VEHICLES/ TECH / TranSporTaTIon/LogISTICS
O46/NOVEMBER 2O17
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contents
contents SPECIAL INTERVIEW
28 / WE’RE BACK
DAF and ANGE officially relaunch the Dutch brand in the UAE after testing through the summer.
also this issue … NETWORK & LAuNChES
06 / E-MOBILITy IS COMINg
06
10
14
24
RTA and DEWA combine to open the door to e-mobility in the UAE. ROuNDTABLE
14 / MORE CAN BE DONE Experts discuss the future of road safety at T&FME’s safety and efficiency roundtable. OPERATOR INTERVIEW
24 / LIfE ON ThE ROAD ATS’s Vinot Malhotra on life as a transporter in the current economic climate. WORKShOP
32 / MININg AuTONOMy A look at Volvo Truck’s ground-breaking heavy vehicle autonomy research. WORKShOP
34 / A WORLD fIRST ESMA sets a new standard with its new tyre monitoring system launch. TyRES
32
40 / PREPARINg fOR ThE NExT gENERATION Continental shares its autonomous vision. COLD ChAIN
42 / uNDER CONTROL Why temperature monitoring is crucial to fleet efficiency in the cold chain sector.
40 NOVEMBER 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 01
WELCOME
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are we ready for disruption? Call it a quiet revolution but transportation is in the middle of a technologydriven change that is both threat and opportunity to almost every fleet in the region. T&FME has spoken to companies like Trukker and Trukkin in recent months, and they like others, come into the market bright eyed and bushy tailed. In a region where one out of every two transporters are owner/operators of trucks, we could be on the cusp of a radical shake-up of the industry thanks to this growing band of self-styled disrupters and Uber-esque entrepreneurs that are offering an exciting new way for to gain business. They will also suddenly able to tap into the kinds of telematics services to make themselves more efficient and competitive than they may have steered cleared of before because of cost. Now they can get it for free. And there’s also a huge wave incoming from the progress made by OEMs with their own transformative work in fusing their traditional commercial vehicles platforms with digital technology. With the advent of the connected truck and bus they are already preparing for the smart cities of the very-near future. They will also be able to plug into the work of these technology-driven start-ups, reducing their own research and development costs by as much as 30%, according to Frost and Sullivan and, the analysts suggests, be charmed by a greater control over warranty management. It is clear that they have a possible vested interest in seeing the disrupters succeed. So where does that leave the remaining half of the transporter industry where they have built up relationships with their clients over many years? Certainly the tender wall will continue to exist for many shipping contracts. Also the better fleets that have rigidly stuck to their best fleet management practices and established a cost-effective programme for maintenance and servicing may want to embrace this sea change to lower their own costs and access new business. However I can’t help thinking that for all the talk of in-built rating systems, monitoring and certification of shippers by the trucking Ubers that we will see an acceleration towards price being the biggest factor in transportation here. When you realise the work that still needs to be done in safety and efficiency (as discussed at the T&FME roundtable featured this month), and the need for better driver competency, that if the tide is turning, we should all hope it comes in slowly.
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CONSTRUCTION
MeTRO ROUTe 2020 A bOON
Aldar awards $203m contract for The Bridges project
With the drilling work flagged off for the Route 2020 metro project in Dubai (‘Dubai ruler launches drilling of Route 2020 metro tunnel’, October 24), people living in some far-flung districts of the city can look forward to a more convenient commute when it is launched in 2019. The way the city has spread over the years, residents of many communities far from the city centre, or the main commercial areas, find it arduous and timeconsuming to travel for both work and leisure. With public transport not readily available in areas such as Dubai Investment Park, the next best option for people without cars is expensive taxis. The metro Route 2020, when it becomes operational, will not only provide a convenient and economical option for travellers but also integrate these areas on the fringes of the city with its nerve centres. Flyers using the new Dubai World Central airport, where the line will terminate, will also find the new metro line to be a boon. Expo 2020 may still be a couple of years away, but its benefits are
CONSTRUCTION
Dubai-Al Ain housing project to span 763 hectares
In pictures: On site at Mediclinic Parkview Hospital, Dubai
CONSTRUCTION
Nakheel awards $45m Deira Islands marina contract
CONSTRUCTION
Dubai to introduce new green building ratings system
CONSTRUCTION
Saudi Arabia plans $500bn mega city 04 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2017
Video: Five-year time-lapse of Dubai’s Al Habtoor City under construction
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NETWORK
RTA AND DEWA LOOK AT E-MOBILITY / WESTERN MOTORS ExpANDS / RENAULT TARGETS NEW SAUDI WOMEN DRIVER / UBER RECRUITS / HYDROGEN IN UAE
network RTA and DEWA combine to encourage e-mobility E-MOBILITY The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and the emirate’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) have announced a series of initiatives intended to stimulate adoption of electrical vehicles. The head of DEWA, chief executive Saeed Al Tayer has stated that the organisation is targeting a rise in electrical vehicles of 2% by 2020 and a long-term goal of 10% by 2030. In actual vehicle numbers that would require
the registration of 32,000 new electrical vehicles by 2020 and 42,000 by 30,000. One of the major barriers facing transport authorities globally is to provide access to charging facilities and DEWA says that it will allow drivers replacing their traditionally petrol and diesel vehicles will granted access to its Green Charger stations for free over the next two years. The utilities authority estimates that drivers could achieve savings of over $500 per month by using its
charging stations – where the current tariff stands at $0.08 per kW. DEWA has also revealed that there will be 40 free charging locations available to vehicle owners by the end of the year. DEWA is also stipulating that developers must provide designated parking spaces and charging stations at all new projects. Additionally, incentive are being introduced to provide exemptions for owners from paying SALIK tolls (via a SALIK-free tag) and vehicle registration fees.
Users will be able to download DEWA’s smart app to locate Green Chargers across the city, which will indicate empty and busy charging points in shopping malls and public areas. Al Tayer also explained that the total number of charging stations will 200 by the end of 2018. “I am sure now that government and private entities, or even individuals will shift to electric vehicles when they know how much they can save,” he said.
THE GLOBAL ELECTRIC BUS MARKET ExpECTED TO WITNESS A COMpOUND ANNUAL GROWTH RATE ABOVE 30% fROM 2017 TO 2025, CLAIMS ABB
06 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2017
NETWORK
KSA WOMEN DRIVERS TARGETED
western Motors expands abu dhabi hQ
RETAIL To celebrate the Saudi Royal Decree allowing women to drive, Renault Middle East, together with its distributor, Gulf Advantage Automobiles, is giving away seven brand-new cars to the first seven Saudi females to visit one of Renault’s showrooms in the Kingdom. The seven-lucky new female drivers must present their driving license at one of the seven Renault showrooms in the country for their chance to be handed the keys to a brand-new
Renault Captur. This initiative is the first of many expected from Renault as they look to attract Saudi female drivers. Commenting on the initiative, Marwan Haidamous, managing director Renault Middle East said: “The Renault Captur was the first Renault model to be designed by a gender balanced team, with almost half of the designers being women. Indeed, our entire line-up is well suited to the female audience and will appeal to Saudi Arabia’s new customer base as they get behind the wheel.”
DISTRIBUTORS
Western Motors, a distributor of Jeep, Fiat and Mopar, is revamping its Abu Dhabi headquarters on Airport Road, more than doubling its current size. The company is carrying out the expansion as part of a multimillion dirham investment on the new, state-of-the-art premise. Upon completion, the showroom, express services and offices are expected to increase to more than twice their size. Described as a world-class facility, it will offer customers a larger Mopar express service that expands from 570sqm to 660sqm. Set to open in the first quarter of 2018, the expansion will also include a new showroom area that will almost double in size, improved accessibility and parking, a dedicated Mopar corner and a used car section. Additionally, the 1,975sqm automotive facility will feature a “special edition” section specifically for unique Wranglers and other exciting Jeep models. Western Motors is part of Al Fahim group and is the sole distributor of Mopar, Jeep and Fiat in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. Frank Bernthaler, CEO of Al Fahim Automotive, said: “The expansion of the Airport Road plot reflects our dedication to succeeding in our home, Abu Dhabi. With an increase in size the new state-of-the-art facility will offer unrivalled customer service across the board and yet again, set new standards in the automotive sector in Abu Dhabi. “Western Motors’ new and modern facility is only the first among Al Fahim’s Airport Road automotive developments, as well as a part of Al Fahim’s strategic growth plan in the emirate as a whole. It is another key milestone and one that we know our customers will enjoy and benefit from when we open early next year.” He added: “Earlier in the year, we also opened our new automotive complex in Al Ain and last year unveiled their aMopar service centre and Fiat showroom in Mussafah. This is all testament of our commitment to servicing excellence.” Western Motors will host the grand opening of the facility in the first quarter of 2018.
UBER HAILS SAUDI RECRUITMENT TRANSpORT Uber says it has recruited 140,000 Saudi partners to join its service in the Kingdom. Uber, which was awarded a certificate for regulatory alignment by the Public Transport Authority (PTA) in April, had initially set out to reach 100,000 Saudi drivers by 2020, as part of its commitment to providing economic opportunities to Saudis in the kingdom, it said. The announcement was made as Uber celebrated the unveiling of its new
headquarters in Saudi at a function held under the patronage of Rumaih bin Mohammad Al-Rumaih, president of the Public Transport Authority (PTA). The office will welcome both new and existing partners. It accommodates new partners on the app, in addition to ongoing support to current Uber partners, who will now benefit from a fixed destination for all questions, comments and inquiries. The new office will also house a working space for all the company’s Saudi employees.
NOVEMBER 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 07
NETWORK
HYUNDAI ADDING REAR OCCUpANT ALERT IN ‘19
SAfETY
Hyundai has announced plans to introduce a new Rear Occupant Alert system to future models, using motion sensors and connected technology to prevent children being forgotten in hot cars. The system, which Hyundai will begin introducing on new cars for the
2019 model year, monitors the rear seats using an ultrasonic sensor to detect the movements of children. If it detects movement after the driver leaves the car, it will sound the horn, flash the lights, and can send a Blue Link alert to the driver’s smartphone via Hyundai’s Blue Link connected car system. A message on the instrument
panel will also remind drivers to check the rear seats before getting out. “It is so easy for a parent to forget, even just for a moment, a small child sleeping quietly in the back of the car, and the consequences can be tragic,” said Hyundai’s head of operations for Africa and the Middle East, Mike Song. Rear Occupant Alert is a very simple but effective idea that will certainly save children’s lives.” Even when the outside temperature is in the low 20s, the interior of a car parked in direct sunlight can quickly approach 50o. More than 800 children have died since 1994, and in 55% of these cases, the parent was unaware their child was in the vehicle.
fIRST HYDROGEN STATION OpENED IN UAE HYBRIDS Al-Futtaim Motors, in collaboration with Air Liquide have jointly inaugurated the UAE’s first hydrogen station in Dubai Festival City, to be used by Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs). The new facility follows the announcement made at the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
earlier this year where Toyota’s Chairman, Takeshi Uchiyamada, announced the launch of a collaborative study about the feasibility of establishing a hydrogen-based society in the UAE, aiming at drastically lowering CO2 emissions, in line with the UAE Vision 2021. The new Al Badia-based hydrogen station will enable
larger-scale deployment of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles as part of a pilot programme which started in May 2017, aiming at testing the zero-emission FCEV technology on UAE roads. In the onboard Fuel Cell Stack, hydrogen combines with oxygen in the air to generate electricity that powers the vehicle’s electric motor.
driver safety is iMproving in uae SAfETY
A study commissioned by RoadSafetyUAE and QIC Insured and conducted by YouGov in August 2017, suggests that drivers believe the roads in the UAE are becoming safer. The 5th cycle of the ‘UAE Road Safety Monitor’ interviewed over a thousand UAE residents and found that they believe areas such as dangerous driving, tailgating, distracted driving, speeding and lane swerving are becoming less of a concern. Thomas Edelmann, managing director of RoadSafetyUAE commented: “Yes, the news is very positive! For the first time in this long-term perception study (since 2015), all perceived behavior TRENDS point in the right direction: UAE motorists observe less lane swerving, less speeding, less distracted driving, less tailgating and overall less reckless driving. “Despite these very positive trends, more needs to be done, as the absolute levels of perceived misbehavior are still high. The hard work of all involved stakeholders must continue, especially with regards to education and creating awareness for proper conduct!”. Furthermore, commute times decreased and less respondents have been involved in an accident than ever within the study period. Surprisingly, and reversing a long-term trend, UAE motorists state a reduced overall driving enjoyment and a desire for further improved road infrastructure. “As the study tracks the perception trends linked to the main killers on our roads, the insights are priceless,”Edelmann concluded.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Of T&fME ExpERTS ON THE STATE Of ROAD SAfETY IN THE GCC, pLUS INSIGHT fROM A TRANSpORTER AND DAf’S RELAUNCH
08 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2017
NETWORK
ALI & SONS ENCOURAGES CHILD SAfETY
kuwait prepares for autonoMy E-MOBILITY
A senior executive Kuwait’s Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) used last month’s GITEX show in the UAE to reveal that it plans to use an advanced Lidar-based road scanning system to map the roads of the country as it prepares the way for autonomous vehicles. PACI deputy director general for information systems and technology Mansour Al-Metthen said the system will enable the scanning of the length, width and height of surrounding buildings. The new system uses field scanners mounted on specialised vehicles and will enable it to make a full 360-degree photographic survey of all the country’s roads. Al-Metthan said it is the first time the system has been used in the region and should be deployed later this year following testing.
