Building on record attendance of more than 2 280 visitors to Africa’s leading transport, materials handling, logistics and fleet management event the TruckX Conference and Expo (TruckX), at the Kyalami grand prix circuit, in Midrand, last year, TruckX 2018 hopes to increase this year’s attendance by 50%.

TruckX, which is co-located with the Fleet & Light Commercial Expo (FleetX) and Materials Handling Exhibition and Workshop (MHX), will take place from July 11 to 12.

TruckX, initially a standalone conference organised by event organisers The Future Group, has grown over the years into a fully fledged conference and exhibition, and following the move to Kyalami from the Sandton Convention Centre two years ago, the larger venue has allowed for an increase in live demonstrations, test drives and competitions using the track and outdoor facilities at Kyalami.

The Future Group enlisted the services of Exhibition Management Services former owner John Thomson last year to offer his organisational expertise regarding TruckX. “As organisers, we hope to create a permanent networking platform for the trucking, light commercial and fleet industries,” says Thomson.

He acknowledges that the ability to inform the respective target markets of each event is a key challenge for event organisers. In the past, it was relatively easy to inform the desired audience, but with traditional printed trade publications now being virtually nonexistent, organisers rely on the diversified and instant route of electronic media. However, the impermanence of e-media makes the window of opportunity to advertise information much smaller, as Thomson points out that “if you miss the information on an event, that information is gone, unlike a magazine, which you can refer to again because it is around for months”.

TruckX’s first-time sponsors include oil industry company Shell, offering its new Shell Fleet Solutions, which extends tailor-made fuel packages to fleet owners, and automobile manufacturer Fiat, whose vehicles will be used on the dynamic handling track for the South African Express Parcel Association (SAEPA) ‘Speed in a Suit’ challenge.

The Speed in a Suit competition, sponsored by Fiat and adjudicated by advanced driving training provider MasterDrive, which will also exhibit this year, will take place once again.

Executives from representative association for the express freight and courier industry SAEPA, will participate against one another again on a timed circuit of the dynamic handling track to see who can swiftly carry out the required deliveries while remaining frugal.

The expo will focus not only on technology and offerings in the transport and logistics sectors, but also on advancements in maintaining and securing transport fleets.

Exhibitors at this year’s event include vehicles and original-equipment manufacturers, transport and materials handling operators, the telematics industry, fuels and lubricants producers and distributors, safety and driver training providers, tankers, trailers, aftermarket and the financial sector.

Further, the incorporation of MHX and FleetX allows for the full spectrum of the transport industry to be showcased, with previous exhibitors and attendees noting that the event “catered well to all the sector’s needs and offered real-time exposure to vehicles, products and technologies currently available on the market”, says Thomson.

“There were some really interesting and exciting displays at TruckX 2017,” says supply chain provider Cargo Carriers joint CEO Garth Bolton. “It was great to see spare parts companies participating at the expo. TruckX 2017 provided a good start to what could grow into a really large event, which would be the new, much-needed home of trucking industry suppliers,” he adds.

“Exhibitors also use the track to offer potential clients test drives in their vehicles,” Thomson concludes.