The Co-Founder of the Food Truck Association in Malaysia also created her own kingdom in the shape of the Meatball Kingdom food truck. Ms Dunia Stapmans, originally from Germany has been in Malaysia for almost three years and shares with us what it takes to run a successful food truck.
She started with a food catering business using a premium European brand concept in the early days after she came to Malaysia. “The catering business is an on and off business, you cannot plan. I was then looking for a regular income with food businesses, therefore the idea of starting a food truck came,” said Ms. Stapmans.

“A food truck is a flexible business, in my point of view, not requiring much investment to put in compared to a restaurant. The idea was to have something which is movable so that you can go where your customers are and no hassle for them to come to your place. We also wanted to incorporate the street food concept, but with a high quality food and using a high quality truck,” she added.

According to Stapmans, as a foreigner, the process of putting a food truck on the road in Malaysia is not as hard as she thought and all the procedures went smoothly to get the truck going. She found a company that builds the vehicle according to her ideal design she wanted. “I told them about my workflow and they modelled the interior of the truck the way needed it to be,” she said.

“The food truck concept is more related to the current generation these days. A food truck looks fresher and fun, and when we go to a festival or a concert, food trucks make the environment more happening than a normal street stall,” she explained.

It took her eight months to prepare her very own food truck. Mr Kamsul, the driver of the truck has been working with her for almost 3 years (having joined the company even before the food truck came into existance). “Apart from driving the truck, I’m the one that handles the “Halal” logo for the food, selling the food and also assist Ms. Dunia to cook the food or prepare the ingredients. Our main area is in town, so our little truck has just the right size to move here and there and around the town and it is easy to park. The longest distance we went was going to an event in Tronoh, Perak,” said Kamsul.

Using a one ton Daihatsu Granmax, the truck was chosen because the back of the truck is not too high and easy to take any order from the customers. The investment made just for the truck was RM 130,000 including the design of the mobile restaurant.

The rapid growth of the Sichuan area in Southwest China has spurred the desire to further explore the market possibilities. According to the 2015 China National Economic Statistics, the car production percentage is higher in Sichuan at a 9.1 percent increase over last year than the national average increase of 2.7 percent. Overseas and local companies are exploring more of what the Southwest China region has to offer. To capitalise on this forward movement, the Chengdu International Trade Fair for Automotive Parts and Aftermarket Services (CAPAS) has established a Strategic Partners programme, which will provide added benefits to industry-leading brands to make the advantages of joining the show that much more valuable.

The new programme is launching at the forthcoming CAPAS fair to provide the opportunity to examine that marketability. CAPAS will be held 19 – 21 May 2016 in 35,000 sqm of exhibition space at the Chengdu Century City New International Exhibition & Convention Center.

Strategic Partners at CAPAS strengthen partnership with show and obtain promotional benefits
There will be five Strategic Partners involved with CAPAS for the upcoming three editions from 2016 to 2018. The goal is for leading brands to promote and explore the Southwest China market and achieve greater success through a partnership with the CAPAS organisers. The Strategic Partners include Liqui Moly GmbH, Ruili Group Ruian Auto Parts Co Ltd, Shanghai Musicson Tech Co Ltd, SKYFIL Auto Parts Manufacturing Co Ltd and Wenzhou Ruiming Industrial Co Ltd. The partnership will allow brands to tap into the Southwest China region’s large potential market.
By promoting themselves at CAPAS, companies will have their brand image elevated by increased advertising at a major industry event. An increasing number of high-quality buyers attend the show looking to source new products and find the latest advancements in the industry. This year, 16,000 global buyers are expected, including highly-qualified professional dealers, agents, distributors, wholesalers, service providers, auto parts and car manufacturers as well as retailers.

Liqui Moly is known worldwide as one of the leading engine oil, lubricant, additive and car care manufacturers in Europe and is Germany’s number one brand for automotive engine oils. Liqui Moly has been a loyal exhibitor since the first edition of CAPAS and they have dutifully participated in the show each year.