SAfETY Ali & Sons Motors the official distributor of Volkswagen in Abu Dhabi has introduced a range of child seats offers following the introduction of new rules in the UAE. Child safety seat is now mandatory for children due to the new UAE regulation, parents who allow children to sit in car’s rear seat without child seat will be fined 400AED. Volkswagen Child Seat campaign offers customers a special discount on the Volkswagen Genuine Child Seats available now in all Volkswagen Ali and Sons showrooms. The Volkswagen Genuine GO plus ISOFIX provides a high protection and comfort for new-born
babies and babies up to 13kg or 15 months old. In addition, the ISOFIX fastening system ensures that the child seat with its base frame is securely fastened to the vehicle body. The child is
securely held in the seat by a height adjustable, 5-point full belt safety harness. Further featured includes an adjustable handle, an easy removable, washable fabric covering, a heightadjustable seat insert and a sun shade. All Volkswagen Genuine child seats exceed the requirements of the ECE-R44/04 standard. “Children need two things above all else: Love and safety. When developing the Genuine Child Seats, Volkswagen focused completely on safety and confort without any compromise so you can concentrate on everything else,” said Ammar Johmani, general manager Volkswagen, Ali & Sons Motors.
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NOVEMBER 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 09
LAUNCHES
HONDA’S NEW STyLISH LOOk FOR SAFETy CONSCIOUS ODySSEy / TORNEO CUSTOM VAN FROM FORD RECIEVES ITS MIDDLE EAST LAUNCH
lau nches SUCCESSFUL jOURNEy
2.4 MILLION OdyssEy UNITs sOLd
Take a trip with the new Honda Odyssey NEW STyLING HIDES ONE OF HONDA’S SAFEST PEOPLE MOVERS yET With over 2.7 million units sold across 4 generations, the Honda Odyssey is one of the most popular MPV’s globally. The fifth generation 2018 Odyssey brings to the GCC region a whole lot of features and worlds first technologies such as CabinWatch, CabinTalk, 10 Speed AT and Magic Slide 2nd row seats. The exterior of the Odyssey has been redesigned to portray “sophisticated and modern new styling” that incorporates a signature flying wing. The Odyssey’s signature lightning bolt beltline makes it look elegant and the design cleverly hides
the sliding door tracks in the lower side of the rear door. A wrap around side and rear glass portrays a floating roof structure, which adds elegance to the design. Rear Taillights with Integrated LED Light Bars (standard in all grades) enhances its sporty and dynamic profile. A distinct feature of the Honda Odyssey in the EX-L and Touring grade is the Height Adjustable Power Tailgate feature, which makes it easy to customise for drivers of all heights and protects the tailgate from damage in areas with lower ceiling heights. In
10 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2017
addition, the Touring Grade has the Hands-Free Assist feature, which allows you to open and close the tailgate with a simple kick action under the rear bumper when your hands are full. The Odyssey boasts of a new and soft touch instrument panel, which includes a full color and an interactive 8in Display Audio Touch Screen, Stop Start button, Electronic Parking Brake with Brake Hold function, ventilated seats and a new push button gear selector. In addition, a new 7-inch Digital Driver Information
Interface with direct sight to the driver ensures that relevant information such as phonebook, fuel consumption; remaining distance, select app control, turn by turn direction when using the navigation and even Honda SensingTM (touring grade only) are accessible and easy to read. The Honda Odyssey is equipped with some of the best specs for Active and Passive Safety, the company claims. It is equipped with the Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE™) Body Structure, which is a Hondaexclusive body design that
LAUNCHES
Just like a car
A NEW STREAM-LINED TOURNEO CUSTOM ARRIVES
REDSIGNED INTERIOR The Odyssey boasts of a new and soft touch instrument panel, which includes a full color and an interactive 8in display Audio Touch screen.
UNDER THE HOOD Ihe Honda Odyssey features a direct injected i-VTEC® 24-valve sOHC V6 engine that produces 280hp@6000rpm.
enhances occupant protection and crash compatibility in frontal collisions. The body structure consists of 59% High Strength Steel and is 34kg lighter than the outgoing model. This improves body stiffness and rigidity by 44%, providing excellent dynamic capabilities The Odyssey is equipped with Dual Stage Multiple Threshold Front Airbags, Front Side
Airbags, Three Row Side Curtain Airbags, Drivers and Front Passengers knee Airbags to ensure maximum safety. Other Honda active-safety features include Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with Traction Control Systems (TCS), Anti-Lock Brake Systems (ABS), Electronic Brake Distributor (EBD), Agile Handling Assist, Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS), and Hill Start Assist (HSA).
The new Ford Tourneo Custom offers users a more stylish and car-like people mover with class-leading comfort and best-in-class safety offerings. A streamlined appearance, car-like interior design and driving dynamics, and outstanding fuel economy, the Ford Tourneo Custom being aimed at tour operators and executive shuttle customers. Available in nine seat configuration, Tourneo Custom offers a choice of a 2,933 mm short wheelbase version (SWB – 4.9m overall length), and a 3,300 mm long wheelbase (LWB – 5.3 metres overall length), both of which provide generous space for people and luggage. The additional length of the LWB version translates into extra luggage space behind the third row of seats. At a height of just two metres, the Tourneo Custom also comfortably complies with most car park height limits. This advantage is retained when the vehicle is fitted with the a deployable integrated roof rack system, which is seamlessly integrated into the roof, and can easily be raised or lowered when required. Tourneo Custom models offer dual side sliding doors as standard, with running boards below the doors for improved low level step access, as well as a strong visual differentiation. A liftgate is fitted as standard at the rear. The Tourneo Custom also brings carlike style to the people-mover segment
with an all-new interior constructed with high quality materials. A stylish, sculpted driver-focused instrument panel features technologies closely-related to those found in the Ford car range. The cockpit is further enhanced by a highly adjustable driving position with the steering column adjustable for reach and rake. Ford Engineers have tuned the suspension and steering to deliver more precise steering and agile handling. This combined with a comprehensive effort to eliminate unwanted noise and vibrations has resulted in a quiet and comfortable environment for both driver and passengers. The Tourneo Custom is the only vehicle in its class to feature Hill Hold Assist amd combine the latest Electronic Stability and Rollover Movement Intervention technology to enhance stability and help keep the vehicle upright during emergency evasive manoeuvres. Sensors within the vehicle detect instability occurring and actively reduce torque to the driven wheels to help stabilise the vehicle and keep the vehicle upright. SPECIFICATIONS Engine
2.2-litre duratorq TdCi
Power
100 ps / 125 ps
Consumption 15 km/l Torque
310 Nm / 350 Nm
Wheelbase
3.3m /5.3m
FUEL ECONOMy 15 KM /L FUEL CONsUMpTION
SPECIFICATIONS Engine
direct injected i-VTEC® 24-valve sOHC V6
Engine size
3.5l
Power
280hp@6000rpm
Torque
355Nm@4700rpm
Transmission
10-speed automatic transmission (10AT)
NOVEMBER 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 11
LAUNCHES
ALL TORQUE 90% @ 2,000 RPM
GMC Goes all-out on all-terrain
GMC pOWERS Up fOR GCC Off-ROAD SEASON With summer now ended and the new off-road season around the corner, GMC has expanded its All-Terrain range. It claims it offers the perfect blend of rugged styling, tremendous functionality and the highest standards of driving capability for Middle East drivers looking to tackle the great outdoors head on. The line of GMC All-Terrain models – which includes the Acadia All-Terrain SUV, and Sierra All-Terrain and Sierra HD All-Terrain trucks – has been specially developed to perform in the toughest of environments, ensuring all models are capable of taking on the region’s most challenging terrain, such as the Rub’ al Khali (Empty Quarter) desert, Hajar mountains or Wadi Rum. “GMC SUVs and trucks are already renowned across the Middle East for their unbeatable combination of ruggedness and refinement,” said Mohsen Kassem, Regional Sales and Marketing Manager, GMC Middle East. “Designed and developed by some of the most accomplished off-roading experts in the automotive industry specifically to deliver the very best offroad experience, the All-Terrain lineup takes this offering to the next level for the region’s passionate offroad driving enthusiasts.” Sitting between the entry-level and premium Denali models, GMC’s
Acadia and Sierra All-Terrain models provide significantly more exclusivity than the type of AWD and 4WD SUVs accordingly, commonly found off the beaten track around the region. Available with either 355 hp 5.3l V8 or 420hp 6.2l V8 engines, the Sierra All-Terrain is equipped with the legendary Z71 Off-Road suspension with monotube Rancho® shocks, a 2-speed Autotrac 4WD transfer case, advanced Hill Descent Control and protective underbody shielding. Its aggressive exterior features body-colour door handles and side mouldings, along with matching grille surround and bumpers. The 3.6l V6 Acadia advanced AWD system with Active Twin Clutch optimizes traction in every situation and is engineered for optimal performance on loose surfaces such as sand. At the same time its specific All Terrain mode offers enhanced hill-climb capability. AllTerrain models are distinguished from the rest of the range by the bodycolour grille surround, black chrome trim and unique wheels. SpECIfICATIONS Engine
V6/V8
Engine size
3.6l/5.3l/6.2l
power
NA/355hp/420hp
Off-road
2-speed Autotrac 4wD
TRUE OffROADER PowER 420hP
siGnature puts the lux into lexus LExUS Lx 570 STRENGTHENS ITS UAE pOpULARITy WITH NEW SIGNATURE MODEL
Trying to keep its promise of an ‘Experience Amazing’, Lexus, exclusively distributed by Al-Futtaim Motors in the UAE, has launched the 2018 LX 570 Signature luxury SUV that comes with numerous interior and exterior upgrades, adding further accents to its already stronger, grander and finer look. Available in limited quantities, the Lexus LX 570 Signature exhibits a host of exclusive add-ons, including a new front Spindle grille, new front bumper spoiler, black door mirror cover, darker door molding and rear bumper diffuser for enhanced aerodynamic performance. For added stability and agility while driving, the LX 570 Signature is fitted with a Performance Damper, aiming at improving the handling performance and ride comfort of the vehicle, while enhancing the quality of the audio sound. Owners of the new LX570 Signature will also get to enjoy new alloy wheels with a darker color pattern for added presence and elegance on the road. Also, courtesy of Al-Futtaim Motors, the Signature model comes with a special Lexus branded prayer mat as well as a cargo mat. Christopher Buxton, managing director of Lexus at AFM said: “The Lexus LX 570 is our best-selling vehicle thanks to its strong ties with the UAE. Now Lexus fans who are looking for an even more premium driving experience can enrich their lifestyle with this exclusive luxury SUV.” The LX 570 Signature comes in formidable 5.7l V8 engine producing 362 hp and delivering 90% of its peak torque at just 2,000 rpm. SpECIfICATIONS
12 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2017
Engine
V8
Engine size
5.7l
power
362hp
Torque
90% at 2,000rpm
ROUNDTABLE
READY FOR ACTION High on the agenda at the Safety and Efficiency Roundtable was the need for greater interaction between OEMs, suppliers and the fleet industry.
