Hino meets niche operator's requirements
Feb 6, 2017 | Manufacturers |
The South African transport market requires specialist operators, ranging from those able to move abnormal loads to those able to handle fragile or sensitive cargoes.
One company that has found a niche in the latter cargo category is Consolidated Transport, Rigging and Logistics, based in Bredell, near the OR Tambo Airport. Founded in 1994 by Nico van Jaarsveld, the company has grown in scope and stature over the years and now operates a fleet of 25 Hino trucks, virtually all of them fitted with Pesci cranes.
"The main reason for our success is that we understand the business and have the right equipment for the job, which has enabled us to build a solid core of loyal customers," says Van Jaarsveld.
"I started my working career in the electronics business as a salesman for uninterrupted power systems and learned the hard way how this type of equipment can be damaged if it is not transported correctly. This led to me buying a used truck with a crane and setting up my own company specialising in moving fragile electronic equipment."
A swift ramp up of business with further contracts followed and, as the company has grown it has also expanded the range of specialised services it offers – from moving X-ray machines to CT scanners, air conditioning equipment, generating sets and fragile electrical equipment such as transformers. Its services include cross-border deliveries in sub-Saharan Africa and countrywide in South Africa.
Over the years the company has increasingly become a family business: wife Elaine looks after finances, while son Wayne (who has a B. Com) is understudying Nico so he can take over responsibilities. Second son Andre is studying law and will look after contractual obligations when he joins the company. Two brothers-in-law, Colin and Stephen Coetzee, look after day-to-day operations and quotations respectively.
Consolidated Transport continues to operate from its large site in Bredell. Regular servicing of the fleet of Hino trucks is carried out on site, with Hino East Rand looking after any repairs.
Van Jaarsveld says he is very particular about oil changes and specifies top grade lubricants, with oil changes on all models other than the 700 Series taking place every 10 000 km (the 700 models have an oil change every 15 000 km).
He believes that ensuring oil is clean is a major factor in the low maintenance required on the Hino engines. "I have only had one engine fail and that was due to work done on it by a roadside mechanic when the truck had a problem on a delivery trip and the correct procedures were not followed."
There are several Hinos in the fleet of 25 that have covered well over a million km with no repair work on the engine, only regular maintenance. The fleet consists of 1,5-tonne, 8-tonne and 14-tonne models and includes freight carriers and truck-tractors.
"The fleet has been very reliable with low operating costs since I confined it solely to Hino trucks from 1997," says Van Jaarsveld. "Reliability is very important in our type of operation where the cargo is specialised and usually has to be delivered in a specific time frame. We cannot afford breakdowns.
"All of the trucks have been bought from Hino East Rand in Benoni, where we have dealt mainly with Jors van der Linde, who is now sales manager and was the Hino Sales Knight of the Year in 2014. We are very satisfied with the level of service we enjoy from the Hino East Rand team. Added to this is the durability of the Hino trucks – it all adds up to making good business sense for a transport operator such as Consolidated," concludes Van Jaarsveld.
MD Nico van Jaarsveld, financial manager Wayne van Jaarsveld, operations manager Colin Coetzee and logistics manager Stephen Coetzee