Now in its fifth year, the interactive event for the commercial transport industry has moved things up a gear.

With a new headline sponsor – Shell – new industry partnerships and new events in parallel, it is set to surpass the support it received last year.

“In line with our vision of creating an industry event that gives visitors an interactive, hands-on, practical experience, a full-blown exhibition and outside events were added last year,” says John Thomson, the exhibition organiser.

“To enable this, it moved from Sandton Convention Centre to Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit. This really worked!”

Thomson expects to increase attendance at this year’s show by 50%, since support from the industry for the new format has been extremely encouraging.

“There is a crying need for a conference and exhibition of this calibre,” says Japie Burger Transport Manager at ZZ2, a farming conglomerate operating with 104 trucks.

Norman Pillay, managing director of Jesslyn Carriers, agrees: “The expo showcased how technology in the transport industry is changing rapidly and evolving with the times. It is an excellent opportunity to get updates of events and to stay ahead of industry developments.”

Global energy group Shell has taken headline sponsorship for this year’s event. Commenting on this news, Bongani Motloung, Sales Manager of Shell South Africa, says: “We believe is an invaluable industry event. Shell South Africa is proud and delighted to have been afforded the opportunity to be one of the headline sponsors for 2018.” 

This year, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles also makes its début at the show and will be supplying the express courier vehicles used for the highly popular ‘Speed in a Suit’ competition.

The event will pit courier industry leaders against Fiat Chrysler’s top driver to see who is fastest around Kyalami’s dynamic handling track, using the least amount of fuel. 

“The Speed in a Suit competition provides us with the perfect opportunity for members of the South African Express Parcel Association to experience first-hand just how flexible our products are,” says Robin van Rensburg, CEO, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles South Africa.

“Our wide range of Fiat Professional vehicles offer solutions for any size or type of business. We are able to meet even the most diverse mobility and transport needs. We are proud to be a partner at this important industry event.”

The TruckX conference aimed at owners and operators of trucks and heavy vehicles, offers a diverse menu of topical issues addressed by industry experts. Day One will focus on heavy commercial transport issues. Topics on this year’s agenda include: the Challenges of Running Big Commercial Fleets, Connectivity in the Commercial Vehicle Space, as well as Getting the Most from Commercial Vehicle Tyres.

The FleetX Conference, which takes place on July 12, focuses on issues affecting passenger and light commercial vehicles. This year’s line-up includes the Future of Dealerships, Vehicle Safety, as well as Connectivity in Transportation.

On each morning, Supply Chain Today magazine, alongside the Federation of Eastern and Southern African Road Transport Associations (FESARTA) and CVLC, will run a conference.

“Regional Connectivity - Making Inter-State Transport Work in Africa” is hands-on and includes topics such as: Current Challenges and Possible Solutions for Regional Connectivity, as well as Tracking and Tracing Cargo from Origin to Destination. Perspectives from Cross-Border agencies, Government, Logistics Service Providers, Freight Forwarders, Transport Managers, as well as Cargo Owners, will form part of this programme.