Roads #2, 2012 (Global)

The Global UD Trucks Customer Magazine

#02 2012

SINGAPORE: THE CAN-DO SPIRIT Across the Great Plains

Designing the modern truck

Japan’s love of fireworks

The global engine choice: the new GH engine series With the new GH engine series, UD

GH13 Engine

Trucks has built on 50 years of engine

For Heavy-Duty Trucks

technology to create the powerplants

●

for the future.

GH engines are designed to be more

Displacement: 12,777cc Power & Torque: 270kW (362HP) 1,500 - 1,800rpm 300kW (402HP) 1,400 - 1,800rpm 330kW (443HP) 1,400 - 1,800rpm 360kW (484HP) 1,400 - 1,800rpm

●

1,754N•m (179kg•m) 2,040N•m (208kg•m) 2,244N•m (229kg•m) 2,448N•m (250kg•m)

950 - 1,450rpm 1,050 - 1,400rpm 1,050 - 1,400rpm 1,050 - 1,400rpm

environmentally friendly, and provide improved fuel economy. The GH engine series is a complete lineup, ready to serve markets around the world with the right specs and power for varied applications and requirements.

GH11 Engine For Heavy-Duty Trucks Displacement: 10,836cc Power & Torque: 308kW (413HP) 1,800rpm

● ●

1,990N•m (203kg•m)

950rpm

Reliable, trustworthy engines that support your business and help you reduce costs and meet your environmental goals—the GH engine series from UD Trucks.

GH7 Engine For Medium-Duty Trucks Displacement: 7,013 cc Power & Torque: 180kW (241HP) 2,500rpm 206kW (276HP) 2,500rpm

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716N•m (73kg•m) 883N•m (90kg•m)

1,400rpm 1,400rpm

Note: Values displayed are for reference purposes only; these may vary by market

1-1, Ageo-shi, Saitama 362-8523, Japan www.udtrucks.com

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On the job

Next-Day Delivery Across the Great Plains

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CrossCountry Courier handles next-day deliveries in one of the most rural US states in some of the most extreme temperatures anywhere.

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News

What’s happening Around the UD Trucks world.

Greetings from a new UD Trucks member

I

am very happy to be writing to you, customers and partners, in my new role as the head of Communications for UD Trucks. It is a pleasure, and an interesting challenge as well. Our readers are spread out across many continents and countries, with different business conditions, climates and languages. We cannot cover everything in any one issue of Roads, but I promise that we will do our best over time to reflect the whole UD Trucks world.

I am now located in both Tokyo and Ageo, Saitama, the real home of UD Trucks. I moved from Sweden and Europe less than half a year ago, after serving the Volvo Group there for almost 20 years.

These have been some extremely exciting months. One of many things I have noticed is that the world map looks different here.

Instead of Europe, the Middle East and Africa in the center, I now see Japan, East Asia and Oceania. Europe and Africa are in the distant far west, while the Americas are in the far east. It struck me that wherever you are, you will be, like me, at the center of the world.

Another thing you and I have in common is UD Trucks. After my first months in Ageo, I’m extremely impressed by the dedication and spirit of the UD Trucks people and their commitment to quality in everything they do.

This is encouraging, and provides a great deal of energy to the changes we are now carrying out at UD Trucks. UD Trucks has been part of the Volvo Group for five years, and we are now intensifying our efforts to draw the two even closer. We are combining the excellent manufacturing and product tradition in Japan with the Volvo Group’s global technology and vast resources.

The only objective is to serve you even better. You know what it is all about from your own business: in order to grow and gain long-term success, you must always improve your ability to satisfy the customer. We are exactly the same. We are making major investments in order to support you, and to help you make your business even better. I can promise that you will see a lot of interesting things coming from us within a few years.

In this issue of Roads, we highlight the launch of the new Quon in markets as diverse as Indonesia and Ethiopia.

You will meet a company in the US with a large fleet of Condor trucks, and take a spin around Singapore with another valued customer. I welcome your comments, questions and ideas for the magazine, and look forward to bringing you more on the things that are happening.

Enjoy your reading.

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Cover story

The can-do spirit of a unique truck market The city-state of Singapore presents unusual challenges and opportunities for local logistics leader CWT.

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Design

The process of designing the modern truck The UD Trucks design team drew on everything from Japanese tradition to customer interviews in designing the Quon.

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First person

A new truck for a tough assignment UD Trucks partner United Tractors of Indonesia was one of the first to put the New Quon to the test, in a rough mining assignment.

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History

50 years in South Africa

Roads is published three times per year by UD Trucks Corporation www.udtrucks.com Publisher Per Sundström Per.Sundstrom@volvo.com Tel: +81-48-726-7601

A look at a half-century relationship between UD Trucks and one of its most important international markets.

Editorial Production Next Inc. roads@nextinc.com www.nextinc.com Tel: +81-3-6436-4270

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Editor-in-Chief Kjell Fornander

Tradition

Executive Editor William Ross

Spark Seekers Hanabi, or fireworks, are an essential for the Japanese summer.

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Art Director Koichi Asano Production Manager Kazumi Umezawa

Case Study

Strong stance on safety

Printed in Japan

Major international logistics company Toll Express is now more formally part of the Japanese market—and is working to increase safety and education.

Contributors this issue: Gerhard Jörén Swedish photographer Gerhard Jörén has spent the last 25 years in Asia, covering news and features across the region. He currently lives in Bangkok.

Per Sundström Vice President, Communications Cover photograph Gerhard Jörén

Kjell Fornander

Jim Hand-Cukierman

Kjell Fornander came to Tokyo in 1987 as a correspondent for a leading Swedish newspaper. Today working in corporate communications, he is the editor-in-chief of Roads.

Canadian Jim HandCukierman is a Tokyo-based photographer and writer whose work appears in magazines around the world.

Next-Day Delivery

Across the Great P Far out on the vast plains of the north-central United States, a fleet of UD Trucks makes sure that overnight freight deliveries get to their destinations on time. Serving everything from farms and factories to coal mines and gas fields—in an area with some of the wildest weather extremes in the world— CrossCountry Courier continues to expand its services, and its fleet of UD trucks.

Text: William Ross Photos: Daisuke Takahashi

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Feature story

lains W

hen you arrive on a summer day in Fargo, North Dakota—a city in the northern part of the US Great Plains, a land as flat as the ocean—you only get part of the picture of life in one of America’s least populated states. It’s a hot, clear day, and it seems like you can see forever across the vast plains, a huge expanse of clear blue sky above. But this is just one side to the climatic story of the region known as the Upper Midwest.

