Truck&Fleet ME November 2018

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VEHICLES/ TECH / TranSporTaTIon/LogISTICS

O58/NOVEMBER 2O18

MIDDLE EAST

PU BLI CATI O N LI CENSED BY D U BAI PRO D U CTI O N CIT Y

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contents

contents FEATURE

12 / iNdUsTRy REcOgNiTiON

Meet the F-MAX, the truck that ends Ford Truck’s four-decade wait to win the coveted IToY award at IAA.

also this issue … NETWORK

06 / NEWs FROM ThE MONTh

15

18

24

32

36

40

DHL announces price rises and the UAE’s roads move to closer to being ready for Expo 2020 Dubai. LAUNchEs

12 / AcTROs AT iAA Daimler produces a limited edition as its new Actros impresses at the event. TRANsPORTERs

18 / iON dRiVEs A conversation with one of the heads of the region’s first green transporter. TRANsPORTERs

24 / AN EPic jOURNEy The extraordinary story behind Peshawar Sky General Transport. WORKshOP

30 / ExPORT PARTNERs GAG secures major export deal with one of India’s largest lubricants manufacturers. TRAiLERs

32 / gET iN shAPE IVECO prepares to help UAE body builders export. IAA trailer round-up also on page 40. TEchNOLOgy

36 / AUTONOMy PREPARATiON Don’t miss one of the best insights into vehicle autonomy at this month’s Big 5 Heavy.

NOVEMBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 01


WELCOME

GROUP MANAGING DIRECtOR RAZ ISLAM raz.islam@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5483 EDItORIAL DIRECtOR VIJAYA CHERIAN vijaya.cherian@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5472 EDItORIAL EDItOR StEpHEN wHItE stephen.white@cpitrademedia.com +44 7541 244 377

Yes, we are interested in fuel economY I have been arguing for what seems like a lifetime that transporters in the Gulf are interested in saving costs on their fuel and yet it mostly falls on deaf ears. However, I really feel it is time to set the record straight and tell the rest of the world that the Middle East and Africa is interested in fuel economy. The subject of fleet fuel economy invariably comes up in conversation when I’m talking to the premium truck-makers who will tell me that they find it frustrating that they cannot sell the concept of Total Cost of Owner ship to the Middle East. I always get a raised eyebrow when I tell them that, like their peers in other parts of the world, the region’s fleets are feeling the pinch and have to juggle constant downward pressure on contract prices with their own rising costs. Take the construction industry, for example. According to Global Data’s Global Construction Outlook to 2022: Q3 2018 Update, the region is set to be the fastest in the world with an annual average growth of 6.4% from 2018 to 2022. While that means that there should be more money in the system for transporters involved in that industry, the reality is that we are close to the pain point when it comes to per dirham/dollar rates being at their lowest for some time – and they may not recover fast enough or high enough for some haulers. Likewise, it takes time for the cash to flow into the pockets of fleets and all the while fuel prices are steadily rising. Hopefully, as most forecasts agree, we should see an acceleration of the economies in the region, if not in 2019, but most probably in 2020. Most fleets that have survived the difficult last decade (has it really been ten years since we first heard the words global economic crisis?)have done so not by ignoring the very simplest principles of fleet management but by embracing them. Of course they have, that’s how they have survived. So, if they haven’t been buying new and efficient premium trucks it has been because they haven’t been able to afford to do so – not because they don’t worry about the price of fuel. It’s up to the dealers to understand the needs and ambitions of fleets in the region and work with the operators and the manufacturers they represent to ensure that when there is growth everybody understands precisely what fleets need.

sUB EDItOR AELRED DOYLE aelred.doyle@cpitrademedia.com ADVERtIsING sENIOR sALEs MANAGER BIpIN SONEJI bipin.soneji@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 433 2856 DEsIGN ARt DIRECtOR SIMON COBON simon.cobon@cpitrademedia.com DEsIGNER pERCIVAL MANALAYSAY percival.manalaysay@cpitrademedia.com PHOtOGRAPHY MAKSYM pORIECHKIN maksym.poriechkin@cpitrademedia.com MARKEtING MARKEtING MANAGER SHEENA SApSfORD sheena.sapsford@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5498 CIRCULAtION & PRODUCtION PRODUCtION MANAGER VIpIN V. VIJAY vipin.vijay@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5713 DIstRIBUtION MANAGER pHINSON MAtHEw GEORGE phinson.george@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5476 WEB DEVELOPMENt MOHAMMAD AwAIS SADIQ SIDDIQUI fINANCE ACCOUNts NAHEED HOOD naheed.hood@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5474 CREDIt CONtROL ExECUtIVE CAMERON CARDOZO cameron.cardozo@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5499 fOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA (1959-2015) PRINtED BY pRINtwELL pRINtING pRESS LLC

Licensed by tECOM to registered company, CpI trade publishing fZ LLC whose registered office is 207 – 209, Building 3, Dubai Studio City, Dubai, UAE. www.cpitrademedia.com

stEPHEN WHItE EdiToR, TRUCK&FLEET ME STEPHEN.WHiTE@CPiTRAdEMEdiA.CoM 02 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2018

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.


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ONLINE

MOST POPULAR

ReAdeRS’ COMMeNTS

feATURed

CONSTRUCTiON

GLObAL CONSTRUCTiON OUTPUT TO GROw 3.6% PeR yeAR UNTiL 2022 – RePORT

Besix subsidiary and TGCC to build Africa’s tallest tower in Morocco

CONSULTANT

Mace Macro names Michael Coley as new director for the MENAP region

feature: fossil fuels + Renewables – Synergies for a more efficient future

CONSTRUCTiON

Musanada begins $78.4mn construction of two school projects

MACHiNeRy

Caterpillar rebrands with new ‘Modern Hex’ trade dress

CONSTRUCTiON

Oman to develop four solar projects worth $1.6bn in five years 04 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2018

Really good to hear that the global construction industry is expected to see a rise to ‘$12.9 trillion in real value terms by the year 2022 expanding by an average of 3.6% per year from 2018 until then, with the Middle East region leading the growth’. While I can’t confess that I’m in a position to validate whether the Middle East and Africa region will be the ‘fastest market with an annual average growth of 6.4% from 2018 to 2022’, you would hope that a recovery in the oil price will help put money into the region’s economies. The last 20 years has seen a lot of investment but it has ended up in only a handful of cities. My hope, if these figures are correct, is that we will start to see investment in other areas that need it. I believe the developers and construction industry in the UAE, in particular, are ready to spread their wings across the region, and hopefully they will be delivering projects across the region over the next 20 years not just

Site Visit: La Perle –

in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The story behind a show like no other

Name withheld by request



NETWORK

FORd TRuCKS’ HISTORIC WIN AT IAA / dHL RAISES PRICES / TAdWEER OPENS NEW SITE FIRST VOLVO ARTIC HAuLERS ARRIVE IN uAE / CEMENT PRICES TO FALL

network

F-MAX scoops Ford Truck’s first IToY Award in 36 years at IAA gM HAYdAR YENIgüN: “WINNINg THE ITOY IS IMPORTANT STEP TOWARd OuR FuTuRE” VEHICLES The newly launched Ford Trucks’ F-MAX has been awarded the prestigious 2019 International Truck of the Year (IT0Y) at the IAA Commercial Vehicles 2018 event in Hannover. It is the first time a Ford truck has won the award since 1982 when the Ford Cargo scooped the prize. The International Truck of the Year competition is decided by a panel of independent judges, comprising leading

specialised journalists from 23 European countries. Scoring 104 votes, the new Turkish-built truck was some away ahead of the second place Scania L- and P-series urban distribution trucks which racked up 74 points. In third place was Volvo’s gaspowered FH with 56 points. After being put through its paces in the road tests in different categories and static assessments, the F-MAX underwent a rigorous assessment covering key criteria such as technological

innovation, comfort, safety, drivability, fuel economy, environmental footprint and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), said Ford Trucks. Yenigün described winning the International Truck of the Year Award as “a very important step toward our future” and said that the F-MAX, with its 2.5m fullwidth cab and 500 PS engine power, will become a “major player” in the international transport industry. “The F-MAX, is a global player with its 13l, 500PS

and 2500Nm Ecotorq engine. The F-MAX also offers industry the revolutionary ConnecTruck technology, which means that the F-MAX is Ford’s first heavy commercial vehicle with connectivity features. Our new tractor is the product of five years of research and development. The IT0Y award is a very important step toward our future. I would like to thank all of our employees for their efforts in winning this prestigious award,” said Yenigün.

MASdAR SAYS ITS NEW SELF-dRIVINg NAVYA AuTONOM SHuTTLE IS REAdY TO ENTER SERVICE ANd CARRY 12 PEOPLE AT 25PH/H

06 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2018


NETWORK

TAdWEER OPENS CONSTRuCTION ANd dEMOLITION WASTE RECYCLINg FACILITY IN ABu dHABI WASTE MANAgEMENT

The Abu Dhabi Waste Management Center (Tadweer) has opened a new facility to recycle construction and demolition waste in Ghayathi in the emirate’s Al Dhafra region. Located near the Ruwais oil fields and the UAE-Saudi Arabia border, the new facility will help ease the pressure on Al Dhafra landfill, which is anticipated to receive construction and demolition waste in the range of 60,000-70,000t per month with an average daily inflow of 1,5002,000t, said a statement from Tadweer. With a minimum production capacity of 31,000t per month and 150-200t per hour, the new facility recycles construction and demolition waste and provides recycled aggregate for the construction of roads and other infrastructure projects, said Tadweer, adding that opening it is part of its efforts to support Abu Dhabi’s mandate of diverting 75% of waste from its landfills. A mobile crusher has been set up at the new facility to accommodate the existing stockpiles as well as the incoming waste intended for recycling. Dr Salem Al Kaabi, acting GM, Tadweer, said: “The opening of the Ghayathi recycling facility is aligned with our strategic plan to implement a world-class waste management system in Abu Dhabi and position the UAE at the forefront of innovative recycling. At Tadweer, we continue to develop practical solutions to enhance the effectiveness of construction and demolition waste management. This helps us preserve our environment and reduce the pollution caused by construction activities, while creating new investment opportunities in integrated waste management. The new facility seeks to support the Abu Dhabi Executive Council’s resolution of using a minimum of 40% recycled material in road and projects. Recycling of construction and demolition waste also helps conserve natural resources through reduced reliance on virgin aggregate, which in turn cuts transportation cost and avoids CO2 emissions, said the statement.

AF LEXuS REACHES OuT TO ARTISTS RETAIL Al-Futtaim Lexus invited all UAEbased artists and creators to participate in the 7th edition of the Lexus Design Award 2019 last month. Since its launch in 2013, the worldwide design competition has served as a platform for emerging designers and creators whose works can lead to a better future for all, said the company in a statement. The annual event attracts thousands of upcoming creative talents from around the world, who aspire to win the coveted award for innovative design excellence.

The Lexus Design Award judges, whose names will be disclosed in the 4th quarter of this year, will select the six best ideas to be developed into functional prototypes with a production budget of up to $26,700 each and with the support of world-renowned mentors. The prototypes will be displayed at the Milan Design Week 2019. Mohammed Maktari, Managing Director of Al-Futtaim Lexus invites all UAE-based talents to take part in this international competition: “We encourage all local talents to participate.”

dHL ANNOuNCES uAE PRICE INCREASE LOgISTICS DHL Express has announced its annual general average price increase throughout the Middle East and North Africa region. In the UAE, for instance, the average price increase for Time Definite International shipments weighing up to 300 kg will be 4.9%. An additional rate increase will be applied for heavier and bulkier Time Definite International shipments weighing over 300 kg based on overall weight and size of shipment.

“Over the last year, we have added new hubs with automated sorting capabilities to our international network and further strengthened our security measures globally in order to meet the requirements of our customers, partners and transport authorities,” said Geoff Walsh, Country Manager, DHL Express, UAE. “Our annual price increase ensures that we can make the investments needed to meet our customers’ expectations and to continue to make them successful over the long-term.”

NOVEMBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 07


NETWORK

FIRST VOLVO A45g ARTICuLATEd HAuLER dELIVEREd

VEHICLES

The first Volvo CE A45G articulated hauler in the UAE has been delivered to Al Marwan General Contracting Company (MGCC) by the equipment major’s authorised dealer in the country, Al-Futtaim Auto & Machinery Company (FAMCO). According to a statement by FAMCO, the keys of the latest version

of Volvo’s 45t articulated hauler were handed over to MGCC senior management at an official ceremony in Sharjah today (October 2) in the presence of senior executives of both companies as well as Volvo CE. The ceremony also marked the official unveiling of the new hauler in the UAE by FAMCO, which is a key partner in Volvo CE’s regional and

international network. Vladimir Knezevic, MD, FAMCO UAE, said: “The handover of the new Volvo CE A45G articulated hauler to our first customer in the UAE marks the official launch of the G Series in the country. The G Series haulers deliver a whole new level of efficiency, reliability and value on the job. As always, FAMCO is able to bring this industry-leading product from Volvo CE to market with confidence in both the world-class engineering and design, and FAMCO’s unparalleled service. FAMCO will continue to invest in such heavy-duty vehicles to ensure the best possible results and the highest standards of overall operational efficiency for sites.”

