At a time when business conditions were particularly difficult for WNR Plant Hire’s Francois du Randt, the introduction of Powerstar trucks in 2006 into his fleet made all the difference. “During this period we were running the very top of the range truck brands which were expensive to buy and very expensive to operate. With shrinking demand, increasing competition and a general pressure on rates, it was vital that we ran an even more efficient business,” says du Randt.

One of the most important contributors to his success in bringing costs down was changing to Powerstar trucks. “The difference was enormous. In Powerstar we bought trucks that were just as powerful and reliable as the more expensive brands but almost half the price. Also, cost of spares and service was simply incomparable. In many ways Powerstar enabled us to survive the very tough times and then continue to become the successful business we have become today,” says du Randt.

He adds that often, with the top-range brands, if you have a technical issue, significant downtime is inevitable as you must usually wait for spares, and it is often impossible to repair the problem yourself because of the complicated electronics. “This, as everyone knows, can cost you a contract, as your client will simply get someone else to do it,” Francois says.

Mark Beukes, Powerstar’s GM sales and aftermarket, says that Powerstar’s intention is to keep technology as uncomplicated as possible for exactly the reasons that Francois states. “Time is money for our customers and when there is an issue with a truck, they want to be able to be up and running just as soon as possible. This means that wherever they are in the country, and this is often in very remote areas, they must have access to spares and be able to remedy the problem themselves if necessary. The number of our customers that have said that this is the difference for them and one of the main reasons why they have tuned to Powerstar,” says Beukes.   

Of course all these advantages would be of little consequence if the performance of the Powerstar trucks didn’t match up. “It certainly does,” says Francois. “I have always been able to accomplish everything with my Powerstar trucks that I have with my other brands and, more importantly, the backup service and support form Powerstar has been the best I have ever received,” he says. 

As with many other South African Plant Hire companies, WNR Plant Hire’s main Powerstar choice is the 2628 VX 6x4. This trusted workhorse is one of Powerstar’s most popular sellers and, like the entire VX range, it is a superior design that Powerstar’s research and design engineers fast-tracked in order to capture more of the ‘off-road’ market.

The Powerstar 2628 features an improved cab design including, air-conditioning, external sun-visor and driver-seat suspension – “this makes our drivers more comfortable and therefore more productive’” says Beukes – and, using the renowned, powerful and compact Weichai engine, the truck’s torque output and workhorse capabilities are unquestionable. This is also coupled to fuel consumption that is on a par, if not better, than more electronically advanced engines utilized by our opposition manufacturers.

With a footprint in more than 30 countries, Weichai is the largest high-speed, power diesel engine manufacturer in the world.  It has an annual production capacity of 80 million kW with engines ranging from 40hp to 10 000hp. Its manufacturing capability is diverse, ranging from small-bore engines for light trucks, excavators, forklifts and marine applications to powerful Weichai series engines for bus, tractor, engineering and marine applications.  To remain at the forefront of technological competitiveness, Weichai employs more than 800 advanced R&D engineers.

WNR and sister company Intombazane have more than 70 trucks in their combined fleet of which about 65% are Powerstar. ”Business is strong at the moment,” Francois says. “We managed to curtail our costs and my entire team is dedicated to giving our customers a world class service at reasonable rates. It’s all about service. Just as Powerstar Brits’ Deon van Rooyen has given us a great service, we continually strive to give our customers the same kind of service,” Francois says.

Beukes paid tribute to Powerstar Brits. “They create genuine partnerships with their customers and this is what we strive for in our network. This is a key element to our market penetration - relationships sell a product as much as the vehicle itself”.

WNR has been in business for 50 years and offers its customers a wide range of plant for hire including tippers, diesel tankers, water carriers, front-end loaders, TLB’s and many more. Its client list reads like the Who’s Who of S.A. construction and includes companies like WBHO, Basil Read, Stefanutti, Joburg Municipality, Roadcrete and many others. 

Meanwhile Powerstar’s display of trucks at the recent Johannesburg International Motor Show (JIMS) 2013 left no doubt about its world-class quality. Also very impressive was the extremely competitive pricing of its powerful and durable vehicles, and the effort that has been put into making Powerstar trucks custom-made for South African conditions.

“We have taken care over the years to monitor the requirements of the market and we have designed our trucks accordingly,” says Beukes. “The end result is that our trucks are tough and durable and yet easy to operate and service. Our company remains committed, through extensive research and development, to continuously refining and adjusting its designs to meet our customers’ ever-changing needs,” he concluded.

Caption for photograph: (Powerstar WNR 022)
WNR Plant Hire and sister company Intombazane have more than 70 trucks in their combined fleet, of which about 65% are Powerstar.