a formidable record in building excavation throughout the UAE. Its transportation business, which formally became its own separate entity at the end of the 1990s, provides transport, heavy-duty machinery and equipment throughout the UAE. The MAN fleet in tandem with the support from the famous German manufacturer are critical components in ensuring the entire group is a profitable and efficient outfit wherever it is deployed.

“The uptime and mileage is fantastic and as the fuel consumption is economical it makes me successful. MAN’s trucks are truly on- and off-highway which makes them more flexible and better than other brands.”

Image’s transport operation is divided into several groups including

tipper trucks, cement bulk haulers and flatbeds. Separate in-house technical/ mechanical workshop facilities oversee the handling of maintenance and repairs.

The vehicles are checked daily by the workshop’s supervisors before heading to projects and jobs, he adds.

The group also draws on MAN’s own technicians and authorised workshops if required to ensure vehicle uptime.

“I have found that only MAN trucks – and the help they provide – offers the reliability and efficiency that we need as a business,” he enthuses.

Inside the fleet of MAN’s heavy duty TGA and TGS trucks, Image utilises telematics (MAN launched its newest generation of telematics two years ago in the region) to ensure that schedules are maintained and constantly monitored – a crucial concern with so many vehicles deployed at one time.

“Our vehicles are supplied with GPS so we can track movements, driver behaviour, fuel consumption, safety, the location of the trucks... so we can deliver the materials in a timely manner,” explains Singh.

Uptime is clearly a priority at a company which has made a significant land-grab of the logistical, transport and earthworks operations market since beginning trading in 1998. Here, again, MAN has been a real asset by not only providing a succession of robust vehicles and on the ground help when required, but also additional training.

A self-confessed believer in continuous learning he emphasises that training is regarded as an essential part of every operative’s career.

Singh tells T&FME that training through MAN and its dealer Darwish Bin Ahmed & Sons Co has enhanced Image’s workshop operation with technicians and mechanics sent through MAN’s training centre. Likewise, all drivers are placed onto its intensive but rewarding ProfiDrive training programme and this has led to improved safety and productivity. No driver takes to the road until they have completed the programme, he stresses.

“Training is really important for the good maintenance of trucks, safety and making good drivers,’ he says.

Singh concludes he gets the best return of investment (RoI) for his group by buying MAN trucks.

“I know that I can trust a MAN truck to always perform at its maximum so that we can perform at our best. In so many ways, MAN’s training and its trucks have made my company what it is today. ”

WHy MAN TRuCk & BuS PuTS SAFETy FIRST Can you elaborate on what’s preventing the operation of trucks with the latest safety features?

Studies have shown that the top factors that impact road safety from a commercial vehicle perspective are vehicle load, driver alertness, worn tyres and incorrect/ incomplete maintenance.

As in other markets, the implementation of vehicle safety solutions in the UAE depend to a large extent on government legislation and owner/ operator understanding the benefits to RoI in terms of reduced accidents and reduced operating costs that can be achieved through safety initiatives.

Manufacturer commitment to and prioritisation of safety is crucial. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and some of the manufacturers continue to prioritise productivity and profit over safety; and desist from investing sufficiently in technology and innovation.

At MAN, we have longdevoted significant research and investment into building safety into our trucks.

What are main issues the industry needs to tackle?

Increasing safety awareness is the need of the hour, and this is a goal that all stakeholders – manufacturers, owners, operators, NGOs and the government – must work collectively towards.

Promoting the use of

genuine parts and clamping down on the sale of fake spare parts can contribute substantially towards improving road safety.

Continuous driver education is another step that can help bring down accident rates and make our roads safer.

The MAN ProfiDrive training programme, for instance, combines theoretical and practical exercises to make everyday driving safer and more economical.

What is needed to ensure safer vehicles and roads?

We believe that strengthening vehicle and road safety legislation and ensuring strict enforcement can have a profound and positive effect on making our roads safer for all users, including commercial vehicle drivers.

As part of our commitment to the UAE Government’s 2021 road safety vision, MAN pledged its total support for the introduction of road transport governance regulations, education for transport operators and enforcement officers, and enforcement of mandatory vehicle specification standards for new commercial vehicle deliveries. The use of fake spare parts is a major cause of auto accidents, with brake failures and tyre bursts being the most common causes. Enforcing strict regulations to eliminate fake products is therefore an absolute necessity if the UAE is to achieve its road safety goals.

APRIL 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 21

DEALER REPORT

A ReTuRn To KenYA

T&FME heads down Nairobi to cover IVECO’s relaunch in Kenya. Gavin Davids reports

2

3 March, 2017 was a momentous date for IVECO, as it was the day that marked the Italian giant’s re-entry into the Kenyan market, allowing it to consolidate and expand its presence in the lucrative East African market.

With the commercial vehicle manufacturer looking to relaunch itself in Kenya following a five-year absence, it has teamed up with its new partner, Global Motors Centre Limited (GMC), an affiliate of the TransAfrica Motors Limited (TAM) group – a leading automotive dealer in East Africa, and a licensed motor vehicle assembly company with an operational plant.

The partnership between IVECO and GMC will see the manufacturer’s organisational and international teams provide backing and on-site support to GMC. This will allow the Kenyan company to deliver prompt, efficient and reliable service to IVECO customers through its network of branches, workshops and showrooms located across Kenya.

As such, this will entail teams coming to GMC’s Mombasa plant and training technicians on the assembly line there, while teams will also visit the Italian firm’s 22 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

assembly lines in Europe to learn and understand the manufacturing process there.

Addressing a number of local dignitaries and industry heavyweights at the press conference, Fabio De Serafini, IVECO Africa and Middle East Business Director, praised GMC and TransAfrica’s experience in Kenya, highlighting its reputation, strong financial capabilities and forward thinking as key factors in IVECO agreeing to the partnership.