EXPO 2020 TRAFFIC SYSTEMS BEgIN CONSTRuCTION ROAd NETWORK Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded contracts worth $172 million for the construction of roads and transportation systems in connection with the upcoming Expo 2020 Dubai mega event, it has been announced. According to a statement from RTA, these contracts include the last two phases (5 and 6) of the roads leading to the Expo project. These include improvements to both the

Jebel Ali-Lehbab Road and the intersection of Emirates Road with Jebel Ali-Lehbab Road. The main objective of the project is to ensure that there is a smooth traffic flow for visitors, as well as for future projects in the area, it added, highlighting that HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has issued a directive to immediately begin the construction of roads and

transportation systems relating to the hosting of Expo 2020. Over the past few months, RTA has a for the improvement of roads leading to the Expo project. Phases 1 and 2 include contracts for improving Jebel Ali-Lehbab Road and the intersection with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road. These two phases include the construction of bridges on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to serve traffic from Jebel Ali to Abu Dhabi.

reem readymix owner says Uae expat retirement plan will have a ‘hUge impact’ TRANSPORTERS

The introduction of a new law that will allow non-Emiratis to retire for five years in the UAE – if they meet a series of requirements – will have a ‘huge positive impact’ on the country’s real estate and construction market, a senior figure in the industry. Last month, the UAE Cabinet approved a plan to allow non-Emiratis to remain in the UAE from 2019 up to five years after they reach retirement age, provided that they have properties worth at least AED2 million, or have at least AED1 million in savings, or an income of more than AED20,000 per month. The decision comes in the wake of a range of similar changes announced earlier this year, which will allow investors and key workers, such as doctors or engineers, access to a long-term residency visa. Hamad Al Ameri, the managing director of Trojan Holding, a group based out of Abu Dhabi that includes Reem Readymix, said that these changes have come as a response to the demand from the market, and is a signal that the UAE’s leadership is listening to those demands. “I think this is going to have a huge positive impact, because in the end, this is a demand from the market, and I think that our leaders hear the demand of the market and have made it more realistic and tangible,” he said.

REAd ON AS T&FME TALKS TO THE REgION’S FIRST SuSTAINABLE TRANSPORTER ANd LEARNS ABOuT A HAuLER’S AMAzINg STORY

08 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2018



NETWORK

CARgOTEC jOINS RAINMAKINg ACCELERATOR LOgISTICS

ev charging heads dewa’s green dUbai ELECTRIC VEHICLES

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced ‘Green Dubai’, comprising three initiatives designed to make Dubai the smartest, happiest and most sustainable city in the world. DEWA says the move empowers customers to make sustainable decisions that contribute to protecting the environment and natural resources. Shams Dubai, which encourages building owners to install photovoltaic solar panels and connect them to DEWA’s grid, is part of Green Dubai. According to the utility company, over 1,145 buildings have already been connected and contribute nearly 50MW of energy. The ‘Green Charger’ initiative is also part of Green Dubai and will see the installation of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations. To date, DEWA has installed over 100 Green Chargers across the city and aims to grow the number to 200 stations by the end of this year. To encourage its customers to use eco-friendly electric vehicles, DEWA is providing free charging for electric cars registered in the Green Charger initiative until the end of 2019. “Green Dubai aims to empower customers to adopt a conscious and responsible lifestyle through the sensible use of electricity and water. This supports the Demand Side Management Strategy to reduce electricity and water use by 30% by 2030, generating clean solar energy, and encouraging the use of eco-friendly electric vehicles,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, CEO, DEWA. “Environmental work requires concerted efforts to achieve a balance between development and the environment, to protect the rights of future generations,” Al Tayer added.

10 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2018

Cargotec says it has joined Rainmaking, a trade and transport impact programme that connects world-leading startups and corporations to address the biggest challenges in maritime, cargo transport and logistics. This is the first programme of its kind in terms of scale and global scope within maritime and logistics. The programme is scheduled to last three years with the operation centred in Hamburg, Germany. Cargotec is one of the key partners driving the programme, having touch points throughout the whole cargo flow chain via its business areas and companies – Kalmar and MacGregor. Insights, market access and

relevant data flow can be gained from this, and they benefit startups that join the programme. “The world is changing fast, and the digital disruption is affecting even maritime and logistics industries. In order to keep up with the pace, we want to work together with those

who are innovative, nimble and can act fast. Startups are excellent cooperation partners when tackling inefficiencies and white spots along the value network with modern solutions, technologies and business models,” said Tero Hottinen, director, Emerging Digital Business, Cargotec.

gLOBAL dEMANd FOR CEMENT TO dIP THIS YEAR MATERIALS Worldwide cement consumption is expected to take a slight dip this year on the back of slowdowns in the Middle East, China and Africa, forecasts CW Research’s 2H2018 update of the Global Cement Volume Forecast Report (GCVFR). The global consumption for 2018 is projected to settle at 4.05 billion tons, said the update, with the advanced markets, such as the US and Western Europe, offsetting the slide in the developing economies. According to the research,

cement consumption in the Middle East is likely to decline this year with the two major producers and consumers in the region – Saudi Arabia and Iran – continuing to struggle with low demand and overcapacity. A recovery is expected in the next five years, with rising crude oil prices and stronger government revenues propping up regional cement consumption, the research added. The forecast for China is on similar lines for this year, with lack of investment in the real estate and infrastructure

sectors dragging down demand for cement. The country’s market is expected to consume 2.55 billion tons of cement this year, a fall of around 3% compared to last year. According to the research, this is because the Chinese economy is now maturing and approaching a stage that the developed economies achieved around three decades ago, when demand for cement started to plateau out. CW Research has also revised its forecast for the African market downwards for 2018 due to slow growth in 2018.


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Volvo I-shift Gearbox


LAUNCHES

IAA: FORd’S F-MAX wINS PLAUdITS / IAA: dAF UNVEILS EV RANGES / IAA: NEw COACH PLATFORM FROM VOLVO / IAA: THE NEw ACTROS

lau nches BETTER PERFORMANCE 6% RisE in FUEL EConoMy

A powerful statement FORd TRUCk’S F-MAX MAkES ITS GLOBAL dEBUT AT IAA ANd LEAVES wITH THE MAIN PRIzE T&FME got a sense that Ford Trucks was producing a truck that could place the company at the top of the pile at IAA when a few of its competitors told the magazine they were impressed with the F-MAX in the run-up to the event. It’s been nearly four decades since the Ford brand scooped the International Truck of the Year but the last half-decade has seen it develop into a modern truck producing power house. Ford Trucks says the F-MAX takes its name its ‘legendary’ F Series, and says it stands out in terms

of its size (the cab is 2.5m wide), high level of comfort and durability. Given that it has just walked off with the industry’s highest accolade there must be some truth in that. The F-MAX indeed does set a new benchmark for a company set on making a name for itself among the leading global brands in the heavy commercial segment. The new F-MAX was designed and tested by 500 Ford Otosan engineers over a five-year period and in 11 countries on 4 continents using 233 prototype units. In total, 15,500 hours of lab

12 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2018

testing and 5 million km of road testing have been dedicated to the platform. The dashboard will immediately make sense to drivers and the cab’s comfortable too enhanced by flat floor providing 2,160mm of floor-to-ceiling height and 260mm of seat adjustment. Furthermore, the F-MAX offers drivers airplane-style (patented) storage, and a 90 degree foldable upper bed. Under control, it has carstyle braking with a high performance engine with 500PS and 2500Nm. Cost of ownership is a

key factor for the new F-MAX, says Ford Trucks with production and product development combining with increasing vertical integration giving Ford Trucks a competitive edge in terms of its cost base. A lot of work has been placed into the aerodynamics, powertrain calibration and technical features also ensure outstanding performance in terms of fuel consumption with a 6% margin of improvement over previous models. Technical features include E-APU technology, eco-roll function, predictive


LAUNCHES

DaF reveals its ev hanD as stakes rise IAA 2018: dUTCH TRUCk-MAkER SAYS CUSTOMER FIELd TESTS STARTING IN 2018 ANd 2019

TAkING THE TOP PRIzE The Ford Trucks team celebrate taking the international Truck of the year prize at iAA in september.

SUM OF ITS PARTS The F-MAX is a refinement of a lot of the technology that has been used on previous Ford Trucks vehicles.

cruise control (Max Cruise). Up to 7% reduced maintenance costs and long service intervals reduce the total cost of ownership. F-MAX’s Ecotorq engine offers maximum performance and minimum fuel consumption under any road conditions. 12-speed zF automated transmission and different drive modes

such as Eco-Mode and Power-Mode help optimize fuel consumption. The new F-MAX is also empowered by a variable-geometry turbocharger, a water pump and compressor with multiple working speeds, 400 kw engine brake power which achieves 1,000kw total braking power with the optional intarder.

DAF’s first CF Electric trucks will be released into field test operation with leading customers this year and similar field tests are planned to start with the LF Electric and CF Hybrid in 2019. DAF will be ready to introduce these state-ofthe-art trucks when the market is reads. The DAF LF Electric is a 19 tonne fully electric truck for zero emissions city distribution. The truck features Cummins technology with a 266 hp electric motor. The motor is powered by a battery pack of up to 222 kWh, providing a range of up to 220km when the truck is fully laden. As the battery pack is modular, capacity can be scaled to the range required by customers. For city distribution the 220km range of the DAF LF Electric is ideal. The DAF CF Electric is a zero emission solution for urban distribution requiring higher payloads and volumes. This includes applications where single or double axle semi-trailers are the standard, such as in supermarket delivery. The CF Electric is a 4x2 tractor unit for up to 37t GCW applications. The truck is based on DAF’s versatile CF series and uses VDL’s advanced E-Power Technology for fully electric operation. The centre of the intelligent powertrain is the 286 hp electric motor, which gets its energy from the 170 kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

The CF Electric has a range of approximately 100km which is appropriate for high volume city distribution applications. Quick charging of the batteries can be performed in 30 minutes or a full charge can be accomplished in as little as 1.5 hours. Freight loading and unloading time can be used to charge the battery pack. The DAF CF Hybrid features the efficient 10.8l PACCAR MX-11 engine, a ZF electric motor, in combination with a dedicated ZF TraXon gearbox for hybrid drivelines. The electric motor is powered by an 85 kWh battery pack, which allows for a full electric, zero emission range of 30 to 50 kilometres, depending on GCW. The batteries can be charged by the diesel engine during on-highway operations, and by using a DC charger at a charging location. The vehicle is designed with a fast charge capability that takes 30 minutes for a full charge and only 20 minutes for a charge of up to 80%. Outside urban areas, the CF Hybrid is powered by the clean and efficient PACCAR MX-11 diesel engine, where the hybrid technology provides additional fuel savings thanks to the smart energy management. Regenerative energy is captured during braking and when using speed-related controls. This energy can be used by the electric motor to operate in conjunction with the diesel engine.

