Watch UD Trucks - On the road with SA Metal Western Cape, South Africa
Founded in 1919, SA Metal Group is South Africa’s oldest metal recycling company. Today, they are also the largest , with scrap yards in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria and with operations extended into neighbouring countries. At the heart of their business is their efficient fleet of trucks, 80 of which are UD trucks, transporting all kinds of waste materials including household waste.
“Questers have made a huge difference in our operation compared to other models.”
Clayton Fischer, Operational Manager, SA Metal
UD has been SA Metal’s choice of truck for a long time. “We’ve still got some of the old 440s and entry-level UD trucks, and we have some 460s,” says Clayton Fischer, Operational Manager at SA Metal. The company has recently moved over to the Questers and is pleased to see that the latest UD arrival in the fleet has taken the tough African conditions in stride. As Fischer reveals, “It’s the versatility of this truck, that’s the main thing for me. That’s how it helps me.”
One job the Questers do regularly is carry waste from a processing site to a landfill site 25 km away. When you need a dependable truck to move serious tonnage on a daily basis, Quester is the perfect solution, Fischer reckons.
“The Quester is an absolutely fantastic, straightforward workhorse. It has what we need for this operation. If you look at the way the truck is structured, especially on the rear springs, this is the complete package that we need for this job.”
The trucks SA Metal runs include compactors—rear-end loaders most commonly used for waste collection in many countries—and skip loaders, which are ideal for handling waste such as ash, gravel and builder’s rubble, or for liquid waste and sludge if they’re fitted with leak proof containers.
Whatever job they are doing, the drivers are also happy with the new fleet member.
"The versatility of this truck, that’s the main thing for me. That’s how it helps me. The drivers are happy, they enjoy the drive. So in that instance, Quester makes my life much easier.”
Clayton Fischer, Operational Manager, SA Metal
“Any UD is user-friendly, and I think with this one, they have simplified a lot more.” says Fisher. “It’s an accommodating truck. It’s comfortable. The drivers enjoy the drive. So that’s another reason that Quester makes my life much easier.”
“Questers have made a huge difference in our operation compared to other models,” Fischer says, “The trunnion-mounted springs and rubber towers are an excellent design and have proven fruitful in keeping costs to a minimum.”
The company also operates on rough terrain, and these trucks show comfort and durability despite the tough surroundings. They also achieve excellent fuel consumption, explains Fischer. “We bought these trucks to perform specific tasks but also to be flexible, and they perform on/off road functions without any hassle, which is a plus for us. These trucks have proven over and over that they are worth the buy,” he adds smiling.
