Mercedes Benz-Benz South Africa (MBSA) delivered a fleet of 5 Mercedes-Benz Axor 2628 trucks to Velocity Road Rehabilitation South Africa, a subsidiary of Mvelaserve, on 20 July 2012. The trucks have a very sophisticated application that will facilitate their ability to criss-cross the country’s roads to attend to the task of fixing potholes.

“Velocity is more than just a machine; it consists of a tried and tested technology that has been adapted over a period of 17 years primarily in the United Kingdom. Road rehabilitation in the UK is of primary importance in light of their severe winters and Velocity UK has approximately 70 units that are operational 7 days a week, weather permitting. This is a world class technology that has now been introduced to South Africa,” said Frank Cattich, Managing Director of Velocity SA.

Cattich added that Velocity appreciates the immediate availability and involvement of Mercedes-Benz. “When we made the comparisons, we unanimously agreed on a Mercedes-Benz truck. The overriding factor that we considered was the support available from Mercedes Benz because of our plans to expand the company into neighboring countries; we look forward to a mutually beneficial business relationship.”

Velocity obtained a license from the UK to produce polymer modified emulsions; these were developed in conjunction with Colas UK. “This is the most advanced product that is ideal for both surface and preventative maintenance. Notably, because of limited budgets, there has been little focus directed towards preventative maintenance, but Velocity allows for this at a sustainable cost,” adds Cattich.

Thireshin Rama, Sales Manager of Mercedes-Benz Trucks said, “We are very proud to have been part of the process. It is exhilarating that a Mercedes-Benz truck will be carrying an application that can fill a pothole within two minutes. This is indeed a wonderful technology and we definitely look forward to supplying more trucks to Velocity as the company grows.”

Cornel Oelofse, General Manager of New Commercial Vehicle Sales Barloworld Motor Retail said, “This is a very exciting project and Barloworld is proud to be part of the project. We definitely look forward to being part of its success.”

Cattich explained that Velocity is poised to be introduced in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, the North West and the Free State, with plans to expand to the rest of the country. Training of the team that will operate the machines began in July 2011 and the technology and efficacy of the Velocity system will provide job creation for traffic controllers. “Each Velocity unit can cover up to 16km per day under challenging conditions. An example of this is the coal haulage routes which are in dire need of our attention while still allowing them to remain open to the large traffic flow that uses these roads,” concludes Cattich.