CUMMINS TECH 266hp ELECTRiC MoToR

SPECIFICATIONS Engine

12.7L E6D Ecotorq engine

Torque

2,500nm

Power

500ps

Braking power

400kW

Braking power w/intarder

1,000kW

Transmission

12-spd

NOVEMBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 13


LAUNCHES

lexus launches First hybriD es into uae

ALL-NEw 2019 LEXUS ES USHERS A NEw ERA OF PERFORMANCE ANd SOPHISTICATION, SAYS dISTRIBUTOR The seventh-generation Lexus ES is now available through the AlFuttaim Lexus network in the UAE. The 2019 Lexus ES opts for a coupelike design but is also being pushed for its “enhanced performance, and innovative technologies.” Included is the ES 300h, the first Lexus hybrid model to be available in the UAE as well as the all-new 2019 Lexus ES F-SPORT model. The former offers over 80% better fuel savings compared to the petrol engine current generation ES. The hybrid is rated as running for 24.1km on one litre of petrol and is able to go 1,205km on a full tank before you need to haul into a service station. Lexus claims the ES 300h is capable of delivering exceptional fuel efficiency, responsive performance and minimal emissions. An all-new engine, the 2.5-liter four-cylinder incorporates fast-burn combustion technology that makes it one of the most thermally efficient engines ever offered in a Lexus. An all-new nickel metal hybrid battery is smaller than before which allows it to be mounted underneath the back seat so it doesn’t infringe on trunk space. The ES F Sport on the other hand goes for a more overt impression with an exterior that, perhaps

LEXUS’ ES-SENTIAL Es MoDELs 70% oF sALEs

14 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2018

surprisingly, manages to capture the bold and aggressive personality Lexus is trying to manage. It also features numerous upgrades such as a retuned suspension, 19-inch wheels and tires, and unique aluminum interior trim that gives the machine a more dynamic look and feel. So, it’s a straight up choice between brain and brawn for fleet buyers, but Lexus says that “ES loyalists will find the seventh generation more spacious, quieter and safer than ever before and will be able to enjoy an exhilarating performance, classleading active safety technology and a level of craftsmanship rarely found in this segment. “ To create a dynamic yet fluid shape and enhance the driver’s visibility, a low hood has been adapted, producing a distinctive silhouette emphasized by an aggressive downward angle. SPECIFICATIONS Hybrid Engine 2.5l 4cyl Hybrid rating

24.1km on 1l

Range

1,205km

ES 350 Engine 3.5l V6 mated Transmission

8-speed

Power

301hp

CLEANER TOURER CUTs Co2 EMissions by 4%

volvo switches to new coach platForms NEw RANGE BUILT FOR TOURIST ANd LINEHAUL OPERATIONS, SAYS COMPANY

Volvo unveiled its all-new platform for tourist and line-haul coaches at IAA. With striking design, fuel-saving aerodynamics and safety of the very highest level, the premium coach manufacturer is taking another great leap forward, it claims. Volvo’s new platform for tourist and line-haul operations, introduced earlier this year, was unveiled for the first time to the wider public at IAA. The range encompasses two models: the luxurious Volvo 9900 and the versatile Volvo 9700. Both feature a dynamically designed exterior with crisp lines, smooth sides and rounded corners to give low air resistance. The new “Z-shaped” side window line combined with the sloping theatre floor of the Volvo 9900 marks a totally new design language for coaches. “I’m immensely proud to present our new premium-class coach platform at IAA. It marks our biggest investment in this segment in more than 20 years, and our customers have given the new platform a particularly enthusiastic welcome,” said Håkan Agnevall, President Volvo Buses. “With our all-new, modern coaches and flexible service packages, we have a highly competitive holistic offer to the market. Put simply, we make it easier for our customers to offer first-class service and to make money.” The new Volvo 9900 offers an extra-high floor level and large glass panels to provide exceptionally good views both to the front and sides. The interior roof is eight centimetres higher than before, and a straighter transition between walls and roof creates an airy feeling with a far greater sense of space. The versatile Volvo 9700 is available with a wide variety of equipment alternatives for medium range linehaul or premium tour and charter operations.


LAUNCHES

A FUEL REdUCER Up To 5% on Long-hAUL

the new actros

dAIMLER SAYS ITS NEw HEAVY PAVES THE wAY FOR THE NEXT GENERATION The new Actros ditches conventional outside mirrors in favour of the MirrorCam with numerous additional functions supports the driver while also improving aerodynamics. The way that the different assistance systems interact within Active drive Assist paves the way for automated driving, says the German giant. The new active lane tracking feature intervenes with corrective steering movements if required. The new Active Brake Assist 5 system can now also react with full emergency braking if it identifies a risk for pedestrians. One of the key elements of the assistance systems for the new Actros is Sideguard Assist, successfully introduced two years ago. The anticipatory cruise control system in the Actros, Predictive Powertrain Control, now also recognises junctions and roundabouts.

This allows it to optimise the driver’s driving style, even on winding long-distance routes. In conjunction with the MirrorCam, the new Economy+ driving mode in the Powershift 3 automatic transmission and a new rear axle ratio, the new Actros’ fuel consumption on motorways can be reduced by a further three percent and by as much as five percent on long-distance routes. The controls have also been elevated to a whole new level. This applies to the MirrorCam displays in the A-pillars and particularly to the new Multimedia Cockpit. Its core is made up of two centrally positioned colour displays. Instead of the conventional instrument cluster with speedometer, rev counter and fuel gauge, the system features a primary flat-screen-look, high-resolution colour

display. The second screen, the secondary display, is designed as a touchscreen. Most of the truck’s functions can be conveniently controlled from this screen. Mercedes-Benz is marking the introduction of the new flagship model at the IAA Commercial Vehicles with the special “Edition 1” model, produced in a limited run of 400, with numerous extras that offer maximum comfort and safety for the driver. It’s select design features give the vehicle a high recognition factor. In the course of developing the new Actros, the engineers at Mercedes-Benz Trucks also extensively redesigned the Arocs. Almost all the innovations in the new Actros are also available for the Arocs. “This is true, for instance, of MirrorCam, Active Brake Assist 5, the Multimedia Cockpit and the enhanced

Predictive Powertrain Control. The sole difference: whereas, as a rule, the new features form part of the standard specification for the Actros, the Arocs is most often individually configured,” says daimler. Having celebrated its world premiere two years ago at the IAA, the all-electric eActros is now – following extensive further development – in real-life operation as part of customer driving trials. Meanwhile, the new gas-powered Actros NGT marks the beginning of a further new chapter for low-emission vehicles at Mercedes-Benz Trucks. SPECIFICATIONS Power

175-460kW

GwC

18-44t

Cabin width

2.4m

Cabin height

2.13m

Transmission powershift 3

NOVEMBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 15


ADVERTORIAL

A RANGE READy fOR ThE REGION The New Truck Generation has benefitted from a decade of development and 2 billion euros of investment by Scania.

REDEFINING THE MARKET Scania launches its revolutionary New Truck Generation in the GCC

S

cania is introducing in the Gulf region it’s new and complete truck range, redefining the market’s view of the term ‘premium.’ With overwhelming response, recognition, and a pouring stream of orders in Europe, Scania’s new truck range is extending its offering with more performance steps, connectivity, and a comprehensive palette of productivityenhancing services, as well as sustainable transportation solutions that are precisely customised for each type of customer in the highly competitive transportation industry. The promise is that Scania’s customers will always be able to carry out their work in the most

16 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2018

sustainable and profitable way, regardless of industry and area of application. With the new truck generation Scania takes a giant step into the future, introducing new technologies, services and insights that help customers to get an overview of both costs and revenues. Sustainable profitability, regardless of the type of assignment or the conditions they work in; that’s Scania’s aim for its customers to achieve. This is not just a new truck range. It’s also a unique, ingenious toolbox of sustainable solutions with products and services that Scania is first in the industry to really be able to deliver. Brimming with new features, the range is stronger, safer and aerodynamically optimised. This new generation has been

Brimming with new features, the range is stronger, safer and aerodynamically optimised”

specifically developed for the utmost performance, with a pronounced focus on driver environment, interior space, safety and reliability. The introduction will ultimately encompass 24 different cab models that will provide opportunities to customise optimal solutions for each and every customer operation, regardless of whether the focus is on interior space, fuel economy, maximum comfort or load carrying capacity. The new trucks are all connected for the benefit of customers and drivers, but also for the planet. Connected vehicles provide valuable insight into operating conditions, as well as the necessary intelligence to develop vehicles for even better performance – useful insight for Scania’s


ADVERTORIAL

continuous research and development work. Thanks to improved powertrains and better aerodynamics, the range pushes further Scania’s already outstanding fuel performance. The new generation trucks have been praised in nearly all aspects – for their powertrain, performance, comfort, braking capacity, visibility and steering. Customers can look forward to an unprecedented driving experience with unmatched fuel economy. Another good news packed into Scania’s new generation range is the introduction of a new 13-litre dedicated gas-powered engine. Rated at 410 horsepower, the new engine joins Scania’s existing 280 and 340 horsepower nine-litre dedicated gas units, suitable for both long-distance transport and construction operations. Scania Middle East says it is extremely proud ahead of its imminent arrival in the Gulf, further leading our customers with advanced transport solutions and sustainable profitability. The business unit’s Managing Director, Özcan Barmoro says “the transportation sector in Gulf region is going through rapid changes. More attention is paid to fuel efficiency and total operating economy, which is achieved based on an optimised customer specification. We are certain that the new truck generation and the overall service solution we offer meets these new market demands extremely well” The result of ten years of development work and investments of over 2 billion Euros, this new truck generation definitively builds on the values, strategies, techniques and innovations which for the past 127-year have made Scania the industry leader it is today.

SCANIA’S LARGEST-EVER LAuNCh The launch of the New Truck Generation is the largestever undertaken by Scania. It began with the debut of the R- and S-series trucks two years ago in Europe and Orjan Aslund, Manager, Product Affairs, Trucks recalls the excitement of the launch. “The first introduction was in Paris in August 2016 and then we had the customer event at our headquarters in Sodertalje hosting thousands of people from the industy. We built a launch arena at the upper end of the lake and we hosted more than 10,000 customers,” he remembers. “We’re still launching in a lot of markets in Asia, Middle East, Africa and Latin America. So it’s far from over.” The New Truck Generation

was an opportunity to implement a series of changes at Scania and the trucks have been developed using new production methods and stateof-the-art truck technology. Aslund says the result has been an unprecedented level of quality and fuel efficiency in the finished range. “This has been the biggest project ever within Scania. Ten years of engineering development, 20 billion SEK, which is 2 billion euros invested…it’s been a huge investment,” comments Aslund. He continues: “You learn from every generation. We reached the same build quality measured by warranty claims in one year that took 20 years to reach with the previous generation. We were extremely

pleased with the quality of the previous generation but reaching that the same target within a year with a new generation was remarkable.” Since the launch, the New Truck Generation has picked up a number of awards including the prestigious International Truck of the Year award at the 2016 IAA. It has also set numerous new fuel records in many European countries in comparison tests carried out by independent trade journalists with its 13-litre engine helping to scoop the well-regarded Green Truck Award earlier this year. “Journalists have tested our new truck generation and come back to us and said “we’re amazed – we’ve never seen fuel figures like this before’,” Aslund enthuses.

SCANIA’S NEw TRuCk GENERATION ARRIVES IN ThE GuLf

• Scania is launching in the Gulf its new truck generation in complete range – long-haulage, urban, and construction (XT) applications • Scania’s new truck generation strongly focus

on customer profitability, through precisely customised transportation solutions in the form of sustainable products and services • The new truck range further

improves Scania’s already outstanding fuel performance; created the world’s first rollover side curtain airbag; encompasses 24 different cab models; connectivity is

standard; and the availability of a 13-litre gas powered engine • The new trucks will be rolled-out late this year via customer and press events in each of the Gulf markets.

NOVEMBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 17


FEATURE

The PIONeers

T&FME talks to Samer Choucair of CE-Creates about ION, the region’s first sustainable transportation company

e

arlier this year, business conglomerate Crescent Enterprises and environmental and waste management company Bee’ah announced that they were combining their efforts to launch ION, a joint venture with the goal of bringing sustainable commercial transportation to the region. ION is dedicated to the development, acquisition and management of electric vehicle (EV) fleets for commercial use, deployed through platforms such as ride-hailing services, as well as corporate

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and government fleets. Aspiring to play a prominent role in the conversation about electric cars, ION is also seeking to engage with electric utility regulators, road transport authorities, legislators, environmental agencies and customer groups to gain insights and shape policies that will accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles. ION is being managed within Crescent Enterprises by its in-house start-up incubator CE-Creates, and its VP Samer Choucair explains to T&FME how it is using its relationship with ride-hailer Careem to pioneer green transport, starting with the UAE.

One space that was obvious to tackle was sustainable mobility”

“We set up CE-Creates about four and half years ago with the goal of conceiving and building sustainable businesses. We had no real focus on any specific industry. It was much more about building long term businesses that have a real positive social and positive environmental impact. And are financially sustainable in every sense of the word,” he begins. “Now along the way various projects come along and naturally a lot of them have been in the green space focussed on renewables but one space that was obvious to tackle was sustainable mobility.” When rumours began to circulate two


pIlOT SChEME ION conducted the pilo t of its striking fleet of turquois e Tesla Model S electric vehicle s in Dubai through the ride -hailing service, Careem in Ma y.

A phASEd ROll-OUT FOR ION Announced to coincide with World Environment Day, the joint venture plans to deploy fleets of energy-efficient Tesla S vehicles to complement the transport network across nine cities in the MENA region. With a phased roll out planned until 2020, the collaborative effort will also align with the establishment of a regulatory framework governing the use of electric vehicles in the target markets, they added. ION is also planned to eventually include power generation and storage products. “We are delighted to join forces with Crescent Enterprises in this gamechanging initiative dedicated to enhancing the sustainability of sectors such as transportation across the MENA region. As a company that actively facilitates the adoption of a green economy,

we understand the role of environment-friendly transportation in reducing our overall carbon footprint. We believe that ION will play an instrumental role in consolidating the UAE’s green credentials,” said Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO, Bee’ah. “Bee’ah has been an early adopter of green technology and has invested in a number of initiatives that showcase our passion for integrating innovation with ecofriendly practices. We have optimised our services by deploying a fleet of smart vehicles, including Tesla’s new Semi trucks, while the former’s state-of-the-art Powerpack has facilitated our ambition of turning our new headquarters into a net zero energy building. The historic launch of ION represents yet another milestone on our journey towards a greener and more sustainable future.”

years ago, that electric and autonomous vehicle powerhouse Tesla was considering a move to the GCC, the company reacted quickly and reached out to the US firm’s European office. “We started a conversation around collaborating to run out fleets of Teslas across the region for the purpose of providing real accessible solutions to customers and actually contribute to reducing carbon emissions from transportation,” explains Choucair. “As we do with many other of our start-ups, we always look for strategic partnerships and likeminded businesses and individuals, companies that we can JV with if it makes sense.”