Liqui Moly’s Marketing Manager, Mr Gao Suhuai believes Southwest China’s automotive market has high potential for growth and the area is also the primary region for Liqui Moly products’ promotion. He explained: “In recent years, the sales of Liqui Moly have grown quickly in the Southwest China market. As a result, we want to further increase the promotion of our products in this region and explore more business opportunities in order to further enhance the sales growth in the Southwest China market.”

Another Strategic Partner involved with CAPAS since the beginning is Ruili Group Ruian Auto Parts Co Ltd, the leading manufacturer of spare parts for all commercial vehicles and passenger cars. The company supplies air brake systems, oil sealings, clutch discs & covers, tubes & fittings, ABS, hydraulic & electrical parts and other items. Ruili Group Ruian Auto Parts offers products to more than 70 OEMS worldwide.
The company will be debuting their new air brake system, ABS and new energy products at CAPAS 2016. Mr Zhang Xiaoping, President of Ruili Group Ruian Auto Parts hopes to reach more customers at the show. “We’re hoping to expand the scope of our product awareness and extend our reach with existing as well as new clients,” he said.

Shanghai Musicson Tech Co Ltd is an agent for the world famous German brand Sonax and is also a Strategic Partner this year. The company primarily engages in foreign automotive beauty care products, car audio products, agents and branding business, and joined CAPAS as an exhibitor last year.
The company has many goals in continuing its participation in CAPAS, said Mr Luo Changgeng, Vice President of Shanghai Musicson Tech Co Ltd. “We hope to expand the brand’s visibility and influence through the growing exhibition. The Southwest China market is a big piece of the pie to be developed and we’re hoping to be a part of that development. We’re also hoping to probe more into the customer service market where there are more opportunities for advancement in the market and challenges for us.” The company plans to exhibit several products at CAPAS this year, including the Sonax automotive beauty care line, AUTOPROFI automobile maintenance products, perk fragrant joss stick buckles, Chamäleon putty, among many other exclusive items.

SKYFIL Auto Parts Manufacturing Co Ltd is another loyal company that has been exhibiting with CAPAS since its inception. SKYFIL is a professional automotive filter manufacturer. The company is a member of the China Internal Combustion Engine Industry Association. SKYFIL’s leading products include gasoline, diesel, oil, transmission and air filters. The company has also become an OEM filter supplier to selected engine manufacturers in China.

By continuously participating in CAPAS, SKYFIL has established a presence within the automotive parts aftermarket in the Southwest China region. Mr Miao Puyun, General Manager of SKYFIL said, “Our goal is to provide a further understanding and recognition of our products to more domestic and foreign clients and grow our customer base.”

Joining CAPAS as an exhibitor for the first time is Wenzhou Ruiming Industrial Co Ltd. As one of the leading aluminium products manufacturers in China, Whenzhou Ruiming Industrial Co Ltd was established in Zhejiang Ruian City, China’s capital of motorcar and motorcycle spare parts. The company specialises in the R&D, production and sales of aluminium products.

Wenzhou Ruiming Industrial focuses its business on aluminium cylinder heads, cylinder blocks, intake manifolds, cylinder head covers, brackets and other spare parts. It is also a tier 1 supplier of the acclaimed foreign and domestic automakers: Caterpillar, Changan, DFM, FIAT, GAC, GM, SAIC, SGMW, VOLVO, among others.

There were several factors that encouraged first-time CAPAS exhibitor Wenzhou Ruiming to join the show. “We hope that through this exhibition, we will understand the market and also help to expand the automotive parts and aftermarket services market in the region,” said Mr Han Yuming, President of Wenzhou Ruiming.

CAPAS 2016 will be occupying three halls with more than 730 exhibitors from around the world. The exhibition is organised by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Automotive Sub-Council (CCPIT-Auto), Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Sichuan Council (CCPIT-Sichuan).

