Volvo Trucks South Africa has commenced assembly of Euro-5 specification trucks at its facility in Durban. While Euro-5 trucks have been sold in SA since 2012, this is the first time these specs are being included on locally-manufactured lorries.
This is the fifth iteration of clean engines, as outlined in European legislation. Euro-5 essentially reduced emissions by 43% compared to Euro-4, which minimises the carbon footprint of manufacturers and logistics companies.
“More customers have ambitions to improve their environmental footprint, which is driving the uptake of Euro-5 models locally,” explains Volvo Trucks SA sustainability manager Eric Parry. Volvo is an indirect customer of Formex Industries; the components that we manufacture are sold to Volvo through Tier 1 suppliers. This is a great step towards sustainable logistics by Volvo Trucks SA.
More details about Euro-5 spec
“In general, the Euro-5 engines have a lower fuel consumption than an equivalent Euro-3 unit, which means that even though total costs are roughly the same because of the need for AdBlue diesel exhaust fluid in the vehicle, the carbon dioxide emissions are reduced with the lowering of fuel consumption,” states Parry.
“There is also the significant reduction in poisonous gases from the exhaust, which in turn improves the environment around the vehicle,” he continues. Euro-5 engines are a requirement for many international logistics companies, but even South African businesses are looking for these specs as they enable companies to meet environmental goals and retain certain green accreditations, such as ISO 14001.
Producing these engines locally helps to reduce the costs of purchasing trucks with lower emissions. These engines and trucks would normally have been imported, but now Volvo Trucks can cut out those costs for local businesses. “The need for local assembly also arose to reduce the import duty that is applied to full imports,” says Parry.
Volvo Trucks will expand its portfolio
They have started Euro-5 assembly with their FH truck brand, which is a popular long-haul lorry for local customers. Volvo Trucks will offer these specs on more models and configurations in the near future, which is sure to be a popular spec for local logistics businesses and fleet owners.
“This allows Volvo Trucks the opportunity to offer cleaner technology in a more competitive way,” states Parry. While this assembly update did require some layout changes at the facility, Volvo Truck will reap the benefits soon. Additional floor changes were made to allow for the assembly of AdBlue filling tanks and specialised exhaust systems.
“Operators have also received advanced training to assemble the new features connected to the Euro-5 specifications,” explains Volvo Trucks plant director Aubrey Rambau. “Specialised training was also provided for road testers and product auditors to ensure the highest standards are maintained,” he adds.
Solar power for the plant
Volvo Trucks SA has joined many local original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), like Ford and Mercedes-Benz, in the sustainable energy field. The company has installed a new solar energy system at its Durban facility, which is capable of producing 243kW of energy – enough to generate 60% of its electricity needs.
A total of 440 solar panels are connected to two inverters, which supply renewable energy for the plant. “At Volvo, environmental care is fundamental to how we do business and this project is another step in our energy efficiency journey,” says Rambau.
As more local manufacturers make strides in sustainability, whether through more efficient engines, new-energy vehicles (NEVs) or renewable energy supply, the entire industry benefits. Formex is proud to be a component and assembly supplier for these businesses. For more information about our components and products, please contact us today.
Formex Industries is a metal forming and assembly company that supplies a variety of complex products to the local automotive industry and the export market. The company is based in the Nelson Mandela Bay metropole, South Africa’s foremost region for automotive manufacturing and export.
Formex is a Level 2 B-BBEE supplier. The company is owned by Deneb Investments Limited – a subsidiary of Hosken Consolidated Investments Limited (HCI) – one of South Africa’s biggest true B-BBEE companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).
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