Bahamas, Belize targeted Dashan Hendricks The company on Tuesday loaded its latest shipment of Shacman trucks for exports, a batch of seven trucks now en route for Guyana, and will next provide The Bahamas market with the trucks it imports from China. “Booking for shipments are being made now. We anticipate [sending the first set of trucks to The Bahamas before] the end of January 2023; it will be two K3000 Reefer trucks,” Chris Bicknell, chairman and CEO of the Tank-Weld Group, told the Jamaica Observer. Bicknell said the company has sought and received approval to sell the trucks in Belize as well, but orders from that market are yet to be received. Prospective buyers of the trucks are expected in the island in the next few weeks to assess the trucks and place orders. Tank-Weld now exports the Shacman trucks from its bonded warehouse in Kingston to the Cayman Islands, Barbados, St Vincent, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, St Lucia, and Grenada. Since it exported the first truck to Grenada in September 2019, Tank-Weld has sold another 120 trucks to the eight islands it now ships trucks to from Jamaica. Barbados, which received 50 of the trucks from Tank-Weld, is the biggest market for the Shacman trucks in the Caribbean outside of Jamaica. Total sales of Shacman trucks in Jamaica have reached over 1,400 since Tank-Weld started selling the units three years ago. “Certainly Jamaica has the lion’s share of the market now but we have been expanding and based on the potential that we see for the other markets, I believe they can be just as robust as the Jamaican market is,” Kirk Finnikin, sales manager at Tank-Weld Equipment, told the Caribbean Business Report. The Chinese manufacturer had required the company, which initially sought the trucks for its own fleet, to sell 50 units per year. “Then we scratched our heads and said, ‘Can we ever do this?’ Because the truck dealership business was new to us,” Bicknell reflected. “Now we are setting sales records every month.” He said the sales have been so good, Shaanxi Automobile Holdings — the producer of the Shacman trucks based in the city of Xi’an, Shaanxi Province in China — has sent four technicians to live in Jamaica and work along with Tank-Weld Equipment’s Shacman dealership to help with maintenance. Bicknell, however, said when he initially went to buy Shacman trucks the thought then was not to start a dealership. It was simply to solve an issue the company was having with sourcing reliable trucks to transport the building materials sold by Tank-Weld Metals, the distributing arm of the Tank-Weld Group. “It was new to us…but we knew the trucks were world class because we had tested them in our fleet before getting the dealership,” Bicknell added. Tank-Weld operates 100 Shacman trucks for itself, of which “70 are on the road at any given time”. “We had been with Mack trucks for 5o years and in comparison, these Shacman trucks are more affordable. And although the trucks are assembled in China, there are international components in them. They didn’t try to copy and the drivers love them, and when drivers love a truck, that’s when you know you have a really good product,” he continued. “Before, people who wanted trucks brought them in used — old trucks. Everybody in Jamaica could only afford second-hand trucks from the auctions. So we would go up to America and buy 20-year-old trucks just for affordability. We are not alone. Any haulage contractor will tell you that they had to live with the old ‘bruck’ down trucks for the past 5o years. Now you can buy a brand new truck for almost the same price.” “It has brought access and efficiency to the entire haulage sector, not just to Tank Weld, with a world-class truck that is affordable. Even now we are seeing new haulage contractors coming into business, existing ones expanding, companies buying new trucks that are making them more efficient, and banks running down our customers to lend them money. You ever heard of that? Never before,” Bicknell said raising his voice slightly. Clients for the trucks in Jamaica include the NSWMA, NWC, Jamaica Fire Brigade, mining operators and haulage contractors. “I call it a revolutionising of the haulage sector in Jamaica, and the rest of the Caribbean is now experiencing it with Shacman.” The company said using Jamaica as the hub for exports to the Caribbean and some Central American countries cuts down delivery time from order if shipped from the factory (in China), which takes approximately 130 days. Getting the trucks from Jamaica cut that time down to between 30 and 45 days. A bonded warehouse for parts is the next step forward, Tank-Weld told the Caribbean Business Report. That, it says, will allow for a very quick response time to export parts to the region using both air freight and sea freight. However, Tank-Weld Equipment now carries all parts for the trucks and also does servicing from its Ferry Pen, Six Miles, St Andrew base. “It has allowed new haulage contractors to enter the business, existing ones have expanded and companies have renewed their fleet,” Bicknell pointed out. Starting off with a few trucks because there was uncertainty about how the market would accept them, the company is now able to import 50 trucks at a time. Trucks aside, Tank-Weld Equipment has also introduced forklifts and earth-moving equipment, which are Chinese brands as well. Shantui, the earth-moving brand sold by Tank-Weld Equipment, and Hangcha, which is the forklift and warehouse equipment brand, are not only sold in Jamaica but are also exported. So far, Tank-Weld Equipment has exported five Shantui earth-moving equipment and it has exported two of the Hangcha forklifts. Bicknell said as with the trucks, companies using the earth-moving equipment and forklifts would buy them second-hand in the US or Canada, but can now get them brand new for prices which are comparable to the used ones. The

A full range of heavy-duty equipment was on display at Tank-Weld Equipment’s Expo on Friday and Saturday at the company’s distribution centre at Six Miles in Kingston, and scores of people turned out to partake in the event.