Are we heAding in the right direction?
The first part of our special coverage of the T&FME Safety and Efficiency Roundtable
14 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2017
ROUNDTABLE
t
he good news is that the transportation and truck industries are much improved when it comes to safety and efficiency. The not so good news is that there is a lot more to be done. Last month, Truck & Fleet Middle East assembled one of largest and broadest collections of representatives ever put together in the region to discuss how these two closely linked concerns are currently affecting fleets. And what can be done to keep driving forward. In the first of two special articles covering the event, the experts discuss the biggest challenges in the fleet and its progress to date. The debate was both lively and engaging. By drawing togeher such a broad collection of representation of the transportation industry from fleet operators, fleet customers, vehicle manufacturers, as well as technology and lubricant specialists, it was a fascinating insight into how the industry is evolving in the region. It also helped to highlight where fleets could improve their operations by becoming leaer and leaner and smarter. Most importantly the discussion highlighted that by doing so, fleets can save costs and potentially lives on the roads. Beginning the debate, Thomas Edelmann, founder and managing director, RoadSafetyUAE said that growing awareness and the rolling out of new regulation is beginning to stimulate momentum that should lead to safer roads, in the UAE at least. “We all witnessed on 1st July in the UAE the introduction of the holistic seatbelt law which is a milestone,” he said turning to JanErik Thoren and Mohammad Sameer from Volvo Trucks. “I think Volvo being inventors of the seatbelt must have been shaking their heads for a long time but now we have made it mandatory in the UAE. In the beginning of the year in the first quarter we also saw the introduction of education for the driving of articulated trucks. There was a huge vacuum.” Edelmann and his organisation have worked closely together with the RTA and Scania to ensure this critical training is given to driving instructors. It is hoped this can cascade down to their students. Reminding the panel that the 1st October saw the implementation of practical training being made mandatory and also included in the driving licence curriculum, he drew parallels with the UAE government’s own clean air and safety strategy and an increased awareness in the media as a sign that road safety is high on the national agenda. “All the indicators are that we’re heading in the right direction. Whenever you open
AN INDUSTRY UNITES • Brodie von Berg, head of sales and marketing, Middle East and Australasia, MiX Telematics • Vijaya Bhaskara, training manager, Scania Middle East FZE • Thomas Edelmann, founder and managing director, RoadSafetyUAE • Abhijit Vilas Gadhave, manager, Logistics Procurement & Supply Management (P&SM), Etihad • Colin Hodgson, technical manager, Chevron • Niels Kirn, head of sales and marketing, Middle East, MiX Telematics • Adriaan De Kock, area business manager, Chevron • Vinit Malhotra, general manager, Middle East RoadNetwork, ATS World • Franz von Redwitz, managing director, MAN Truck & Bus Middle East • Francis Roque D’Souza, warehouse manager, Etihad • Paul Staley, project manager, Transafe Logistics • Mohammad Sameer, marketing and communications, Volvo Trucks • Jan-Eric Thoren, managing director, Volvo Trucks • Stephen White, Editor, Truck & Fleet Middle East
a newspaper there is stuff about road safety, truck safety and events happening. We and many stakeholders are doing a lot, and clearly the media in the UAE is super interested in the cause. So going back to the orginal question, we do more than we used to do and I think we’re in a good place – substantiated by the Vision 2021 in the UAE.” G. V. Bhaskara Reddy, a training manager at Scania Middle East, agreed that including articulated vehicle training into the registration was a significant step: “Currently in the UAE we have one licence to drive a rigid or articulated unit; and frequently we see drivers that don’t have the training causing accidents when they do.” Referring to an incident during a training exercise, he highlighted that trying to improve driver training, “is not a marketing gimmick we are talking about lives,” he solemnly. “We’ve come a long way but there’s a long way to go.” “The most important thing to me is that the driver is able to use his vehicle. That’s why we have offered driver training through ProfiDrive for a long time,” added Franz von Redwitz, managing director, MAN Truck & Bus Middle East. He added: “We offer it for the whole region for every sale of truck. We offer it number one because it can save 10-15% of fuel easily with less wear. It’s a costsaver particularly when the guys know how to utilise all their features of the vehicle and how to operate it safely.” MAN Truck & Bus Middle East has been championing safety and efficiency through a series of events over the past year giving managing direcor Franz Von Redwitz an opportunity to assess the impact of driver fatigue. Franz von Redwitz elaborated on the point: “In Europe, we have a lot of environmentally friendly trucks but we also have limitations on driving time. “One of my biggest concerns that I often see is that the drivers are spending so many hours behind the wheel and there are no legal limitations on that in this region. If a truck is involved in an accident it gets ugly because it carries a lot of weight. “I think (lessening drive time) is something that we should look for as an industry – not only from the manufacturer side but also from an operator side. Because every driver that is behind the wheel for more than ten hours without a break is turning a truck into a very dangerous thing.” AIMINg FOR zERO ACCIDENTS
As the regional managing director of NOVEMBER 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 15
ROUNDTABLE
Volvo Trucks, Jan-Eric Thoren represents a company that has given itself the challenge of aiming to reduce accident rates to zero. He also feels that the region is going in the right direction but it is important to continue the progress already made. “There are quite a few steps taken but there is a possibility to do more,” he commented. “I think that is the main takeway so far. The zero accident vision is something that we at Volvo have officially announced and it is mind boggling (when you first think about it) in the beginning but I think that really is something that we must aim for. I also think I think there are some low hanging fruit out there, such as tyres, old trucks, like the seat-belt laws that came through this year. While Volvo pioneered safety-belt technology in the 1950s it has continued to focus on safety and funds its own research into road accidents and studies. Mohammad Sameer, marketing and communications, Volvo Trucks said that while he feels safety and efficiency are major concerns in the UAE there should be a far-reaching simliar drive to address
them across the Middle Eastern countries. In any country, training, he said, is key. “We should not be just talking about selling trucks as we must train people that we sell to. It’s really important that the person that is driving should be aware of the importance of safety because he’s driving a big machine which could be dangerous if not controlled in the right manner.” TRANSPoRTER ViEWPoiNT
Paul Staley is project manager at Transafe Logistics, a company that deals primarily in the highly regulated movement of liquid goods and dangerous materials. He described progress in regulations and initiatives as gradual but he added, “it is still progress. Whenever we’re talking about human lives, and of course safety and efficiencies, I often figure that you need to switch that around so that inside a company you can see efficiencies but also recognise that safety is a fantastic and positive by-product of making huge efficiencies.” Transafe Logistics has recently installed an FMS system allowing it to monitor driving hours. He explains that
it’s really important that the person that is driving should be aware of the importance of safety. he’s driving a machine which could be dangerous if not controlled”
the cross-border transporter is able to warn after about 4.5 hours of driving whether a 45-minute rest has been taken: “We receive an alarm,” he explained. “It is not 100% accurate but it is working.” He continued: “We’re a relatively small operation and have one control tower operator who receives that warning. We also have the operations staff, myself as the fleet management system manager, and the director of operations that can see the alarm. If it’s not acknowledged or at least received by the branch, wherever that branch may be, we know we need to implement an action. “While safety is definitely something that is being pushed from above (nationally), at the small scale the thought process of transporters should be to take care of our staff and our assets. Although I think the cost savings are the main things that get listened to.” Abhijit Vilas Gadhave, manager, logistics procurement & supply management (P&SM), Etihad (which uses third-party transporters) added to Von Redwitz’ observations on the need to fight driver fatigue. “We don’t see many rest areas
MiX TElEMATiCS oN REDuCiNG EXPoSuRE AND FlEET SizE What gets us out of bed in the morning is reducing the frequency and the severity of motor vehicle crashes and therefore the impacts to our society. We also want to enable our customers to realise efficiencies in their business and cost savings. But how can we improve safety? The most obvious and easiest thing that we can go after is to reduce exposure. If we reduce our exposure; we’re not travelling miles we don’t need and we’re achieving the business objectives of having efficiency. We see a need to do the same work that we’re doing today with fewer assets We’ve also got lots of customers that don’t consider themselves as transport companies because it is done by in-house fleets. They are mobilising resources and tools to fulfil service obligations to their customer but if you actually look at the
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demand and the number of vehicles to fulfil that demand, they can also realise efficiencies in terms of the fleet size. By doing something so simple as putting in a booking or a scheduling tool, we can consolidate demand and therefore use fewer assets to deliver; if we have less exposure we have less this trips. And that can be as simple as a seven dollar per month, off-the-shelf, booking or or scheduling tool. For higher volumes, sophisticated transport management systems have tools to take the demand, put it together, and during this planning exercise consolidate all the trips into as few trips as possible; to use fewer assets and reduce exposure. We also really need to be able to take real-time information from what’s happening to enable us to adjust our planning. It sounds easy but when we’ve got someone who’s perhaps playing off an excel sheet or a piece of paper, or even a white board, how do you go back and re-optimise your plan because one vehicle is late? Fleet can use off the shelf planning and what we really focus on is creating the links between them. So if you have a
planning tool, using our APIs and our integration points, we can enable the planning tools to be smarter to know exactly what’s happening; where are the vehicles now, and are they on time? I can then plan to use the asset again. We had one customer with a fleet of about 100 vehicles and they had adhoc demand coming in. They had a scheduling team – these were experienced people that understood the operation, what they should be doing, the routes, all those sorts of things – we plugged in our tool and linked it to what was actually happening on the road and just in the space of a month they were able to realise that they could reduced their fleet by 5% n one month. And since then they’ve been running for about over a year and some vehicles that they have are still stacked because they leased them under contract and ouldn’t return them – but they’re not suffering the costs of running those vehicles every day. If we challenge the efficiency of how many assets we need, and how many kilometres we travel on the road, we can have a material impact to safety and the efficiency of what fleets are doing.
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ROUNDTABLE
oN A JouRNEy
RooM FoR iMPRoVEMENT Fleets should aim for low-hanging fruit when it comes to safety and efficiency – many solutions are both cost-effective and easy to implement.
for drivers,” he said. “We don’t own fleet but we are working with truck transport companies which take our containers to and from the sea port. “They load the container in the evening and then come to us. They don’t have an area to park, or a place to spend the night. I think more needs to be done to provide them with stops where they can take a good rest.” Vinit Malhotra, general manager, Middle East Road - Network, ATS World, which has contracts with many large express companies such as TNT and DHL informed the other members of the roundtable that his company is using a GPS tracking system which, “shows us at what speed the driver is doing and alerts us to hard braking. We’re able to lock the speed to 90 kp/h – and a supervisor can get in touch with drivers.” According to Malhotra there is a difference between the standards of trucks and drivers in fleets and those that are owned by single or small fleet vehicle operators. He believes they are a major risk on the roads. “In Dubai, we have a lot of single truck owners – as much as 50% – which are the main problem. Single truck owners don’t go through any form of training except through the RTA test. “There are people with two or three trucks and, as of today, there are no rules regarding the models of trucks they should be using – we try to keep the models below the age of 7-8 years but there are trucks on the road that are 20 years old.” ATS World’s head of its road network operation said that he also 18 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2017
Single truck owners don’t go through any form of training except through the rtA test. there are people with two or three trucks and, as of today, there are no rules regarding the models of trucks they should be using”
feels tyres are a major contributor to some of the poor condition of trucks operating in the Gulf region. “Another problem is the age of the tyres,” he remarked. “As a trucking company, we do use third party transporters sometimes, and we have seen treads that are not even at 20%, whereas our clients that we are working for are looking for at least 75%. It becomes difficult to find safe trucks in this market.”