We just clicked from day one. And it made absolute sense”

FEATURE

With Tesla on-board, CE-Creates was soon in talks with Careem for getting the vehicles onto the platform. However, the company recognised it still needed a local partner for the fledgling operation that understood not only the market but also had a strong record in sustainability. The answer was thankfully close to home. “Being based in Sharjah, we have a good relationship with Bee’ah and our CEO has a very strong personal relationship as well,” he remarks. “They started not so long ago as an early stage start up. Today, they have businesses in multiple different areas, they have over 7,000 employees. They are the leading company when it comes to waste management and all kinds of green initiatives around renewable energy and so on. So they were a natural choice and when we discussed it with them we has an immediate idea that this made absolute sense.” Very soon into the discussions with Bee’ah it became apparent that the relationship could be scale-able even to a regional level. “When we first opened the discussions with them it was about sharjah because they have a solid fleet operation in Sharjah; solid partnerships with the municipality, and so on. And in each of the other regions we were actually talking to other companies as well. He continues: “Bee’ah has a very entrepreneurial mentality. They are driven by a purpose. They have huge ambitions and they are very agile for a business that size. All fantastic characteristics for a partner. We just clicked from day one. And it made absolute sense. Very aligned in terms of our vision and ambitions and all the core values are pretty much the same. So it made sense, and it very quickly went from let’s look at the partnership from Sharjah to let’s take this partnership across the region and make and build something big, really substantial out of this.” Choucair tells T&FME that ION is ‘very much a 50/50’ partnership with CE-Creates offering its start-up expertise having incubated companies like Gulftainer and Momentum Logistics and Bee’ah bringing vital fleet understanding and insight into the dealing with municipalities like Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. “We didn’t really define exactly what each party will be bringing to the table but I think we understand what the strengths of each of us are and we are developing those as we go on.” Following a hiatus during the summer of 2017, the hard work of building ION began in the autumn with the companies concentrating on what a potential pilot scheme would look like and how it could make the necessary

impact in the market. Choucair says that all the possibilities of what a sustainable transporter would look like were on the table. “Initially the idea was that we wanted to get into sustainable transport but how? And in what format? Are we talking about logistics? Or are we talking about people. Are we talking about taxis? Are we talking about chauffeur driven services or are we talking about car rental. There’s so much out there.” When asked by T&FME how on earth did they work on all those potential visions for ION, Choucair proffers a distinct answer. “So, we didn’t, we said you know what, we have we have the project in hand and it’s a specific project in Dubai with Tesla and Careem and we said let’s just get this going and roll it out. We’re going to learn as we go. And that’s exactly what we did. We rolled out the fleet of cars. We had an agreement with Careem to put this fleet on their platform; to use this as a test to really gauge demand in the market and more importantly to really understand the operational intricacies of something like this. And I tell you, we might have spent three- or four-month planning this on paper but the minute we got on the ground, it was a whole different ballgame.” One of the biggest challenges, and this will be familiar to most readers of T&FME, was recruiting drivers suitable for a limousine service pitched (initially at least) at the business user market. “You know hiring drivers was one off the things we took for granted - it was the least of our worries and it turned out to be the biggest challenge,” he says wryly. “It’s unbelievable and it still shocks me today. You know eight months on from when we started hiring, eight months on from when I started, we’ve still not hired the entire number of drivers we’re looking for.” He continues: “In Dubai, there are a lot of stringent requirements in terms of the driver having to be trained in a certain way, have their certifications refreshed on an annual basis, being released from previous employers, and so on. There’s quite a bit of regulation around the limousine category in particular. “There were a lot of challenges that we weren’t aware of. As well as new changes, changes that had been applied as we were getting started. So operationally there was a lot for us to deal with and a lot that we’ve learned.” Even with a cadre of drivers on board, other problems were to lie ahead made more difficult because of the nature of running one of the first commercial electric vehicle car fleets in a region where the technology remains new and largely untested at the scale the pilot required. NOVEMBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 19


FEATURE

ION conducted the pilot of its striking fleet of turquoise Tesla Model S electric vehicles in Dubai through the ride-hailing service, Careem in May with users of the application able to book ION’s electric cars for a ride anywhere in Dubai. A roll-out in Abu Dhabi is also imminent but Choucair says when it comes to running an electric vehicle fleet, every day is an education. “Once you actually start operating, you go into a whole new set of challenges you need to learn There is no precedent give of operating these fleets of electric vehicles in this climate. No precedent for us to learn from, in terms of how the charging cycles work; at what point do you cut off taking orders from some passengers? Or knowing how the different charging stations operate and where and what charging stations you can use and what time of day, and so on. “And then there is drivers themselves. They come from a background of driving traditional combustion engines. Now they have to reset their whole approach and way of thinking of how to deal with this new vehicle. We’ve had a couple of incidents of running out of power in Al Ain ,for example, and having to bring the car back on a flatbed.” He continues: “We tried to mitigate all of the known risks by bringing on board people who come from that background and are from that industry. We ourselves have fleet operators within Momentum Logistics as well as Bee’ah having fleet operators within Bee’ah’s waste management divison. So there

ChOUCAIR ON ThE ROlE ThE pRIVATE SECTOR CAN plAy

BUSINESS hElp reports to businesses ION plans to provide ount of CO2 savings am the n dow that breaks its services. g usin by they are making

hiring drivers was taken for granted. Turned out it was the biggest challenge”

“We’re very strong believers that these kinds of initiatives need to be supported if not led by the private sector. In our region, where we’re quite used to the traditional model where the government does everything and they become the operator as well as the regulator. But that is not sustainable in the long term. For this type of initiative to have any kind of success and longevity it

is expertise there but there is a whole new set of challenges that we weren’t aware of that we needed to learn and deal with along the way.” With the pilot scheme underway, the task now is to roll out the fully green fleet management enterprise in the UAE and across the wider region. “The idea behind Ion is to not only provide a platform that has not only cars but any kind of sustainable green transportation or let’s say electric transport. We’re looking at everything from buses to bivcyles, to motorbikes, scooters. The idea is to build a digital platform that links all sorts of

needs to be supported and driven by the private sector. “We are as strong believers in the fact that regulators should not be competing with operators. They should focus on facilitating for us and other operators to go into a nice, healthy competitive market. “The regulators should develop a framework and a structure that allows the private sector to go in and actually start building a vision for this type of industry.”

sustainable transport to the end users. So, me, as an end user I have an ION app that I can open up and tell me you know I still want to go from point A to point B and it’ll give me ways to get there whether it’s through a bus or a car or a bicycle or a scooter. “It is not going to be restricted to chauffeured cars. We’re even looking at models of car sharing platforms using electric vehicles as well. And of course the ultimate goal is for autonomous vehicles of sorts. Even today we’re looking at some autonomous buses electric buses that could be rolled out within closed communities.”

dEVElOpINg gREEN TRANSpORT Both of ION’s founding partners have strong links with Tesla and Bee’ah committed to purchasing the Tesla Semi Truck, prior to the launch of the JV’s own pilot scheme using the Tesla S.

20 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2018



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ADVERTORIAL

reAdy to grow

MaN truck & Bus Middle East hosts an event highlighting its role in Pakistan’s growth PakistaN: aN ExcitiNg, EMERgiNg MaRkEt With a growing population and a government eager to develop Pakistan as a link between the Middle East and Asia the country is emerging as a major centre transportation. It is also an increasingly progressive market in terms of fuel economy and safety of commercial vehicles

A

imed at emphasising the role of heavy vehicles in a variety of sectors within Pakistan, MAN Truck & Bus hosted an event for 340 large truck and bus fleet operators and other stakeholders from the public and private sectors in Karachi last month showcasing the technical advantages of the company’s vehicles. The event also highlighted MAN’s services that improve Total Cost of Ownership as well as offering an insight into the worldclass safety technologies available from MAN such as its emergency break assistant, lane guard system and adaptive cruise control. “We are committed to provide complete transport solutions to simplify our customers’ business operations and make them more profitable. Our product and service portfolio demonstrates the very best of German engineering,” remarked Jörg Bauch, Area Sales Manager, MAN Truck & Bus Middle East. “We offer tailor-made service solution such as repair and maintenance contracts, extended warranty and various financing options in cooperation with a local partner. In addition, we offer the full range of our light, medium and heavy trucks to the market. Furthermore,

we introduced 2 years’ warranty on MAN Genuine Parts and Service work connected with the fitting of spare parts to help our customers to make their business simpler.” Throughout the day, high level of speeches from MAN Energy Solutions Pakistan (the exclusive partner in Pakistan), MAN Truck & Bus Middle East as well as the Consular Attaché for Economic and Political Affairs of the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany Karachi, Ingolf Vogel explored the opportunities for safer and more efficient transportation in the country. The event was also an opportunity to showcase MAN’s collaboration with local partners through the MAN TGM 18.330 4x2 BB firefighting truck which has a locally manufactured body from Meraj Limited. The Pakistan government has placed the energy sector at the centre of its economic development strategy and the Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority recently brought in stricter transport regulations. Introduced in the wake of the Bahawalpur oil tanker tragedy last year, the measures are intended to improve the safety of fuel transport across the country and the regulations require the implementation of a certain safety features which are supplied

the change of transport regulations towards european standards will challenge fleet operators. we are here to support their business operations”

mainly by European manufacturers. Demonstrating MAN’s own efforts to support the oil and gas sector to meet these changes, the first MAN TGS 33.360 6x4 BBS units were handed over to Asif Transport, a company that operates on behalf of the Karachi-based and Pakistani state-owned multinational petroleum corporation PSO (Pakistan State Oil). Franz Freiherr von Redwitz, Managing Director of MAN Truck & Bus Middle East commented that the company is forging strong links with the energy sector via its sister company MAN Energy Solutions SE in Pakistan. “The business relationships with our partners are based on trust, knowledge exchange and professionalization of the sales and after sales teams for the benefit of all MAN operators,” he said. “In Pakistan, we are in a unique position as our set up is based on a direct investment from MAN Energy Solutions SE in Germany. This demonstrates MAN’s long-term commitment to Pakistan as one of the future markets.” Passenger transportation was also high on the agenda with buses perceived as a more reliable and comfortable alternative to the railway for a country that is increasingly reliant on public transport for its booming population. Buses have a major role to play in the establishment of the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The CPEC is arguably one of the most critical infrastructure initiatives in the region. Intended to improve the mobility of the goods, the CPEC is stimulating a higher volume of flow of trade and business inside the Pakistan economy. Jörg Bauch said MAN strongly believes that its products will contribute to Pakistan’s continuing growth. “A growing population usually fosters a need for public transportation network expansion – the CPEC is a framework of regional connectivity and will create additional transport demand. Furthermore, the change of transport regulations towards European standards will challenge fleet operators even more and we are here to support their business operations in the most economical way possible.” NOVEMBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 23


FEATURE

Part of the family Peshawar Sky General Transportation’s Nasim Ullah on the company’s extraordinary story

24 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2018


FEATURE

W

e’re sat on the side-lines of the Volvo Trucks Driver Challenge 2018. Nasim Ullah is chatting to his star driver Younis Khan who has been competing during the event with some of the world’s best truck drivers. Later that day Khan, already crowned the winner of the UAE event which earned him in his place at the finals, would learn he is the second-best driver in the MENA region, for now we talk how he has risen through the ranks of his own family. “He has a huge family of brothers and cousins, in total they have 28 drivers in their family,” explains Ullah, Peshawar Sky General Transportation’s de-facto transportation manager, who has been doubling as Khan’s translator in Sweden. “Well he feels, because he has been working hard in every capacity and not taking (his profession) for granted, he might be the best.” Khan has been a driver for over 17 years. Starting in Pakistan, he was recruited from Peshawar Sky General Transportation’s sister company and brought over to Abu Dhabi in 2011 and has been diligently driving in the company fleet of material transportation trucks ever since, while continuing to focus on learning his craft. “He has no match - but he is definitely he’s improving. And you know in our company he is the number one,” affirms Ullah. Despite finishing his two runs in the competition Khan is continuing to analyse his performance, particularly on the off-road course. “I have put in 100%,” Khan says through Ullah. “But I’m not sure I had the right tactics for that one. It was more difficult because of the mud...the environment is difficult compared to what I’m used to, however I put everything into it.” It is an attitude that fits perfectly with the philosophy of Peshawar Sky General Transportation. It’s a moderately-sized company of 17Mercedez Actros, three recently added Volvo FH16 trucks and three Mitsubishi pick-ups, but it is growing, with Ullah working alongside his father Taj Muhammad. He says that the company’s roots were first planted in northern Pakistan when his father, determined to make a success of his life, embarked on an extraordinary and life-changing journey to the UAE. “My father came to the UAE in 1978,” says Ullah before pausing to correct himself. “Actually, he walked to the UAE – he didn’t come by train or by aeroplane

YOUNiS khAN ON ThE COURSE Peshawar Sky General Transportation driver Younis Khan prepares to take on the challenging off-road productivity course of the Volvo Driver Challenge 2018.

