We're not too sure if either ERF UK or ERF Trucks SA fully realise it but the new offerings launched onto the market in the form of the Performer ECX and ECS models will serve to broaden the appeal of ERF to a wider audience than in the past. This can only bode well for the future of a marque which has gone through bumpy times over the past few years but now looks set to roll writes Patrick O'Leary

"It's going great. Since the launch we're received definite orders for 20 ECX units and there's more in the pipeline." This was Chris Pinto talking a few weeks after ERF Trucks SA launched the new generation ERFs - branded the Performer ECX and ECS - at the Gerotek testing grounds outside Pretoria.

 

	At the launch from left: Keith Battye, chairman ERF Trucks SA; Joe Mukwala, Cummins Diesel; Craig Geyle, newly appointed MD of ERF Trucks SA; and John Bryant, chairman and CEO of ERF (UK).
	Keith Battye, the man in the ERF driving seat - sitting in a European cab with an American drive train.

We were 'doing lunch' and the sales director of ERF Trucks SA was in a relaxed mood - although the conversation was constantly interrupted by him having to answer his cell phone. Hey look, I don't mind that. I never do. This is the trucking industry and switching off a cell phone in the trucking industry is a snub to your customers - and that's a no go!

Proof of this is that one of the calls he received was from a customer whose truck had a problem at the bottom of Van Reenen's Pass. Of course, it wasn't one of the new models. Rather, it was an EC model which the new generation trucks are replacing. One call later and the customer was happy. Help was on the way.

That call told me more about the new-styled ERF than any launch function could do. When a company launches a new range of vehicles, it's glitter time where promises of all good things to come are made. However, what counts is when the curtain goes down and the call goes out for those promises to be kept.

At the launch, the promise was made that for any truck in distress, help would be no more than 200 kms away. This was to be achieved via the establishment of a nationwide network of service centres contracted to ERF Trucks SA. At the time of 'doing lunch', 12 such centres were in place - and thus the promise made to the customer was kept. Pinto is confident that a further eight will be in place before year end.

The ability to offer great product and service is now a reality for ERF Trucks SA and we therefore think it only fair to dispel two myths that exist in the market. The first is that the company is Zimbabwean based and, given the situation in that country, this poses a threat to sustainable operations.

Not true says Pinto. In fact, politics aside, the Zimbabwe link is a good one for it brings into the picture 18 years experience of selling and servicing ERF products in southern Africa. That's how long Harare-based Hubert Davies has been representing ERF in the region.

However, knowing that the South Africa market is totally different to other markets in southern Africa, chairman Keith Battye set up a separate company in South Africa to service this market. With head-office in Johannesburg, branches have been established in Cape Town and Durban. This move has the full backing and support of ERF (UK).

Eaton-Fuller's Deon Jordaan is thrilled ERF has gone the USA drive train route. It means more business for him.
The top crop from ERF. From left: John Bryant, Keith Battye, Charles Waggott export manager ERF (UK) and Craig Geyle.
Nieuwstad Roadfreight is a happy customer. From left: Danny Dennewill, operations overseer; Andre De Clerk, director; Christ Pinto, sales director, ERF Trucks SA; and Bill Nieuwstad, MD.

The other myth is that Billy Rautenbach, former head honcho of Wheels of Africa and now fugitive in Zimbabwe, is tied up with the company. Not true says Pinto. "Rautenbach is not, in any way, involved with ERF, either in Zimbabwe or here." Phew! That was a close one.

OK, let's now look at why we think the new generation Performer ECX and ECS models will serve to broaden the appeal of these vehicles.

To answer this, we'll go back some years and put that grand man Dai Davies back in the ERF driving seat. Under his reign, ERF was a well respected company but to be honest, the product had an air of exclusivity about it. Perhaps - and I'm guessing here - this came from the fact that Davies was a technical perfectionist and in an era when all trucks were fitted with the same ADE engines, he somehow differentiated ERF trucks from a mass market appeal via an aura of exclusivity.

And hey, that's not an insult! It worked for the company. During the sanctions era when companies were pulling out of South Africa at a rapid rate, I asked Davies whether ERF would also go. "We're not into politics and the only time we'll leave is when we become unprofitable," he answered in his straight-talking way. And the company did make profits so his approach was right for the time.

Now fast forward to Gerotek and listen to the presentations on the new models. Sure the technical excellence was there - ERF (UK) prides itself on this - but there was a distinct difference with the main accent centering around improved comfort and safety benefits for the driver - who controls the vehicle - and improved operational benefits for the operator - who controls the spend.

It the past, it was all about power and torque. That's still there but added to this is the extra belly room provided for the portly driver and the extra 60% stowage space in the cab for his goodies. That mix tells me these new models are going to appeal to a wider audience than in the past. It looks like ERF's time has come. Check them out!