Tank-Weld Equipment will be hosting its largest showcase to date on April 29 and 30 at the new Tank-Weld Metals Distribution Centre at Six Miles in Kingston. “We have been doing a series of successful shows across the island and we felt it was time to bring it back to Kingston in a bigger and better way,” a company release quotes Tank-Weld Equipment Managing Director John Ralston. Since hosting its last show in Kingston in 2019 Tank-Weld Equipment, the exclusive distributor for Shacman in Jamaica and the Caribbean, has added a number of brands to its portfolio, including Rymax Lubricants and TWE Racking systems. “We started with Shacman as our flagship brand under the Tank-Weld Equipment umbrella in 2018 and have since seen other needs arise in the industry, and therefore have expanded to include a full line of warehouse equipment, earth-moving equipment, and most recently oils and lubricants from the Rymax brand out of Holland,” Ralston said. All brands will be on display at the exhibition for interested parties to see and gather more information. The Tank-Weld sales team will be in attendance and the the company has again partnered with National Commercial Bank whose representatives will be on hand to give potential customer information on loans and interest rates to people interested in acquiring equipment. The company also said that there will be a special element to the event in the form of a forklift safety and dexterity exhibition — an obstacle course testing agility, safety, and procedure of forklift drivers from some of Jamaica’s top distribution companies that have purchased the Hangcha line of forklifts distributed by Tank-Weld. “These types of exhibitions are like a sport in the United States and are designed to not only test the operator but also the unit itself,” said Ralston. The event is free to the public and all COVID-19 protocols will be observed. Story Link: https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/tank-weld-set-for-massive-showcase/

RIO BUENO, Trelawny — Nine trucks and other heavy equipment left the Tank-Weld Group of Companies’ Sufferance Port in Rio Bueno, Trelawny on Sunday bound for Barbados and St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). According to Tank-Weld, “the units are being provided to two Caribbean neighbours on very generous terms in response to the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano in SVG.” The volcano, that erupted on April 9 and several times afterwards, spewed volcanic ash on St Vincent and the Grenadines, spreading to neighbouring Barbados. The Tank-Weld team and the Barbados Government were brought together by Sandals Resorts International Executive Chairman Adam Stewart. Tank-Weld Group CEO Chris Bicknell stated that he was glad that Stewart made the contact so his company could be of assistance. Stewart told the Jamaica Observer West that he was “proud to have made the connection”. “Barbados had a need and we had a solution for our sister island,” he stressed. Bicknell emphasised that he too is happy to provide assistance to the Caribbean countries. “We are happy to assist our Caribbean neighbours in their time of need and want to assist in a speedy recovery for their people and economy,” he said. Two water sprinkling trucks and a front-end loader were identified as items of immediate need for St Vincent and the Grenadines and seven water sprinkling trucks for Barbados. Tank-Weld also arranged concessionary shipping terms for a vessel that services the Caribbean region to transport the items. Tank-Weld, now in its 50th year of operation, supplies hardware and building materials in the region, and is the regional dealer for Shacman trucks and Shantui earth moving equipment. In the past, Tank-Weld has assisted Caribbean neighbours in the wake of disasters. The company came to the aid of SVG in the wake of Hurricane Tomas in 2010 with supplies of building materials ,and later provided similar assistance to Dominica in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Tank-Weld said it is heartened by the opportunity “to come to the assistance of Caribbean brothers and sisters in their moment of difficulty”. A Shacman F3000 watersprinkler truck, with a14,000-litre stainless steeltank, is being loaded ontothe ship that will take it toBarbados to aid in the cleanupof ash caused by theeruption of the La Soufrierevolcano in St Vincent andthe Grenadines.