NEED FOR CONTROL Volvo Truck’s Jan-Eric Thoren said that training can save lives and fleets can score quick wins by better management of tyres and maintenance.
Brodie von Berg, head of sales and marketing, Middle East and Australasia, MiX Telematics believes the region is on a journey, “and pardon the pun in that – but going from poor performance to excellent performance is never going to end, and in terms of improving efficiency and the number of accidents we’re always going to drive towards zero.” He continued: “We look at a picture where you have road infrastructure for instance, like in the UAE, that is improving. I’ve been here six years and I’ve certainly seen in improve in that time. We can rally around people like Thomas Edelmann at RoadSafetyUAE to raise awareness and improve that. Likewise, training and education for drivers is improving and will evolve over time. “But in terms of commercial road transporters, there are things they can do to be visible on the roads; being safer and promoting safer driving. And that’s really where we focus as a company and we encourage our customers to have a land transport management system to do things like manage driving hours. “There might be a mandatory requirement, depending on what country you are operating in, where you might be limited to no more than four or five hours of driving. But how do you police that? How do you manage that in your
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ROUNDTABLE
organisation? How do you train a driver to be aware of it? There is so much more to it. “Pulling it all together with this system will put controls in place and you will see a direct result in terms of efficiency.” His colleague at Middle East, MiX Telematics Niels Kirn, head of sales and marketing, said that the company is also focused on increasing road safety in fleets through providing them with a variety of data and systems: “We have a system where we can directly see the driving hours of the drivers. We also have other systems where not only the driver gets an alert but the fleet manager can get results and reports.” Chevron is one of the world’s leading energy companies and also a major lubricant provider and Adriaan De Kock, area business manager, Chevron, explained how the company has its own insight into the challenges of improving safety and efficiency in fleets as it has also run its own programme of improving safety and operational efficiency for many years. BiGGEST FlEET MiSTAKES
Chevron’s technical manager Colin Hodgson drew on his engineering background to look at the role of the truck as an asset in a business and how uptime could be improved
going from poor to excellent performance is never going to end. we’re always going to drive towards zero in terms of crashes and improved efficiency”
if fleets look at deeper into their oil drain interval programmes. The panel discussed how many companies in the region continue to not understand that oil drain intervals, and therefore uptime, could be far higher in the UAE, if fleets changed their purchasing habits. In an attempt to lower costs many fleets are buying by tender, for example, but it was argued by some members of the roundtable that this narrows the opportunity to receive a full range of value additions from their suppliers. Particularly, as many products may fit into the range specified in a tender contract encouraging fleets to opt for the one at the lowest price rather than one that may more closely suit their own requirements. Fleets may also be missing out on opportunities to work with a supplier to further improve the efficiency of their fleets. Buying consumables such as lubricants by tender could be enhanced if they worked with their supplier to put together a programme for further increases to their oil drain intervals. (During the rountable discussion, it was suggested that it is now possible to have oil drain intervals of 80-90,000km in the UAE market where sulphur is lower than in Saudi Arabia. Despite that, many manufacturers continue to encourage transport and logistics companies to to do it an interval 20,000km.)
From the roundtable discussion it also became clear that while many larger fleets do have a greater understanding that the fewer times they bring a truck back to the workshop the more efficient and safer it is, they still make many of the same mistakes of their smaller peers on the road. However, the panellists agreed that some companies do not have a full understanding of what the profitability of their trucks are on an annual basis – leaving them struggling even to calculate the real cost of a truck being down for a even a minimal period of 12 hours for changes, repairs or maintenance. Ultimately being “procurement driven” and price-driven are clearly major weaknesses in many fleet operations. BREAKiNG EVEN
It was suggested during the discussion that in the current market, transporters that are operating cross-borders are using the opportunity to fuel in Saudi Arabia to take advantage of lower fuel. While those that are fuelling at only 20% in Dubai and making the 80% balance up in Saudi Arabia to save costs, they are also using diesel with higher numbers of particulates (like sulphur) and are losing the opportunity to keep their vehicles on the road for longer.
CASE STUDY: EXTENDINg INTERVALS Adriaan de Kok describes Chevron as “an integrated energy company operating in three business areas and ranked number two among largest companies headquartered in the US, Chevron deploys technologies that enhance business value in every aspect of the company’s operations.” As an example, Gulf operation Urbacon Construction have been using Delo® Gold Ultra SAE 15W-40 engine oil and Caltex LubeWatch® for over three years. Urbacon is engaged in road, earthwork and civil construction projects in Qatar – mechanically demanding activities especially in the hot & dusty conditions across the Middle East. Their engines operate in summer temperatures of up to 55ºC. Reliable lubrication and cooling is extremely important. Urbacon have very high equipment demand and uptime requirements regardless of the environmentaloperating conditions.
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“We need high quality lubricants with strong aftersales support to increase durability and reliability of ourmachines. We also need to deliver projects on time andwithin budget, and focusing on reliability engineering helps us do that,” explained Ghassan Tayyan – Director, Finance, Urbacon Doha, Qatar. He added: “We used to change the oil every 10,000 km in our buses and thanks to the robust formulation in combination with Caltex LubeWatch® we have increased oil drain interval by 50% with no unscheduled down time attributed tolubrication issues. It is important to use a premium oiland we feel Delo® Gold Ultra SAE 15W-40 is just that.” After several years, Urbacon continues to enjoy the benefits of extended oil drain and high reliability on the fleet. “We ran samples from the fleet through the LubeWatch® program
to monitor oil condition,” commented Bahie Hassan, STLE, CLS Caltex Lubricants Country Manager, Mannai Corp, Doha, Qatar. “We were able to increase the oil drain interval to 15,000 km on the testvehicles by proactively using the LubeWatch program. In all cases, oil parameters and wear metals remained within limits, despite the extreme operating conditions. The ability to extend oil drain reinforces why we recommend Caltex branded products to help equipment run better longer.”
ROUNDTABLE
AT THE CENTRE oF CHANGE Franz von Redwitz and MAN Truck & Bus Middle East have been working with RoadSafetyUAE on raising safety awareness in the UAE.
“Of course, we can lengthen the service intervals and that is possible,” said MAN Truck & Bus Middle East’s managing director Franz von Redwitz. “However we do it based on our experience. We know in Europe trucks run for longer because the sulphur content is much lower. We work with customers all the time to extend the service intervals – and if you fuel up in the UAE then that’s fine, but fuelling up over the Saudi border will completely change the game.” ATS World’s general manager for land transport Vinit Malhotra wanted to discuss how fleets are affected by downtime, describing it as an important cost-factor: “For example, 100 trucks bought at one time are running on the same road and I could have 20 trucks that need to go in for service… the main worry is I need to have back-ups. I send a truck to a manufacturer and it is automatically off the road for two or three days, and each day we are losing revenue.” “If you cascade your service intervals you also don’t need to have 30 vehicles off the road on one day,” replied Franz von Redwitz. “We can a do a few trucks per day then over the whole week: or we can utilise time when the truck is standing such as at nighttime – as this is affecting your operational capability.” UNDERSTANDINg COSTS
According to Malhotra there is also a challenge for fleet businesses that do not fully understand the cost of their vehicles. “You need to have a calculation of what is the real cost per truck per kilometre – this should include the cost of the truck, the 22 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2017
maintenance costs, the insurance cost, etc. However, in the present market and with the competition that is out there, if you don’t know the real cost, then you tend to sell at a low cost. In the long-term you will suffer.” Drawing on his experience in the bus sector, Franz von Redwitz described the dangers of tenders being only about price: “I have a former life in the bus industry where we also had these problems. Cities were tendering for buses then putting in specifications, and we were telling them you are buying these for 10, 15 years and if you buy by price then it will be very bad for your total cost of ownership. “As an industry, we have brought together operators and the manufacturers together through an organisation called the UITP, which is based in Brussels and very well-established in the MENA region, and have managed to establish tender rules and standards that are not obligatory but mainly used. Currently there is a tender that is from the RTA for buses and they are using those UITP international tender standards where aspects such as TCO are considered. “This reflects things like oil intervals, change intervals for filters, the lubricants the manufacturer allows, etc – it is a complex building of a tender that could help fleet owners to look at things like uptime and no un-scheduled workshop visits. We can do that and it can help the purchase of new equipment be it a new truck or a drum of oil. “But after a certain age of a truck, then where do you stand?” Replied Malhotra. “After let’s say 1 million km, then the cost is basically a hinderance to the fleet owner because
we engage with a lot of fleet customers, possibly thousands as there so many small contractors that service companies like Aramco. while 50% of those on the road are small owner/ operators, we’ve got a really good chance to influence the other 50%”
the truck is null and void after five years. “At that point the overheads are quite high on a truck. As a manufacturer what do you recommend the age of the truck should be on the road? “Look at the operators on the European roads, where the competition is the hardest on the planet,” said Franz von Redwitz. “The cost of buying the truck is not even 5% of your balance sheet because the fuel and driver are very expensive. They are using the trucks for three or four years. “After five years in a normal operation you’re running costs are getting higher; the best time for our trucks in terms of workshop turnover is between five and seven years because then the operators are still bringing the trucks…afterwards they are going to the owner/operators who are repairing them in the backyard. They have a different kind of balance sheet, they don’t have the right capital to buy a new truck. It’s very difficult for them to get finance and that’s why they have to rely on those old trucks.” “I think one of the biggest mistakes fleets make is being reactive not proactive,” states Paul Staley. “Let’s take the training offered by manufacturers to drivers for example. After (the training is given) it’s not always possible to keep the same driver; the assets move around; and is not always possible to get new assets. The reactive aspect is then in the hands of the operators who need to pick up the slack or to make up a gap between a fully trained driver with a brand new fleet.” MiX Telematics’ Brodie von Berg said its many interactions with fleets in the region and, as such, is in a strong position to examine the strengths and weakness of the transport industry in the Middle East region. “We engage with a lot of fleet customers, possibly thousands as there so many small contractors that service companies like Aramco. While 50% of those on the road are small owner/ operators, we’ve got a really good chance to influence the other 50%. There’s a huge opportunity there but sometimes I see a disregard for contractors that are running 2PL and 3PL transport models and how efficient or how unsafe they are. “I’ve seen some cost-leaders in the logistics industry who take greater care for those contractors because they know ultimately it is going to impact their costs to do business. I would say a greater regard for contractors and – Chevron is a great example of that where they have programmes that focus on contractors and their well-being – will ultimately drive their efficiency.”
INTERVIEW
T&FME talks ATS Shipping’s GM Vinit Malhotra
I
f you are a transporter, ATS World’s General Manager - Middle East Road Network, Mr. Vinit Malhotra’s insight into dealing with increasing client demands and rising costs will sound familiar. Charged with overseeing the land transport division of ATS’ multi-million dollar operation, this 20-year veteran, has to juggle the rigours of fleet management across the Gulf with the demands of being available 24/7 for his team and clients. “For the trucking side I handle the corporate clients. Some of these customers I’ve been dealing with for years and in today’s world it matters to
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have a personal connect with your customers so that we being their service provider knows what the customer requirement are and gives them exactly what they want without compromising on cost or service. It really helps,” he tells T&FME. Malhotra started his road network career back in 1997. Coming from a machinery background he had to learn about fleet operations from scratch, he says. His induction into transportation saw Malhotra spending time in the workshop before he could establish himself as an operations manager. Having also enjoyed a stint in sales, he tells T&FME, his extended education has helped him appreciate all the factors
ATS has a huge expansion plan and is positive of the coming months and especially with Expo2020”
at play now that he is responsible for a fleet of more than 400 trucks. “Even today I learn from the mechanics and sit with them in the workshop. By doing that you get to know how the engine works, how the modifications are done, how the repairs are done. There is nobody that can truly say they know everything; I can even learn something from a junior who is working with me,” he pauses to contemplate how that continues to assist his understanding of what is being communicated up to him. Then he comments: “…it means I can’t get fooled so easily!” ATS has been in the Middle East region for 25 years and the freight forwarding organisation is able to cover
INTERVIEW
to see what life is like as a mid-tier transporter
a complete range of logistics services. These include areas such as: sea and air freight forwarding, general transport logistics and domestic transportation and warehousing and distribution. The company has also expanded its road transportation fleet by almost 150 trucks in the past 18 months, helping it to serve most of the major shippers and express companies in the markets in which operates, such as DHL, TNT, Aramex. When prompted, Malhotra expands on the ATS business set-up. “We move anything from pharmaceuticals to spare parts, wood, hardware. We have five offices in the UAE with our main operations hub based in Ras al-Khaimah.Our
liquid terminal based in Sharjah,Hamriya Freezone, Our new warehouse operation in JAFZA where we handle the movements of the trucks and the drivers. Our head office is on Sheikh Zayed Road (in Dubai) and another office in Abu Dhabi.” With the main ATS fleet workshop based outside of the twin main cities of the UAE, the company is able to keep its costs down while remaining close to its customers, he explains. “What gives ATS an edge is that we own our own fleet and have an in-house workshop for repairs and maintenance which helps us be more competitive and provide better and faster service to our customers at any given point and time,” ATS’ general manager remarks.