“Oh, the temperatures are extreme here,” says Gale Olsen, Fleet Manager for CrossCountry Courier. “In the summer it will go above 100°F (38°C), and in the winter it’s very cold—-30°F (-34°C) and colder!”

Regardless of the temperature, though, the one thing he doesn’t have to worry about, he says, is his UD trucks.

CrossCountry Courier has some 80 UD Condor trucks in its fleet of some 115 medium-duty trucks, as well as 65 semitrailer trucks. The company specializes in overnight freight delivery, with 13 terminals—six in North Dakota, four in South Dakota and three in Minnesota to the east—serving a huge area that extends into Montana to the west and Iowa to the south. The semis carry the loads between the terminals; the UD trucks then head off to the many widely-spread destinations found throughout the region. Even when it’s -30° and very snowy outside.

“Our UD trucks handle the cold very well,” Mr. Olsen says. “The only thing you have to do, as you would for any diesel vehicle, is fuel treatment, and make

sure that the block heater is plugged in overnight.” The block heater, for those from warmer climates, keeps the engine block warm enough that the oil inside doesn’t turn into a cold, stiff goo that makes starting the engine impossible.

The reason he’s a happy fleet manager today, Mr. Olsen says, dates back to 1998, and a persistent truck salesman. “UD Trucks wasn’t in the area then, but there was a sales guy in Minneapolis who just kept on calling. I like to compare trucks, so one day I said, OK, let’s buy one—and the guys just loved it.”

But with the only dealer in neighboring Minnesota, Mr. Olsen wasn’t ready to expand into a fleet of UD Trucks right away.

Again, attention beyond his expectations is what won him over, be says. “I was concerned, to be honest, about putting UD trucks in places away from Minneapolis,” he says. “The UD Trucks dealer came to me and asked for a list of all the dealers and service centers we worked with for our other trucks. UD Trucks then talked to those service providers personally, and asked if they would work on UD trucks if we had a problem. They said that they would help them to figure out any problems they might have. They even gave them a phone number at UD Trucks’ US headquarters that they could call at any time to help to service our trucks! No other manufacturer does that!”

So Mr. Olsen was convinced, and has since just kept on adding to his fleet of trucks. While they do have service technicians in some of their bigger terminals, most of the trucks’ service is outsourced—only now there are more UD Trucks dealers in the region.

About CrossCountry Courier When the company first began in 1980, it was also with a Japanese truck: founder Dewey Tietz and his one Datsun pickup truck, making deliveries in his home town of Bismarck, North Dakota. “He started doing local delivery because he saw a need—simple as that,” Mr. Olsen says. “Then he had two pickups, then decided he needed some vans.

But he said that he’d never buy a semi-trailer truck; now we have 65.”

A UD Trucks Condor, one of 80 in CrossCountry Courier’s fleet, at the company’s Fargo terminal

The company began by carrying equipment to power plants and coal mines. As word got around and demand increased, the company added a terminal in Fargo, then on to more towns in North Dakota and on even to the largest urban area in the region, the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. Today the company employs some 300 people, and operates 200 of its own trucks.

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Feature story

“I like to compare trucks, so I said, OK, let’s buy a UD — and the guys just loved it” Gale Olsen

One of CrossCountry Courier’s Condor trucks heads out into the Great Plains

Photo : William Ross

Gale Olsen, Fleet Manager for CrossCountry Courier

Location: North Dakota North Dakota, in the north central United States, is the country’s 19th largest state, but one of its least New York North Dakota populated. The state is in the area Washington D.C. USA known as the Great Plains, the largely Los Angeles flat or slightly rolling terrain of much of the north-central US and southcentral Canada. Known for its fertile farmlands, the state has seen an economic boom in recent years due to the extraction of shale oil in the western part of the state.

Perhaps it is partly due to those temperature extremes deterring new arrivals, but an interesting fact is that the state’s population is basically unchanged since the 1930s. Fargo is its largest city; Bismarck, home to CrossCountry Courier, is the state capital and second-largest city.

View a video at: 06

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Looking at a route map, it seems as though CrossCountry Courier’s terminals are almost perfectly spaced apart, aside from the two in Minnesota.

“That’s because the cities were originally set up by the railroads in the 19th century, just about 100 miles (160 kilometers) apart,” Mr. Olsen explains. “That’s about as far as the steam locomotives could go before they needed more coal and water.” Today, it means that the company’s UD trucks will be driving over large areas between the terminals, largely on good roads but also serving the coal and oil operations that, along with agriculture, is most of North Dakota’s economy. Still, even though they return to their home terminal every night, this means a long day in the cab for the drivers.

“I have one driver right now who is waiting for a new UD truck,” Mr. Olsen laughs. “He’s been waiting a year—we told him he could get a brand-new truck from another maker, but he says he’ll keep driving his old UD until the new one gets here.

“The drivers like them because the trucks are very quiet, they shift very well and they have good power.

The clutch is really smooth—it’s like driving a car. And, as the manager, a big thing for me is that the fuel mileage is excellent. This saves us a ton of money.”

And they last a long time. A few years ago, Mr. Olsen says, they would normally replace their medium-duty trucks every five years, at which point they would typically have some 300,000 miles (480,000 kilometers) on the odometer. “With the downturn in the economy, we’re doing like most others and keeping them longer,” he says. “That means that we now have UD trucks with 450,000 to 500,000 miles (724,000 to 805,000 kilometers) on them. And even after we’re done with them, there’s a good market for them, especially in South America!” Buyers, he says, will come across two continents to buy his used trucks, then drive them back to destinations in the southern hemisphere.

Because of its unique service linking this largely rural area with overnight delivery, CrossCountry Courier is doing very well. Mr. Olsen looks at a regional map and says that they would consider expansion. “If we do, it would be down into Iowa,” he says. “We have a lot of companies that are asking us to come into the market.”

And most likely, UD Trucks will be there to ensure that he has the service he needs, even as his company moves into new areas.

http://www.youtube.com/user/udtrucksvideos

News

UD TRUCKS NEWS Indonesia

New Quon launched in Indonesia

T

he eagerly anticipated launch of the New Quon was more than just an occasion to mark the arrival of a new model, says Pierre Jean Verge-Salamon, Managing Director of UD Trucks Indonesia.

“The launch is about providing all the innovations of the Volvo Group that are available now through UD Trucks to our Indonesian customers,” he says.

“Not least of these is that we now can provide the new GH13 engine, which provides improved fuel efficiency.” In fact, in testing in Indonesia before the launch of the new Quon, Mr. Verge-Salamon notes that they have seen improvements of six to seven percent in fuel economy.