SHACMAN Jamaica, local suppliers of Chinese-made Shacman heavy equipment, said the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak caused some of their manufacturers to temporarily close operations in that country. However, it did not affect local business. “We are very fortunate that we had a lot of trucks in stock and we had a lot of trucks on the water, 34 of which arrived yesterday (Tuesday). Therefore, with regards to supplying trucks to customers, we don’t have an issue. But the long and short of it, yes, it affected Shacman,” John Ralston, managing director of Tank-Weld Equipment, told the Jamaica Observer’s Auto magazine. According to the managing director, production for the large F3000 had halted. “The factory stopped production for 10 days for the Chinese New Year, and they did not restart until up to recently. They are up to about 95 per cent production at this particular time. So they’re pretty much back to normal,” he said. “They have a medium-sized duty truck, that factory is not back into production yet. But they are making efforts to restart it,” he continued. China’s vehicle sales had the biggest monthly plunge on record as the coronavirus kept shoppers away, intensifying the pressure on automakers already battling an unprecedented slump before the outbreak. Sales fell 80 per cent in February, according to preliminary numbers from the China Passenger Car Association released Wednesday. The outbreak has paralysed the industry just as it was looking to gradually halt a two-year decline, with manufacturers now left with little visibility into when sales might recover. Ralston was optimistic of China bringing the virus under control. “The numbers seem to be going down in China, but going up everywhere else in the world. So the problem may not be in China very long. It may be everywhere else, except for China,” he said. “I’m hoping they get a handle on this quickly… They’re back up and taking every single precaution. I can only have faith and hope they have a handle on the virus,” he continued. Nearly 97,000 people in 81 countries have been infected with the virus and more than 3,300 people have died. There have been 11 deaths in the United States — 10 in Washington state and one in California. — Brian Bonitto Story Link: https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/auto/shacman-pulls-through/

So your SHACMAN F3000 dump truck is sitting idle on site. What do you do? You take your F3000 tractor trailer and pick up your Shantui SL50WN front-end loader and head back for some serious billable work hours. As part of Shandong Heavy Industry, the parent company for sister brand SHACMAN, Shantui was founded in 1980 as a research and development company, and key component supplier of construction equipment. In 2009 it became part of the Shandong Heavy Industry Group and one of the top 50 construction machinery manufacturers worldwide as it expanded into making its own line of equipment including bulldozers, excavators, road construction machinery and wheel loaders. A year ago SHACMAN Jamaica brought in their first Shantui for testing. Like the SHACMAN trucks they proved up to the task, and the exclusive local dealers haven’t looked back since, which brings us to the 2020 Shantui SL50WN, a five tonne, four-wheeled front-end loader ready to dig in and get to work for you. The SL50WN is the brand’s best-selling wheel loader and like all fresh construction equipment it is irresistible in yellow, making it look like a child’s toy. Standing next to it completely erases the toy-like feel as it is quite imposing. Climb the several or so feet into the cabin and one is met by air-conditioned comfort, a necessity given the operational expectations and the amount of glass used to ensure a 360 degree field of vision. The seat is suspended for driver comfort and controls are simple, easy to understand, and within reach. Step on the big red pedal to stop, use the joy stick to control the bucket, push or pull the red button for the emergency brake. A column-mounted shifter selects forward, neutral, or reverse, while rotating that very same stalk changes gears from one through four. The SL50WN shares its engines with its SHACMAN brothers for parts availability and compatibility. Fire it up and top speed is 38km/h forward and 17km/h in reverse. Handling requires a smooth but deft hand due to the combination of immediacy from the hydraulics and the fact that