Everything depends on the contract. If you have 1,000 trucks and only two or three contracts, it’s a big holiday”
Furthermore, Malhotra tells T&FME magazine that the acquisition of new vehicles is being spurred on by the company’s ability to keep improving its service to clients and it has invested in technology to ensure they seamlessly plug into their businesses. “We are in a very competitive market, to stay afloat we see to it time and again to provide our customers with the best possible solutions/rates for their urgent requirements,” he comments. “We ensure all our services provided to our existing and new customers are offered the service of telematics GPS and real-time tracking of the trucks to know the exact location of the truck right from the loading point
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INTERVIEW
A lANd OF OppORTuNITy Infrastructure development and economic diversification are opening up opportunities in the freight transportation and warehousing segments for companies like ATS, according to Research and Markets. The MENA region offers long-term business opportunities in the areas of transportation, warehousing, and freight forwarding. This research service shed light on the economic and logistics trends in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan. Economic diversification and transportation infrastructure development are the two key drivers of economic and logistics industry growth in the MENA region. Rapid growth in eCommerce is expected to increase the demand for modern warehouses with advanced IT and digital solutions. Moreover, an increasing number of FMCGs, are expected to increase the demand for modern warehouses. This is likely to transform warehousing services in the region, specifically in areas of inventory management, cargo loading, order picking, and real-time monitoring of stocks. Establishment of cargo villages and logistics parks would facilitate goods traffic to East Africa, Central Asia, and the GCC. Technology adoption in the transportation sector is more advanced compared to other emerging economies in the region. Paperless customs clearance, cargo and container tracking, and advanced cold chain transportation are some of the areas benefiting from the increased use of technologies. In order to have a competitive advantage, logistics companies are expected to prepare themselves for this change, offer a wide range of services, and make more in technology-related investments.
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Full RANGE OF SERVIcES ATS offers a full range of services to its clients and plugs into the companies other sea and air freight operations.
to the end destination via email. This value added service helps them to keep abreast with their shipment of roads which enables them to have a seamless process with us. He continues: “We’re also in the process of being empowered by SAP for our systems.” According to Malhotra: “Our entire team works very closely with our clients to understand their requirements, ATS has aligned its fleet management software with the systems used by the companies it is contracted by.” He comments that he has been pleased by the results. “Initially, it was difficult because every system has its teething problem but over time we configured and resolved the issue and within a couple of months we had it up and running,” he explains. The fleet itself are sub-divided into different type of trucks and trailer combinations including fuel tankers, box trailers, refrigerated trailers and an army of 10t trucks. He tells T&FME that much of its purchasing has to be aligned with its blue-chip client’s expectations as ATS’ own budgets. Expanding on the topic of fleet acquisition he returns to how everything depends on his customer’s requirements and the potential scope of business. Contract tenders can often specify the brands that are expected to be used, and brings a challenging dynamic into getting procurement approved. Fortunately, being two decades into the industry does help
Even today I learn from the mechanics and sit with them in the workshop. You get know how the engine works, how the modifications are done, how the repairs are done. In today’s world there is no one that can say they know everything”
shorten the process, he adds. One way to determine if a truck is right for your business, is to get them into a real-world scenario. Trialling prior to purchase can be crucial when you are buying many vehicles at one time. It also means acquisition can be determined by those who have to drive the vehicles for hours on end. “For instance, Mercedes had some new trucks and they said keep the truck for a week, use it and understand it,” Malhotra says before highlighting the importance of driver feedback. “You see it’s not only the management at the end of the day it is the driver…and if they are convinced…” he pauses. “The backbone of any fleet is our drivers...” Meeting requireMents
All through our conversation, Malhotra stresses the importance of meeting customer requirements. He looks fondly back to a previous role where there were fewer contracts and more trucks: “everything depends on the contract. If you have 1,000 trucks and only two or three contracts, it’s a big holiday. But when you have 40 contracts and 400 trucks then it’s a big headache because everyone has a different requirement; different SLRs.” That sounds like a lot of paperwork, T&FME teases: “But with SAP coming in it will be less,” he replies. Being a company that crosses the entire Gulf region, ATS has not been immune to the
INTERVIEW
problems posed by a slowing Saudi Arabian market, but Malhotra says the company continues to explore how it can expand. A new outpost in the eastern Saudi Arabian city of Dammam is likely to open soon, he adds. “ATS has a huge expansion plan and is positive of the coming months and especially with Expo2020 around the corner which will be a boost for the entire industry. “As freight forwarders, we are eager to know what’s in stored for us with rising fuel costs and incoming VAT implementation,” he continues. “Being the general manager of the company doesn’t mean I am not given targets, we all are given our individual target which help us grow as one team and achieve success for the organisation and grown professionally,” he remarks. “The target set from the top management are challenging yet encouraging.” “When VAT is initially implemented for sure there will be teething issues like when any other rule which has been set, but over time these implementation and rules help build a country. “As a logistics company once VAT is implemented we would have our customers absorbed the additional cost as we are a support system to our clients and a role in
Being the general manager of the company doesn’t mean I am not given targets, we all are given our individual target which help us grow”
helping them establish their road network. We don’t manufacture their products so it is not going to affect the logistics industry. On managing fuel costs, he says that the company is having to make the most of its ability to work cross-borders and fuel up in Saudi Arabia when it can. Despite the challenges and stress of running a fleet, Malhotra says his passion for the fleet and transportation industry remains. “I love it. My policy is to enjoy your work. It is stressful. Operations is a very stressful job and all the time you’re on call which is time consuming but if you love your job at the end of the day you will enjoy it…. Even today (when we speak) there are operations issues and I must be ready to pick up the phone 24/7 in case my team would need any assistance. “As and when my operations or sales individual faces a issue which needs my assistance they call me as they know there is going to be an solution to their query on the spot as we encourage our team to work as one family which brings out the best from each one of my team members. “When we have a weekly sales meet, I ensure to reinforce to them that ensuring our customers’ requirements are met without any flaw is very essential as that’s one of our core values in our organisation.”
OpERATIONS SuppORT ATS’ main base of operations is located in the northern emirate of Ras Al Khaimah where it also manages its own worksop.
SAudI TO cONTINuE TO GROW AT 9% According to the “Saudi Arabia Commercial Vehicles Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2021,” the market for commercial vehicles in Saudi Arabia is projected to grow 9% during 2016 to 2021, based on robust infrastructural developments coupled with growing logistics requirements arising from increased construction activity. Moreover, increasing number of smart city projects and growing population coupled with growing government’s focus on promoting energy efficiency are some of the other major factors anticipated to positively influence the commercial vehicles market in Saudi Arabia over the next five years. The tourism industry in Saudi Arabia is cyclical and is largely restricted to religious pilgrimages. In August 2015, for over 200,000 pilgrims who arrived in Jeddah and Medina, approximately 17,700 buses were deployed to transport these pilgrims. In order to address increasing transportation needs to accommodate the huge number of pilgrims during Hajj, the Saudi Arabian government is importing new buses with advanced technology to operate in harsh climate conditions, which will boost the country’s commercial vehicle market. In order to accommodate growing vehicle fleet demand of the Kingdom, Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority (SAGIA) plans to increase investments toward strengthening and expanding the country’s road infrastructure. The Kingdom’s Ministry of Economy and Planning is increasing overall spending to USD$27 billion to improve and expand the country’s road infrastructure. These infrastructure projects are anticipated to boost the sales of commercial vehicles.
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INTERVIEW
ESTABLISHED IN THE MIDDLE EAST DAF is returning to the UAE but has notched up success in Jordan and has recently adopted a more aggressive strategy in KSA.
Taking a sTep up
It’s a meeting of minds and ambition as DAF and Al-Naboodah’s ANGE join forces 28 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2017
INTERVIEW
i
t’s a rare event in the history of T&FME that the magazine talks to a major OEM that has been prepared to step back from the market for a few years and take the risk of beginning again with a new distributor in tow. DAF Trucks, the famous Dutch name plate, chose to do just that in the UAE, and having turned its back on the truck market at the beginning of the decade it officially re-emerged with the ink drying on a new distributor partnership with Al-Naboodah last month. Michiel Kuijs, managing director of sales operations, DAF Trucks and Ajit Kumar, COO: Commercial, Transport and Electrical of ANGE, sit down to talk to T&FME minutes after they had completed a press briefing. Immediately the pair seem at ease with each other and the arrangement they’ve come to. Kumar tells the magazine that it is exciting to be able to see the DAF marque back on the road in the region and gives them the opportunity to serve the UAE market at full speed. “There has been limited availability, but this is a real step up to come into the Middle East at this time for DAF Trucks,” he begins, before suggesting the company’s attention had drifted away from the region. “Until the recent past, availability was limited because of the strategic focus of DAF into other markets, but over the past two or three years it has developed products that are suited to the UAE.” The UAE announcement is a belated statement of intent in the country as the company has already launched its range elsewhere in the region, including Saudi Arabia. But Kuijs is keen to stress that the return of DAF has been deliberately slowed to ensure that its trucks and logistical support can cope. “We’ve been testing the behavior of the powertrain in 50o C temperature, fuel economy, performance; the load pulling and carrying of the product, the behavior of the electronics...” he continues. “And in the last six months we have been test marketing these products to understand how they would behave in UAE conditions – that was naturally required because the trucks are going to be operating in this environment. Now at the end of the summer, we are ready to roll-out fully. He adds: “The feeling within ourselves, our team and our partners, is that we have the right product for the market. We are excited. Absolutely we are.” DAF is in the process of setting up a completely new distribution network in the Middle East as part of new strategy to re-engage with the Middle East and Africa markets, explains Kujis. He remarks: “DAF Trucks started three or four years ago with
a new strategy to have more focus on Africa and the Middle East. You can can only do that by delivering the best products to a market together with a good dealer organisation and a good network.” He tells T&FME that, in Al-Naboodah, DAF Trucks feels it has a partner that is closely aligned with its own corporate culture and approach to business – and a shared heritage of being a family-owned business. DAF’s departure coincided with a soul-searching review of how it relates to the end-user globally; to return with a partner that understands why it is important for the brand is a major factor in their partnership. “We are so happy that we have finally found a new partner and cooperation, with Al-Naboodah in Dubai that actually shares the values of our company,” says the DAF Trucks director of sales. “The biggest problem in the past was, while we were converting within DAF Trucks to a more quality customerfocussed organisation, we were still stuck with a lot of old distributors and partners that did not feel the same about quality perception and customer satisfaction. With Al-Naboodah we have a partner who thinks in the same manner that we like at Daf Trucks.” ANGE’s Kumar adds: “It is also important that these are also two family owned companies that share similar values – this is why we are able to come together (at this point).” During its absence from the truck market, DAF forged strong ties with AlNaboodah in the bus sector in the UAE and the pair have supported over 500 buses to the RTA over the past nine years. “In terms of a relationship it goes back nine years with DAF people coming to train our engineers and technicians for the DAF engines that have been running with the RTA. We have been talking and when DAF decided to relook at the Middle East, we decided to reactivate that conversation,” says Kumar. “We then of course had to pass the criteria that DAF has for dealers to meet their standards. So, for the last two years, we have been working aggressively together to bring the trucks to the market.” The deal is also an important statement for Al-Naboodah. While it is already present in the commercial vehicles market with brands such as Ashok Leyland, VDL and Sunwin, amongst its ranks, bringing DAF Trucks into the fold places it in a strong position to take on the heavy truck sector. “It is part of our portfolio expansion. We are already one of the largest players in the commercial vehicles industry in the UAE but we can now extend that portfolio into heavy duty trucks.” With Al-Naboodah being one of the NOVEMBER 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 29
INTERVIEW
A cOMpLETE RANGE IS cOMING While DAF and ANGE are concentrating on 6x4 and 4x2 variants they are planning to bring the complete Euro 3 range to the UAE.
