Afleet upgrade programme involving more than 79% of the company’s fleet of over 400 trucks is paying off for clients and the company itself says Junaid Lalgy, managing director of Matola-based Lalgy Transportes.
Established in 1990, the company has operations in Matola, Beira, Tete, Chimoio, Nacala and Pemba. It recently invested US$700 000 in a special unit (Volvo FH16 plus a modular 150-ton trailer) to service its project clients. According to Lalgy, there has been growth in volumes carried by the company along the corridors serving South Africa, Malawi and Zimbabwe following the investment in new trucks and purpose-built trailers which help shippers to maximise import and export loads.
“Beira and Maputo are able to handle the increase in volumes,” he says. The main challenge for transporters is balancing loads. “We have had enquiries to move chrome from Zimbabwe, but the challenges are the distances involved and the absence of back loads. You cannot use a bulk trailer for much other than bulk commodities,” he says.
However, the growth in demand is helping to support the ongoing modernisation and expansion of the Lalgy fleet. Another 100 trucks are on order to be delivered late in 2018, with the company increasing its fleets of tippers and fuel tankers. Its fleet in the Tete province is moving around 450 000 tons of coal a month within the mines and to the rail sidings in Moatize. Lalgy is also moving graphite with a dedicated fleet of 20 trucks.
The Pemba operation is ready for the expected growth in demand from the oil and gas sector. Lalgy has over 50 abnormal trailers suitable for the transport of project cargo for the mining and oil and gas industries. “Our focus on coal and mining, oil and gas, infrastructure, construction, power and energy as well as regional import and export operations has required heavy and large equipment to be moved to remote areas in the countryside where such projects are located.
“Where the road ends, we carry on,” says general manager, Aly Ibrahimo Lalgy. He is one of the new management team taking over the day-to-day running of the company, says Junaid Lalgy. One of their focus areas is health and safety. Lalgy has a professional team ensuring that it meets and exceeds all the minimum health and safety standards in the different sectors it serves, he says.
Lalgy has over 50 abnormal trailers suitable for the transport of project cargo.