the SL50WN steers near centre vehicle with a maximum of 35 degrees each way. You can be ham-fisted, but be prepared to be bounced around the cabin a bit, especially when trying to empty the 3m3 bucket which can dump its load at a 45 degree angle and lower in 10.6 seconds in one move for the experienced operator. With four-wheel drive, 23.5-25 16PR tyres and some serious ground clearance the Shantui won’t have a problem on the toughest of job sites. Should buyers need more it can be customised, with multiple bucket size options, three boom lengths, and attachments for more specific tasks. All Shantui SL50WN come with a 20-month or 2,000 hours warranty package. Go anywhere, dig anywhere in the Shantui SL50WN front-end loader. The cabin of the Shantui SL50WN. The Shantui SL50WN in action

Heavy-duty truck makers, Shacman, has announced a major decision to establish its regional headquarters in Jamaica. The China-based company, which recently signed a deal with Tank Weld (TW) to distribute its trucks in Jamaica, will be setting up offices in Six Miles, St Andrew, close to TW’s main offices, by the end of this month, according to a recent news release. “This decision certainly demonstrates a level of confidence in Jamaica,” John Ralston, TW’s managing director stated. “There is no other motor vehicle brand in Jamaica for which the manufacturer has established its regional headquarters with permanent staff living here.” The move is designed to result in improved access to after-sales services. “For us at Tank Weld, this is a very positive move, given that a regional office in Jamaica, with permanent technical staff residing here, will provide access to excellent assistance and support to TW in responding to its customers’ enquiries; and after-sales service requirements, at a technical level,” Ralston said. “This will raise the confidence level of customers for the Shacman brand and the commitment to ensure their trucks receive detailed attention.” Shacman is an incorporation of three names: Sha is the first three letters in the Shaanxi Automobile Group, and also the first letters in the name of the Chinese city where the factory is located. The letter c is the first letter in the name of the American engine builder Cummins Inc, and MAN stands for the advanced complete vehicle heavy-duty truck technology introduced from the MAN Truck and Bus AG Group in Germany. Tank Weld, a nearly 50-year-old heavy-duty equipment company, says it was observing Shacman trucks in Jamaica for several years prior to signing the deal with the company in January of this year. Shacman has been operating units under rugged conditions in Jamaica for the China Harbour Engineering Company, and in 2017 Tank Weld purchased several trucks to test for its own purposes. “We were very excited with the test results in every respect, and immediately proceeded to develop a relationship with Shacman.” Ralston explained. “We were invited to visit the plant in Shaanxi China, which confirmed our expectation that Shacman is a substantial manufacturer who has immense pride in the quality of its trucks through extensive research and development. In addition, it is committed to after-sales service for its customers,” Ralston said. Shacman employs some 32,000 people. Recognising the deficiency of opportunities for financing, Tank Weld partnered with JN Bank to provide a commercial loan for local haulage contractors to finance the purchasing of the heavy-duty vehicles. “We see this as a boon for an important subsector of the micro and small business industry,” said Saniah Spencer, chief marketing and product development, JN Bank, who noted that the subsector’s importance to the economy is often underappreciated. “JN Bank’s philosophy is centred on developing solutions to empower all segments of the Jamaican economy; and, we strongly believe that the haulage subsector is an area where the country can achieve significant growth,” Spencer said via the news release. Ralston said, “Tank Weld sees the combination of the high quality of the Shacman truck, the strong support for parts and service by Tank Weld, the attractive financing by JN Bank, and the solid commitment of Shacman, to be revolutionary for the trucking industry in Jamaica.” “This will certainly open up opportunities for small, medium and large haulage contractors which never existed before,” he affirmed. China’s Shacman to establish regional office in Jamaica