best-known multi-faceted conglomerates in the UAE the pair will be able to approach the construction arms of the group for potential custom. When asked about whether that will mean a quick win in terms of business, Kumar suggests they won’t be taking it for granted. “Within our own organisation, of course we will be using DAF and Al-Naboodah will be one among the leading target customers,” he begins to explain. “Obviously being part of the family does give us that opportunity, but we also have to compete and give them the best product. At the end of the day that is their business, so we need to have the best product to take care of their needs.” The mention of the word products naturally leads to a discussion on the vehicles that are coming to the UAE market. The pair tell the magazine that fleet owners will be given access to the complete range over time with the OEM and distributor already retailing 6x4 and 4x2 Euro 3-compliant versions of their vehicles. “That pratically covers all the haulage activity: we are also targeting the concrete sector and ready mix industry,” Kumar explains. “The only industry that will take time will be the high and heavy capacity rigid truck customers.” The heavy side of the truck market has changed considerably in the near-decade absence of DAF. Companies and brands such as Ford Trucks, Volvo, MAN and UD have all made ground to varying degrees of success in the intervening years. Kuijs thinks the development and testing of the truck goes beyond its competitors and the vehicles’ performance should be a trump card. “From a DAF point of view, one of the differences that we have compared to the other 30 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2017
it’s very significant addition to our existing portfolio. adding this is like a jewel in the crown. it is a fantastic brand. it is one of the best built trucks in the world, and it’s a proud association for us”
brands is that we have a dedicated product development programme here in the Middle East,” he remarks. “We have developed the products over the past ten years to suit this difficult market. I am not saying anything bad about the competition, but we have done it differently from them…One of the key strengths of DAF now is the quality of the total truck for this area and region.” Agreeing, Kumar interjects confidently: “We are positioning as good or better than the competition.” He adds that it is not prepared to fight on price: “We are not going to sell a cheap truck, we are focusing on total cost of ownership, that is our concept.” The build-up to the launch has seen Al-Naboodah invest time and money into integrating DAF Trucks into its service, repair and maintenance network in the country, and Kumar tells T&FME that it has 400 technicians dedicated to commercial vehicles across the country as well as seven workshops. Customers are also being promised to receive its coveted 30-minute repair response support. “We are committed to reaching any customer within 30 minutes if they have an emergency break-down,” says Kumar. “We are already providing that service to customers and we are going to extend that to DAF.” He stresses that supporting heavy truck fleets should be, in some ways, easier than its other commercial vehicles customers. “You know, we operate in some very sensitive industries like school buses and public transport where the demands are greater. With a truck it is only the goods that are there...There are passengers in a bus and they need quicker attention,” he states. “We are
fully geared and understand the requirements of the market, and we are positioning ourselves with the trained technicians in our workshops, plus we have mobile workshops and recovery trucks already in place to take care of any eventuality a customer may face.” Kuijs adds: “We have thought about this for quite a while. We have worked with Al-Naboodah on the launch strategy for three years. That means we have done the training and have got prepared for this. Al-Naboodah made a big step when it came to training the whole team; getting parts on the shelf; they invested heavily in diagnostic tooling.” Al-Naboodah is handling the local support, but it will also come from the DAF Trucks team housed at its main manufacturing centre in Eindhoven. Kuijs says that in the future, if the demand for parts and trucks is there, it could also make sense to set-up a central DC or office somewhere in the Middle East; “At this stage we are still comfortable to provide support from Eindhoven.” He adds that, when it comes to the different products and configurations, DAF Trucks is entering the market with a two-way strategy. “Al-Naboodah is capable of putting some standardised trucks for the Middle East in stock, accessibility will be there. Customised trucks will also be available. Of course, they are custom-made in Eindhoven and within eight or nine weeks and we then ship them out to Dubai,” explains Kuijs. “So I think you have to do both ways. You cannot serve the market with only standardised trucks. And on the other hand you cannot serve the market with dedicated customer-build trucks because the lead times are too long
INTERVIEW
to serve this country. It will be a mix.” Kumar explains that all fast-moving and consumable parts on the truck will be available in-country to ensure rapid response to fleets in need of maximising a vehicle’s uptime; “It is only the big body parts that we have to wait three to five days of shipping times. We are already geared up for providing fast-moving and running gear parts at first pick.” Everything, Kuijs adds, will be focused on customer satisfaction rather than trying to drive as many trucks into fleets as possible; “but of course I won’t lie and say volume is not important because we have to build up a good and stable customer base. Otherwise, you can run off quite fast by selling a lot of
The feeling within ourselves, our team and our partners, is that we have the right product for the market”
READy AND EquIppED DAF recently delivered its 500th truck to Jordan since 2014 and has a rough terrain package for the region.
trucks to all customers, but if they are not satisfied and we lose them, we have lost more than we can gain. What we expect from Al-Naboodah is to carry on doing what they do and serve loyal customers. We want to pick up strategic customers one by one that add something to Al-Naboodah and something to their uptime – that is the most important element today in buying trucks. Kumar describes DAD as: “a very significant addition to our existing portfolio. Adding this is like a jewel in the crown. It is a fantastic brand. It is one of the best built trucks in the world, and it’s a proud association for us.” As heads forwards with Al-Naboodah, Kuijs is philosophical when looking back at DAF’s previous experiences in the UAE. “I’m not going to blame any of the parties; it just didn’t work out. As I said before we have changed our strategy within DAF Trucks – we are concentrating on customer satisfaction and low cost of ownership. A lot of partners around the world were not able to do that as well, which is why we came up with a new strategy for the Middle East and Africa. “In accordance with that you have to find partners that share the same values and understand the challenges that we are facing today. This is also an opportunity to support our long term goal of selling at least 10,000 trucks outside the EU. This year we have already sold 8,000 new trucks. We cannot fail because we are here to stay. We are coming back after six or seven years of absence and the only way to do it, is to do it right.”
500TH TRuck DELIVERED TO JORDAN DAF has delivered its 500th truck to Jordan since 2014. The delivery of a DAF CF85 4x2 Euro 3 tractor is indicative of the strong position of DAF Trucks in Jordan, where it is now the market leader. The 500th truck is part of an order of 50 trucks for Euro Shipping Services (ESS) in Amman. ESS is a large intermodal haulier that specialises in shipping, freight forwarding, container cargo, general cargo, air freight and warehousing. With 50 new DAF vehicles, ESS aims to capitalise on the growing demand for transport in Jordan. And the decision to opt for the CF85 is no coincidence, according to ESS-owners Issam Sacca and Mahmoud Omran: “The DAFs are extremely efficient as regards fuel consumption, which is one of the reasons why they have an incredibly favourable TCO. But also in terms of safety, reliability and robustness, the DAF CF is without doubt the truck that we want to add to our fleet. And we have great faith too in the aftersales support and in the extra services provided by the local DAF dealer, Manaseer.” For ‘rough terrain’ regions like the Middle East, DAF equips its trucks with – among other components – a heavy duty driveline, a reinforced wheel housing, an oversized cooling system and a specially adapted air intake. “The driving conditions in countries like Jordan can often be very demanding - and so we adjust our trucks accordingly,” says Michiel Kuijs, managing director sales operations. “The 16t and heavier truck market is around 600 vehicles and DAF has gained a market share of more than 25%.”
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AUTONOMY
DaTa mininG
T&FME finds out how a truck can drive itself more than a kilometre underground
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olvo Trucks is taking its first tentative steps into autonomous driving with a series of smallscale pilot trials. This month marks the completion of the first 12 months of an 18-month test of a modified FMX that is using a rack of sensors and intelligent hardware to plot its way through the Boliden mine in Kristineberg, Sweden. A youtube video demonstrating the truck in action went live this summer and shows Volvo Trucks’ then-chief technology office Torbjorn Holstrom stepping out of the gloom of a tunnel over kilometer below the ground and into the headlights of the truck which comes to an abrupt halt a few centimetres from the edge of his protective hat. Holstrom then gets in the cab on the passenger side and sits as the truck proceeds 32 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2017
to drive itself through the mine. It’s impressive and dramatically presented but it is a succinct demonstration of how autonomous technology, as Volvo Trucks puts, it can contribute to safe and productive transports in tough geographically limited application areas. “Through our cooperation with Boliden, the development of autonomous vehicles is entering an exciting new phase. This is the first time ever that self-driving trucks are being tested in regular operations underground, and the results will provide valuable input to our ongoing mission to transform technical breakthroughs into practical customer benefits,” explains Claes Nilsson, President Volvo Trucks. The vehicles used in the mine are series-built Volvo FMX trucks equipped with new functionality. Among other things, they include a system incorporating radar/
The strategy is not to say in 2025 it will look exactly like this, but to start small in different areas, failing maybe and learning”
laser-based sensors. This system is initially used to monitor the mine’s geometry and to generate a map of the route that the truck has to traverse. The collected information is then used to regulate the vehicle’s steering, gear changes and speed. On every new trip, the sensors are used to continuously scan the area around the truck and further optimise both the operation and the route. The technology used in the autonomous trucks makes it possible to optimise logistics in the mine in an entirely different way than at present. The trucks can operate continuously, and thanks to precise route planning and steady speed there is no congestion and it is possible to cut loading and unloading times. During blasting operations, drivers must usually wait until the mine gallery has been ventilated before the ore can be loaded, but with self-driving trucks there
AUTONOMY
HEAVY ANd sAfE sElf-dRiViNg wAsTE cOllEcTiON Together with Swedish waste management company Renova, Volvo Trucks is currently testing and researching how automated vehicles can contribute to safer, more efficient refuse handling and create a better working environment for drivers. The automated systems being tested are in principle the same as those fitted to the autonomous Volvo truck operating in the Kristineberg Mine. The first time the automated refuse truck is used in a new area, it is driven manually while the onboard system constantly monitors and maps the route with the help of sensors and GPS technology. The next time the truck enters the same area, it knows exactly which route to follow and at which bins it has to stop. At the first stop with the automated system activated, the driver climbs out of the cab, goes to the rear of the truck, brings out the wheelie-bin and empties it exactly the way the job is done today by operating the relevant controls. When the operation is completed, the truck automatically reverses to the next bin upon receiving the driver’s command. The driver walks the very same route that the truck takes and thus always has full view of what’s happening in the direction of travel. But why reverse instead of driving forward? “By reversing the truck, the driver can constantly remain close to the compactor unit instead of having to repeatedly walk between the rear and the cab every time the truck is on the move,” says Hans Zachrisson, Strategic Development Manager at Renova.
