Just as it is turning around the fortunes of its teeming consumers by making them millionaires through its on-going spell and win promo, Dangote Cement Plc has also presented 82 brand new trucks to its distributors to further assist them to ease their product distribution logistics.
The move was also to help the distributors, who are responsible for the availability of the cement products nationwide, to service their customers efficiently and more profitably and in turn take their businesses to the next level.
This is coming on the heels of similar presentation of motorised three-wheelers to some distributors and retailers across the nation.
The truck presentation, which was held at the Enugu assembly plant of the SHACMAN truck, was preceded by special training session held for the drivers of the trucks, with the supervisors and managers of the distributors’ companies in attendance.
The training organised by Dangote Cement Plc in collaboration with Transit Support Services Limited (TSSL), the producers of SHACMAN trucks in Nigeria, was part of a purchase agreement designed to ensure the drivers get acquainted with the new trucks to minimise breakdowns and road accidents.
According to the organisers, the training which focused more on the drivers touched on the special skills needed to drive such trucks, road signs and comportment of the drivers as well as the general driving rules will help them to be more aware of their trucks and help to reduce carnages on Nigerian roads.
The training also emphasised proper handling and maintenance of the vehicles so as to enjoy their ruggedness and durability as they were purposely built for Nigerian roads.
Funmi Sanni, Dangote Cement marketing director, explained that the trucks were presented under Truck Empowerment Scheme (TES) designed to help the distributors in the area of logistic operations for prompt product collection and delivery to other retailers.
She stated that under the scheme, the distributors will pay for the trucks on a 50-month instalment basis. By so doing, the distributors can easily have access to truck on very simple and easy terms, an opportunity they could not have otherwise been availed of by the commercial banks.
Sanni pointed out that the presentation of the trucks was meant to enhance the operations of the distributors who have proven loyal to the Dangote Cement products over the years and guarantee more profitability at the end of the day.
According to her, Dangote Cement has a culture of catering for all its stakeholders along the value chain, noting that even the retailers were not left out of the scheme as there are arrangements for them to procure three-wheeler motorised vehicle to help them in their own delivery operations too.
She stated that the management of the cement company would stop at nothing to economically empower its customers at all levels, which is why the company is presently making its consumers millionaires in the on-going Bag of Goodies Season 2 themed ‘Spell Dangote and win a million Naira’.
It would be recalled that no fewer than 10 persons have so far emerged millionaires in the national consumer promo.
The first four winners were last week presented with their symbolic cheques followed by payment alert of N1 million each in Lagos and Ibadan. The company said 1,000 millionaires would emerge at the end of the promo.
Speaking at the presentation event, one of the leading Dangote Cement distributors, Gilbert Igweka, who could not hold back his excitement, appreciated Dangote Group and congratulated other distributors who were present at the event.
“I want to thank Dangote Group for supporting our business with these trucks at a time like this that businesses are shutting down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. These trucks will help us service our customers better and meet more demands,” Igweka said.
“Also I thank SHACMAN Nigeria and TSS for the training and enlightenment which will help us take proper care of our trucks in terms of maintenance and safety on the roads as well as helping our business thrive the more. As a consistent user of the SHACMAN truck brand, I will say Dangote made a good choice,” he said.
Dangote Group is the biggest customer of SHACMAN brand in Nigeria since the entrance of SHACMAN vehicles into the Nigeria market through Transit Support Services Limited as SHACMAN Nigeria five years ago.
Dangote Group has bought over 1,500 units of the brand. The group has also placed an order for about 350 units of SHACMAN heavy-duty trucks assembled by TSS at the ANAMMCO plant which were delivered to the Dangote Oil Refinery at Ibeju-Lekki in Lagos.
Transit Support Services Limited brought SHACMAN to Nigeria through a network of dealers, equipped with comprehensive services supported by SHACMAN Group. The TSS Enugu plant also offers genuine spare parts to support Shacman truck owners.