With the announcement of the partnership being made at the InterContinental Hotel in Nairobi, T&FME was on hand to discuss the implications of the relaunch for both companies with Hussein Abadi, CEO and managing director of Global Motors Centre, and De Serafini.

“We’ve signed two agreements with IVECO,” says Abadi. “One is for the sale of units, while the other is for the manufacturing of units. The second agreement is for CKD – the knockdown units that we will assemble at assembly line in Mombasa.

“We’ll have our first batch of knockdown units ready in the third quarter of 2017,” he adds.

Pointing out that TransAfrica already has considerable experience in this sector through its own partnerships

The overall strategy for Africa started about seven years ago, when a new plan was put into place for us to become the leader in the African market. It started by reinforcing our presence in Southern Africa”

with China’s FAW and Honda, Abadi asserts that GMC is well-prepared for IVECO’s re-entry into Kenya.

“It’s not a new thing for us. We already have the expertise and facility ready.

The only thing new that we’re doing is establishing an assembly line specific for IVECO manufacturing. The capacity of the line will be 3,000 units per year, but how many we produce will depend on how many units we sell. We’re going to start small and then grow as we expand.”

De Serafini adds that this would be the seventh assembly plant launched in Africa, and that others are in the pipeline as part of IVECO’s expansion strategy in Africa.

“There is a very good, structured process at IVECO. We have taken the first step of training part of the technician team that will work on the line in Mombasa. They’ll come to our plant in Italy, and they’ll do training on the job.

“They’ll see our assembly process and how it works. Of course, our assembly process may be a lot more automated than what we’ll be able to do locally, but in this way they’ll be able to understand how to operate and manage the assembly phase,” he explains.

DEALER REPORT

APRIL 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 23

DEALER REPORT

STRATEGIC ExPANSION The partnership will see GMC focus on selling IVECO as a premium brand to the Kenyan market.

Teams from Kenya have visited IVECO’s Brescia plant (pictured left) as part of their training.

“But this is only the first step. In order to train all the workforce locally, we normally build a specific team with a quality department, a manufacturing department, an engineering department and with an assembly department, and they’ll work onsite for the first three months of the assembly phase, in conjunction with the workforce, so as to train them on the job.”

Both De Serafini and Abadi point out that part of the strategy of establishing an assembly line in the country is to let the market know that IVECO and its partner are serious about cracking Kenya. Not only will the plant provide employment for more than 600 local people, but it will also allow it to build up its customer relationships, they say.

“From a commercial standpoint, one of the biggest challenges is convincing customers that we’re consistent. I think opening a new plant that involves more 24 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

The capacity of the line will be 3,000 units per year, but how many we produce will depend on how many units we sell”

than 600 employees is a good signal of a strong intention to restart (in Kenya),” says De Serafini. “And then, of course, one of the other big challenges is to invest in the promotion of our products, in order to generate new customer relationships.

“Another thing we’re working on is the capabilities to immediately manage the service activities as a premium brand.

We are positioning ourselves as a premium brand, but in this way, we’ll have a specific focus on parts availability and timing, so as to have more than 98% of parts available in less than 48 hours,” he adds.

Hussein Abadi says that GMC’s role in this strategy will be to establish the assembly plant, but also to build up a network of workshops and service centres across the country, creating a sustained culture of excellence and quality around IVECO’s presence in Kenya.

“Once you sell a truck, people won’t come after just two or three weeks, but you must have the centres ready, just in case.

Say there’s an accident, or that the body has to be built, or the engine has to be maintained – these are some of the reasons why we have to have service centres.

‘We already have expertise in service centres, because we have workshops countrywide, so we’ve got the expertise.”

Looking toward the future, De Serafini says that IVECO sees two main opportunities in the Kenyan market.

One is in the medium duty vehicles sector: he estimates that 75% of the commercial vehicles market in Kenya is in the 10-15t range, with most of the competition coming from Asian brands.

The second opportunity of interest for the manufacturer is in the heavy duty sector, which is dominated by the European

DEALER REPORT

brands. Here he feels that IVECO will be on more of an even footing in the market due to its long-standing presence in the African, Middle Eastern and European markets.

“The overall strategy for Africa started about seven years ago, when at the end of 2010, a new plan was put into place for us to become the leader in the African market. It started by reinforcing our presence in Southern Africa. One of the first steps we took was to rebuild our presence in Africa, where a new plant was launched in 2013,” he relates.

“It was related to all other right-hand drive markets, Kenya included. For Kenya, the strategy was something a little bit different, because of the kind of market that it is. Because it is concentrated on the Eurocargo market, it is quite different to the other right-hand drive markets in Southern Africa. Kenya was part of this big, big project to reinforce and to expand the presence of IVECO in Southern Africa.”

Abadi adds that while the current plan is to focus on Kenya, with GMC looking at the light and medium range of IVECO vehicles as a sector of interest, there are plans to look beyond its borders.

KENyA SET FOR DECADE OF GROwTh A study by BMI Research suggests that the Kenyan construction industry will outpace its SubSaharan counterparts over the next decade.

According to the analysts, the fast rate of growth is being driven by government spending on infrastructure. Large projects underway in the country include the development of Lamu Port which began land reclamation in 2016 and the construction of the 609km Mombasa to Nairobi standard gauge railway (SGR).

The country is intent on continuing to develop its logistics profile to strengthen its position as a hub to the

region but also to encourage commercial development across the country. The Kenyan government has also opened up the country to retail chains like Carrefour (which has entered via franchise holder and Dubaibased company Majid Al-Futtaim) and wants to further develop the sector.