This competition is organised by Hino Motors Sales (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd – HMSM, and it is open to all HINO customers. Customers may head to selected participating HINO’s Authorized Service Centers in West Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak from 1st August until 31st October 2016.

Participants must make a minimum purchase of RM200 (inclusive of GST) in a single-receipt service at any of the participating authorized service centers. The purchase must include HINO Genuine Engine Oil and Hino Genuine Parts & Accessories.

HINO Genuine Engine Oil is specially formulated and approved for all HINO engines. The superior formulation of HINO Genuine Engine Oil designed to reduce engine wear, provide excellent oxidation stability and help to exceptional engine cleanliness. Besides that, HINO Genuine Engine Oil helps in reducing oil consumption, longer life engine and provides superior protection in stop-start city driving. Hino Genuine Engine Oil, the only engine oil that should be used in your HINO truck for maximum protection.

Meeting with Hammar’s owner and Chairman, Mr. Bengt-Olof Hammar, we learn why this sideloader is likely to be classified as a disruptive technology. With the only SOLAS compliant application of this kind, the future looks bright for the Swedes.

We meet the energetic founder of Hammar at his booth, in the outdoor areal on a sunny Saturday morning. The weather seems to be a reflection of the mood as he is clearly proud to be the only sideloader manufacturer that has achieved SOLAS compliance. As at March 2016, SOLAS 1974 has 162 contracting States, which flag about 99% of merchant ships around the world in terms of gross tonnage. The latest amendment to the maritime laws stipulate that the weight of any container being loaded onto a ship has to be submitted 24 hours prior to entering the port.

What Hammar has done, after this radical change was announced in November 2014, was to source a system that allows to weight the container to be weighted while being lifted. The scale is build into the sideloader and users can opt to use paper print-outs or to add an app that would transmit the results immediately via the internet. This means, that operators will no longer have to rely on weigh-bridges which may not operate 24 hours or are located far away from the port. In addition, this new sideloader can be used to determine the weight of the goods carried for invoicing. With a tolerance on +/- 50Kg, it is also far ahead of the tolerance currently allowed in the transition period in which transporters need to get ready to comply with SOLAS. While the added function will increase the cost of the sideloader by some 10 000 Euro, it also means that operators will save the fees imposed by weigh-bridges.

“We constantly innovate, we are never happy with where we are. We look into every aspect of the sideloader: the materials used, the way it is fabricated and the way it is operated” Hammar said. Launched in parallel with the new Scania, Hammar’s 160S is able to lift some 36 tonnes while the actual sideloader is only weighing in at 6990 Kg, making it the world’s lightest. “This means you can have a higher payload, save fuel, save natural resources and you may save on road taxes where the fees are based on the vehicle weight,’ he explained.

“Our motto is “Any Box, anytime, anywhere” and this has been a driving force for the business for a long time,” he added. According to him, there are Hammar sideloaders that can even manage highly specialised containers and the 53” containers commonly used in the USA. While the vehicle on display is from GDH, which was the first to order the new SOLAS compliant Hammar, there is more to be expected from the IAA. “We have been here since 1998 and are the only ones providing such tool. Others may lift, but can’t transport. Hammars do both.” At the IAA, Hammar hopes to get in touch with new customers, which may now look at the sideloader as an answer to their problems in complying with new regulations.

He also praised the work done in Malaysia as “The new workshop has allowed us to lift our service to a new level. It is a great location, great concept and we are happy with the development in Malaysia. Chris and Eugene are doing a superb job!”

Presenting a revolutionary Zero Impact study at this year’s IAA, Iveco also looked back at a highly successful year. Confidence boosts came from orders for the new Stralis and Trakker from high profile customers that have been testing the vehicles over the past month.

At the booth we met with Koray Kursunoglu, Truck & Bus Business Director (Head of IVECO) South East Asia & Japan Region,. “, being one of the full-line manufacturer we have wide range of products from light commercial vehicles to heavy commercial vehicles For IAA 2016. Here at our booth, we have our latest Z Truck concept which was unveiled yesterday; we also have a number of our prime movers, buses and transport solutions displayed inside and outside in the open air areas. These types of vehicles are the solutions our customers seek,” he told us in an exclusive interview at the IAA.

