Powerstar is committed to developing a presence in the long-haul trucking market, says Everstar Industries COO David Gao.

Everstar Industries assembles and distributes Powerstar trucks in South Africa.

The 5 000th Powerstar truck rolled off the line at the company’s Pietermaritzburg plant earlier this year. Assembly started in 2006.

Powerstar trucks are well known in South Africa’s construction industry with its extra-heavy VX trucks, but not so much in other industries, such as the long-haul sector.

For this, the company has introduced the V3 range, with more than 100 units on the road following its launch at the end of 2017.

“We are setting up an in-house finance capability for our long-haul trucks,” says Gao.

For lighter duties, Everstar Industries last year started the roll out of the FT series.

This medium and heavy-duty series, which is a joint venture with Chinese truck brand Foton, is also assembled in Pietermaritzburg.

The range should also boost Powerstar sales in South Africa, which reached 553 units in 2018, according to Department of Trade, Industry and Competition statistics.

Sales in 2013 totaled 528 units. Sales for the first eight months of 2019 have reached 303 units.

The first FT trucks to be launched were the smaller FT3 and FT5, with a gross vehicle mass of 7.5 t and 8.7 t, respectively.

Following their introduction in July last year, this year saw the launch of the 13 t FT8.

Some of these trucks have already put 150 000 km on the clock, with “no problems”, says Everstar Industries sales and marketing head Rodney Selesnick.

“We are also seeing repeat business for the FT3 and FT5s.

“Our next endeavour is the FT10, which could be introduced in the first quarter of next year.”

He says the 16 t truck will be launched at “an exceptionally good price” in the local market, of around R520 000.

The truck is best suited for the distribution, intercity and short haul markets.

Selesnick adds that FT5 and FT8 trucks have been undergoing tests at local shipping yards in recent months to carry empty containers for shipping lines in harbour areas.

“We hope to get the go-ahead to sell these trucks for use in harbours by shipping lines.”