Capital Equipment News March 2018

only about a third of its total 15-vehicle offering in this market segment. Anchored by the flagship Scania G460CB8x4EHZ twin-cylinder mining tipper, the line-up also included the Scania P410CB8x4MHZ brick carrier with a crane; the Scania P410CB8x4MHZ 15 m³ construction tipper; the Scania P360CB6x4EHZ 12 m³ semi- rock tipper; the Scania P360CB6x4EHZ 16 000 ℓ water tanker; and the Scania P310CB6x4MSZ 6 m³ drum mixer. Important sector According to Naude, the construction segment has always been an important sector for Scania, but was never a key focus area locally. However, since the reintroduction of a dedicated Construction Division in 2015 to specifically look after its construction vehicle range locally, Scania South Africa reports an impressive growth in this segment. “Since the reintroduction of the Scania Construction range back in 2015, we have been growing 50% year-on-year. We closed 2017 with a sizeable share of the local construction vehicle market, which we aim to double in 2018,” says Naude. While its wide product offering is obviously one of the success factors, Naude reasons that the ability to offer the best possible vehicle tailored to an individual customer’s needs is Scania’s key competitive edge. “Although sales numbers are the traditional measure of success, for us it’s more about customer satisfaction. It is that ability to know our customers’ businesses and operations that counts, and being able to provide a tailor-made solution to meet their specific operational needs,” he says. Lehtiö concurs that construction, by its very nature, is a demanding sector, and the flexibility to address the wide range of customer needs is a key requirement for an OEM to be regarded as a market leader in this market segment. “You must be able to meet the short delivery lead times because most of the construction work is project-based and customers ought to place their vehicle orders when they are awarded the contracts. They ought to place those orders with an expectation to take delivery of the vehicles immediately to start their jobs,” reasons Lehtiö. He adds that it is very important to have a strong network of bodybuilding partners who are ready to invest in readily-available vehicles, especially for those standard specifications such as tippers and concrete mixers. This allows the supplier to meet the often short and strict lead times for construction customers. “The OEM, together with its

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market share

Scania South Africa aims to double its construction market share in 2018

With a total of 15 construction vehicles on offer, Scania South Africa caters for a wide range of construction vehicle needs

At bauma CONEXPO AFRICA, Scania demonstrated its construction muscle with a total of six construction vehicles on display

Since the reintroduction of the Scania Construction range back in 2015, Scania South Africa has been growing 50% year-on- year in this segment

50%

50%

2015 REINTRODUCTION

2018

STILL GROWING

Raimo Lehtiö, MD of Scania South Africa

“We have a big application approach to cater for the different needs of the construction segment, all the way from tippers and concrete mixers, to brick and crane carriers.”

Theuns Naude, Segment Manager, Construction/Public and Special at Scania South Africa “In light of the economic comeback and a positive market feeling in southern Africa, bauma CONEXPO AFRICA presented a perfect platform for Scania South Africa to showcase our solution-based construction and mining vehicles.”

presented a perfect platform for Scania South Africa to showcase our solution- based construction and mining vehicles,” says Theuns Naude, Segment Manager, Construction/Public and Special at Scania South Africa. “We have a big application approach to cater for the different needs of the

construction segment, all the way from tippers and concrete mixers, to brick and crane carriers,” explains Raimo Lehtiö, MD of Scania South Africa. At bauma CONEXPO AFRICA, which took place at the Johannesburg Expo Centre from March 13 to 16, Scania exhibited a line-up of six vehicles, which represents

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS MARCH 2018 9