The May 30, 2012 launch of the New Quon in Indonesia was in fact the first globally for the newest member of a family already popular in Indonesia—some 1,200 Quon trucks are sold in the country annually, mostly for the country’s mining industry. The event featured both an press session for Indonesia’s top media representatives, as well as a customer event bringing together some 250 UD Trucks customers and business partners from around Indonesia.

“UD Trucks has a very good name in Indonesia,” Mr. Verge-Salamon says. “It goes back to the days of the TDA truck, which was known for being able to go anywhere in the jungle. UD Trucks is still known as a robust product that can deliver good performance in any condition—and mining is one of the toughest conditions in the world.”

The launch wasn’t just about the new vehicle, however. “We’re going to change the way we do business,” Mr. VergeSalamon says. “Selling the truck is not the main thing; it’s much more about telling customers that we are going to follow along with them in service, all the way through.”

This includes changes such as the new provision of parts from Singapore, rather than Japan, which will speed replacement deliveries. “We’re ready to set up parts

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02 01. The group with the New Quon.

02. At the May 30, 2012 press conference section of the New Quon launch (from left): Harijadi Mawardi, Head of Trucks Division, PT. United Tractors; Pierre Jean Verge-Salamon, President, UD Trucks Indonesia; Loudy I. Ellias, Director in Charge of Trucks Division, PT. United Tractors; Hendrik K. Hadiwinata, Director in Charge of Sales, PT. United Tractors; Iman Nurwahyu, Director in Charge of Product Support, PT. United Tractors.

partnership,” Mr. Verge-Salamon says. It’s a challenging job in a country that, east to west, is wider than the US. “It’s what we stressed at the launch ceremony,” Mr. Verge-Salamon says. “We’re now here for total support; we told our customers and partners, ‘We’re really here to help you on the Road to Your Success.’ ”

consignments on site for the customers, and to send mechanics immediately to support them,” he says. “We also have launched a new Genuine parts and oil program, in which we will extend the warranty if they agree to use Genuine parts.

“We’re really moving from thinking about the truck as a commodity, to a real

#02 | 2012

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UD TRUCKS NEWS Japan

Custom paint jobs for scale model trucks

W

hen a person buys a new Ferrari, they also get a scale model Ferrari painted in the exact colors as the full-size vehicle (and, being a Ferrari, no two cars are exactly alike).

Buying a truck is a lot different than a Ferrari, but neither is cheap—and both sport custom paint schemes.

Now UD Trucks dealers and customers alike can order custom-painted scale model trucks, with the exact same livery as the full-size vehicle.

These are great for marking such special occasions as anniversaries (as one Japanese

truck company recently did, ordering 200 models as giveaways), fleet expansions— or even the first purchase of a UD truck. The scale models are painted in exactly the same colors as the customer’s, with precise logos and details, and are housed in a special display case with wooden base.

A custom-painted scale model is a great way to thank a customer for a purchase, or to share the look of your trucks with others. For more information on creating a custom-painted scale model UD truck, please contact info@ udtrucksmerchandise.com.

No, they’re not full-size trucks: the detailed, custom-painted scale model trucks.

Taiwan

Trucks Multi-brand assembly begins in Taiwan

F

ollowing a final audit of the assembly line and a successful quality check of the first batch of Condor vehicles, the approval to the official start of production of UD trucks in Taiwan was given.

In December 2011, Volvo Group Taiwan and Taikoo Motors (a Swire Group Subsidiary in Taiwan) signed an industrial partnership covering the multi-brand assembly of Volvo Trucks, UD Trucks and Renault Trucks under the same roof.

“This new development is

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part of our journey to rationalize our assembly activities, and enable the economy of scale in Taiwan for Volvo Group trucks,” says Sebastien Delepine, Managing Director, Volvo Group Taiwan Company. “It also sets a stable industrial foundation to deploy an ambitious multibrand commercial strategy, aiming at doubling our sales volume by 2014.”

“Along with the cost and scale benefits this brings, the new assembly project also marks one more step in building a closer, more responsive

relationship between Volvo Group and the Taiwan market,” Mr. Delepine says.

The joint team, at the opening of the new assembly center (above); inspecting parts kits (below).

News

Japan

UD Information Service smartphone app unveiled in Japan

U

D Trucks recently exhibited a Japan-first telematics solution accessible via smartphone. At both the Automotive Engineering Exposition, held May 23 to 25 in Yokohama, and at the Commercial Vehicle Telematics and Logistics Control Expo, held in Tokyo from May 30 to June 1, UD Trucks gave a test demonstration of the new app, which allows smartphone access of the UD Information Service.

The UD Information Service collects and analyzes information on a truck’s condition, operational status and other aspects, providing valuable information that can boost the operator’s vehicle operating rates, improve the driver’s fuel efficiency and support safe vehicle operation. This telematics system is otherwise available only

via computer, but can now be accessed via a smartphone—which of course can be carried anywhere.

“The new service helps the controller find the location of the vehicles easily, so they don’t have to call the driver each time they want to know the truck location,” says Tooru Shibasaki, product manager, Japan Sales. “The controller can also see when a problem occurs with the vehicle. It reduces driver stress, and therefore leads to a better relationship with the controller.”

The visitors who tried it said it is a very convenient tool,” adds Tsuyoshi Hayasaka, sales promotion manager, Japan Sales.

“We are happy that we could show the possibilities of a smartphone application, ahead of other makers.” Actual release of the app will be announced shortly.

The new UD Information Service smartphone app provides a wide range of useful information right in your hand.

Ethiopia

New Quon Launch in Ethiopia

I

t was a gala occasion on June 23, 2012, as the long-awaited new Quon was launched in Ethiopia with a major event at the Hilton Addis Ababa. Hosted by local representative and longtime partner Nyala Motors, the event was a chance not only to showcase the new Quon and GH13 engine, but also to highlight the new UD Trucks— its new official look, new products and new service.

The day-long event began with golf and lunch then moved to the hotel for the opening ceremony. Speeches were presented by Mr. A. Abegaz, the CEO of Nyala Motors, as well as by Hiroshi Yokofujita, Vice President of UD Trucks Region North Africa & Middle East—who

The tape is cut by A. Abegaz, CEO of Nyala Motors (left) and Hiroshi Yokofujita, Vice President of UD Trucks, Region North Africa & Middle East, and the new Quon is launched

opened and closed his speech in the local Amharic language. This was followed by an introduction of the new Quon and other products.

Within the ballroom area were displays of the GH13 engine, new UD signage, as well as UD Genuine Parts, part of a new

aftermarket support that was one theme of the presentation. Finally, outside was what everyone was waiting for—the exhibition of the new Quon. An excellent way to welcome this new workhorse to Ethiopia.