Nairobi is one of eastern Africa’s most attractive real estate development destinations and is also becoming more readily accessible for foreign investors and tourists.

BMI Research estimates that the market will peak at 8.7% this year and continue to record an annual growth rate of 6.2% up to 2026.

“We’re going to start with the home market, but once we see if there’s any requirement outside of Kenya, then we can always expand,” he asserts. “We’re very optimistic about the future here.

That’s why we’re investing heavily.

“IVECO is a brand that has built itself up over more than 100 years. They’ve actually been looking for a partner for many years, and they ended choosing us as partners. It’s like someone looking for a wife, and they finally end up getting her!”

De Serafini agrees that one of the key factors in finding an agreement, from IVECO’s side, was that GMC was already in the truck business, and as a result, have a very strong capability in Kenya.

This gives the partnership an advantage over other European brands, he feels.

“Other European competitors that are mainly focusing on the primary niche – the part of the market that is for the prime movers – they don’t have this capability.

With GMC, we will have this additional opportunity. And of course, in the medium range, we’ll have the opportunity of assembly, which will be needed in this most important part of the market,” he concludes.

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APRIL 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 25

TELEMATICS

The early adopTers

The region can learn from progress being made in telematics and construction technology in the US

26 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

TELEMATICS

l

ast month saw the return of both Conexpo and, closer to home, the Telematics Conference Middle East & Africa in Dubai. On the face of it these are two completely different shows in two very different regions, however they both tackled the subject of how to use telematics effectively.

Conexpo featured the very latest in the technology as spawned by the US tech power houses but the region is home to its own roster of companies offering to make fleets more effective and their costs lower.

Telematics and other asset monitoring solutions may not be as broadly adopted in the region as the US but their use is growing faster in the Middle East and Africa than anywhere else.

Bassam Alkassar founded Abu Dhabi-based FMS Tech to tackle, “some challenging problems affecting almost every business company related to road safety and the lack of adherence to regulation and improper driving.”

Today FMS Tech has established itself as a major player, particularly in the oil & gas sector, in areas such as vehicle monitoring systems, telematics, connected vehicles, Machine-2-Machine, Asset and Fleet Management, and Vehicle Tracking.

According to Alkassar a key success factor for the adoption of telematics solutions in the region is meeting the demand for high levels of service and information transparency in commercial fleets.

Alkassar was joined at last year’s Telematics Conference Middle East & Africa by Volha Smirnova, chief marketing officer at Gurtam. Representing the Russian company, she offered an alternative outsider coming into a new market perspective, adding that any telematics company had to meet the challenges of “regional diversity, low stability, insufficient infrastructure and roads” when coming into the region.

If the Middle East and Africa region is an emerging market, then the US is one that has matured and a useful indicator of what lies ahead. A new report published

by GPS Insight indicates that under half of commercial fleets in the States are now using

telematics. Out of the six sectors covered, the construction industry ranked only fourth with 59% of companies not using the technology. The first placed utilities sector in comparison has an adoption rate of 78%.

“The telematics industry continues to grow as commercial fleets are adopting the technology at a steady rate,” says GPS Insights. “Fleets across all industries are finding that telematics is providing insight they never had before which helps them reduce costs, reduce risk, and increase revenue. Most industry reports state that the adoption rate is somewhere between 30-40%. The findings of this report show that 44% of fleets are now using telematics, with the highest rates of adoption found within the western region of the US, fleets made up of 101-350 vehicles and operations in the utilities industry.”

One of the top companies listed by fleet managers was Conexpo exhibitor Trimble, which owns construction technology provider, SITECH. John Taylor, COO of SITECH Gulf which distributes end-to-end machine control solutions for heavy machinery and service vehicles in the GCC said recently that he estimates that the region is six years behind developed markets: “The adoption of telematics by the industry has been slow in this region,” he said.

That presents the region with an opportunity to learn from the experience of others as it progress towards greater implementation. Out of the lessons learned from those currently using telematics in the US according to GPS Insights , almost two-thirds (63%) of companies said making sure the product solves your business challenge was the main one. 59% of companies agreed that using a pilot or trial period would have been useful. Additionally, the three main considerations, those who are using telematics said, were post-sale service and support, price and that the technology would continually advance.

The US construction rental industry is arguably one of the leading adopters of construction technology in the world and has introduced a host of new technologies, from tech on the

APRIL 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 27

TELEMATICS

ARMIng REnTALS Rental companies are among the biggest users of telematics and equipment monitoring technology in the US market.

They help manage the entire rental period.

equipment itself to how contractors request a unit and where they get it.

“There are many rental companies out there and with the technology to advertise services over many mediums, it becomes an advantage to the contractor. If they want to rent through an app or in person, all options are available,” Derek Betcher, rental marketing manager at Hitachi and John Deere said on the eve of Conexpo.

Building on this, in addition to reserving a rental, construction companies can also use technology to manage the entire rental process.

Liam Stannard, CTO at California-based BigRentz points out how ease of use is a big attraction, saying it’s about having a single point of contact for all their rental needs.

“They can see and manage their many dozens of rentals in one spot, and see real time information about the status of each piece of equipment. It’s incredibly easy to place new orders, manage historical and existing orders, handle invoices, and report any issues and more through a customer portal. We use text messages and emails to keep customers and their job site workers up-to-date with equipment delivery, pickup and the like,” Stannard states.

Certainly, the equipment rental process is changing with the help of technology, 28 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

SITE VISIOn According to some industry observers, the Middle East could be more than a half a decade behind other regions in the adoption of tracking technology.

but perhaps one of the greatest benefits of renting is the fact that contractors can “test drive” some of the new and emerging technologies on a piece of equipment.