“For South East Asia, we started to restructure our organization and presence in the region, therefore at the moment we are growing year on year because demand is increasing. For example, in terms of retail sales to compare 2015 and 2016, we have increased in sales more than 80%,” Kursunoglu stated.

“IAA is an international exhibition; hence this is the right platform for us to connect with our customers and public, especially to showcase our new truck for the future that aims at zero emission, zero consumption, and zero accidents. We also brought our customers and distributors from Korea and Singapore. Korea is using Euro 6 and Singapore is going to Euro 6 in 2018. Hence, this is a good opportunity for them to come and see what we can offer to complete the product range offered in either country.”

Following the launch of the gas powered Stralis, The Iveco Z-Truck is a logical evolution of this approach. Using optimized Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) , the truck is also designed to eliminate stress and wastes of time for the driver. The cab, although very futuristic looking, can be completely reconfigured depending on the activities during the day. The cab will either be an office or a resting area. The pioneering design has resulted in some 29 patents that have been filed. Again, as with the Stralis, Petronas has been a key partner in the development as is apparent in the livery of the vehicle on display.

Another new truck on display was the Astra as an off-road application. Offering a 50 ton GVW, the truck can handle more payload thanks to a lowered centre of gravity. The truck will have now body subframe while still having the same robustness as its predecessors.

Also exhibited was the “The Truck the city likes”: the Eurocargo range was crowned “International Truck of the Year 2016”. On the stand, Iveco will introduce the new Euro VI C compliant ML160 (16t) in the new full air suspended version and display the eco-sustainable Natural Power version that runs on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

James Koh, Assistant General Manager, Sales, Goldbell Corporation was present during the IAA. Goldbell is a market leader in industrial vehicles leasing: commercial vehicles, passenger vehicles and industrial equipment. They have been an authorized distributor for IVECO since 2009.

“The Singaporean market is still doing fine so far, but for certain areas it is going a bit slow. Nevertheless, we take that as a challenge for our business, and to stay competitive, we will not follow the market flow,” Koh said.

Koh added “Definitely we see a full potential in IVECO because of the product range and the availability of the product range in our market. With IVECO’s help, we could provide our customers with better solutions for their business.”

Although there have been no “leaked” images of the new Scania, there has been a lot of excitement and interest build up for the launch of the Next Generation Scania. Asian Trucker went to the IAA in Hannover and Scania’s headquarter to learn more about this vehicle and the package around it.

Here is the good news: the new Scania was worth the wait. And the bad: It won’t be available in South East Asia for some time as the Swedish brand is currently busy rolling the truck, and equally important services and applications, out in Europe. Asian Trucker secured an exclusive slot to drive the truck and to get updates from Scania’s management on their strategies and future plans.

Clearly happy about the response and feedback for the new truck, of which there were four parked in the Scania booth, Levin takes the time to talk about other milestones that the company has achieved and in their sights. “For one, we are back in the Top 3 of truck makers here in Europe. This, I would say is a job done although we will not rest on these laurels. However, it is a clear indication that we are on track with our offerings,” he told us.

Briefly touching on the possibilities offered with the new Scania truck, Levin highlights that the truck is highly customisable with some one million variations and an incredible one billion variations with the new truck. A true Lego system, a modular one, there might never be a case where two trucks are absolutely identical.

Positive Outlook
While the orders for Europe are to hold the position among the Top 3, the growth will come from the Middle East, and Latin America. “There we still have a few markets we have to go in and make our presence felt.” However, Levin said that “Of course, Asia is where will see significant growth.” According to him, this will be an interesting scenario as the total number of trucks sold in many markets is shrinking, while Scania is managing to increase sales (As reported in Asian Trucker). “If your market share is less than one percent, then there is technically only one way: up”. While being confident, Levin however cautioned that it also takes service and dedicated people to make this happen. In many markets, such as Thailand, Scania typically enters with their buses, which pave the way for the entry of trucks later on.

