For the love of trucking

Dynamic, competitive, professional, enduring – that is the local transport and logistics industry. Here’s hoping those values never stop growing.

This being the third edition of the Transport Manager’s Handbook (TMH) that I have put together, the boss thought it was only fitting that I get to welcome our readers to 164 pages of what is – undoubtedly – the most thoroughly researched and compiled annual publication serving the transport and logistics industry.

Compiling, designing and editing a publication of this size (while business continues as usual) is a mammoth task. What should, comfortably, take around three to four months, we have managed to complete in just over half that time, so a huge round of thanks must go to all those involved.

Not only to our own team at Charmont Media, but also, especially, to the listed original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who either had everything set and ready for us when we needed it, or endured much back and forth in assisting us to get all the published facts and figures 100 percent accurate.

Unfortunately, some declined to take part this year. It would be fantastic to see them all, together with every other entity serving our industry, on board for TMH 2016.

Looking back on 2014, it’s clear why nobody should be left out. First, there was the market’s impressive performance across almost all segments. We bring you Vic Oliver’s predictions on page 4, but the vast majority of industry players, who I was fortunate enough to chat with during last year, were more than happy with both their own and the market’s performance during 2014. At worst, they were cautiously optimistic looking ahead to 2015.

The calibre of industry events that I attended last year also reinforced the overall positive expectations for 2015. An impressive number of new vehicle launches were held (most of these vehicles are detailed on the following pages); as were a few new, high-profile assembly plant openings; and then some events that were for the pure enjoyment of networking and having fun in the sun.

Then there were the people I spoke to, who provided insight into what actually happens on the ground (or roads …). These are the charismatic transport operators who enjoyed, in equal measure, a good banter over the merits of the vehicles they like to run and the realities of operating on the African continent.

The top international OEM executives, some of whom now call South Africa home, always spoke volumes about the dynamism and professionalism of South Africa’s transport and logistics industry. This provided reassurance that, overall, the local industry is on the right track. In certain areas, it may even be leading.

All of which really is everything we try to bring you in the annual Transport Manager’s Handbook. We hope you enjoy it.