When it comes to experiencing new technology on the equipment, the experience can vary, according to Matt McLean, product manager, Volvo Construction Equipment.

“I would say one of the things that contractors give up when they rent is the intelligence that can be gained when you own a machine and are tracking it through telematics – ways to reduce overall job site costs, gain productivity in your machine, track operator behaviour for training opportunities that can further those productivity gains, etc, ” McLean says.

“There are obviously pluses and minuses to everything, but I would recommend that a contractor consider the long-term benefit when possible when they weigh cost-benefit analysis of renting versus buying. Many manufacturers are offering telematics as part of a package with new machine purchases now, including Volvo, and the long-term value gained on a machine through this intelligence is incredibly impactful.”

Equipment is advancing very rapidly in construction, and contractors can leverage some of these smarter technologies on the pieces of equipment they are renting.

Many manufacturers are offering telematics as part of a package with new machine purchases now and the longterm value gained on a machine through this intelligence is incredibly impactful”

Betcher explains, “A contractor that is renting gets exposure to new tech on a new piece of equipment. Excavators with telematics are one example. Several players are figuring out how to utilise the tech when renting out the equipment. There is more expensive tech that can only be rented, the cost of ownership is too high. Self-diagnostics technology is helpful for the contractor.

“If there is a problem, they can relay what it is to the rental company. As a renter, the equipment being used just has to run. A lot of new tech is in the background, such as diagnostics, safety and tools, and they don’t experience it first-hand,” Betcher states.

Carol Hagen, president of Hagen Business Systems, describes the US construction industry being midway in terms of its digital transformation. More than half of all commercial construction firms have at least made a partial transition to the cloud, digitised their plans and are using tablets on the job site, she says.

Hagen sees a number of trends that will become mainstream in 2017, among them will be a second phase of digital transformation.

“The trend to become more digitised will continue,” she says. “A digital transformation is more than turning everything into PDFs with digital signatures. It’s information flow and to that end, data collection of images,

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A visit is highly recommended. To be part of this edition, pre-register at www.automechanikaDubai.com/TF

TELEMATICS

WhAT dOES ThE TELEMATICS REVOLUTIOn hAVE In STORE? Not too long ago, car reviews and market predictions focused on speed, design and technical features, but cars are increasingly becoming futuristic high-tech systems, teeming with sensors and chips, says Octo Telematics Algorithms Algorithms can be used to determine just about anything: from a driver’s policy premium, based on the driving history or driving environments, to predictive maintenance alerts on vehicle engines and mechanics. Experts predict the advent of algorithmbased vehicle warranties that will provide buyers with foolproof data on used cars based on the last owner’s driving patterns and style.

Avatars Drivers will be able to log into their own account and retrieve their driving preferences, history and bookmarks on any vehicle they drive, so that the vehicle is automatically adjusted to their driving behaviour and personal preferences.

Ethernet This is a major step forward that will bring much faster

upload and download transmission times to moving vehicles. This will spell out a major improvement not only in terms of car connectivity and infotainment systems, but will also have major repercussions on safety and security. First of all, over-the-air updates for all vehicle systems will become very fast. Moreover, if an autonomous or even semiautonomous car is to rely on automatic braking and other hazard management systems, the faster it can relay, receive and analyse data will also reflect an increased performance in terms of safety.

Safety and Security Telematics has always centred on increased safety and security features and these features will continue to blossom. This includes not only the quicker data transmission capability mentioned above, but also certification systems to allay consumer nervousness concerning computerised systems, data privacy issues and hacking. The industry is also expected to increase the adoption of autopilot systems to control vehicle trajectory and vehicle proximity sensors to prevent collisions and accidents.

forms and direct input from mobile apps and devices, which will need to integrate with your accounting, operations, preconstruction, and HR (human resource) departments seamlessly.”

Basic business process management may be flipped on its head, argues Hagen as forms are not as efficient as other collection inputs: “Daily reports, an aggregate of what a superintendent collects throughout the day, are auto-generated. HR onboarding and collecting information will be partially done by chatbots. Accounts payable and payments continue to be ripe for full automation.

Hagen also predicts a wider adoption of virtual reality in construction: “Collaborative workspaces will continue to transition from 2D to 3D and begin working in augmented reality. Virtual reality is mainstream for consumers, so clients will want to walkthrough models virtually. This means

headsets in both augmented and virtual reality in design and construction.”

The US is also likely to see more devices performing data collection and more firms offering services to transform data into analytics and dashboards.

“Drones, GPS (global positioning system), RFID (radio-frequency identification), accelerometers and 3D scanning all feed predictive analytics. The next step is cognitive computing, aka machine learning, which provides management with high-probability solutions to problems,” says Hagen. “Cognitive is the natural progression from a digital transformation. Once it’s digital it’s data. Take false collisions in BIM. A machine can learn these and then a human will only need to review a handful, instead of thousands in a model. The future is coming faster than you think.”

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30 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

The awards are a great platform to share knowledge and the achievements of the industry. We enjoy the opportunity to network and collaborate at the event, as it is very well organised with a great turn out from all players in Construction.

The Big Project ME awards highlights the best projects, people and innovations in the region.

KEZ TAYLOR

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ALEC

27 November 2017 19:00 - 23:00 Habtoor Grand Dubai Al Andalus Ballroom United Arab Emirates bigprojectmeawards.com

WORKSHOP

SPONSORED BY

A-MAP REGULATION SUPPORT / GOOdyEAR SMART TyRES / FIRST STOP IN QATAR / APOLLO PRESIdENT HEAdS ATMA / yOKOHAMA

workshop A-MAP applauds new parts regulations NEW LAWS TO cOME INTO FORcE SOON SET ETHIcAL STANdARdS A-MAP has welcomed new regulations governing the auto spare parts industry that are expected to be announced shortly in the UAE. The regulations which encompass all areas of the auto spare parts industry, from manufacturing and packaging right down to transportation and sales and use of these products are currently being examined by the UAE government having been approved by the directors of ESMA. ESMA will monitor

counterfeit imports and act as an industry watchdog.