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Singapore:

Text by Kjell Fornander Photography by Gerhard Jörén

The can-do spirit of a unique truck market From simple beginnings, Singapore has grown to become one of the key hubs in global transportation. Easy to get around—nowhere is more than an hour away—it’s also an important and unusual market for all kinds of trucks. Kay Kong Swan (above and right) of leading logistics firm CWT explains how things get moved around in this city-state.

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Cover story

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ingapore is perhaps the ultimate can-do country. From the taxi driver waiting in front of Changi Airport, to the hotel receptionist, to everybody you meet, the first word is, “Yes, can do! No problem!”

The rags-to-riches saga of Singapore is well known: the separation from the Malaysian Federation in 1965 as a tiny city-state with no natural resources and an uncertain future; then its transformation into one of the most prosperous countries in the world, with a per-capita GDP that is in the top rank of nations. Things in Singapore work.

Singapore also has the second-busiest port in the world, just behind Shanghai.

Overlooking the loading and unloading of ships through the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office is Kay Kong Swan, CEO of Container & Steel Logistics Business for the CWT Group. Mr. Kay has been in the industry for the past 16 years.

“Singapore has always been an entrepôt,” he says, referring to its role in importing, exporting and also reshipping goods. “It was set up in 1819 as a trading post by the British. And that is what we still are.”

Mr. Kay is charismatic, easy and just plain fun to interview. Everything is possible, Singapore style. “You need a truck with driver this afternoon for the photos? No problem. Why don’t you take two? I will have them clean and shining in an hour. No problem.”

CWT is one of Singapore’s largest companies. Originally the letters stood for Container Warehousing Transportation, an ample description of the company’s activities. Today, however, they stand for the more 21st-century Connecting World Trade. Which is also true.

CWT was set up in 1970 as a private arm of the Port of Singapore Authority to provide warehousing and container trucking services.

One of the earliest logistics and trucking companies in Singapore, CWT later diversified into other logistics and related services, including commodity logistics and supply-chain management, freight forwarding, engineering and financial services.

CWT was first listed on the Singapore Exchange in 1993.

Today, CWT operates in about 50 countries, offering integrated logistics solutions to worldwide customers. It connects customers to 120 ports around the world, and more than 1,200 inland destinations.

CWT also owns and operates around 200 trucks in Singapore, many of them UD Trucks vehicles.CWT provides integrated logistics solutions to a wide range of customers from various industries. The list of complex and sophisticated value-adding services includes everything from the storage and repackaging of bulk goods to end-user specifications, to transport and even engineering solutions.

While Singapore’s strategic location is important, it takes many other factors to become a successful trading port, Mr. Kay says. “The basis is the drive by the Singapore government, which from the beginning has been pushing the hub concept. First of all, you need first-class connectivity.

We have that with two ports and a very strong airport. But you also need strong infrastructure. You need land productivity.

You must deliver on time, every time. Our road system is fantastic—it takes about an hour or so to travel by truck from one end of the island to the other.”

While Mr. Kay doesn’t mention it, you presumably also need a well-educated and disciplined workforce, which Singapore has.

And, yes, that can-do attitude.

The road system in Singapore is indeed fantastic. It’s also remarkably uncongested for such a busy place—there are around five million people living in Singapore. One thing that in particular makes Singapore a very special truck and transportation market is that, without a Certificate of

The senior salesman

Julian Marcus, Senior Sales Executive at UD Trucks Singapore and the key account manager for CWT, talks about what it takes to be a successful salesman in the bustling country: “I’m old school. It’s all about attention. Trucks are in many ways very similar, as are the prices. The difference is in how much attention you give your customer.

“In the trucking business, everything is needed yesterday; service is the make-or-break factor. I take everything my customers say very seriously, and I try to be as attentive as possible to their needs—all their needs. I make sure I’m there when they need me.

“I also make a point of knowing the drivers. Talking to a driver gives me a feeling for the operating conditions my customer faces. In my opinion, the driver is the first line in truck sales. If he’s not happy, we already have a problem.”

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01 01. In one of CWT’s warehouses, Singapore Port in the background. Warehouses in Singapore are often five or six floors tall, connected by spiraling ramps.

Entitlement (COE), you are not allowed to own a vehicle. This system in effect requires vehicle owners in Singapore to bid for the right to buy a motor vehicle, with the number of certificates deliberately restricted. Biddings are held bimonthly, with the prices varying from month to month depending on demand and supply. Roughly speaking, for an entry-level medium-duty truck, the current cost of the COE is about 80 percent of the price of the truck itself.

The number of new trucks registered per year is rather stable at around 1,000. This makes Singapore one of the toughest truck markets in the world. Not only are all major European and Japanese truck brands competing here—but with the COE system, it’s a zerosum game, where growth can only come with a loss by a competitor.

The Singapore truck market is divided into “continental” (meaning European) and Japanese makers. The Japanese, with UD Trucks as one of the three biggest players, hold about eighty

A major player in Singapore After a long presence in Singapore through importers and dealers, the Volvo Group established a fully-owned subsidiary in August 2011. The Group is well established in the Singaporean market, and the only maker with a presence in both the continental and Japanese segments, giving the Group an edge.

The Volvo Group is leading the continental truck segment with Volvo Trucks,

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with a 36-percent market share. It is also very strong in the Japanese segment with UD Trucks.

Total annual truck sales in Singapore are approximately 1,000 heavy- and medium-duty trucks. During its first year of operation, the new Singapore sales organization secured more than 300 truck orders, and delivered 182 trucks to customers.

Cover story

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02. Jack Nadarajan, one of CWT’s drivers, in his UD truck. The driver is an important voice in the truck purchasing process.

03. A CWT truck hauling an ISO tank—something like a shipping container for liquids.

In the background is one of CWT’s warehouses, in the company’s characteristic colors.

percent of the total.

“Trucking here is exclusively short haul,” Mr. Kay says. “You’ll find everything from heavy- to light-duty trucks here, but you can reach anywhere on the island normally within an hour. Singaporeregistered trucks seldom travel into Malaysia, so even the largest trucks rarely find themselves travelling on long-distance routes.

“That means that the typical work day of our drivers consists of a large number of short trips,” he continues. “The average is around ten trips per day. That means that the truck is idling a considerable part of the day, and the driver spend much more time waiting, compared to larger countries. Singapore is tropical, so good air conditioning and truck comfort are important.”