Scania’s new truck range delivers more of everything
• A new range of cabs designed in-house by Scania.
• Two cab series being introduced initially; the new S-cab has a flat floor.
• A repositioned front axle provides increased safety.
• The world’s first truck with roll-over side curtain airbags.
• Up to 5% reduction in fuel consumption across all engines.
• Layshaft brake system can halve gearshift time and increase driveability.
• Approved for use with HVO, with more alternative fuels to be introduced later.
Scania recently premiered an entirely new range of trucks which, when complete, will represent a complete renewal of Scania’s range of solutions. The introduction of even more products and services now makes it possible to tailor sustainable and profitable solutions for all types of customers. During the first phase, Scania will be introducing solutions with a focus on the needs of customers who run long-haulage operations. The goal is to offer these customers the best possible total operating economy.

Let’s Ride
The weather was on our side when we flew to Sweden to test drive the Next Generation Scania. Lined up for us were some 16 vehicles to test on a three kilometre long track that offers corners, steep uphill and downhill straights as well as tight turning circles. If one feels confident, one could also reverse one of the trucks into the designated bays.

As the saying goes, first we like, then we act. And liking is what many do when it comes to the look of the truck. Sitting in the sun, the S Cab of the 730 horse power V8 is screaming for attention. And it gets it. Having seen the droves of drivers and fleet managers clambering all over the vehicle, it is now time for us to hop in. Although, in this case, we majestically approach the 25 meter long road train, loaded with 60 tonnes and radiating confidence. In all other meetings, Scania management have highlighted that the development included an improvement of the quality. And what they meant by that were the gaps between panels, the flow of the building groups and how the surfaces feel. This truck was compared to passenger cars in the way it was put together. And if you have ever stumbled into a showroom of a top car brand, you know what they are talking about.

Clicking Immediately
Have you ever stood next to a truck, opening and closing the door because the sound of the door closing is so… exciting? While you may think this won’t happen to you, we assure you, it is exactly what you will do. And this is just the first testament to the quality that the Swedes have packed into this vehicle. Climbing up into the cab, we have a leather seat that just welcomes you, encases you and makes you feel comfortable in your workplace. The instrument cluster features the stylish V of the V8 sign in a swosh. The steering wheel is no longer round at the bottom to allow you to sit comfortable. When gripping the steering wheel, touching the leather, you immediately feel in control. This leather clad instrument has all the crucial dials in reach. After feasting on the interior, it is time to wake up the 730 HP giant right underneath.

Heading out onto the track, an 8% incline is what lies ahead. Richard Ramberg, Press Test Officer, asks to stop right there. Once fully stopped, he explains that the hill-hold function will allow for four seconds to move the foot from the brake to the accelerator. Doing that, the acceleration is smooth, gear shifts only slightly noticeable and the fact that there is freight worth 60 tonnes in the back is barely noticeable. Steering is easy as the truck cruises around the track. “We also have a 500 HP engine version now, reacting to the feedback we have gotten to from the market. While we are yet to fully test it, we are confident that it will be even more fuel efficient than the 430 HP engine version,” says Ramberg. While we are missing the real V8 sound that fell victim to the Euro 6 Emission norms, the truck is stunningly quiet. Naturally, professional drivers will appreciate this as long trips may otherwise add stress.

Developed Inside Out
In order to develop the truck, Scania has worked with a panel of professional truckers. Scania allowed them to move things, adjust items and to comment on what they would want to change. For instance, the driver’s seat was fully moveable. What transpired was that the seat should be some 2.5 centimetres more to the left and a bit further forward, while the “windowsill” was lowered by three centimetres. As a result, together with a very lean A-Column, there are hardly any blind spots in front of the truck when the driver has adjusted his seat properly. The electric windows now lift or go down with just one touch, allowing the driver to keep his hands on the steering wheel as much as possible. Further, the mirrors where adjusted in order to give better views around the truck.