An easily accessible database will also be launched to identify product manufacturing sources and models to help traders differentiate between original counterfeit products.

Asad Badami, managing director of A-MAP, called the regulation “great news for genuine dealers. It was time

that a regulatory board set strict new laws that enforce ethical standards in the industry,” he said. “We are confident that this system will set specific standards for technical requirements, safety and performance in the UAE. The laws will protect both motorists and traders, encouraging fair trade practices.”

GOOdyEAR EAGLE 360 cONcEPT GOES URBAN TEcHNOLOGy

Following the well-rounded debut of its Eagle 360 concept tyre last year, Goodyear used the Geneva Motor Show as an opportunity to demonstrate how it is taking the spherical concept a step further with its new Eagle 360 Urban tyre.

The concept tyre for autonomous vehicles has an artificial intelligence ‘brain’ that allows it to sense, decide, transform and interact.

The tyre uses vehicle to everything (V2X) connectivity to gather and share real-time information about driving conditions from the tires, other vehicles, infrastructure, and traffic systems for a complete picture. Additionally the tyre uses learning algorithms to identify driving habits to improve braking, handling and efficiency. It also has a bionic skin made of a super-elastic polymer with the flexibility to adapt its tread pattern to driving conditions.

While the tyre is strictly regarded as future concept by Goodyear, chief technical office Joe Zekoski, said it is an essential aspect of Goodyear’s innovation strategy and customer focus in the new mobility ecosystem.

INSIdE THIS MONTH’S WORKSHOP FINd OUT THE STORy BEHINd ENOc’S NEW LUBRIcANTS RANGE ANd HOW THE BOdyBUILdER ScENE IS cHANGING FROM SSAB 32 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

WORKSHOP

BRIdGESTONE HELPS LAUNcH FIRST STOP IN QATAR NEW LAUNcH Aamal Trading and Distribution’s newly opened First Stop centre in Qatar boasts the first showroom dedicated to Bridgestone in the peninsular country.

First Stop is well-known in Europe and operates in 25 countries as a ‘one-stopshop’ offering tyre sales, routine servicing, battery supply and fitting, as well

as wheel alignment and brake pads. First Stop has been in the Middle East since debuting in 2013 and is looking to expand from 34 locations to 100 in the region. Aamal Trading and Distribution, which has been the exclusive distributor of Bridgestone tyres in Qatar since 1971, says the new joint venture is an important milestone for the business.

MIddLE EAST LAUNcH PLANNEd FOR yOKOHAMA’S BLUEARTH

Apollo’s ME boss now ATMA hEAd APPOINTMENT

Satish Sharma Apollo Tyres’ president for the Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa region has been elected to the powerful position of chairman of India’s ATMA (Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association).

ATMA was set up in 1975 and its members include Apollo Tyres, Birla Tyres, Bridgestone India, Ceat, Continental India, Goodyear India, JK Tyre & Industries, Michelin, MRF, TVS Tyres and Yokohama. ATMA is assisted by expert groups in areas like exports and raw materials.

SUSTAINABILITy yokohama is to launch its new fuel-efficient global standard tyre, the BluEarth-Es ES32 (BluEarth-Es) this spring.

The Japanese manufacturer said the tyre first be released into Europe, Asia and Oceania, but will later expand the marketing of the tyre to the Middle East and Latin American markets. yokohama added that it is not currently planning to roll-out the tyre in some major markets, including Japan, china, India and Russia.

The BluEarth-Es will be able to be purchased in 73 sizes, ranging from 235/40R18 95W XL to 175/70R13 82T. The company said that the larger sizes are a response to the trend toward tyres with larger rim diameters.

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CM

MY

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CMY

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APRIL 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 33

ASSEMBLY

BUILT TO LAST

Ozgur Yalcin, ME region sales manager for SSAB talks to T&FME about the changing bodybuilding scene

I

f you’re a hauler or a company that builds trailers for haulers then there is very strong chance that you have heard of SSAB, the Scandinavia and US-based steel company that supplies wear-resistant steel for earthmoving machines such as buckets and for mining and crusher equipment like hammers, while working to increase payloads and reduce the weight of tippers and trailers in the region.

Ozgur Yalcin, the Middle East sales manager, tells T&FME that the company was active in the region at the beginning of the 2000s before establishing its own office in the emirate of Sharjah in 2008.

Today, the company supplies wear-resistant steel in the form of its Hardox brand to local bodybuilders as well as Strenx, a high strength structural steel designed to reduce the weight of the bodies and to increase the strength of structure.

“We have several supply options to our clients,” Yalcin says. ‘One of them is to deliver materials from our mills to our customers directly; the other method is to deliver from our local stocks. Hardox and Strenx are the main products mainly kept in our local stocks.

SSAB is also providing steel to clients in 34 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

tailor-made dimensions and shapes that can reduce their welding but also their total cost.”

Yalcin adds that a group of engineers based at its Swedish Knowledge Service Center (KSC) works to support the customers on technical matters.

More locally, a technical development manager is based in the Middle East to liaise with customers. Some local bodybuilding workshops and assemblers like Bion have made progress in developing trailers in the region, and Yalcin says that his company is always ready to lend a helping hand.

“Our highly skilled local sales and technical managers are constantly in close contact with our customers to support them on their existing or new development projects.

We want to co-operate on their projects from the beginning so that we can give them the highest support,” he explains. “Customers can send us their drawings and our technical team can then cooperate with them in the selection of the right material and designs for their new products, ultimately helping them to increase their competitiveness.