For these reasons, Mr. Kay says that CWT mainly chooses Japanese over continental. “It’s not that European trucks are not good,” he says. “They are very good for long hauls and they are often technically more sophisticated, but Japanese trucks fit our business better. Today most new trucks in our fleet are UD. Another reason is that ordinary drivers prefer simple-to-use and comfortable trucks.”

The voice of the driver is, in fact, very important for CWT. “Besides a good and reliable truck, the driver plays an important role in fulfilling deliveries, so we want to make sure that the driver has a good working environment when driving the truck. This is why when we plan to buy a truck, perhaps a new one from UD Trucks, we also ask for feedback from our drivers. They definitely have a say

in the purchase process. We believe such engagement is mutually beneficial—it gives our drivers perceived ownership of the truck and helps optimize their working conditions, which in turn boosts work productivity.”

CWT’s relationship with UD Trucks goes back many years. In recent years, however, CWT has been buying more UD trucks than the vehicles of other makers. Mr. Kay explains that this is for reasons that go beyond just the vehicle.

“The prices are almost same for all Japanese trucks,” he says.

“The features are also rather similar. The differentiation, and the most important part for us, is in the aftersales service and support.

I think UD Trucks is doing this very well. It helps that their service center is here in the Jurong area, only a short trip away. That means that the turnaround time is shorter.

“The economy of scale—UD Trucks being one of the biggest Japanese truck brands here—also means that spare parts are more readily available,” he continues. “But the pivotal event was UD’s introduction of Euro 4 emission standard trucks in 2006. We knew this was coming, but UD was much faster than other makers. They went directly from Euro 2 to Euro 4, leapfrogging Euro 3.

“CWT wants to be a first-mover in our industry, and I like doing business with other first-movers. That’s when our working relationship with UD Trucks became much closer. It helped us to get ahead.”

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The Quon: The process of

Designing

Text: William Ross Interview photography: Hiroyuki Yamashita

the modern truck

The process of designing a truck—of giving it not just the look that sets it apart and communicates the brand, but of incorporating the functions that make it an efficient business tool— different from that for other vehicles. When the design team at UD Trucks began the work of creating the physical look and functionality of the Quon, for instance, it’s clear that it wasn’t so much starting work on one singular project, but about applying ongoing ideas and sharing perspectives to make sure it is the best driving workplace possible.

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hen Yuusuke Kitajima, formerly UD Trucks Product Design Director during the Quon design process and today International Design Director, talks about design and trucks, it’s clear that he’s looking at a very big picture. “Design is both about aesthetics and about usability when you’re talking about trucks,” he says. “Of course it’s about a good look and appealing design, but we also have to design for usability, thinking about things such as safety, operability, comfort, functionality, efficiency, the economy and even fuel efficiency. It’s a

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lot about working with engineering and product planning.”

At the same time, though, the truck has to make a statement about the brand—something that was especially important with the launch of the Quon. “The brand message definitely is communicated through design,” Mr. Kitajima says. “We have to express the UD heritage, the ‘UD-ness,’ in the design.”

Even though UD trucks are sold in increasing numbers in markets around the world (please see the news stories on the new Quon launch overseas, starting on page 7), there are some key Japanese design concepts which are

at the heart of UD Trucks designs, but which can also be globally applicable.

“These are concepts like simplicity, elegance, thrift, hospitality—the things that most people recognize as ‘Japanese,’ ” Mr. Kitajima says.

“The interesting thing for us is how to harmonize these traditions with the new directions for UD Trucks,” says Toshio Shiratori, today Director of UD Trucks Product Design. “The basic brand concept hasn’t changed, but there are new essential values that have emerged as we have become UD Trucks, and part of the Volvo Group.

We feel, though, that the combination of modern elements and Japanese

Design

04 traditions is what will create something new and distinctive. So we are very careful about where Japanese elements could be applied.”

The process of making this application happens falls to two men: Susumu Ushiyama, who led the Quon interior design team and Takashi Oka, who was responsible for the exterior design.

Immediately it becomes clear that there is a basic tension in the design process. “For the interior, we always want to push the cabin out and make things as spacious as possible,” says Mr. Ushiyama. “We wanted to stress the rounded lines around the cab to improve the aerodynamics,” says Mr. Oka. But it’s also clear that these two soft-spoken designers are very unlikely candidates for a full-on arguments demanding that their idea be accepted; both engage in a design process that very much listens to a great many voices.

“There are several customers, really, with trucks,” Mr. Ushiyama says.

“The driver is in the truck all day, but the fleet owners buy and operate them. With the exterior, you’re really expressing something about the truck and the company to the outside world, while the interior is almost completely about the driver.”

The two designers spread sketches across a meeting room table. Some are roughly sketched and hand colored; others are almost photo realistic and computer generated.

“We still prefer hand sketching; it’s a lot more dynamic,” Mr. Shiratori

01. The UD Trucks design leaders: Takashi Oka, Toshio Shiratori, Yuusuke Kitajima and Susumu Ushiyama 02. A concept sketch for the Quon, complete with aircraft design references with new UD logo.

03. Early sketches for the Quon cockpit.

02 says with a smile. “For us, these early sketches for the Quon say more about the ideas!”

Mr. Ushiyama shows several illustrating the cockpit area. “What we’re thinking about in the interiors is to provide as much space as possible, and ensure that there is good visibility and safe operations,” he says. “We start by setting the controls so they can all be easily reached, with the important ones closer.”

The exterior work, Mr. Oka says, began more conceptually. “Our keyword for the project was ‘Smart

Worker,’ ” he says. “We also wanted the outside to have a wide, strong look, with the rounded lines around the side that draw the eye around to the back. But we also have to really consider performance, so we’re always working with things like wind resistance.”

This means that truck design is not done in a vacuum. Both men not only have to work with each other to balance the demands for interior and exterior space, but are also working closely with the engineering and product development departments. They also don’t stay at their design tables.

“We went out for a lot of test drives,” Mr. Ushiyama says. “We took rides with customers from Kyushu to Tokyo, did some rides on the cold-weather test tracks, and did a lot of research. We even went to highway parking areas to talk to a lot of drivers to get their ideas as well. In the end, what we’re doing is product design, not primarily styling.”

The one thing that’s hardest to get an answer about is actually an easy question: when did work on the Quon design actually begin?

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Design

01 “Well, there was a kick-off meeting,” says Mr. Shiratori, “but from the time of the previous truck launch, we always have things that we want to improve. We’re always sketching ideas and thinking about things we would like to see on a truck.” So while truck companies only launch new models every few years, the design thinking never stops—and there are incremental changes all the time.

That becomes clear as we move to another building past the assembly areas at the Ageo factory. After passing a security clearance, we enter the UD Trucks design studio, with a one-fifthscale clay truck model ready on a table.

