The trucking industry plays a pivotal role in die South African economy. It is a significant contributor to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and creates thousands of jobs annually. According to Statistics SA more than 162 million tons of freight was transported by road in South Africa in 2020, resulting in an income of R108 billion.
The biggest source of income was the transporting of mining and quarrying products, as well as agriculture, food, beverages and tobacco products.
At the heart of this industry, lies the provision of safe and effective trailers.
History of trailer trucks
A link or semi-trailer truck is the combination of a tractor unit and one or more trailers attached to the truck, used to carry freight.
The first trailer truck has its origin in Cleveland Ohio, in 1899, where Alexander Winton required a means of transport to deliver new cars to their respective buyers. Winston was a carmaker and his customers lived hundreds of miles away from Cleveland.
Winston invented a practical car hauler that he could use to safely transport several vehicles at a time. He later sold these haulers to other car manufacturers to use for the same purpose.
In 1914 Charles Fruehauf, a blacksmith and carriage builder from Detroit in the USA, was tasked with building a trailer that could be towed behind a Ford motorcar. The initial purpose was to transport a boat. His client, Frederiv M. Sibley, was so impressed with Fruehauf’s design that he asked him to build similar vehicles to use at this lumber yard. These vehicles were later dubbed the semi-trailer.
Exciting new developments in this section of the trucking industry over past decades has ensured an increase in the safety and efficiency of trailer trucks across the globe, especially in South Africa (SA).
Trailer trucks in South Africa
Trailer trucks have been in use in SA since the 1950’s. PRBB, preferred truck trailer manufacturer in SA, was founded in Piet Retief, Mpumalanga in 1969.
The amount of truck trailers used to transport goods since then, have grown exponentially. According to Arrive Alive, 117 509 heavy load trailers were registered in SA by 2006. In 2017 the number of registered heavy trailers had increased to 188 000 — with most of these been registered in the Gauteng province (59 000).
One of the most popular trailer builds are that of interlink tippers, a vehicle configuration that is native to South Africa. An interlink side tipper consists of two linked trailers with a load bin on each. This is also one of the products provided by PRBB, with a payload of more than 34 000 kg.
Due to the decline in the use of rail to transport freight, about 85% of freight in SA is being transported by road — amounting to 5,52% of the country’s GDP. Consequently, the economy is ripe with opportunities for trailer builders.
The latest Ctrack Freight Transport Index shows that more than 150 million tons of cargo was transported by road between January and March this year, compared to just 40 million moved by rail. Statistics also show a decrease of 5,8% in payload transported by rail between August 2020 and January this year, compared to an increase of 2,2% in payload transported by road.
Compared to last year the South African economy as a whole has shown a steady growth, which should also be reflected in the number of goods that need to be transported.
The agricultural sector alone, which is a key contributor to income in the freight industry, has shown a growth of 7% in GDP during the first quarter of the 2021 financial year. A significant increase in mining production in 2021 also meant that more products had to be transported from mines to processing facilities and harbours for export, resulting in an increase of the number of vehicles — and trailers — needed to transport these goods.
All these promising figures emphasise that an investment in good, reliable trailers ultimately are essential for transport companies that want to prosper. As a leading-edge manufacturer in the market, PRBB offers a variety of trailer options to suit your every need.
Visit www.prbb.co.za for more information or contact any of their profound salesmen to help you select which trailer is best for the job!