In addition to this help, SSAB operates its own loyalty programmes, such as ‘Hardox in my body’ and ‘my inner Strenx’ where

“A fuel efficient, reduced fuel consumption vehicle is always welcome for the end users.

Or indeed a vehicle that can carry 1520% more on top of the current capacity”

the company allows the use of its branded signage to assure customers of bodybuilders and manufacturers (SSAB works with most of the OEMs in the trailer and tipper business) that the wear resistant steel in the tipper that they use is exactly the Hardox or the high strength steel is Strenx.

While fuel costs in the region remain relatively low, Yalcin explains that they are still a big cost for the end-user – the tipper and trailer owners. The strength but comparatively low weight of SSAB’s products can help fleet owners to improve operational costs, he argues.

“A fuel-efficient, reduced-fuel consumption vehicle is always welcome for the end-users,” he says. “Or indeed, a vehicle that can carry 15-20% more on top of the current capacity.”

Additionally, he says that some vehicle owners fall into the trap of underestimating maintenance costs and the risks of unexpected breakdowns when vehicles are pushed to the operational limits: “Unplanned stops can cost a lot of money to them and sometimes takes all their profit from the business.”

He believes that by using stronger and lighter truck combinations, maintenance costs

ASSEMBLY

SSAB’S OzguR YALcIn gIvES hIS BuYIng AdvIcE FOR hAuLERS You should first want a safe and later, a less costly vehicle with more payload capacity. All these three aspects can be achievable by manufacturing tippers/trailers by using Hardox and Strenx. But before the haulers/fleet owners ask the advice of bodybuilders, the bodybuilders should ask them some essential questions such as, what kind of load the vehicle will carry, what is the size of the loads and density of this loads, how much is it corrosive / acidic, in which roads the tipper or trailer will be used, etc?

Because then the bodybuilder can give the correct information to the transportation company for selecting the right type of vehicle.

If they are carrying big rocks, then a light duty tipper doesn’t work, but if they are carrying sand or aggregates, then there is no need to buy a tipper made for heavy duty. The chassis should also be considered separately.

After they get the right information, then, of course, the fleet owner can ask if the body is made of Hardox and the chassis is from Strenx or not. This is very important if they want to have a lower weight and stronger vehicle. Also once they agree with the bodybuilder, they can ask the certificate of the materials and also ask to see the Hardox mark and serial number on the finished vehicle.

will lower and they will run for longer: “This can be done by using Hardox in the tippers as they increase the lifetime of the tipper by three to five times compared to mild steel.

Using Hardox, they will use material which is 20-40% thinner compared to the steel in their tippers. This means that they will reduce body weight and l enable them to load more goods without exceeding the weight limitations.

They will carry more and earn more. Also since the body will be lighter, especially when it is empty, they will consume less fuel.”

He adds that as bodybuilders and manufacturers will use less materials, they will be storing and transporting less material, due to the thin gauge of the material. They will also use fewer welding consumables and require less machining and labour: “They will increase productivity by manufacturing more tippers in the same time they produced the old versions. The same benefits are also valid for using Strenx in the structural parts, such as chassis and cross-members and other several parts that are currently using ST 52 or similar material.

“Overall, by using Hardox and Strenx, their costs will go down and earnings will go further up and they will differentiate their companies from the others and beside helping their companies grow, they will also help to keep a more sustainable world.”

“Since the body will be lighter, especially when it is empty, they will consume less fuel.

By combination of all these properties, the end user will benefit greatly at the end of the day”

Continuing the environmental theme, he says the Middle East remains some-way behind other regions when it comes to controlling payloads and regulations, however this is beginning to change: “What we see in Middle East are contractor companies that are looking for new and more cost-effective solutions. Beside this, there are new and incoming road regulations to improve safety and environmental effects, and to reduce the maintenance cost of the roads,” he explains.

“Companies are starting to use light weight tippers and trailers that are made of only Hardox and Strenx. This is a very positive approach from the companies who are willing to be competitive and want to make more investment in the coming years.”

Yalcin says tanker and low bed production is up and he is positive that the construction industry, where its success is closely linked, will recover some of its lost verve with projects that have stalled restarting. The trailer and tipper industry remains on an upward curve and he notes an increase in bodybuilders and manufacturers across the region: “They are investing in new machines for their factories and increasing their awareness in the market at exhibitions and seminars. We certainly see a positive improvement in this market and we will continue to support the companies who want to be different and competitive.”

TRAILER And ERROR Yalcin says that companies running with trailer combinations that are too heavy are risking productivity with shorter uptimes.

APRIL 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 35

LubRIcAnts

fluid thinking

burhan Al Hashemi, managing director, EnOc Marketing explains to t&FME how changing regulations have shaped its new products 36 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

LUBRICANTS

l

ast month saw Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) launch its latest heavy duty diesel engine oils for heavy vehicles and plant machinery. Burhan Al Hashemi, managing director, ENOC Marketing tells T&FME that ENOC Vulcan 990X EXLD 10W-30 and ENOC Vulcan 999X Energy 10W-40 have been designed to meet the American Petroleum Institute’s API CK-4 specifications for heavy duty diesel engine oils which were unveiled at the end of 2016.

API CK-4 is the industry’s first category upgrade in a decade, ushering in higher performance and efficiencies for all users, he explains. It is the most modern engine oil for diesel engine to date and requires almost 14 different tests to be passed. To put that in context, API CF4 developed in 1990 required only five tests.

“The products will help heavy vehicles cover long trans-border journeys and build fleet management confidence without having to drain oil at shorter intervals,” Al Hashemi says. “The oils will also ensure longer maintenance periods for diesel engines. ENOC Vulcan 999X Energy has been specifically engineered to provide proven fuel efficiency benefits.”