As modeler Masashige Suzuki uses a scraper to smooth the door area of a

miniature model, both head designers move in to explain a common process.

“We do often get together and talk around the model,” Mr. Ushiyama says.

“No matter how long you look at a design on a screen, its different when you actually see it physically.”

Mr. Ushiyama and Mr. Oka will often use the models, they say, to discuss the balance of interior and exterior, while things may actually change in areas such as the lines which give the truck a sense of speed, elegance and power. “We will make several versions, then compare them,” Mr. Ushiyama says. “I often will change the shape and lines because what we see on the model just wasn’t the same as what we expected.”

01. Takashi Oka refines the lines on a new truck with model maker Masashige Suzuki 02. Another concept sketch for the Quon, stressing its aerodynamic qualities

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“We’ll also build clay interiors models, but these are a lot more difficult to create,” Mr. Ushiyama adds. “For these, the model builders will create them in sections, then assemble the parts. It’s helpful for us as designers, but also in showing others exactly what is happening in design.”

On the table today is a one-fifthscale truck model; one section is hidden from the camera lens by tape, as it is very much a work in progress and not ready to be seen publicly. At times the designers may make a model with different scale; while around the room, hidden under sheets, are fullscale mockups of trucks (but exactly what is there is not open to outside eyes).

And the collaborative process will continue.

“With this kind of design, we’re building for the customers, not to satisfy our interest in design,” Mr. Shiratori says. “We need to learn from as many people as possible, so we can design a truck that looks great, but also does the job in the best way possible. That’s even more important as UD Trucks continues to be a more and more global brand. We need to respond to customers in markets all over the world, and be able to provide them with the design and functional details they need in their area. At the same time, though, we do need to treasure the Japanese design elements that make UD Truck design unique, and continue to make use of them in tomorrow’s trucks.”

First person

Tough assignment Ferry*

Indonesia is a vitally important market for UD Trucks—and most trucks are destined for the country’s mining industry, a tough environment for trucks that makes heavy demands on machinery, and for services as well. No wonder so many looked forward to the launch of the new Quon, not the least local dealer United Tractors.

Supervisor, United Tractors “We’re launching the new Quon to improve our customers’ satisfaction with a stronger truck and better features. We will also support them with after-sales service, technical training and improved spare parts supply. Because, after all, the new Quon is a great product!” *Like many Indonesians, he uses just one name

Rahmad Senjaya Test driver for mining company PT Karebet Mas Indonesia “The advantages of the new Quon are its enhanced stability, stronger power, a wider cabin, and more comfort, all of which supports my work. This truck is very promising. Thank you!”

The Dealer United Tractors Location: Balikpapan, Kalimantan, Indonesia Line of business: Major provider of top global heavy equipment, including some 1,200 UD trucks annually.

UD Trucks dealer since: 1986

The customer PT Karebet Mas Indonesia Location: East Kalimantan (Borneo), Indonesia Line of business: Mining

To see the video of this story and other cases of UD trucks in action, see the UD Trucks YouTube channel:

www.youtube.com/user/udtrucksvideos

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01

50 YEARS ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS

UD Trucks celebrates five decades in South Africa

Throughout a rich and diverse history in South Africa, UD Trucks has built a strong reputation and a faithful following in the region’s transport industry. The reason is the reliability and performance of the vehicles, their suitability to the roads and operating conditions found at the southern end of the African continent, and UD Trucks’ commitment to its customers.

“I

t’s our motto today, but it is very true that it is the professionalism, passion and dependability of the people who make up the UD Trucks family that have carried the brand through a series of milestones and successes over the past 50 years,” says Jacques Carelse, Acting Managing Director of UD Trucks Southern Africa. UD Trucks Southern Africa is today one of the region’s leading truck manufacturers, one that has continued to adapt to the changing needs of its customers and delivered superior services and products.

A Rich and Diverse History The brand has not always been known under the UD name, of course. “Even though UD Trucks vehicles have been sold

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under a number of names and identities, the Ultimate Dependability that is the root of today’s name has always been there,” Mr. Carelse says. “It all began in 1962, when the first Nissan Diesel vehicles were imported into the country by Stanley Motors in Johannesburg. This model series was originally known as the TC80, a 4x2 model, and the TC81 6x4.”

Later on, Nissan Diesel products were assembled by Rosslyn Motor Assemblers at the Macrall Timbers factory in Rosslyn— work that was entirely done by hand.

Between 1966 and 1968, the majority shares of the company were acquired by Missina Mining, which began the work of building an extensive Nissan Diesel dealer network around the country. More products were added to the lineup during this period, most of which used petrol engines. The

legendary ND6 series of engines was also introduced at this time, as was the UG780 truck, which would remain a stalwart for the company well into the 1990s.

In the early 1970s, the Nissan Diesel model line-up was enhanced by the introduction of the new CK10 and CK20 trucks with ND6 engines, as well as the CK40 with the PD6 engine. New 6x4 model variants were also launched, most notably the CW40 with a PD6T engine.

In 1980, Messina Mining established its new truck division, Magnis Truck Corporation. In 1981, though, came the often-criticized practice of governmentprescribed engines being mounted on the Nissan Diesel UG780.

Throughout the 1980s and into the early 90s, Nissan Diesel continued to upgrade its product range, including the evolution of

History

the CW range from the CW45 to the CW47 and eventually the CW56. The CM range, first introduced in 1985, expanded in 1990 to include the CM10, 12, 14 and 16. Also in 1990, the Cabstar range of medium commercial vehicles with a Nissan Diesel engine was launched. Reduced import duties on trucks allowed manufacturers to switch back to original engines, and the Cabstar 35 to 40L series was introduced to the market with the FD46 engine.

From 1998 to 1999, Nissan Diesel launched its heavy-duty vehicle range with original PF6-series engines, becoming the first manufacturer to go back to original equipment. The company also embarked on its first venture into the 6x4 high-end trucktractor market segment with the CWB540, featuring an RF8 engine. With the launch of the CWB48 series, the company became the first Japanese manufacturer to move into the upper end of the market locally.

In 2002, Nissan Diesel South Africa formally separated from passenger car operations to become a dedicated trucking company; 80 percent of the company was owned by Nissan Diesel Motor Corporation in Japan, with the balance held by Mitsui.

The innovative Escot transmission was first introduced into the market in 2004 on the CWB458 and CKB48F, while Nissan Diesel South Africa also began offering maintenance contracts to customers.