FEEliNG CONFidENT Khan stands with Nasim Ullah as the driver re-tells his experience of the fuel efficiency course which he found similar to his typical runs.

REPRESENTiNG ThE UAE Ullah and Khan stand with the UAE flag as the competition draws to a close in Sweden.

or anything. He walked from Karachi to Gawadar and from Gawadar to Iran. And then from Iran he came to the UAE.” He adds that he arrived with very few possessions. Not even a passport: “At that time, Pakistan authorities were not issuing passports for their citizens so my father got his first passport in the UAE; as well as getting himself educated. Fortunately, he could speak Arabic, a little bit of English, Urdu, and Pashto, his maternal language. Early work for Taj Muhammad included being a driver after he successfully applied for a driving license, Ullah explains: “he was working as a domestic driver for an English family.” Taj Muhammad continued working as a driver after they left for the UK; eventually finding a role as a supervisor for a firm in the construction industry before his return to Pakistan in 1990. “Whatever he had saved he bought back to Pakistan and used it to start his business there in a partnership with other contractors,” continues Ullah. “Again, related to construction, he got contracts from the government to build roads, hospitals and buildings and he finally set-up his own business with two tractors and the small equipment that was needed for the construction work he was getting. Other equipment he would rent.” Ullah continues: “Following the trail of government contracts to Islamabad, the business thrived and opportunities began to open up in the private sector with the company scoring a lucrative tie-in with Pakistan developer giant Bharia Town. “Many contractors had started to come to the surface, so he moved into heavy equipment and excavators. He earned good money.” Ullah recalls. Eventually in 2008, his father returned to his dream of opening a transportation business in the UAE; leaving the Pakistan firm to be managed by his eldest son. Ullah adds that his father realised that to be competitive in the UAE market, his new company would not be able to rely on the Hino fleet that had served him so well in Pakistan. “He started with two Actros trucks because his friends were suggesting Mercedes for him. And then he was slowly and gradually building his business up and then he bought two more Actros trucks. With the passage of time he got some more, and by 2015 he had 16 trucks.” As before, his knowledge of the government sector served him well, but it has been the establishment of a strong relationship with Cemex, among others, NOVEMBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 25


FEATURE

A VOlVO FMX STANdS REAdY FOR ACTiON Volvo FMXs were mounted with a box to test driver skills in an off-road environment.

that means the company’s trucks are now in constant use serving giant cement plants in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. “Cemex is a very big construction company in the UAE. They buy materials from different crushers in Fujairah and RAK and we give them transportation services,” he says. “We take their materials and supply them at their plants and they provide concrete materials for the construction of buildings. I think they had 95% of the works at Dubai Airport and they are getting big projects in Dubai all the time.” Ullah joined three years ago after being educated and working in the UK. Together, father and son are now fixed on expanding the company’s fleet operation. He tells T&FME that he has already helped shift the company’s buying habits. “In 2016, we bought three Volvo FH16s following some advice from one of my friends. He told me ‘if you’re not happy to with Volvo then I will give you the money that you spent and I’ll take the trucks’. He was that confident because he said that he had been running the same trucks for two and a half years and was happy with the fuel consumption.” He adds that fuel economy is the main issue for a company of Peshawar’s size as it is often competing on price. “This is the main issue here. The main saving comes from the fuel because these heavy trucks consume a lot,” he explains. “For smaller transporters like us fuel consumption was and is a huge a matter of concern because the rates that we are provided to small companies are much lower. The bigger companies, because they’re big companies, that are have 26 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2018

everything, their own fleet, their own company production houses, so they are getting higher rates but we are working on very low prices. “We tell the drivers that they have to be careful, the prices are going up. As we are family business, we don’t just call them and say you have to go there and come back again for the next trip. We are backing them and advising them like our own family members because this is good for us and for our drivers as well.” While we talk, he says he feels that regulation of prices – with the setting of a minimum – could ease pricing worries for transporters in the market.

We are backing them and advising them like our own family members”

“Cemex as compared to other companies is good when it comes to its prices. Still they’re pressing us to lower their prices from time to time. Five or six years back it was 32 dirham per ton now it has dropped down to 18 dirham per ton. This is a big matter of concern for every transporter. This is the reason that you have to cut costs by saving more fuel the divers are using. And the only solution is to replace the vehicles slowly and gradually with trucks that have less fuel consumption. And as far as I have studied the market, everybody’s recommending Volvo. If I’m not able to purchase all the other 18 vehicles with brand new, definitely I’ll try my best to replace with used Volvos because they can give me fuel savings.” He continues: “The issue in the UAE is that the transporters are not getting equal prices. If I’m working with one company and they’re giving us 12 dirhams per ton rate from RAK to Dubai then another transporter room will say they can offer them 10 dirhams. This thinking could destroy the market in the UAE.” As our conversation draws to a close, he reveals that he is in constant contact with other transporters to understand what is happening in the market; where the opportunities lie and what the costs of running and buying the fleet should be. However, there is one person that remains pivotal to Peshawar’s success. “I’m in touch with my father around the clock. I take a decision only after he has given his final yes because every time I get his view, his decision comes up 100% correct because of his experience. I’m very lucky that I have a father like him. He knows every single nut on a truck.”

STANdiNG BY ThE Fh16 Ullah says his company bought the Volvo FH after a recommendation of a friend who offered to buy it off him if he didn’t like it. The company bought three and plans to buy more.


The largest international trade exhibition for the automotive service industry in the wider Middle East

10 – 12 June 2019 www.automechanikaDubai.com

Does your business provide or use solutions for commercial vehicles? If yes, participation in the Truck Competence segment is a must. With an incredibly comprehensive gathering of over 1000 exhibitors providing solutions from truck parts and accessories to workshop equipment and body repairs, this one-stop platform has the construction and mining industries fully covered. To Exhibit, email us at automechanika@uae.messefrankfurt.com To Visit, pre-register at www.automechanikaDubai.com/TC


26 - 29 NOVEMBER 2018 DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE

THE MEGA CONSTRUCTION EVENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST

REGISTER FOR FREE ENTRY www.TheBig5Heavy.com

www.MiddleEastConcrete.com


ADVERTORIAL

Reducing YouR Fleet’s opeRating costs Giti Tire explains why CPK is the most important factor

F

uel, maintenance, and tires are the three most expensive cost items for maintaining fleet operation. Of these, tires have the most ability to reduce costs, and in addition efficient tires can also reduce fuel and maintenance expenses too! This month, we will discuss why CPK (cost per kilometer) is more important than purchase price. Sometimes a tire has a cheaper initial buying price, which makes people instinctively consider that it will reduce fleet costs. However, this is often not that case after calculating the CPK over the life of the tire. On the other hand, the most expensive tire may bring the longest mileage, but not the most overall value. You can see how much you can safe from using good tires by calculating the tire annual budget. How can we calculate this? Let’s consider the three brand options here of different price levels:

ThE TRUE COST OF TIRES Judging purchasing decisions without calculating CPK will often cost you more in the long-run.

BRAND A

BRAND B

BRAND C

Price: $700 USD

Price: $395 USD

Price: $300 USD

Mileage: 115,000 Km

Mileage: 80,000 Km

Mileage: 55,000 Km

Cost/km: 700/115000

Cost/km: 395/80,000

Cost/km: 300/55,000

= 0.0060/Km USD

= 0.0049/Km USD

= 0.0055/Km USD

As you can see, Brand B has the lowest CPK, and is the best overall value. In this case, let’s compare the savings gotten from Brand B compared to Brand A.

DIFFERENCE 0.0060 (BRAND A) – 0.0049 (BRAND B) = $0.0011 USD/Tire/Km

Mileage of Brand A = 115,000 Km Difference of Cost/Km = 0.0011 USD / Tire Brand B Better Value By: 0.0011 × 115,000 =

$126.5 USD / Tire

For a 12-wheeler using Brand A, the cost is therefore $1,518 (12 x $126.50) more over the lifetime of the tire. That is nearly the price of 4 tires of Brand B! Similarly, Brand C (which has the cheapest purchase price) is more expensive by $396 for 12 tires, also a big difference when considering a whole fleet. It should be noted that in order to correctly determine this value, it is important to track the mileage on your fleet’s tires. In addition, tires must be properly maintained. In the coming months, we will explain how to do these, to best maximize the success and value of your fleet. NOVEMBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 29


WORKSHOP

GaG ScORES iNdia SuccESS / HyuNdai’S POtENt ELEctRic POWERtRaiN SiKa ExPaNdS iN duBai / GitEx LauNcH fOR fMS tEcH’S EaGLE EyE 2K

workshop

GaG wins Hindustan Petroleum disti deal uaE-fiRM tO fOcuS ON LuBRicaNt ExPORtS fOR iNdia’S HPcL LuBRicaNtS UAE headquartered conglomerate Ghassan Aboud Group (GAG) has been appointed as a distributor for export markets by Indian petroleum giant Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) through its 100% subsidiary in the UAE, HPCL Middle East FZCO. HPCL is a Global Fortune 500 company with US$ 35 billion in revenues, that owns and operates the largest Lube Refinery in

India producing Lube Base Oils of international standards. A vital part of HPCL, HP Lubricants is India’s largest lubricant marketer, which markets more than 450 grades of lubricants, specialties and greases manufactured in state-of-the-art blending plants spread across India. The Ghassan Aboud Group is engaged in the automotive, retail, media, real estate, hospitality, pastoral, catering sectors with

fLuid PaRtNERSHiP GAG will market HPCL’s entire range of lubricants in international markets.

presence in the UAE, Belgium, Australia, Jordan and Turkey. Most notably, the Ghassan Aboud Group is an established player in the automotive supplychain for 25 years, with a market reach of over 100 countries. Furthermore, the group is major enabler of automotive trade with its global hub in the UAE and complementary operations in Belgium and Jordan. It has an impressive infrastructure that includes sales, storage, logistics and transportation facilities. As part of the collaboration with HPCL, the Ghassan Aboud Group will market the entire range of products including auto lubricants, industrial lubricants, asphalt, solvents and others. “This is the beginning of important relationship for the group with such a preeminent giant in the lubricant industry,” commented GAG chairman Ghassan Aboud. Subhendu Mohanty, CEO, HPCL Middle East FZCO, added: “The partnership with provides the ideal synergy to cater to the requirements of lubricants and other petroleum products in the assigned regions.”

hyundai teases new ev tech POWERtRaiNS

Hyundai Motor has teased a render image of a new truck with fuel cell powertrain which is set to be launched in 2019. Following the debuts of its ix35 Fuel Cell and the NEXO technologies its fuel cell electric truck boasts a “simple and clean” design which is also aerodynamically efficient with a spoiler and side protector. According to the company, the front grille “symbolises hydrogen through geometric shapes, giving the vehicle a unique and powerful look.” Hyundai Motor also recently completed South Korea’s first domestic highway journey with an autonomously navigated semi-trailer truck. Hyundai’s Xcient truck drove approximately 40km on the highway between Uiwang and Incheon, carrying large semi-trailer simulating cargo transportation, showcasing Hyundai’s advancement in future mobility.

iNSidE tHiS MONtH’S WORKSHOP: tHE BiG 5 HEaVy REtuRNS iNcLudiNG iNSiGHt iNtO VEHicLE autONOMy, tRaiLERS at iaaM, aNd MORE 30 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2018


WORKSHOP

fMS tEcH tO SHOWcaSE EaGLE EyE 2K at GitEx

sika targets logistics with new dip facility StEEL

Sika, the global chemicals and building materials manufacturer, has officially inaugurated its state-of-the-art production facility and offices in Dubai Industrial Park, which comes as part of the Swiss company’s ongoing expansion and growth plans for developing its operations in the UAE and the region. Developed with an investment of $10.9 million, the new facility will have an annual capacity of 240,000 tons annual production capacity, and it will constitute the basis for the production of high-performance concrete admixtures. It will play a strategic role as a key sales and distribution centre in the region, Sika said in a statement, adding that the new facility has been designed to ensure a high level of productivity and quality consistency through a fully automated system and an advanced technical training centre. The official inauguration ceremony of the facility was attended by Ivo Schädler, EMEA regional manager, Abdullaziz Zaidan, Sika Arabia chairman, Saud Abu Al-Shawareb, managing director, Dubai Industrial Park and Chris Watts, consul general of Switzerland. “Dubai Industrial Park (DI) is a business hub for an ever-growing region, boosted by growth in key industries, and a strategic geographical location,” Al-Shawareb said. “As one of the largest industrial hubs in Dubai with a sole objective of fast-tracking growth of the industrial sector in the UAE, DI is committed to driving economic growth and ensuring a progressive ecosystem for the manufacturing sector. We are thrilled to be the first choice for large brands like Sika seeking to establish and grow operations,,” he added.

tELEMaticS FMS Tech highlighted its FMS Eagle Eye 2K at the region’s annual technology exhibition, GITEX Technology Week. According to FMS Tech, this was the first time that the new fleet and driver monitoring system had been shown in the Middle East. The company said the FMS Eagle Eye 2K consists of two smart cameras - one facing the road and the other facing the driver – which are integrated with the IVMS device. Designed for optimum security in fleets, the camera system is a four-channel digital video recorder for in-car surveillance. It uses an embedded processor and operating system with 3G GSM WiFi router and the latest technology for audio and video compression and decompression, large capacity SD card recording, high intelligence and high stability. The in-cabin security cameras

provide high quality recording, live streaming, snapshot for driver ID verification and violation recording, playback capabilities for heightened security, and wired or wireless camera options. The system records and stores the information on the device storage locally and also sends event-based real-time video feed to the control room. “We want to demonstrate how the community, our clients and we, can work together to make roads

safer,” said Bassam Alkassar, founder and CEO, FMS Tech. In addition to the FMS Eagle Eye 2K, FMS Tech will be showcasing their other fleet management solutions and efficient devices. The company, which has provided fleet management systems for almost a decade, is the first company to be approved by Dubai’s RTA for the Dubai Limousine Taxi Risk Management Solutions (RMS).