are no such restrictions. All this means that each truck can be utilised more efficiently and can carry out more transport assignments per shift. The vehicles become an integrated part of the mine’s overall production system. Smoother transport flow and steadier speeds are also accompanied by lower fuel consumption and less wear and tear. An autonomous truck must be at least as safe and reliable as a manually driven truck. If an obstacle appears near the truck, the vehicle stops automatically and the transport management centre is alerted. Of the six sensors included in the system, there are always two that monitor the same part of the truck’s surroundings. If a fault occurs with the truck, it can be remotely operated from the transport management centre. The Boliden Mine pilot coincides with other projects including a self-steering sugar cane harvester in Brazil and collaboration with waste management company Renova where a waste truck follows its crew on a rubbish collection route. Together they prove that Volvo is heading in the right direction but the company is being deliberately cautious when it comes to the development of self-driving heavy vehicles. Speaking to T&FME, Helene Mellqvist told the magazine that the company is prepared to let the technology progress gradually instead of betting the family jewellery on where it will end up. “When it comes to autonomous technology and you’ve seen our pilots that
This is the first time ever that self-driving trucks are being tested in regular operations underground, and the results will provide valuable input to our ongoing mission to transform technical breakthroughs into practical customer benefits”
will grow step by step,” she comments. “Autonomy may not be as involved in distribution as much as I thought when I started because a driver has a task in the truck for unloading and talking to customers. I (also) don’t think that society is ready yet.” At Volvo there appears to be a realisation that placing vehicles in controlled environments to do repetitive tasks is one thing but putting them into the complicated and dynamic real world is still a long way away. There is also a realisation that progress from here on in – and arguably unlike the era of engine emission development – will be driven not only by regulation but also by what the customer’s needs are. “The strategy is not to say in 2025 it will look exactly like this, but to start small in different areas, failing maybe and learning. We going into pilots with customers to explore both the technology and the social and business impacts,” says Mikael Karlsson, VP Productivity and New Concepts. “But yes the mining application could work in the Middle East. We are trying to do in strategic areas where we think it makes and where we can grow.” His colleague Sasko Cuklev, director Customer Solutions & New Concepts adds: “You’ve seen a glimpse of the future. From an industry stand-point the main focus should be in increased productivity, safety and energy efficiency. A self-driving truck may not be what the customer needs and that’s why it is important to listen to the customer to find out what their needs are.”
HANds-Off dRiViNg The trucks can operate continuously, and thanks to precise route planning and steady speed there is no congestion and it is possible to cut loading and unloading times.
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WORKSHOP
ESMA TYRE MONITORING A WORLD FIRST / SSAB NEW HARDOX GENERATION / KAHN DESIGN OPTS FOR COOPER TYRE/ ACDELCO TO LOWER DEPRECIATION
workshop ESMA tyre monitoring is “world first” BLAzES ANTI-COUNTERFEIT TRAIL WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY
SSAB UNVEILS NEW HARDOX GENERATION HIGH STRENGTH STEEL
The Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (Esma) says the launch of its tyre monitoring system in the UAE is a world first. The organisation has recently developed a second generation of electronic chip technology to monitor vehicle tyres; to prevent the use of substandard or recycled tyres on the country’s roads and enable relevant authorities to prevent tampering and monitor the level of tyre safety, which will directly
decrease the number of traffic accidents caused by the use of low-quality tyres. The smart chip has a unique serial number that is linked to the identification card of each tyre and can be read by a scanner or the driver’s smart phone. “We are proud that we, in Esma, through this pioneering innovation, are the first in the world to adopt a smart technology to regulate and monitor the tyre market,” said Abdulla Al Maeeni, director-general of Esma.
Al Maeeni added that The smart chip has a unique serial number that is linked to the identification card of each tyre and can be read by a scanner or the driver’s smart phone. During its participation in the Gitex Technology Week 2017, Esma launched several new and smart initiatives to provide access to Esma services. Esma is also launching MANAA, a control mechanism for electronic and electrical products in the UAE, this month.
Swedish manufacturer SSAB has launched its new generation of Hardox 500 Tuf wear plate for tipper bodies, buckets and containers According to the premium steel maker, it combines the best properties from Hardox® 450 and Hardox 500. The company claims Hardox 500 Tuf is tough enough to perform as a structural material in heavy-duty tipper bodies and buckets. Its performance is also proven in cold climates and freezing conditions. Superior wear and dent resistance allow for increased service life and the ability to withstand heavy impact. Typical working conditions include loading and unloading of heavy and sharp rocks in quarries and mines, handling large and heavy steel scrap, and in demolition when pieces of concrete with rebar are loaded or dropped into tippers. Hardox 500 Tuf has gone through rigorous pre-launch testing. A dump body used during testing, transported over 40,000 mt of crushed rock for more than a year with very low wear, SSAB claims.
INSIDE THIS MONTH’S WORKSHOP READ OUR LOOK AT CONTINENTAL’S VISION FOR THE FUTURE, HOW TO OPTIMISE COLD CHAIN TRANSPORTATION AND MORE 34 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2017
WORKSHOP
ACDELCO PROMISE TO REGION’S DRIVERS
kahn Design names Cooper as offiCial tyre TYRES
Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Europe said it has been designated as the first “Official Tyre” of Kahn Design, a UK-based company that specialises in the modification of motor vehicles in key global markets. The US company specialises in the design, manufacture, marketing and sales of replacement automobile and truck tyres, and subsidiaries that specialise in medium truck, motorcycle and racing tyres. Under this deal, Cooper will be the tyre of choice for a variety of Kahn’s coach-built vehicles, for which the Middle East is an important market, including its renowned range of coach built Flying Huntsman models, which are designed by the founder and design director of the Kahn Group himself; Afzal Kahn.
COATINGS Mohammed Al Fayyad, customer care and aftersales director at General Motors Middle East says that ACDelco’s new Paint Shield help owners to lower vehicle depreciation. While owning a new car comes with a feeling of joy, the satisfaction can sometimes be dashed by the first noticeable scratch on its glossy paintwork. The new ACDelco Paint Shield is designed to protect the most exposed areas of a vehicle while maintaining its value and appearance. Protecting vehicles from damage caused by scratches, stone chips and dust, one of ACDelco’s leading car care products provides a barrier against the Middle East region’s harshest environmental effects. Whether it’s airborne sand, the sunshine or even the weekly wash, ACDelco claims the paint shield offers year-round protection from damaging element – “Moreover, it provides enhanced paint protection against a carelessly opened door in
a car park or sand scuffs encountered during off-road driving and desert dune bashing, a pastime that many GCC residents enjoy.” Speaking about ACDelco Paint Shield, GM’s Mohammed Al Fayyad said: “One of the greatest joys of owning a new car is maintaining the vehicle in an ‘as-new’ condition for the longest possible time. Paint condition is one of the first things a second-hand buyer looks at, and is often the reason why a vehicle’s value depreciates. It helps new car owners to protect their investment.”
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TYRES
The game changeR
Rajiv Poddar on BKT’s offhighway success in the region
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arely into his mid-30s, Rajiv Poddar is the joint managing director at Balkrishna Industries Ltd., a $800 million conglomerate known for its flagship brand ‘BKT’, one of the worldwide leaders in off-highway tyres. BKT is on course to hit its target of $2 billion in turnover by 2020 and it is leading the charge of a handful of Indian companies that are establishing themselves globally – US$2 billion by 2020. The company has been undergoing a range expansion which has advanced fastest for the agriculture sector but is now being accelerated in the fastdeveloping off-highway tyre sector. Powering its growth in the off-highway segment is BKT’s new manufacturing facility at Bhuj in the state of Gujarat. It was under his dynamic leadership that BKT initiated the new $500 million
greenfield plant at Bhuj three years ago. Built on 300 acres it was designed to be one of the most state-of-the-art and modern factories in the world and boost overall production capacity by more than 75%. Poddar tells T&FME that the plant, which has been described as a game changer in the offhighway tyre industry is now fully operational and supplying the Middle East market. “Currently BKT is focusing on its range of All Steel OTR Radial tyres which includes tyres for rigid and articulated dump trucks, wheel loaders, motor graders, reach stackers, straddle carriers, multi-purpose vehicles, etc. We have very elaborate plans for OTR segment where we see a big potential going forward. Our new plant at Bhuj is geared up to offer excellent quality products in this segment.” The Buhj plant he adds will have a lot of additional capacity and range addition for “our All Steel OTR Radial sizes required
We have very elaborate plans for OTR segment where we see a big potential going forward”
for this market. BKT is now fully geared up to cater for the demands of the Middle East market. New sizes are being added to the All Steel OTR range which are suitable for the demanding conditions of this region.” When prompted for an example of how BKT has been supporting end-users in the often extreme environments of Middle East countries, he cites a successful deal to supply its 18.00R33 SR45 tyres for rigid dump trucks for a client operating in the cement mines of Oman. “They were successful in lowering the cost of operations substantially. Due to the strong carcass, the impact damages in these tyres were negligible.” In addition to its Bhuj operation, BKT operates three other plants in India in Aurangabad, Bhiwadi and Chopanki. The Gulf countries are linked to its Indian factories via its strong network of “committed channel partners” across the Gulf countries. NOVEMBER 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 37
TYRES
Poddar says feedback and demands from its distributors’ customers, “help tremendously in providing the inputs for product development. Product customisation happens as a part of our ongoing visits to different end users.” He continues: “We have seen that in the ‘Off Highway tire segment’ the concept of customisation in tyre has been successful. Our sales, service and technical teams are always on the go to reach out to end users and ensure BKT offers customised products for their requirements. BKT is able to offer this quickly and accurately are able to satisfy our customer requirements. “All the technology is developed in house and there is a high level of automation. BKT is proud to operate some of the most modern and well-equipped plants for the Off-Highway segment. This helps in ensuring higher level of reliability in the quality delivered. Even then as a part of our quality commitment we still apply more than 400 quality checks from raw material to finished goods stage to ensure strict adherence to our quality levels.” In the Middle East the oil prices have been the major concern over the past year for BKT as has political uncertainty. Likewise, Poddar adds, currency fluctuations have impacted the import potential in many countries in Africa. However, demand for off-highway tyres from the construction industry in the GCC continues to bolster its presence in the region. “The Middle East requirement is dominated by construction segment,” he says. “Mining, stone quarrying, port operations and material handling also form a big part. We see markets like Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE as the major demand drivers this year. “BKT has enjoyed an excellent patronage by most of the major construction companies in this region. It is really heartening to see that the BKT OTR radial range has been very well accepted in the market now. In the future, we see good opportunities arising in some markets as the preparations for important events like FIFA, Expo 2020 are under progress.” He describes the construction sector as being driven by ‘value for money’ and reliability, “as these products need to ensure highest machine utilisation with optimum cost.” Working in the off-highway tyre segment, places BKT in the B2B sector and Poddar tells T&FME that the company is supplying to both the OEM and replacement tyre markets: “However, as the tyre is a consumable product the requirement from the replacement market exceeds the OEM supply. Furthermore, BKT has a 38 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2017
POddaR ON BKT’S gREEN cREdENTialS
a TYRE TYRO The new Bhuj plant is Rajiv Poddar's dream project to place BKT at the cutting edge of the OHT and OTR industry.
as the tyre is a consumable product the requirement from the replacement market exceeds the Oem supply”
strong customer based who have been using BKT products from a long time therefore are well aware of the product performance. Due to this there is a strong repeat demand for the products. However, as BKT releases around 150 new sizes every year more and more new customers are associating themselves with BKT.” The new products are being funded by BKT investing 5% of its top line into research and development activities every year. Poddar says this is a necessary injection of cash back into product development for a company committed to an international presence. “Since our products are for ‘Off Highway’ requirements they need to adapt to local needs,” he remarks. “Over the years we have constantly adopted and worked on more variants to suit specific needs.”
SERViNg a laRgE gROuP Of iNduSTRiES The agriculture, construction, off-highway and industrial tyre markets are all covered by BKT.
"BKT was the first tyre company in India to be rated 100% compliant with REACH regulation in Europe. BKT has ISO 14001:2004 certified plants which shows the commitment towards environment. Further, the government of India has conferred the National Energy Conservation award to BKT for last three consecutive years. Besides BKT is also engaged in generating renewable energy and water recycling. "Safety is an important parameter at BKT and many steps are taken to ensure best safety practices at the plant level. There is a safety committee in each plant which meets every day to analyse and discuss safety related issues. We engage in periodic audits by national agencies to validate our safety practices. In order to ensure awareness, we celebrate 'safety month' for 30 days each year. We also conduct safety related trainings like fire drills, etc."
