How significant is Scania’s presence in Chile and what is the relevance of the mining sector?

Scania has a strong network in Chile with 15 branches of our own and 16 CWS (workshops within our customers’ facilities). We are also in the process of opening two new branches; one in Santiago South andone in Valdivia, and we are going to invest in a new workshop in Antofagasta. Scania currently holds the number two position in the overall market, progressing from a 12% market share to a 16.8% market share in the last two years. In 2021, we invoiced 1,692 trucks and 275 buses, of which 240 were for the mining sector. We are the market leaders for delivering buses to the mining industry. 

Scania has a department 100% dedicated to the mining sector to develop new products with the required specifications for mining applications. In Chile, we also have teams that are fully dedicated to mining activities. 

Can you tell us about Scania’s US$5 million investment in Antofagasta?

The Antofagasta region has seen strong growth over the past years in rolling fleet and in workshop services. We needed to increase capacity to accommodate this demand. We thus decided to invest US$5 million to build a new workshop, with construction due to start in September/October 2022. This workshop will be our headquarters for mining activities in northern Chile. 

What are the main safety aspects of Scania’s equipment for mining companies?

With Scania’s modular system the company builds the best fleet to specific operating conditions. For the mining industry, we offer vehicles incorporated with the latest safety technologies that adapt to rugged terrain such as the roads leading to mine sites. We have incorporated technologies on our buses and trucks that lets the vehicle lead the trajectory. We also have Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), which is a tool where the driver can adapt and regulate the speed on specific section of road. We installed Advanced Emergency Break (AEB) technology on our trucks and buses, which significantly reduces collision risks, and have an Electronic Stability Program (ESP), which greatly increases driving safety by monitoring key stability parameters and automatically triggering appropriate controls. The ESP system is designed to work on wet or slippery roads where under- or over-steering often occurs, and on dry roads where the main risk is a roll-over resulting from excessive speed or adverse camber on bends. 

How do Scania’s vehicles and financing solutions help the cost efficiency of an operation?

For a mine to be profitable, operators must haul as much material as possible at the lowest cost. Our long-haul vehicles are built to the highest requirements with the highest possible efficiency to deliver even in extremely harsh environments. Scania trucks have great fuel consumption, which significantly decreases transportation costs. Maintenance on our trucks and buses is also extremely cost efficient. 

Scania provides flexible financing and insurance solutions tailored to give the customer predictable costs and manageable risks over the entire lifecycle of our vehicles. 

We provide short-term or long-term rental options to customers, which is a great option when they want to avoid tying up capex or when they need an extra vehicle at short term to cover peaks in demand. Customers can rent vehicles from one week to three years, and the vehicle is covered by a Scania insurance for full repair and maintenance, FMS Fleet management system, and monitoring of the vehicle during the entire period. 

Which of Scania’s smart solutions leverage data to improve performance?

We offer a Fleet Management System (FMS) that enables customers to utilize data from the connected vehicle. This is a great alternative for customers because the systems offers access to full fleet data in a standardized format. We can collect different information about the vehicle and also about the driver’s behavior that we will use to train the driver if we see the need. For our customers this is providing them with direct business value from lowering fuel consumption to reducing wear and maintenance needs. 

What new products is the company looking to launch in 2022?

At the end of 2022 we will launch a new platform called Scania Super, including a new engine, gearbox and axels. This new powertrain has sustainability at its core and is the most advanced combustion engine we have ever built, promising a reduction in fuel consumption between 8% and 10% and more uptime than ever before. Scania Super sets a new standard for efficient, profitable and sustainable transport options. 

As for buses, we will launch the long-awaited new generation of buses called Novali, which incorporates a new powertrain with an XPI injection engine that improves consumption and reduces environmental impact. Its new chassis significantly improve the comfort of the vehicle.