As the trailer manufacturer continues its expansion drive, Simon Foulds sits down with Paulo Ribeiro, financial manager at the company, to talk about the company’s export drive and expansion plans.

How long has Paramount Trailers had a strong footprint throughout the SADC region?

Paramount Trailers has been operating in the SADC region for more than 10 years.Being a Portuguese family-owned business, the Portuguese-speaking countries of Mozambique and Angola in the SADC region were obvious targets originally.However, the growth into other SADC countries quickly followed.

What types of trailers are popular in this region and why do you think these are popular with customers?

Various trailers are popular in the SADC region, depending on the application and industry in which the trailer will be operated. The tri-axles and superlinks are always popular with their versatility for transporting and logistics, and the superlink side tippers and rigid rear end tippers are popular within the mining industry.

What makes your trailers ideal for countries north of our border?

Paramount has built its reputation on being able to develop and manufacture trailers to meet customer requirements.This is even more critical when manufacturing a trailer for countries across the border.It is important to understand the conditions in which the trailer will be operating.We have developed and manufactured an export trailer that is more robust for cross-bordertransport. The design uses stronger materials, which allows for longer trailer life under tough road conditions while ensuring that carrying capacity is not compromised.

What advice would you give to a transport operator looking for a trailer to carry goods through the SADC regions?

It is important not to sacrifice trailer strength for payload.A lighter trailer will more than often not be able to last in tough conditions.Engage with your trailer manufacturer to ensure that the correct trailer is purchased for your operating requirements, i.e. application, road conditions, type of trailer, etc.Consider purchasing a trailer that will provide you with greater versatility in transporting different types of cargo as this will assist in having loads both to and from the SADC destination.

Are you optimistic about the growth of Paramount Trailers in Africa and why?

Road transport is the primary transport medium across South Africa and the continent, and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.The majority of raw materials, industrial supplies and fuels are transported by road.The reliability, convenience, security and time management of road transport continue to make it a preferred medium across industries.Paramount Trailers’ investment in excess of R100 million on a new trailer manufacturing facility is a clear indication of the optimism thatthe owners have in the growth of the company.Growth into Africa depends largely on the rand to US dollar foreign exchange rate and the weaker rand leads to an increase in trailers being exported as our pricing becomes quite competitive when compared with Chinese, Brazilian and European competitors.Africa is a significant growth market with the quantity of resources being discovered regularly.