Trailer manufacturers can assist customers in saving on fuel costs and also offer transport operators sage advice on how to get the ultimate optimisation out of their trailers during the lifespan of the product.

Simon Foulds speaks to key industry players – Paramount Trailers, Trailerkings and SERCO–to find out how they assist clients in getting the best out of the products and to also find out how world class the trailers manufactured in South Africa are.

Fuel savings

Clinton Holcroft, MD at SERCO says: “By improving the aerodynamics of the trailer, it is possible to reduce wind drag and hence fuel consumption. SERCO has partnered with Freight Wing to offer a unique trailer side skirt, which has been proven to save from 2.5up to 7.5% fuel.”

Collin Mangena, CEO at Trailerkings adds: “The use of composite, high tensile steels and low weight running gear results in exponential fuel savings. Plus more streamlined bodies and aero packages further reduce drag and yield additional savings for clients.”

Paulo Ribeiro, financial director at Paramount Trailers states: “Many of the current innovations in trailer manufacturing to achieve fuel savings can be found in trailers with bodies i.e. tautliners. A lot of research is being spent on enhancing the aerodynamics of the body to reduce drag and thereby increasing fuel savings. Other aerodynamic aspects include trailer skirting and under tray systems. Tyre manufacturers are introducing to the market new tyres that have lower rolling resistance and reduced tyre wear-and-tear.”

Fully loaded trailers

Key to building long-lasting partnerships with clients is offering them advice on how to ensure the products last while fully loaded.

“We advise clients to first of all drive slower and ensure driver training is handled by professionals in the industry as well as to utilise modern air suspension,” says Mangena.

Ribeiro adds that the most important aspect is to engage with the customer so as to understand the environment in which the trailer will be operating and the application thereof, and therefore design and manufacture a trailer which can operate sustainably in the indicated operating environment, i.e. build a trailer which is fit for purpose. He explains that the customer and drivers need to be educated on how to perform ongoing self-maintenance and safety checks on the trailers to reduce wear-and-tear.”

Holcroft reiterates: “Creating a partnership with the innovative suppliers can lead to practical solutions, which can help reduce costs in the long run. Transporters need to be willing to drive green accessories by fitting these and measuring their fuel consumption accurately to be able to measure the costs savings. The biggest obstacle to buying the available accessories are that transporters are not always able to measure the tangible costs savings and hence avoid these new concepts. Good decisions should be made on a return on investment basis and hence it is important to measure costs accurately.”

World class

South African trailers are world class, and when it comes to designing robust trailers for what at times can be viewed as harsh driving conditions then South Africa can stand proud.

“We may not manufacture the most innovative or design world-class trailers, but we engage with the customer to manufacture a trailer that will meet and exceed their expectations. Yes, we have many South African customers who trade across the border as well as customers based in the SADC region. Due to our relationships with our customers and constant interaction over the years, we have developed and continue to develop trailers that are sufficiently robust to operate crossborder. Many of the global players may not have to deal with similar road infrastructure that we deal with in South Africa and the SADC region,” says Ribeiro.

Mangena interjects: “Our designs are based on European design and construction methodologies combined with Australian outback sturdiness to suit African terrain. Our standard trailers are 5 480 kg for a tri-axle and 7 780 kg for a superlink with a five-year warranty. This is a statement of quality, robustness and confidence in our engineering.”

Holcroft concludes: “Serco benchmarks against European quality by visiting trade shows and engaging with technical specialists to ensure we are constantly improving our product and staying abreast of new developments. We have our own technical design team and invest heavily in innovative concepts to offer our clients great value. We are constantly looking for world-class accessories that we can offer to our local customers to ensure they have the edge in a competitive environment. Examples are the partnership with Freight Wing from the US and the investment in Ikhaya automation, a specialist telematics company.”

“There is always something to learn from other trailer builders and vice versa. We have built up a wealth of experience, having been in business for over 30 years. At the end of the day, we need to listen to our customers and ensure we align our resources to meet their requirements.”