“Engine oil lubricant technology is constantly evolving according to global OEM (original equipment manufacturers) requirements. The key challenges that OEM’s face worldwide; be it Cummins/Caterpillar in USA or Mercedes/MAN in Europe or Hino in Japan, is to make sure engines meet tighter emission limits set by various governments, to control vehicular pollution and improve fuel economy, as well as durability of equipment.”

Against these changes, lubricant bodies such as the API have developed the new specifications to keep pace with the advances made by the OEMs. “The American Petroleum Institute (API) is the most popular globally in setting lubricant specifications in line with OEM demands. They have a set of specifications for diesel engine and petrol engines. The diesel engine oil category – which starts with letter ‘C’ – has seen upgrades from its inception in early 1940.”

The higher designation means better lubricant performance, he explains. API last upgraded its category to API CJ-4 in 2006. The next category development

MAG tO dOubLE LubRIcAnts busInEss

tHE FLOw OF dEv ELOPMEnt Burhan Al Hashemi say s that ENOC undertook a huge pro gramme of testing during development of the new lubricants.

“the products will help heavy vehicles cover long transborder journeys and build fleet management confidence without having to drain oil at shorter intervals”

has taken almost a decade to complete due to the huge complexities in addressing lubricant performance.

“At ENOC, we are committed to bringing the most up-to-date technology to our consumers, and have collaborated with our technology partners to introduce two distinct API CK-4 products. Formally approved by API immediately after the official launch of the category, ENOC is one of the first in the Middle East to have introduced the latest diesel engine oil technology to its customers.”

The API lubricant category development is a very structured process that takes feedback from OEMs, oil companies, additive manufacturers, as well as end-consumers; tying with legislative requirements to reduce vehicle pollution, improve fuel economy and engine durability.

ENOC collaborated with a team of technology partners during the development of the lubricants, which were later tested and approved against various OEM and industry standard requirements. The testing process included several stages such as lab testing, engine/

The CEO of MAG Lubricants, Mahmoud Al Theraawi has told a sales conference in Abu Dhabi that its revenue increase by more than a third in 2016 as its growth outpaced the global industry.

Speaking to more than 150 global customers and distributors, Mahmoud Al Theraawi said MAG Lubricants grew by up to 37% in 2016 over the previous year and is looking to double our business within two years.

“Our results compare very well with the global norm of two per cent growth per year. We now sell MAG products to 50+ countries around the world. We have been in the MENA region and in Africa for four years, in addition to a strong presence in Europe and South East Asia and have now entered UK, China and Australia markets.”

“We would like to thank you for your confidence in the brand and our product,” he told the delegates.

The MAG lubricants line of products was first introduced in 2013 and it now includes all synthetic products for petrol, diesel, gear oils, coolants, greases, brake fluid, ATF and Industrial grades. The range has API and OEM approvals from Porsche, Volkswagen, Mercedes Benz, Renault, Volvo, Scania, MACK, NMMA, and more. The products are also ISO 9001,14001 & 18001 certified.

Its plant is approved by Emirates Authority for Standardisation & Metrology and undertakes third party blending for large MNCs and state oil companies.

APRIL 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 37

LUBRICANTS

rig testing and field testing. All testing was carried out in independent labs as per API/OEM protocols. The results were documented and statistically verified to ensure the correctness of data before being passed on for approval with bodies like API. “For the CK-4 specs, we carried out extensive lab tests against various ASTM/ API parameters and field testing in UAE,” recalls Al Hashemi. “Our technology partners also ran 500,000 mile field tests on Cummins and Volvo vehicles, as well as conducting an MB M111 FE fuel economy test for the 10W-30 product. All these various tests showed outstanding performance.

Al Hashemi adds: “Of course, we also have feedback mechanisms from endconsumers about the product, which helps us in making sure the right quality is delivered and any concerns are well addressed. Our teams at ENOC have highlighted key benefits of each product to help explain the advantages of using these products to our customer base.”

The result are two products with very distinctive traits. ENOC Vulcan 999X Energy 10W-30 was developed to prioritise fuel economy as its underlying benefit while the ENOC Vulcan 990X EXLD 10W-40 is focused on “long drain” intervals. Apart from extreme weather conditions and driving patterns, the Middle East poses some challenges due to its harsh environment, says Al Hashemi.

“Sand causes a lot of silica contaminations in lube oil. Silica is a well-known abrasive material that can create wear and tear problems to engines. Hence, promising extended drain lubricants in the above extreme weather conditions is a big challenge,” he says. “Against that backdrop, providing the latest products offers greater assurance to end customers that their equipment’s will be well protected, despite the harsh weather conditions. Ultimately, OEMs have a big role in defining the lubes change period that consumers are required to abide by.”

While lubricant procurement may not be the largest expenditure in a typical maintenance budget, it is viewed as a real, tangible expense that is frequently targeted for cost reduction. When it comes to lubricants, it is unwise to save money by “buying cheap,” advises Al Hashemi.

“Lubricants are the lifeline of any machinery. The machines’ life expectancy depends largely on the quality and state of these lubricants to bathe heavily loaded frictional surfaces. Optimum reliability and lubrication must go hand in hand,” he comments. “The downside of poor38 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

cHEvROn’s AL KHALIj: “uPGRAdE tO MEEt nEw REGs” Following the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA) and Gulf Standards Organisation’s (GSO) implementation of new regulations, Chevron Al Khalij has urged its customers to upgrade their lubricants and has introduced its own ESMA compliant range – Caltex Delo FleetPRO. The new regulations relate to the minimum requirements of the approved standards for lubricating oils for internal combustion engines (GSO 1785: 2013), across the Gulf region. The service categories of API CG4, CF-4 and CF are no longer approved for sale in the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and are no longer listed in the new GSO regulation.