Zf cREatiNG LaSt MiLE iNNOVatiON VaN aV tEcHNOLOGy

ZF has bundled its technologies and – through automation, networking and electrification – into a new concept, The Innovation Van. The all-electric delivery truck is equipped with level 4 autonomous driving functions and is designed to independently manoeuvre through city centres, stay in its lane even if without road markings, recognise both traffic lights and road signs and

react to sudden hazardous situations. In addition, the Innovation Van can detect and drive around obstacles such as double-parked vehicles. The FollowMe function – which uses a tablet-based remote control enable the vehicle to follow the driver as if on a virtual leash. In addition, if there is no parking available at a certain address, the driver can send the vehicle ahead to the next stop where it will look for a parking space on its

REacHiNG LEVEL 4 iN LaSt MiLE Using its years of developing autonomous vehicle technology, ZF says the Innovation Van achieves Level 4 autonomy allowing it to work in urban areas.

own. This will also help to avoid traffic jams in future caused by delivery trucks which are often double parked. “We are revolutionising the ‘last mile’ so that packages can be delivered more cleanly, safely and on time,” said Wolf-Henning Scheider, CEO of ZF Friedrichshafe. “For this reason, we are working together with partners and customers to further develop our concept ready for series production within the next two years. “In order to quickly offer the market our systems expertise in the form of innovative and practical solutions, we will be investing more than €12 billion in e-mobility and autonomous driving alone over the next five years. “Despite current challenges in the markets and increased spending for developing new technologies, ZF remains on course. We will achieve our goals for the current year which include our revenue targets, investment increases and reducing debt,” concluded Scheider.

NOVEMBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 31


INTERVIEW

The besT combinaTion Andrea Scollo, Iveco’s head of its Middle East and Africa Key Accounts department, explains why it is reaching out to UAE body builders

32 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2018


INTERVIEW

b

ased in a country that has always perceived itself as a trading and outwardlooking nation, body builders in the UAE have an almost unique advantage. Because of the world-class logistics and transportation links in the country, they potentially have a huge range of markets to target. Not just within the GCC but beyond to customers in the wider Middle East and on the African continent too. Trailer manufacturers spotted this opportunity many years ago. Mammut, for instance, uses its production facilities in Jebal Ali to not only serve countries like the UAE, Oman, Kuwait but also East Africa. During a visit to the UAE last month, Andrea Scollo, IVECO’s head of its Middle East and Africa Key Accounts department, spoke to T&FME about the company’s own plans to leverage the ambition, knowhow and expertise of body builders in the country while helping those companies to also expand into new territories. But first, he shares his views on a Middle East market and the heavy truck sector in particular. He describes the territory’s performance as ‘slow’ over the past few years. “In the last three or four years there has been an important decrease in activity due mainly to the oil cost reduction and the Yemen war, especially concerning Saudi Arabia: a country that remains one of the most important markets in the area for heavy truck sales.” Despite the general slow-down in the market, Scollo is upbeat on IVECO’s own progress telling T&FME that the famous Italian marque is consolidating its leadership in the Gulf area and is continuing to expand its presence across the Middle East. He pauses to single out Kuwait, where the company recently secured a distribution partnership with Kuwait Automotive Imports Co (KAICO), adding that IVECO has made “a strong start” in the country. Looking ahead he predicts that the region will enjoy a short pause in commercial vehicles sales before beginning to see a rise. “For the next two years we estimate a stable market with a small increase in 2020,” Scollo forecasts. While IVECO itself is experiencing an improvement to its light-duty truck range sales, as its improves its understanding of customer needs in a segment (Scollo describes it as a “big existing market”), it is the heavy duty trucks of the company that it is now focused on. He explains to T&FME that the

ChANgINg NEEdS Of flEETS IVECO’s head of its Middle East Key Accounts department Andrea Scollo says that IVECO now has a range that offers choice and flexibility for the region’s fleets.

heavy IVECO Trakker and Stralis ranges are performing well and represent IVECO’s core business in all the main markets of the Middle East. “The needs of fleets are changing, as are the types of vehicles required and IVECO’s off-highway, and on-highway ranges offer a superior choice for fleet owners,” he enthuses. “IVECO is particularly strong in both the off-road construction segment (tippers, pumps and cement mixers) with our ‘Trakker’ and ‘Astra’ models and the on-road segment for long haulage distribution with the ‘Performer’ and our flagship ‘Stralis’. This is not forgetting the garbage collection and the general municipalities business where the entire ‘Eurocargo’ range finds its natural habitat between 12 and 18t GVW.” Thanks to a wide line up on offer, IVECO can cover all the main several segments in the region from mining and quarry, to construction, contracting companies, logistics and transport, municipality and tenders. The aim now is to work with UAE body builders, as it has so successfully with European companies over the years, to help them get into export markets. To do that IVECO has to

The needs of fleets are changing as are the types of vehicles required and iveco’s offhighway and onhighway ranges offer choice for fleet owners”

be even closer to the market and much more nimble when it comes to helping customers win vital contracts and business, says Scollo. “A close and daily collaboration with the main body builders of the area will increase the opportunities for them and IVECO, together we can increase our joint common market penetration.” The call out to companies based in the UAE marks a significant change in approach that should ultimately benefit fleets that may like IVECO’s trucks but have struggled to find the right set-up for them. Scollo explains how the body builders will integrate with IVECO’s international operation. “Historically, we had a direct relationship with European body builders to export to AME (Africa and Middle East) countries, this time we want to extend this idea to UAE body builders who are willing to export to AME countries.” He continues: “In the IVECO AME organisation there is a department at our Turin HQ called ‘Direct sales and Tenders’. The Direct sales department is spread in Europe and UAE. The team is organised with managers in Italy who are following Italy, France, UK and Turkey. Another manager is based in Spain and he’s in charge for Spain and Portugal; the manager in Germany is in charge for Germany, Holland and Northern Europe; and, recently added, the manager in Dubai is in charge for UAE export operations. “The department is also dedicated to international tenders within the AME perimeter where IVECO participates directly – big international organisation tenders coming under this range too. “The team is focused on serving all customers who are exporting from Europe, Turkey and the UAE to AME countries. To be clear, these sales are not for domestic markets but for export outside their domestic countries.” He adds that coordination at a local level will be managed via IVECO’s dealers and exports handled through the Direct Sales and Tenders department. With the nuts and bolts of the process ably explained, Scollo emphasises that the initiative is about creating a clear pathway for body builders to access IVECO’s own expertise and assistance. “For key accounts like experienced body builders, it is important to get a direct link to the truck manufacturer’s headquarters, facilitating direct access to every department,” he adds that they will also be given access to the company’s own Body Builder portal. Scollo adds: “This is one example of NOVEMBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 33


INTERVIEW

the available tools offered from IVECO to body builders. Another added value for them is the training on body mounting guides and improving their product knowledge and competencies on IVECO chassis. Buying trucks from our department will also mean buying a truck under IVECO warranty and relying on IVECO dealers’ network in target territories.” When asked what types of body builders IVECO is specifically looking for, he explains the company is targeting body builders who are predominantly exporting out of the UAE market as domestic operators are already well-served by the company’s own export team. “The ideal profile we are looking for is a body builder who participates in tenders and has a customer network abroad,” he says. “This is the ideal profile, but we are, in any case, flexible and our door is always open to every request coming from a UAE customer willing to export outside UAE.”

ExpORT OppORTUNITIES UAE-based body builders will be offered a partnership that gives them direct access to IVECO’s headquarters in Europe, training, guides and everything they need to target international markets.

IVECO pROMOTES SUSTAINABIlITy AT IAA IVECO’s stand at IAA 2018, in collaboration with SHELL, was a Low Emission Area – 100% Diesel Free – displaying a full offering of alternative Electric, CNG and LNG traction vehicles for every mission from passenger transport to long-distance haulage. IVECO sees electric propulsion as having an important role to play, especially in high-value missions such as people transport – particularly in low speed missions in city centres. The other key energy source is natural gas, which provides a mature solution for sustainable transport of people and goods. IVECO highlighted

the considerable environmental advantage of natural gas, which is able to deliver massive reductions in the most polluting emissions: in excess of 90% for NO2, 99% for particulate matter, 10% for natural gas which rises as high as 95% with biomethane. For city public transport, the stand will showcase the approaches CNH Industrial’s two bus brands have adopted towards achieving sustainable mobility. IVECO’s zero-emission Daily Electric Minibus, which together with the Daily Electric delivery van, offers solutions for people

A COMplETE OffERINg The 18 vehicles on display showcased IVECO’s sustainable solutions, from city people mobility all the way to long-haul freight, which make up its complete offering.

34 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2018

and goods transport in the busy traffic of city centres. For suburban public transport, IVECO BUS has also pursued the natural gas solution, and displayed the Crossway Low Entry Natural Power, “Sustainable Bus of the Year 2018”. This vehicle features a unique design with the natural gas tanks integrated into the roof space, has its autonomy up to 600 km and delivers the high performance and low emissions of the Cursor 9 Natural Power engine. For urban and suburban transport, IVECO showe dfive

versions of the Daily Hi-Matic Natural Power, the first CNG vehicle with an 8-speed automatic gearbox in the LCV industry and a Daily Electric Minibus. With their very different configurations, they demonstrate a wide variety of missions this vehicle family is able to serve while freeing transport operators from the constraints of the strictest emissions and noise abatement regulations. IVECO also presented its natural gas solutions for regional and longdistance goods transport, which also cater for the requirements of city centre and night-time deliveries.


PERFECT CROSSING

Discover the IVECO world and all its news on: www.iveco.com, Middle East area. Or call now the IVECO Representative Office: 00971 4 2994935

BEST PAYLOAD IN THE INDUSTRY Payload up to 20 ton on a 6x4 chassis with Large “C” section chassis

CONTINUOUS OPERATION Higher autonomy thanks to the Cursor engine that allow to reduce fuel consumption

ON-ROAD EXCELLENCE. OFF-ROAD ENDURANCE.

OUTSTANDING TCO Thanks to 11.2% fuel saving tested by TÜV on the New Stralis, optimised driveline and disk brakes

MODULAR AND MISSION-ORIENTED RANGE New front axle (off road) that guarantee an higher ground clereance Robust chassis for light off-road missions


FEATURE

PrePArIng the regIon for AVs Ahead of his talk at the Big 5 Heavy, Hamid Iravani, transportation planning director, Parsons talks about autonomy

A

lot of traffic accidents are due to drivers’ errors. Therefore, a certain number of accidents will decline. On the other hand, new safety hazards could arise as the result of autonomous and connected vehicles, such as possible failure of hardware and software. Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) can provide a higher level of mobility for the disabled, elderly, and younger passengers, improving their mobility and enabling their greater inclusion in society, but they also present technical and safety challenges that must be addressed. As confidence in AVs grows, passenger risk taking may also increase. During the early stages of AVs deployment, when selfdriving vehicles are mixed with AVs, some drivers may attempt to join the platoons of 36 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2018

autonomous vehicles that may be operating on dedicated lanes close together at high speeds, which could result in increased crash severity. Furthermore, autonomous vehicles and their safety impact have not been sufficiently tested in extreme weather conditions associated with snow or heavy rain. Transportation is the framework upon which cities are built. Historically, the advent of automobiles which was an advancement in technology made some major changes to the cities. Some of the influences were good, some were bad, and some were ugly. For those cities where policies did not intervene, the higher speed encouraged residents to live far from the city centers and drive farther to work. This meant longer travel distance, more pollution and energy consumption and brought urban sprawl by the most inefficient use of resources.