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FEATURE
ROLLING TOWARDS AUTOMATION Tyre-maker Continental lifts the lid on its e-mobility programme
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s a number of GCC governments begin to roll out their own plans, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Continental has released details on its own vision of supporting their focus on developing smart cities and boosting autonomous driving. With Dubai’s RTA’s (Roads and Transport Authority) ongoing goal to make 25% of all journeys driverless by 2030, and Saudi Arabia’s plans for the US$ 100 billion King Abdullah Economic City to be remodelled to better accommodate driverless cars, Continental is convinced it can find a demand for its technology. During the 2017 Frankfurt motor show (IAA), Continental presented the CUbE (Continental Urban Mobility Experience), an application developed to help a vehicle reach 40 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2017
ShAREd MOBiliTy Continental is working on enabling seamless mobility within urban environments.
a required destination safely and comfortably without a driver. CUbE is a development platform for the wider range of the company’s technologies that are needed to advance the operation of future driverless mobility systems. Autonomous, electrically powered vehicles – without a driver, steering wheel or brake pedal – are expected to make an important contribution to improving the traffic situation and consequently the quality of life in urban areas. In alignment with the development of driverless mobility, Continental has acquired a minority share participation in the French company EasyMile SAS. “We are partnering with EasyMile to enhance our capabilities in the development of technologies for fully autonomous driving in all urban areas – not just those the cars have been trained for,” explained Dr Elmar Degenhart, chairman of the Continental Board.
For seamless mobility, the cities of the future will require enhanced shared mobility systems”
“By 2050 more than two-thirds of all people will be living in cities, twice as many as today. For seamless mobility, the cities of the future will require enhanced shared mobility systems. These include new fleets of robot taxis: automated vehicles that are in fact small computers on wheels – electrically powered and extremely efficient. Our systems will make such vehicles more cost-effective, environmentally friendly, convenient and safe.” If driverless vehicles are to share the highways with other road users in the future then they must master the entire SensePlanAct chain of effects involved in driving. They must acknowledge the vehicle’s environment, interpret traffic situations correctly and act accordingly. Continental is already looking into the challenges which face the urban environment including the recognition of the properties of streets, sidewalks, traffic
FEATURE
signs, traffic lights, actions of pedestrians, cyclists and cars, in order to adapt the vehicle’s driving strategy accordingly. Position determination is performed in the background undetected by the passengers. As well as using high-precision GPS as a reference, Continental also works with innovative algorithms including a central control unit ADCU (Assisted & Automated Driving Control Unit) that compares the current echo from the installed radar sensors with the known radar echo from an echo map and a radio solution with transmitters on the edge of the route that provide precise distance measurements to further improve its operations. At present, CUbE perceives its environment by means of its own radar sensors and cameras that have proven their reliability millions of times as series components. In the medium term, Continental’s laser-based sensors (LiDAR) will also become part of the sensor platform. Thanks to the installed sensors, CUbE identifies pedestrians and communicates with them by means of an external display, giving priority to anyone who is in the vehicle’s path. CUbE recognises traffic lights, their position and switching phase, thus allowing a perfect integration of the vehicle into the traffic flow. CUbE also uses a camera and Vehicle-to-X (V2X) communication to communicate with the traffic light system. The combination of the two technologies is one of many examples of redundant system solutions that are necessary to ensure safety in many areas. Continental Automotive Group also has developed an automated system that enables cars to valet park without a driver.
ThE FiRST STEpS TO AUTONOMy Continental presented the CUbE,an application developed to help a vehicle reach a required destination safely and comfortably without a driver at IAA.
Presented to the public in Frankfurt, the fully automated Valet Parking function was demonstrated in a demo vehicle at Continental’s premises in the city. “With valet parking, we have presented a driverless function, which relieves drivers from a tedious procedure,” explained Alfred Eckert, head of Advanced Technology in Continental’s Chassis & Safety division. “The valet parking function provides drivers with a beneficial service in terms of convenience and time. It is also a concrete step towards modern mobility based on fully automated driving.” With this new technology, once the driver has exited the vehicle, the car navigates independently through the parking garage barrier, detecting free parking spaces and parks fully autonomously on the first floor.
iNTElligENT pARkiNg CAG has developed a system where cars navigate independently through the parking garage barrier, detecting free parking spaces and parks fully autonomously.
With valet parking, we have presented a driverless function, which relieves drivers from a tedious procedure”
Pedestrians and other vehicles crossing its path are detected and the driving strategy is adapted dynamically. The next stage of development, which Continental’s team of engineers in Germany are working on now, will mean the system can also navigate up and down ramps to other levels in multi-storey parking facilities. In the case of the first stage scenario demonstrated for valet parking, the system communicates wirelessly with the entry barrier. For this purpose, a particular communication infrastructure is activated in the barrier to allow access and calculate the time parked through an automatic process. This technology is already available in parking garages, where it is used in the form of a radio frequency identification system for parking permit holders. However, where parking barriers require a ticket for entry, drivers will have to get their tickets manually, drive through the barrier, exit the car, and then hand the rest of the parking procedure over to the vehicle. Upon request, the vehicle will return to the owner with a simple tap on a button on a mobile application for valet parking, leading the car to the exit barrier. Continental has developed this software to enable vehicles to find a parking space regardless of the infrastructure in a parking garage. The demo vehicle detects its surroundings using four short-range radar sensors, four surround-view cameras and a forward-facing mono camera. Through the use of sensory data and a digital map, the vehicle will determine its exact position in the parking garage and navigate automatically. The sensory-based approach of the valet parking function with ramp navigation is expected to be available to the public by 2022. NOVEMBER 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 41
COLD CHAIN
Hot off tHe Press
How effective use of temperature monitoring can protect your cargo and provide sound RoI
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ccording to David Nicholls, VP of Technology at Restrata, poorly maintained temperature control can lead to food and other perishable cargo being wasted in the supply chain, and as such, it is key for transportation companies operating in the UAE, where temperatures regularly exceed 40 degrees celsius, to understand the value of reliable cold chain monitoring technology to support with the delivery of cooled food, beverage and pharmaceuticals to their clients. Earlier this year, the Dubai Health Authority’s (DHA) Pharmaceutical Services Department announced the adoption of a system to monitor the cold chain of pharmaceuticals to preserve the quality and safety of medication. Dr Ali Al Syed, 42 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2017
director of the Pharmaceutical Services Department at the DHA, highlighted in his statement that the monitoring of cold chain, especially when it comes to medication, is considered one of the biggest challenges international health organisations face, as it directly affects the quality, safety and effectiveness of the medication. If you are responsible for a multitemperature fleet, a monitoring solution can provide complete control to protect refrigerated cargo, as well as providing a range of integrated telematics tools to help optimise utilisation of your fleet, drive improvements in safety and manage vehicle maintenance schedules. This ensures your loads remain safe and in optimal condition, whilst the business makes a return on investment in the technology purchased.
Improving the safety of the goods onboard is key, and this can be achieved by using standalone temperature recorders�
OPtIMIsINg fLEEts David Nicholls, VP of Technology at Restrata, says a monitoring solution can provide complete control to protect refrigerated cargo, as well as providing a range of tools to help optimise fleet utilisation.
COLD CHAIN
By monitoring the temperature of cold chain operations, you can increase profitability by ensuring cargo temperature stays within the acceptable range. If the temperature deviates from this range, sensors will alert management to the changes. This ensures deliveries are received in the condition expected, preventing issues arising with the end client who might reject the load, reducing costly spoilage claims, cutting redelivery costs and using “lockdown” mode to help prevent cargo theft. Systems are able to provide critical reports to determine location and reduce idling times, improving efficiency and driving profits in the right direction. Equally, the right system can also support with reducing fuel consumption and fleet operating costs. All data acquired from fuel sensors is continuously analysed and when required, the system raises the alarm to flag rapid fuel loss and potential theft. Additionally, most systems allow management to detect and resolve improper fuel invoicing, and eliminate unnecessary continuous run usage, plus tracking engine hours and mileage can decrease engine maintenance, tyre replacement costs, and
DIsRuPtIVE tECH tRANsfORMINg BusINEss IN tHE uAE At a recent seminar to discuss how new technology is being used to drive efficiency in fleets in the region, the importance of lowering fuel consumption was addressed, Martin Roberts, Transport operations manager at Momentum Logistics explained; “Rising fuel costs and issues around fuel theft have brought the need to lower fuel consumption into the spotlight. “Traditionally in a region where the cost of fuel is much lower than in the likes of Europe or the USA,
there has been a tendency ‘not to worry’ about fuel consumption, but it is an important consideration in the breakdown of the job price, especially in an increasingly competitive market.” The need to improve safety on the region’s roads is also a top priority. David Nicholls, at Restrata, told attendees: “Connecting your fleet and utilising data to drive significant change in driver behaviour not only has the power to save lives, but also make an impact on the business bottom line.”
extend trailer lifetime and warranty periods. Effectively, an advanced vehicle management system can be utilised to increase productivity and decrease both operating and maintenance costs. Improving the safety of the goods onboard is key, and this can be achieved by using standalone temperature recorders for reliable temperature reports that can be printed on-demand upon delivery for the client, as well as utilising Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) to send, save, archive and analyse your transport data. Ultimately the system keeps a historic digital record of temperature readings, and exchange temperature control information for the entire duration of journeys which can then be presented to the end client if requested. An optimised temperature monitoring solution is a prerequisite for cold chain management and thus for the production and supply of high quality and safe products, as well as for the reduction of waste and economic losses. Investing in a holistic fleet management system ensures your loads are safe, end clients are happy, and provides tools to improve efficiency, cut costs and drive profits higher.
NOVEMBER 2017 TRUCK&FLEET ME 43
PARTING SHOT
AN iNtelligeNt electro Demo Urban living and driving come together at this year’s International Motor Show
N
ew forms of mobility such as autonomous driving, car sharing and electromobility are dramatically changing how we get around. Adient, the leading supplier of automotive seating, will showcase what this means for interiors, and especially the vehicle seating system, with its new AI18 demonstrator at this year’s International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt am Main. With the focus on autonomous driving, alternative usage models such as car sharing and urban mobility, the Adient concept addresses three of the major trends which will drive the automotive industry of the future. Richard Chung, VP, Innovation at Adient, explains: “The optimal vehicle architecture for future urban living spaces provides compact equipment solutions which can adapt to a wide
range of users with differing requirements and preferences in almost every situation. This requirement will play a decisive role, especially for vehicle interiors and their seating systems.” Adient will use five scenarios to demonstrate in the AI18 just how flexible level-3 and level-4 autonomous vehicles could be in the future. “In addition to a Lounge mode, the AI18 seating system offers Communication, Cargo, Baby Plus and Family modes. These provide users with optimum seating arrangements and space according to the situation, as well as various usage options and technical aids that make travel as efficient, comfortable and safe as possible,” says Chung. For example, in spite of the vehicle’s compact size, Lounge mode offers the user a high degree of comfort and relaxation by means of the seating position and application features. The front seats
play their part in this, with an anthropometric pivot at their core. This ensures the seat can be reclined far back and still provide support when beyond the traditional range. Further components such as the head restraint, integrated armrests and a separate leg rest are synchronized to move with the body. An optional massage function further boosts the comfort factor. With new component geometries, alternative materials and composites, many of the some 20 features in the Adient AI18 demonstrator provide additional options for lightweight construction. “Slimmer, lighter seating systems not only play their part in reducing fuel consumption or increasing the range of electric vehicles,” says Chung. “They also allow automakers to make best use of the vehicle’s compact dimensions and therefore also increase efficiency in automotive construction at many levels.”
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44 TRUCK&FLEET ME NOVEMBER 2017