With the revamp of the MKB to PKF range in 2005, Nissan Diesel managed to regain a large part of its market share in the medium-duty vehicle segment. It also introduced new dealer operating standards, launched a Training Academy and SVR workshop for customized adaptions, all aimed at providing improved customer

service and support.

The state-of-the-art Quon heavy-duty truck range was launched in 2008, with new-generation technology introduced across the lineup. The assembly plant was also revamped to double its capacity, while the Parts Warehouse and Training Academy were upgraded to meet growing demand.

In 2010, the company’s entire range met Euro II emission standards thanks to the launch of the company’s new medium-duty truck engine range. “A new era dawned in September of that year,” Mr. Carelse says, “as the company and brand name changed to UD Trucks Southern Africa, with the local operations taking on responsibility for more African countries.”

UD Trucks Southern Africa is today raising the benchmark with the launch of the newgeneration Quon heavy-duty truck range.

Fourteen models for South Africa are being introduced from March to August 2012.

The local company is also responsible for UD Trucks’ exports into 12 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, with both right- and left-hand drive variants to be introduced into the region depending on the individual country requirements.

“We are committed to this journey, travelling on this road to success with our customers,” Mr. Carelse says.

02 01. Entry into the high-end: the CWB48 series marked a first for a Japanese maker in South Africa.

02. Where it all began: a beautifully restored T80 truck, the first UD vehicle imported into South Africa.

View a short and informative video of the company’s history at:

Long-seller: the UG780 remained popular for nearly 30 years.

A Professional, Passionate and Dependable Future

The CW41, part of a new 6x4 model lineup in the late 1970s, here used in logging.

www.udtrucks.co.za/videolibrary.aspx

Models from the CM series, serving the nation’s air carrier.

The PKF214, part of a series that helped hold market share in the medium-duty vehicle segment.

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花火

Spark Seekers

The history of pyrotechnics (fireworks, in other words) spans centuries and oceans – from China to Europe, back to Asia and to the New World. Yet in the 400-odd years since fireworks appeared in Japan, they’ve become more than ooh-and-ah-inducing novelties. Refined through competition, hanabi have become synonymous with summer and symbolic of Japanese aesthetics.

Text & photos: Jim Hand-Cukierman

E

very July and August, fireworks festivals are held across the country. “Overseas, fireworks often add excitement to the main event,” says Hiroyuki Takeyama, a planner for Marutamaya Ogatsu Fireworks Co. “But in Japan, fireworks are the main event.”

Many accounts contend that Japan’s love for hanabi (literally, “fire flowers”) began with imports by European traders around 1600. Under the Tokugawa Shogunate, which ruled from 1603 to 1868, the tradition flourished in the de facto capital – Edo, now Tokyo.

Back then, Mr. Takeyama explains, “Hanabi were quite spiritual. The annual Sumida River Fireworks started in 1733 as a prayer for victims of famine and disease.”

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01. Hiroyuki Takeyama stands outside the Marutamaya Ogatsu head office in Fuchu, Tokyo. Mr. Takeyama holds a sample of a typical spherical Japanese shell.

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Early in the 19th century, a rivalry erupted between Kagiya, Japan’s first fireworks guild, and a Kagiya apprentice who opened his own shop under the name Tamaya.

Vying for onlookers’ roars of approval, they honed their designs and developed the art – that is until 1843, when a fire that spread from Tamaya’s workshop resulted in his banishment from Edo. Since then, Kagiya and others have kept the competitive spirit alive – including Marutamaya Ogatsu, which was established in Edo in 1864.

After World War II, Marutamaya marked Japan’s new constitution with a show in front of the Imperial Palace. Urban sprawl eventually forced the company to move production from Tokyo to the expanses of Ibaraki and Yamanashi. But some things

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02. Tsunehiro Yamagata stands outside his company’s warehouse in Tokyo’s Taito Ward. The sign reads “hanabi.”

haven’t changed.

“Fireworks are generally mass-produced abroad, but in Japan we still make them by hand,” Mr. Takeyama says.

The main difference between typical foreign shells and traditional Japanese ones is their shape. While the former are cylindrical, Japanese are spherical – allowing for near-perfectly round, multicolored chrysanthemum blooms.

“Gunpowder charges, mixed with chemicals for color, are arranged in both halves of a shell,” Mr. Takeyama says.

“The halves are then merged into a ball

Tradition

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03. A near-perfectly round bloom of a spherical Japanese hanabi shell (photo courtesy of Marutamaya Ogatsu Fireworks) 04. Yamagata Shoten’s senko hanabi – toy fireworks made out of tissue paper and gunpowder grains 05. The sparks from senko hanabi dance in the night

and wrapped. Any miscalculation and the colors won’t align, or the flower won’t be round.”

Mr. Takeyama says manufacturers still compete on design, particularly color. They are also hanging on in the face of another sort of competition – the global kind.

“China is the main fireworks-producing country now,” he says.

There’s little danger that Japan will stop making large shells, but a more modest pyrotechnic tradition was nearly lost to outsourcing.

Senko hanabi, or “incense-stick”

fireworks, are 25-centimeter-long shafts of twisted tissue paper containing gunpowder grains. Held at one end and ignited at the other, their sparks dance gracefully in the night. And in 1998, due to cheaper production in China, domestic output ceased.

“I thought it was a tragedy,” says Tsunehiro Yamagata, chairman of Yamagata Shoten, a toy and fireworks wholesaler founded in Tokyo in 1914. “I did everything I could to bring them back.”

Two years later, having found authentic materials as well as some elderly ladies

who knew how to make the sparklers by hand, he succeeded.

One Chinese senko hanabi sells for two yen (about three cents), whereas Mr. Yamagata’s go for 50 yen. But he’s found a niche of nostalgia and symbolism. After all, senko hanabi are said to represent life itself, passing through four stages – infancy, youth, middle age and old age – in seconds.

Asked how fireworks fit into Japanese culture, Mr. Yamagata puts it this way: “They did a survey about summer traditions people can’t live without. Hanabi was No. 1.”

But why summer? Harking back to those spiritual beginnings, some say fireworks purify the air for Bon – a period when spirits of the deceased are believed to return to visit their relatives. Others posit that a night of hanabi is simply the perfect respite from the dog days. Telling spinetingling ghost stories is another Japanese summer tradition, and the explosions are certainly chillingly beautiful.

At any rate, other customs, like cherry blossom viewing, may be more commonly associated with Japan. But fireworks are just as close to the nation’s heart.

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A Global Logistics Company Takes a Strong Stance on Safety in Japan In 2009, Footwork Express, one of Japan’s 10 largest logistics companies, became a fully-owned group company of Toll Holdings, Australia’s, and Asia’s, largest integrated logistics provider.