It is important to separate the hype from the actual potential to realistically evaluate the pros and cons�

Urban sprawl is the manifestation of automobiles, wide and long roads, and low-density suburbs which were grown horizontally. This has also had high implications on cost to build and maintain roads. The same could happen because of autonomous vehicles, but this time, convenience and higher efficiency could encourage residents to live much farther from the city centers and exacerbate the sprawl and increase vehicle kilometers traveled (VKT), unless clear regulations and policies are adopted to manage their use. In contrast, multi-modal systems that include private autonomous vehicles, but with emphasis on autonomous transit and non-motorised transportation, coupled with policies to limit the urban growth boundary, and encourage land use


FEATURE

AN END TO TRAFFI c? Iravani argues that traf fic will continue to be a proble m withou government planning and policies.

THE POwER OF PERcEPTION The Gartner Hype Cycle describes 5 general stages of new technology: 1. Innovation Trigger When there is a breakthrough and introduction of the new technology, and media interest arises. At this stage there is not any proof for the new technology operation. 2. Peak of Inflated Expectations Publicity and the hype factor are at its maximum expectation of the new technology, based upon the initial promises.

density and compactness, could be very beneficial for cities. The bottom line is, cities should be built for people and not cars, regardless of whether the cars are operated by people or autonomous. It is known that the shortened gaps and platoons coordination derived from autonomous vehicles can increase roadway capacity and therefore reduce traffic congestion, but this is half of the story. The other half that is missing is the fact that increased capacity will entice drivers who commute at the shoulder of the peak to beat traffic they would change their time of day to travel to drive at peak, also those passengers previously using other modes such as transit, walking, bicycling, or even carpooling may decide to drive using autonomous vehicles. In the prime time of freeway building in

Cities should be built for people and not cars, regardless of whether the cars are operated by people or autonomous”

3. Trough of Disillusionment When there is a realization that some unproven promises were given which were over-optimistic. At this stage, it becomes evident that some of the plans related to the new technology could not be delivered accordingly. Then investments will continue by those who improve their products. 4. Slope of Enlightenment When policies and regulations take place to minimize the negative impacts of the new technology and invest on its positive impacts. This stage involves a realistic approach. 5. Plateau of Productivity When the actual adoption of the new technology starts to take off. The negative and positive aspects of the new technology are clearly known to the public and the more robust systems will survive.

USA in the 1950s, the legendary architect and urbanist Lewis Mumford warned that “trying to cure traffic congestion with more capacity is like trying to cure obesity by loosening your belt.” Traffic is known to be like gas: as you open more space for cars, they will fill up the entire road. AVs could have both positive and negative effects on traffic and mobility. To take maximum advantage of autonomous vehicles, policies and regulations should be in place to discourage travelers to use their convenient autonomous private vehicles by measures such as congestion pricing, limited and high-priced parking, and encourage them to use autonomous transit vehicles. Tragedy of commons

The “tragedy of commons” is an economic theory describing how individuals tend to act selfishly by depleting publicly accessible and underpriced or free resources, eventually degrading the public realm in terms of environment, energy consumption, health, and well-being. Travelers will continue to use and congest roads with or without autonomous vehicles, unless planning and policies — coupled with suitable design and land use measures — discourage private automobiles and provide incentives for public transit. Those suitable land use and urban design measures for livable and vibrant cities should be built based on New Urbanism principles including: higher level of walkability and connectivity; mixed use and diversity; mixed housing; quality architecture and urban design; traditional neighbourhood structure diversity; increased density; smart multi-modal transportation; sustainability and quality of life. consumer attitudes

The current consumer attitude is the reflection of what is being broadcasted by the stakeholders, authorities, consultants, and media. Generally, the emergence of any technology is associated with so much hype and over-estimation of its positive impacts for the near future. It is important to separate the hype from the actual potential to realistically evaluate the pros and cons of any new technology. Hamid Iravani will be speaking at The Big 5 Heavy this November. He shared with his insight on autonomous vehicles. Iravani is the Transportation Planning Director and Fellows Board Member at Parsons and his topic at the Commercial and Autonomous Vehicles workshops is “Fueling the Future: Automated Driving and Intelligent Connectivity solutions”. NOVEMBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 37


EVENT PREVIEW

THE BIG ONE

Serving infrastructure demands of the UAE and beyond, The Big 5 Heavy returns this month

F

ollowing a successful launch edition in March, The Big 5 Heavy will now feature alongside The Big 5, and Middle East Concrete, to form one mega event where the industry can source all products for the construction cycle under one roof. The Middle East’s leading events dedicated to infrastructure, heavy construction and the concrete industry, The Big 5 Heavy and Middle East Concrete will host over 80 of the top local and international industry players and free education seminars from 26-29 November 2018 at Dubai World Trade Centre. Exhibitors at the event will offer a glimpse into the latest industry technologies and solutions from over 20 countries, across dedicated product sectors: PMV, Quarrying & 38 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2018

Mining, Foundations & Geotechnical, Road Construction, Site Equipment, and concrete. Products will be displayed by industry heavyweights including formwork from Jean Four EuroBress, scaffolding by Ace Aluminium, tower cranes and anticollision systems by A – Z Technologies, leader in mobile and crawler cranes Sany, contracting group Arabtec and many more. “With over 6000 projects ongoing in Dubai alone in 2018, making up 53% of active projects in the UAE, the city is at the heart of infrastructure demand in the country,” comments Richard Pavitt, Event Director for Middle East Concrete and The Big 5 Heavy. “On the back of this growth we are delighted to introduce The Big 5 Heavy as part of the largest construction event in the Middle East this November, and welcome back Middle East Concrete to The Big 5.”

We are delighted to introduce The Big 5 Heavy as part of the largest construction event in the Middle East this November”

“It is our belief that by keeping up to date with newest machinery, infrastructure and concrete solutions, construction professionals will have all they need to meet the time constraints, efficiency targets and affordability pressures that come hand in hand with their growing market.” To help in this cause, both events will also feature free CPD (Continuing Professional Development) certified workshops. Attendees will have the chance to enhance their skills throughout ‘Commercial and Autonomous Vehicles’ sessions as well as the all new ‘Tunneling in Construction’ series by Herrenknecht. Commercial and Autonomous Vehicles seminars will run throughout the event hosting leaders in the field to speak on topics including the Internet of Things, Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence technologies.


EVENT PREVIEW

Esteemed speakers will come from the likes of Siemens, IBM and Parsons. At Middle East Concrete, the one-day only ‘RTA Innovation in BIM Summit’ run by the Roads and Transport Authority will host speakers who will shed light into topics such as Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), Open BIM which unifies systems for communication, and 5D BIM. In the lead up to Expo 2020 Dubai the RTA has recently announced contract awards for Phase Five and Six of road upgrades leading to the site. Worth Dhs630 million, the projects will include 4km bridges and 12-lane roads. The ‘Innovation in Concrete’ series, led by the American Concrete Institute (ACI), will provide participants with the latest trends and practices including concrete durability, repair, and self-consolidating concrete, as

With over 6000 projects ongoing in Dubai alone in 2018, the city is at the heart of infrastructure demand in the country”

well as offering insight into the ACI Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete. Middle East Concrete will also feature The Precast Producers Pavilion. This will include industry heavyweights like: Hard Precast, Gulf Precast, Hitech Concrete, Concrete Technology, National Precast, RAK Precast, Exeed Precast, Techno Cast Precast, Arabtec Precast and United Precast. “With the enormous high demands of construction projects, the precast industry will continue to provide a solution of choice to construction challenges and will develop to meet latest demands in the construction industry,” says Mohamad Abdul Wahid, Commercial Director at Gulf Precast. He concludes: “Nowadays we are reading about many new innovations in concrete such as bendable concrete, translucent concrete, self-healing concrete, organic concrete and so

on. We strongly believe that the buoyant UAE Construction Industry will be at the forefront of such innovations in the near future.” Being held on 28th November 2018, worldwide market leader in mechanized tunneling technology, Herrenknecht will use worldwide case studies to showcase their insight into the market. Their topics will cover the latest developments in utility tunneling, mechanized tunneling, long distance pipe jacking, direct pipe technology and more. Organised by dmg events, The Big 5 Heavy and Middle East Concrete are free to attend and will run from 11AM to 7PM daily at The Dubai World Trade Centre. The events run as part of The Big 5, alongside HVACR Expo, Urban Design & Landscaping Expo and The Big 5 Solar, offering a one-stop shop for construction from concept through to design.

A RETURN TO THE WORld TRAdE cENTRE The Big 5 Heavy’s predecessor PMV Live ran alongside the Big 5 event for several years before running as a separate event earlier this year. Its return in November also marks a return to the construction event.

NOVEMBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 39


FEATURE

The TrAiler blAzers

This year’s IAA featured a raft of exciting new trailer technology

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s the commercial vehicles industry continues to find new ways to fuse digital services to its vehicles, the trailer industry was out in force to prove that it can adapt its own technology to help fleets remain efficient and keep pulling ahead. This year’s IAA was full of announcements and product launches that trailer-makers do want to be left behind. Known and proven in the caravan sector for years, AL-KO Vehicle Technology presented its joystick-controlled MAMMUT manoeuvring drive also for the use in commercial trailers at IAA. According to the company, this technology with all functions and features of the award-winning, powerful system is offered exclusively as an OEM solution. The system will be available in both mono and tandem axle versions with a permissible total weight 40 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2018

of up to 3.0 tonnes. This means that even the heavyweights among the light trailers can be moved easily by one person in the smallest of spaces with the joystick of the remote control. With the aid of the AL-KO MAMMUT manoeuvring system, the trailer uncoupled from the towing vehicle can be positioned particularly precisely and with great dexterity on site. The one-handed remote control is purely intuitive, so that full focus can be on the trailer. Soft start and stop function (the trailer is braked immediately when the joystick is released) ensures smooth starting and braking. Accurate to the centimetre, over stick and stone or on a steep slope - without effort, without the use of force and without outside help. Thanks to individual adaptation, almost any trailer – whether single-axle or tandemaxle – up to 3.0tcan be equipped with the robust and durable premium manoeuvring

The trailer uncoupled from the towing vehicle can be positioned particularly precisely and with great dexterity on site”

system. The manoeuvring drive is therefore ideally suited for use in high-quality special trailers such as certain construction site trailers or sales trailers. The AL-KO MAMMUT performs its duties reliably and ergonomically, even in mobile medical stations. The system is designed for everyday use. Even at high temperatures and loads, manoeuvring is possible without problems. The control electronics are perfectly integrated into the robust aluminium drives. Thus, they are protected against damage and moisture (IP65). The powerful drive can handle obstacles of up to four centimetres or slopes of up to 28% for single-axle vehicles and up to 15% for two-axle vehicles. The optimal contact pressure is guaranteed by an electrically controlled adjustment of the friction rollers. It is even possible to turn the trailer on the spot (360-degree rotation). The remote control with


FEATURE

ThE MAgIc MAx NUMBER Faymonville demonstrated its 3-axle MAX200 megatrailer at IAA. The model has a low frame height at the front of 120 mm and a technical payload of almost 38t.