Being a complete package, there will be a lot of connectivity to help the driver and fleet manager operate the truck. In addition, there will be new services (Finance, flexible maintenance to name just two) that come as a combo with this truck. A cornerstone of the new offering will be connectivity and the centralised data collection. This will allow Scania to harvest data and to utilize this to further improve the product. For example, the backend will determine when it would be the best time to come in for a service, avoiding appointments that are too close together. For instance, an oil change may be slightly delayed if the system detects that another item may need servicing in the very near future, thus combining these two tasks. However, one will have to display some patience first as the truck will not be available in South East Asia for the time being. However, we are sure that when it will be, it will see a similarly enthusiastic reception as it had at the IAA.

This European truck manufacturer remains competitive with all new features for their trucks and a online backend that is to assist fleet operators to be more efficient. This man of MAN Malaysia is no longer someone new to Asian Trucker readers; he is someone that has been with MAN for almost 15 years now: Mr Hartmut Müller, Managing Director of MAN Truck and Bus (M) Sdn Bhd. We interviewed him at IAA 2016, where he was joined by clients from Malaysia.

“IAA is always the biggest show in the trucking industry, hence, it’s very important to attend or to be present in order to meet old customers, new customers, colleagues, competitors, and to have discussions on what’s new rolling into the markets. I believe every two years, there will be something exciting in the trucking industry from all over the world, that is why I am here,” said Müller.

This year, MAN Truck and Bus (M) Sdn Bhd took 15 customers from Malaysia to IAA, and as for this year, they have chosen customers only from the long- haul industry to see what is the future of the truck in Europe.

EfficientLine 3
It is a evolution of a truck that started in 2010, when MAN was thinking about what can be done to reduce fuel consumption by looking into the various components of the vehicle.
For this year, the MAN TGX Efficient Line 3 is on display. With the help of consistent advancements in the development of the fuel economy concept, MAN has succeeded in launching a highly efficient truck on the roads. Moreover, it is more optimised with respect to fuel consumption and more environment-friendly than ever before. Buyers will benefit from an attaractive price-performance ratio, lower their total cost of ownership (TCO) and maximise profit. This generation of the EfficientLine managed to reduce fuel consumption by a further 6.5 %.

RIO
Arriving at the airport in Hannover, one can see this MAN solution advertised throughout the arrivals and departures. It is an IT product that offered for the transportation industry and is designed to sync with Apps provided by other players in the industry. It is also an open platform which runs potentially on every vehicles. The idea is to provide an uniform interface for the logistics industry to then have all the services provided thru the device that will manage the whole fleet and provide decision support. Moreover, fleet owners do not have to install any software on board of the truck. As of now, RIO is only available for trucks meeting the Euro 6 emmission norms.

Asia Night
“This time round we have a bigger international crowd, as we invited customers not only from countries from the Asia Pacific region, but we also have countries outside of Europe, Afirica, middle east, Asia and Australia,” said Mr Muller. “Later, there will be an award ceremony for our customers and one of the fleet owners from Malaysia is receiving the award,” he added.

Nozomi Logistics (M) Sdn Bhd
It was an invitation from MAN Truck and Bus (M) Sdn Bhd to bring Mr Thomas Tan, Managing Director and his team. This was his second trip to IAA. “It is good to be here because it’s like a window to the latest innovative ideas and to the latest updates of what is going on in the world of logistics. Everything here is more advanced, of course, an eye opener for everyone that comes to this expo,” said Tan.

“My business relationship with MAN Malaysia has been more than five years now. At the moment, I have more than 30 trucks from MAN and definitely more to come in the near future. Apart from the best quality that no one can deny, it is the hard work and effort that is being put in by Mr Müller and the team that convinces us. I am a satisfied customers,” he added.