Pretoria-based Grindrod Locomotives has delivered six of the 16 locomotives ordered by Bolloré Logistics for their Sitarail operation in the Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso, in West Africa. The locomotives which were ordered in June 2015 were shipped in April this year.
The R400-million order comprises ten new alternating current (AC) diesel electric locomotives, six shunting locomotives as well as the possibility of two high-speed passenger locomotives destined for Bolloré Logistics in Cameroon, in Central Africa, and Côte d'Ivoire /Burkina Faso.

Grindrod Locomotives CEO Robert Spoon says: "We are delighted to announce our partnership with Bolloré Logistics and, while our traditional market has been in the supply of locomotives for the mining sector, we are expanding our footprint through this partnership further into West Africa and penetrating the rapidly growing freight sector which is replacing general road freight transport of the past and decongesting roads."

He explained that as a South African systems integrator, Grindrod engages locally and internationally with recognised and established engineering and instrumentation companies for components such as traction motors, shunting engines, control systems and drives, bogies and wheels, enabling the company to manufacture locomotives with more than 65% local content. "We have invested substantially in increasing our local content and our manufacturing process to supply locomotives that we know perform optimally at the best cost,"  Spoon points out.

The new AC-based locomotives destined for Sitarail feature specifically designed cabins for extra driver comfort, metric gauge and meet the local axle weight requirements, painted and branded in the customer's corporate colours and livery.
The logistics in moving the locomotives from Pretoria, in Gauteng, to Richards Bay, in KwaZulu-Natal, were handled by Grindrod subsidiary Vanguard.  Locomotives were lifted from the factory floor using hoists to place the 108 tonne locomotives onto a flatbed truck for a two-day haul to Richards Bay.

Integrated Supply Process
Grindrod Locomotives offers customers an integrated supply process from analysing customer requirements, site inspections and simulation exercises to recommending a suitable locomotive, manufacturing of the required locomotive and delivery and testing.

Re-build Options
The company also offers superior locomotive rebuild options that provide for improved tractive effort, upgraded controls systems and enhanced safety features, extending the life expectancy by a further 10 to 15 years, with maintenance and fuel savings in the order of 25% to 30% ñ all supported by Grindrod Locomotives' after-service support and warranties. In this vein, new control systems have been developed with Cameroon concession of Bolloré Camrail to retrofit nine of their existing BB1100 locomotives, providing improved train control and driver management.

Moving Forward
Spoon adds: "As a result of our market research, we also see opportunities in the American market for our locomotives, which will be redesigned to accommodate the American wide gauge style. We recently leased nine GRP 3000-type locomotives to Camrail through Bolloré Logistics, which took delivery of these locomotives from April 2015."

He says it is based on the successful performance of these locomotives that the AC mainline locomotives were ordered and two new passenger locomotives could possibly be ordered.
 

"Our locomotives compare more favourably than [that of] other suppliers across all technical aspects, including cost effectiveness, cleaner environment initiatives, parts and component availability and advanced technology. We believe it is these factors that impressed Bolloré Logistics, coupled with our professionalism and our dedication to customer satisfaction. We are proud to partner with Bolloré Logistics and look forward to growing this mutually beneficial partnership," concludes Spoon.