NUMBER ONE AT 120T The CombiMAX is the number one in the payload range up to 120t It is the result of the optimum dead weight, achieved through the well-thought-out vehicle superstructure.

integrated “control panel” provides information on the respective system status - display of the roller position, overload, voltage and temperature. A safety system with activation via magnetic switch on the overrun device ensures that the drive is not activated unintentionally. Depending on the version, the AL-KO MAMMUT manoeuvring drive weighs between 32 and 84 kilograms. Gel or AGM batteries with coordinated charging technology and a capacity of at least 80 Ah are recommended for operation. Meanwhile, the newly developed Humbaur HTS 40K flatbed semitrailer also showcased during the event features a particularly low flatbed, two trailing steering axles and other practical details for transporting heavy goods. The flatbed semi-trailer HTS 40K has been redesigned from the ground up. Its features include the very low loading height of 790 mm,

Another effective feature is the use of an electric sliding roof and equipment that has been optimised for quicker unloading”

optimum corrosion protection thanks to its fully hot-dip galvanised chassis and its generous equipment provision including tie-down points. The HTS 40K is equipped with a five-axle air-suspended flatbed chassis with ECAS electronically controlled air suspension. ECAS allows the chassis’ air suspension system to be dynamically controlled based on sensor data and the axle load to be monitored from the driver’s cab. The five axles are composed of two trailing steering axles and three lift axles (two circuits). An EBS braking system in a 4S/3M configuration ensures safe driving; spring-loaded parking brakes are applied to axles 1, 2 and 3 when stationary. Three chassis levels are defined ex works: The flatbed is lowered onto support feet when loading and unloading to achieve optimal stability. In addition to the standard chassis height, there is also an off-road

chassis height with additional ground clearance to protect the chassis and important parts of the trailer on uneven ground. Axles 1, 2 and 4 are raised for unladen journeys; axle 1 is raised for partial loads with aggregate loads of up to 30 t; all axles are lowered for aggregate loads of more than 30 t. To help move off, axle 1 can be raised at speeds of up to 30 km/h via a button in the towing vehicle (PIN 12) so as to put more pressure on the drive axles. The Humbaur HTS 40K also features a solid welded construction made of highstrength fine-grained steel; full-width crossbars ensure the highest level of stability. The rear offset along with the climbing aids provide a shallow ramp angle and thereby additional safety during loading and unloading. The single-section, hot-dip galvanised ramps can be laterally adjusted and are equipped with a NOVEMBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 41


FEATURE

direct-acting spring lifting mechanism for easier operation. They are reliably secured using a turnbuckle and counter stop. There are a number of tie-down points to secure cargo: 3 pairs of lashing rings with 6 t tensile force are recessed in the bridge floor, 3 pairs of tie-down points with 3 t tensile force in the bridge floor exterior. 7 pairs of lashing rings with 10 t tensile force are recessed in the trailer floor, 1 pair of tie-down points with 3 t tensile force in the outer frame of the trailer floor. 10 pair of tie-down points with 2 t tensile force are located in the wheel arches on the outer frame, there are also 6 pairs of stanchion recesses with 3 t retaining force for plug-in stanchions (90 x 50 mm). The maximum permissible total weight is 52t, with an indivisible load 58t; the technical total weight is 60t, the technical axle load is 40t. In its basic configuration, the unladen weight of the HTS 40K is 10.5 t. The trailer floor measures 9.13 x 2.54m, the bridge floor 3.50 x 2.54m. The 20-wheeled flatbed has slewing radius of 1.98 m with a two-axle towing vehicle, 2.32m with a three-axle towing vehicle. The front overhang radius is 1.7 m for a two-axle towing vehicle, 1.5 m on a three-axle towing vehicle. The Schwarzmüller Group presented three vehicles for the international market at the exhibition in Hall 27, as well as three more vehicles in the open-air section. With the slogan ‘Supertools for your success’, the company demonstrated, what it described as the “concrete and measurable advantages” that can be attained with each of the vehicles. This may include, for example, a higher load capacity thanks to lightweight construction or a corresponding fuel consumption reduction with the same load. Another highly effective feature is the use of an electric sliding roof and equipment that has been optimised for quicker unloading. Based on that, customers can save a lot of time that can be used to generate more revenue. Schwarzmüller has also increased its efforts in the field of occupational safety, as demonstrated by the construction of new stands for tippers. The 3-axle full aluminium tipper trailer with thermal insulation includes a chassis and a tipper made entirely from aluminium has already established itself on the German market, primarily in the field of road construction. The frame and tipper are weight-optimised, so that the initial weight of the lightweight trailer is 4.8t. The special features include simplified control of various components via iTAP, for example for the lifting and lowering mechanism, or electric activation of the sliding roof. Additional 42 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2018

cONTINUINg BATTERy dEV ElOpMENT For Optifuel Lab 3, extensive work will also be carried out on the dual battery device with expected significant weight reduction and improved cold- start performan ce for the start battery and increased capacity and life time for the living battery.

RENAUlT’s OpTIFUEl lAB 3 TAkEs AIM AT 13% FUEl REdUcTION Renault Trucks says it is continuing its research into improving the energy efficiency of diesel trucks with Optifuel Lab 3, the laboratory vehicle developed as part of the FALCON collaborative project. The manufacturer aims to reduce fuel consumption by 13% on a complete tractor-trailer combination. It combines technologies relating to aerodynamics, rolling resistance, driver assistance, energy management and the powertrain. The aim of Optifuel Lab 3 is to demonstrate a 13% reduction in fuel consumption compared with a standard Renault Trucks T and trailer. It brings together innovative technologies developed by a consortium of partners including Michelin and TOTAL. Technological developments will focus on optimised tractor semi-trailer combination aerodynamics, connected low-rolling-resistance tyres, predictive energysaving driving assistance and energy management functions, as well as an improved powertrain. “The aim is to significantly improve the aerodynamics of the combination to considerably reduce fuel consumption, particularly by introducing a variable-geometry trailer.

Developed by FRUEHAUF in collaboration with Styl’Monde for the fairings, this ‘adaptive’ trailer is intended to automatically take on an optimised shape by using empty loading space thanks to a built-in control and command system and sensors,” said the company. The tractor’s aerodynamics will be improved by replacing wing mirrors with cameras, and a newly designed cab A-pillar. Airflow will also be optimised by extending the front end and door and streamlining wheel arches. Side fairings will also be bigger and made from flexible material to provide continuity between the truck and trailer. On long-haul trips, tyre rolling resistance accounts for around 25% of fuel consumption. Michelin will develop tyres with low rolling resistance for the laboratory vehicle by integrating innovative technologies derived from research projects. Renault Trucks and Michelin will also use data obtained by sensors installed in the connected tyres. Navigation and traffic (Benomad), meteorological (Wezzoo), and tyre (Michelin) data from Optifuel Lab 3 will also be used by optimised predictive speed and cooling system controllers.

product features include an additional hinge so that the rear wall can move freely, as well as the pneumatic folding underride guard. The special frame construction also allows maximum stability along with optimal weight. The vehicle is perfectly suited for transporting sand, gravel or soil, and as thermally insulated version, it will be used to transport asphalt. The rear space and the loading area of the tipper are monitored by using cameras. The feed can be streamed to an iTAP or a smartphone. Another highlight at the IAA was the 3-axle ultralight platform trailer with QuickSlider. A “true all-rounder”, features include the optimised Quick-Slider on the left side and the side panels with integrated steel strips on the right side, the load securing system for partial loads and the glued, reinforced 24-millimetre flooring. Another new feature is the SAF Air Damping System, which removes the need for shock absorbers, meaning it is practically maintenance-free. The installed pallet stops on each side provide additional load security. The 4-axle special edition of its “Jumbo trailer” is characterised by a platform length of 13,620 millimetres, 3,920 millimetres above the crank, and 9,700 millimetres in the drop deck, and can be extended to a width of 3,000 millimetres. Special added features, such as wheel recesses or extendible portal columns, allow for construction vehicles up to five metres wide to be transported beneath the tarpaulin. A frame constructed to support a point load of 30t over 1.5m also enables short and heavy construction materials to be transported, such as stone blocks or concrete elements. Many lashing points ensure a perfectly secured load. The tare weight is around 12.7t. At IAA, Schwarzmüller also presented a new construction method for its building material trailer. With an interior length of 6,900mm, a front wall measuring 1,200mm and side walls of 1,000mm, this trailer is suited to the needs of the construction industry. The platform gates are supported with pneumatic springs, and the Alcoa aluminium wheel rims and the aluminium flooring measuring 30 millimetres contribute to the optimised tare weight of 3,350 kilograms. The centre of the platform is fitted with a Multi-X floor securing track for a perfectly secured load. Its 3-axle sliding floor trailer proves its worth with its aluminium-frame sliding floor and a weight advantage of 200kg. The body and chassis are made entirely from aluminium and is welded together, rather than just screwed in place. This production method increases stability. The new product features include


FEATURE

a screwed stand, an electric sliding roof, as well as numerous control options via iTAP, with sliding floor and roof controls, tyre pressure monitoring, and a lift axle. “With 13 pairs of floor-mounted lashing rings and 8mm floor profiles, the sliding floor trailer offers a high level of load security and versatility,” said the company. Finally, a 4-axle low loader trailer was demonstrated as the “ideal transport vehicle for construction vehicles and other bulky loads. The vehicle combines extreme durability with an optimised tare weight of only 9.4 tonnes.” The excavator shovel recess and two pairs of wheel recesses are specifically geared towards transportation of construction vehicles and offer the highest level of security. The dimensions of the low loader trailer are 2,800mm at the frame offset, 5,200 or 5,900mm at the drop-deck platform and 1,000mm at the rear access slope. The rear loading ramps are in two parts and can be adjusted in width. As such, it is possible to use the hydraulic ramp actuators both vertically and horizontally. Faymonville say it is showing the way and driving product development down to the smallest detail. The vehicles exhibited at the IAA in Hanover illustrate that clearly. They are

characterised by that “certain extra”. For the user, this means practically oriented advantages that pay off in daily work. The largest exhibit is the 2+6 CombiMAX combination. Staying true to the construction kit principle, the 2-axle bogie can be extended when it’s not necessary: free combination depending on the task. The CombiMAX is the number one in the payload range up to 120t It is the result of the optimum dead weight, achieved through the well-thought-out vehicle superstructure. The double extendable CombiMAX semi-trailer is equipped with the low PA-X pendle axle. Finally, the Faymonville Group exhibited a self-propelled vehicle from Cometto for the first time at a trade fair in Germany. It is an electronically controlled module with four axles of the type MSPE Evo2. This stage offers load capacities of 60 or 70 t per axle line. In addition to the high payload, the self-propelled vehicles impress with their versatile range of configuration options and their manoeuvrability. The advanced electronic operating system and the special Cometto software make a steering angle of ± 135° possible. Each axle body works independently and is connected to the computer via a special encoder. Thanks

The omission of classic ramps reduces fuel consumption and there are no restrictions at all with regard to a rear overhang of the load”

to the interaction the MSPE can be moved in every direction. Power packs are available in three power classes for the drive, in addition to which there is an extensive range of options (spacers, driver’s cabs, etc.). MAX Trailer with its own trade fair booth The MAX Trailer brand now has its own booth (outdoor area, N55). It also showed its MAX Trailer in Hanover with a 3-axle MAX200 megatrailer, among other things. The model has a low frame height at the front of 120 mm and a technical payload of almost 38t. A genuinely remarkable special feature is the hydraulically driven flip-tail ramp, which enables the easy loading of machines with tyres. The vehicle retains a continuously straight loading platform, which is also 100% usable. The omission of classic ramps reduces fuel consumption and there are no restrictions at all with regard to a rear overhang of the load. Furthermore, MAX Trailer is presenting a low bed semi-trailer of the type MAX510 in Hanover. The 2-axle low bed semi-trailer has a 6,750 mm long loading platform, which is telescopically extendable by 5,500mm. The low loading height of 350 mm and the removable gooseneck make impact-free loading and unloading possible via the low bed.

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NOVEMBER 2018 TRUCK&FLEET ME 09:38 43 16.05.18


PARTING SHOT

Chair aT The Top Table Turkey’s Assan Hanil pitches its global expansion at IAA

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urkish parts supplier Assan Hanil showcased its own R&D to the industry at IAA 2018. The company operates under the partnership of Kibar Holding and the South Korean company Seoyon E-Hwa, and produces consoles, door panels, bumpers, electronic parts, passenger seats and its own unique “air suspension driver seat” (ASD). The company, which signed a supply agreement with Ford Otosan (Ford Trucks) initiated mass production of the ASD in September and general manager Atacan Güner using IAA to announce that the company plans to make an investment worth $46 million in the system. Assan Hanil was founded in 1997, and 13 years later opened its own R&D Centre, which has gone on to file 41 registered intellectual property rights with 21 applications in the evaluation process. While that figure remains relatively

small in automotive terms, Güner said that it is targeting a 15% share in the ASD market. “We make a difference in the sector through our R&D activities. The great interest visitors have demonstrated in Assan Hanil products at the fair, which brings together sector professionals from all over the world, is the greatest indicator of this,” he stated. “Assan Hanil has the capacity to manufacture all interior vehicle parts. We aim to become a company which produces advanced technology and delivers products to international customers in the medium-term through our R&D activities.” Stating that it is taking firm steps towards becoming a global brand, Güner revealed it has accelerated both its domestic and international investment: “We currently have three facilities, with two being in Kocaeli and one in Bursa. Through our recent investment, we will increase the number of our facilities in Kocaeli to three. Moreover, we are counting down the days to the opening of

our new facility in Aksaray. With our new facility, which is planned to initiate production in the first half of 2019, we will increase the number of Assan Hanil’s domestic facilities to five.” Stating that the company plans to acquire a company in Europe, Güner said it is commited to another acquisition. Indicating that ASD and trim parts will be manufactured at these facilities, Güner said: “We aim to expand our investments in Europe with OEMs who have facilities in Turkey and position ourselves closer to our customers. By doing so, we will transfer our presence in Turkey to locations abroad.” Expressing that the future of the automotive industry will be shaped by self-driving car and electric car technologies, Atacan Güner said “In the medium-term, we will invest in automotive electronic parts in Turkey. Thus, we will contribute to the reduction of the country’s current account deficit by domestically procuring these products which are currently imported, and we will transfer the manufacturing technologies of such products.”

BOOSTEd SEAT The company has com mitted to investing $46 million into its ASD development.

NEXT ISSUE: THE BEST fROM THE BIG 5 HEAVy, A lOOk BAck ANd AHEAd fOR THE INdUSTRy, TAlES Of A MOROccAN TRANSPORTER ANd MORE!

44 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2018

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