On March 30 of this year, that relationship was made even clearer as the company was renamed Toll Express Japan.

Today the company is facing a very interesting period, with the parent company strengthening its safety-first policy as it also becomes a more integral part of a true global transportation company.

Toll Express Japan CEO Neil Pollington

I

t makes sense for an Australian logistics company with global ambitions to acquire a Japanese company, says Neil Pollington, CEO of Toll Express Japan.

“Japan is a very important part of global logistics in the Asian region, which is why we originally looked at Footwork Express,” he says. “We saw three strong points for the company. First, it had a longestablished network in Japan. Second, it had a well-established name value and reputation. And third, it had built a strong relationship of trust with its customers.”

Footwork was very much a domestic logistics company, though. Mr. Pollington notes that now the first steps have been made to bring global thinking into Japan.

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This started with a restructuring of the nationwide logistics network, and a review of operations at all of the centers around the country. “We are especially focusing on improving customer satisfaction and efficiency,” he says. “We are applying the Toll Group’s know-how, and introducing technologies new to Japan. That is why we have brought four Australian managers in and stationed them in our regional offices in Japan. Their mission is to review the distribution terminal operations, the operation of systems, and to improve the details of work at the local branches, and to work with the local branch and office managers to enhance the skill level of everyone at the local level.”

Even prior to the name change, this process began at the new Komaki Branch in southern Aichi Prefecture, west of Tokyo, in December of last year. The Komaki Branch, Mr. Pollington explains, is a place where the company is bringing together the experience Footwork Express has gained in the Japanese market with the global knowledge of the Toll Group. “Our global mission is to create a transportation system that is both safe and speedy, with improved service quality,” he says. “For the future, that means a fully automated materials handing system here in Komaki. It can then be a model branch for Toll Express Japan.”

One special area of focus is on the importance of safety. “Safety is the number-one priority throughout the Toll Group,” Mr. Pollington says. “So as a basic part of our thinking about safety, we have been conducting a review to make sure that all employees are sufficiently aware about the importance of safety. The company has established safety standards and manuals for Japan, with the goal of eliminating vehicular as well as handling and work-related accidents.”

This has also resulted in a number of concrete steps having already been taken in Komaki, says Masahiko Hashimoto, Tokai Regional Manager. “This means things like physically separating the walkways and vehicle paths, the palette storage and assembly areas, Masahiko Hashimoto, and dangerous Tokai Regional Manager

Case Study

indicators (KPIs), but the main indices in safety include vehicular accidents, worker injury and goods damaged,” Mr. Hashimoto says. “All of these indices are shown as numerical values, so that the ones that stand out are those which obviously need improvement.”

It’s not only the area of safety where there is change bringing more awareness, and more responsibility, to all employees of the company. Mr. Pollington says that it all begins with education. “We want to increase the skill of managers and supervisors in reading financial statements, and train everyone to increase their productivity. We also want to undertake training for handling on-the-spot transport problem resolution. And most of all, for the pickup and delivery drivers—the main point of contact for the customer—we are considering introducing customer service training.”

“Whether it’s Australia or Japan, Truck bays, equipped witih electrically-operated, airbag-equipped load levelers in the transport business it’s all about repeatedly working to improve, day by “One of the most important things at the day, and increasing accuracy and quality,” meetings is when people talk about any Mr. Pollington continues. “To accomplish close calls they had the previous day. It’s this, we’ve broken away from old ways of all about sharing personal experience with thinking and brought the decision making hazards on the job.” down from head office to branch level, Even though it’s still early in the process, both managers say that improvements have which is much closer to our customers.

That means an innovation of management already been seen. They note the variety through work-area leadership, while it also of comments they have received from speeds up decision making.” drivers that they can really feel the level For the Japanese managers, this has of safety increasing. One thing that the brought about an exciting change in the company insists on as part of its growth company. “Everyone gets a much better as an international logistics company is a sense for management,” Mr. Hashimoto high level of safety at all its centers around says. “Each branch releases their profitthe globe. Managers must therefore work and-loss statement at monthly meeting. with global The choice of those figures is not directed standards and from above, but independently decided measurements from the bottom up. This deepens the of the level of sense of confidence for people at the achievement. branch level, and makes for a more But how do autonomous organization. In the bottomyou go about up culture of this company, decisions measuring safety? are made via internal electronic approval “Normally we system, and this helps decisions to be made talk about key Tetsuo Tateishi, much more quickly.” performance Komaki Branch Manager goods and the areas for storing other goods,” he says. “We have established a traffic management system that moves vehicles through the premises on one-way paths and in a clockwise pattern, and have mounted signs and guardrails in a highly visible yellow color. We also made sure that employees are well rested, and have created a dormitory, relaxation room and bath.”

Although the drive for a safer company is not just about plans handed down from top management. “We have meetings three times daily at Komaki where we bring together all employees, including pickup and delivery drivers, line haul drivers,” says Tetsuo Tateishi, Komaki Branch Manager.

Mr. Tateishi in the Komaki dock office

“For example, in the past it would have taken a lot of time if we wanted to change the transport system or make some improvement,” Mr. Tateishi says.

“Now there is much more communication between people like me and the staff, so we keep moving ahead. By increasing local decision making and creating a more bottom-up system, people are more proactive and communication is better.”

But, at least where safety is concerned, Mr. Pollington still feels a strong sense of personal responsibility. “Regardless of how small the accident might be, people involved have to submit a detailed report to head office not only on what has happened, but what safety measures have been taken to ensure that the accident won’t happen again. This Incident Hazard Report (IHR) must be submitted within 24 hours. But often I will go to the site myself so that I can both see and hear what has actually happened. My thinking is that, if the head of the company isn’t focused in safety, we won’t be able to eliminate accidents!”

Toll Express Japan Founded: 2002 Headquarters: Suita City, Osaka Business activities: Transportation, logistics, planning and development, international logistics Branches in Japan: 84 Employees: 5,578 (including 2,957 drivers; not including Group companies) Vehicles: 3,800 (all Group)

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UD Trucks Merchandise: get it online!

We’re pleased to announce the opening of the UD Trucks Merchandise online store. One on-screen spot for the UD Trucks enthusiast to find scale-model Quon and Condor trucks, key rings, laser-engraved Condor paperweights, stickers, patches and much more.

Whether you own, drive, work on or simply enjoy the UD Trucks style, here’s the online store where you can order UD Trucks goods with just a simple click.

Visit :

http://udtrucksmerchandise.net 1-1, Ageo-shi, Saitama 362-8523, Japan www.udtrucks.com