Willowton Logistics and Freightliner keep delivering

One of the most comprehensive Freightliner fleets in South Africa is owned by Willowton Logistics.

The ability to deliver to every single customer, every single time, has made Willowton Logistics a respected leader in the local transport industry. Helping to make this possible is the company’s fleet of more than 200 Freightliners.

“Quite simply, Freightliner is our partner because its trucks provide excellent value for money, unmatched reliability and frugal fuel consumption,” says Frans Henning, MD of Willowton Logistics, having taken delivery of 61 trucks as part of the company’s latest order.

Established in Pietermaritzburg seven years ago as a subsidiary of Willowton Oil, the company provids transport solutions to a number of clients in a variety of different sectors including fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). This has resulted in its fleet being made up of taughtliners, refrigerated, tanker, container and skeletal trucks.

Willowton’s reputation to execute all its customers’ requests “quickly and effectively” has earned it the trust of Sappi, Clover, Sasol, Coca-Cola and a host of others.

“A large number of our customers use the just-in-time business model and it is imperative for us to be able to deliver goods at the exact time they need them. We continue to reap the benefits of our fleet as we can do this with our Freightliners,” says Henning.

With the transport and logistics industries being increasingly competitive, Henning highlights how crucial it is for a player in this space to use every single factor as an added advantage.

“It is important for an operation such as ours to run a fleet that offers very low running and maintenance costs. We did not have to look further than Freightliner as these trucks continue to offer us exceptional return on investment,” he adds.

“There are a number of much larger listed companies out there that take over smaller operations very easily, and so it is vital for us to offer our customers competitive pricing, while offering the fastest delivery time. This is one of the major reasons why we add to our fleet every three years or so. It ensures that the Freightliners are less likely to break down and we can keep our customers satisfied,” he says.

Having bought most of its vehicles from Garden City Motors in Pietermaritzburg, Willowton’s Freightliners are powered by Detroit Diesel engines; a company that is wholly owned by Daimler AG. This in-house engine ensures that the trucks continue to perform at the highest standards.

Henning is quick to add that it is not only the machines that make Willowton such an influential player in the segment, but, more importantly, it is the people who are the heart of the operation.

“Our drivers are a most important part of the entire equation and we value them dearly. As Freightliner is a leader in modern technology, we make use of all the training it offers. We really endeavour to take good care of our drivers by providing trucks with a comfortable ride quality, as they spend a lot of time in their ‘offices’,” he quips.

“Then there is the outstanding and mutually beneficial relationship that we have with Freightliner and Mercedes-Benz South Africa. Through this we feel like part of the family, as we have access to everyone from top management right down to workshop staff.

“Running only Freightliners means that trade-ins are easier. All the trucks are also serviced by the same dealer and we can reward our drivers, as we can compare apples with apples. All of these factors mean that we remain as competitive as we can be, retaining our valued customers, thanks to Freightliner,” concludes Henning.