This upgrade involves not only moving from API CF (1994) to API CH-4 (1998) but also moving from a monograde to a multigrade engine oil.

Multigrade engine oils are specifically formulated for longer engine durability and extended oil drain interval; this new generation of multigrade diesel engine oil provides better pumpability and lower wear and tear inside the engine – customers can typically double their oil drains resulting

in less wastage into the environment.

“Caltex Delo in the Gulf and Middle East is proud to have been providing outstanding quality and meeting the demanding needs of diesel engine oils for over 80 years.

Many customers in the region are confronted with challenging situations such as high operating temperatures, owning fleets of variant ages, operating in high-sulphur and ultra-low sulphur environments,” said Adriaan J de Kok, area business manager, Gulf and Middle East, for Chevron Al Khalij,“ The introduction of Caltex Delo FleetPRO SAE 15W-40 and SAE 20W-50 addresses these challenges, while meeting the latest GSO regulations and standards aligning with the UAE green initiative.”

quality lubricants are well known, and hence customers should look at the many opportunities to reduce lubricant spending without compromising reliability.

“Just to give you an example, we work offer our customers recommendations on the right product depending on the application; and help optimise the drain period through our flagship ‘Elaptech’ programme, wherein at various points of oil drain, samples are collected and tested in our labs to provide precision guidance to customers on condition of oil and equipment. With such advanced programmes, ENOC has successfully worked with many customers to improve the reliability as well as positive impact on the bottom line of customers.”

Many Middle East fleet and plant owners have always looked to extend the life of their equipment to their limits. With rising operational costs, more and more companies are holding onto their equipment longer than ever before. Al Hashemi says the new standard in lubricants can help.

“Ageing vehicles and equipment’s need a higher degree of protection that advanced lubricants like Vulcan 990X are able to deliver seamlessly. The CK-4 category is backward compatible; meaning older lube categories can be replaced by CK-4 engine oils,” he says. “We firmly believe in the importance of introducing the latest and most cutting edge technologies and solutions to our customers. Vehicles that depend on these new technologies will require API – CK-4 lubricants to meet their requirements.”

He adds that ENOC also believes that with the fast-paced evolution of technology and the move towards low emission engines, there will be a natural need for markets in GCC to have more cleaner engines operating, requiring high quality lubricants.

“Our products have always demonstrated best-in-class wear protection performance in addition to various other engine oil performances like shear stability (meaning viscosity of oil remains stable for long period), soot handling, acid/corrosion protection, oil consumption control, etc. that have all been tested and proven to give peace of mind to end-consumers on reliable performance for long haul operations.

“ENOC Vulcan 990X EXLD and 999X Energy truly reflect the progressive spirit of ENOC in providing the latest and best in class products and solutions that have a positive impact to operations of end customers.

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PARTING SHOT

A CROwDED MARkET GROwS 2,000 exhibitors from 55 countries will be at Automechanika Dubai as the aftermarket continues to thrive.

PARTS PREVIEW

T&FME looks at some of the big names returning to Automechanika Dubai in May

N

ew research commissioned

by Automechanika Dubai ahead of May’s event suggests that the sales of engine and car components, systems, tyres and auto accessories are estimated to reach $17.27 billion by 2020 in the Middle East.

Analyst Frost & Sullivan predicts that the aftermarket will grow annually by 5.9% to the end of the decade. While macroeconomic factors negatively impacted vehicle sales in 2016, the analyst said it expects renewed growth in 2017 and onwards. In addition to the growth of the aftermarket, new car sales in the region is estimated to grow 9% annually, reaching 4.4 million by 2020, and bringing the total number of vehicles in operation to 44.5 million.

Frost & Sullivan added that the increase in sales in combination with the average vehicle age reaching close to eight years in the region will spur parts sales.

The organisers of the Automechanika Dubai event, Messe Frankfurt, also revealed that it had signed up more than 2,000 exhibitors from 55 countries for the show, many of whom are returning to exhibit once again.

Japanese drivetrain systems manufacturer Exedy will once again join the global exhibitor presence, vice president Toshihiro Abe said the company hopes it can maintain its market share, with the forecasts in the regional market painting a positive picture for its future business.

“We’ve generated new business for our automatic clutches while trade is also growing in Africa in recent years,” revealed Abe. “Exedy continues to hold a large share in both domestic and international markets, establishing 40 group companies and covering 23 countries worldwide. Our participation at Automechanika Dubai will increase our brand awareness and promote our products, both for existing customers and new prospects.

“In this way we hope to expand our business to African and the South Asian markets.”

Meritor, the world’s largest independent maker of heavy duty axles, is returning for the third straight year. The Americanheadquartered Fortune 500 Company views the Middle East and African automotive aftermarket as one of its key growth markets.

Stefan Kaltenbach, managing director for Meritor in Europe and the Middle East and Africa, said: “We want to grow in the Middle East, where we recognise a great potential of cooperation with parts distributors and potential fleets.

“Automechanika Dubai is becoming one of our most important platforms for meeting customers and having the chance to display our company and our offerings, while it also enables us to explore new territories and meet trading companies operating in their respective markets. We are excited to be able show our competencies in coaches and buses, trucks and trailers with existing and new product ranges.”

NEXT ISSUE: AFTERMARkET SPECIAL, AUTOMECHANIkA DUbAI GUIDE, IVECO AND FAMCO IN EGyPT, TAkING RENAULT TRUCkS TO THE EXTREME IN MOROCOO, AND MUCH MORE! 40 TRUCK&FLEET ME APRIL 2017

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