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Shacman making big moves with wreckers

Published:Sunday | January 12, 2020 | 12:39 AM
The rescue truck being connected to the back of a trailer.
The rescue truck being connected to the back of a trailer.

Tank-Weld has been a Jamaican-owned company for over 30 years and has been constantly reinventing itself. With the group of companies employing over 1,000 workers and constantly moving cargo, they recently decided to invest in the distribution of Shacman heavy-duty trucks.

“Tank-Weld Equipment limited started in 1976 as an equipment-rental company, and on the 1st of January 2018, Tank-Weld Equipment Limited was appointed the exclusive dealer for the Shacman range of medium- and heavy-duty trucks in Jamaica and the Caribbean,” John Ralston, managing director, Tank-Weld Equipment Ltd.

They have been using the Shacman trucks for several years and believe this personal experience with the brand makes their role as dealership ideal. “We imported five units in August 2017 for testing purposes. We tested these units until end of November. Then on a trip to China, we successfully negotiated the dealership, which took effect January 1, 2018.”

Shacman markets itself primarily to owners of large fleets who have to move huge items across the island. “We saw the need, based on our own experience, for a quality product, at a reasonable price, to allow fleet owners and individuals to invest in trucks for all aspects of the transportation sector, where they would be guaranteed parts and service to a level never seen before in Jamaica.”

F3000 Rotating Recovery Wrecker

The standout vehicle in the fleet is the F3000 Rotating Recovery Wrecker, which can be used to tow or lift large vehicles. In recent times, one of the most persisting challenges for trailer drivers is to get across Flat Bridge, located in the Bog Walk gorge. Over the years, many of them have fallen off the bridge, costing owners millions to recover their vehicles.

“Jamaica’s roads are usually very narrow and winding. Being a rotator rescue truck, we can do recoveries 360 degrees around the truck. There is, to the best of our knowledge, no other rotating rescue truck on the island. As a result, there are circumstances where persons had to use two trucks or hire a crane to recover their trailer. Fortunately, our truck can do this on its own”.

When dealing with such heavy equipment, maintenance becomes a major issue, and the number-one concern of fleet operators is to keep their vehicles on the road. For this reason, the availability of parts is a major concern as it gravely affects operational costs when these heavy-duty vehicles out of service.

“We have not been in operation for very long, but based on customer feedback so far, we are told that our parts and service is rivalled by no one in the industry.”

Not a company to become complacent, they are planning to expand their operation in the coming months. “Every day, we are working to satisfy our customers and ensure that their experience continues to be an excellent one. A maintenance location further west is planned for the very near future, and we are continuing our push into the Eastern Caribbean,” concluded Ralston.