Panagora’s new garage settles into Valentina
Panagora’s new garage in Valentina is now operational. More modern, more spacious and designed to meet the company’s future needs, it replaces the Phoenix facility as part of a reorganisation of activities within the Eclosia Group.
When Panagora relocated, the company could have outsourced vehicle maintenance. Instead, it chose to keep this activity in-house. A strategic decision, according to Joël Bathfield, Panagora’s Head of Logistics: “The garage is a cornerstone of our business. It is a vital link in our logistics chain, essential to keeping our operations running smoothly.”
The facility handles the maintenance, repair and monitoring of Panagora’s entire fleet, comprising 66 trucks and around 60 cars. Every day, 58 trucks take to the road to make deliveries. The others are kept in reserve as spare trucks, ready to step in when vehicles require maintenance or repairs, or to meet other operational needs. In December, when activity peaks, the entire truck fleet is deployed to handle deliveries.
The garage must therefore ensure that vehicles are available, reliable and compliant with the requirements of the Road Traffic Act. “Our role is to make sure that every truck heading out onto our roads is legally compliant and roadworthy, to protect our employees, the public and the products it carries,” says Joël Bathfield.
The new garage brings together around 15 colleagues and a range of trades on one site: mechanics, panel beaters, welders, painters, fibreglass specialists, tyre technicians and washing teams. An on-call team can also respond late in the day, either on-site or out on the road whenever assistance is needed.
Cleaning the refrigerated truck bodies is an important part of daily operations. These vehicles carry fresh produce and other products, and must be cleaned every day according to a precise protocol, using appropriate cleaning products and temperatures.
The project represents an investment of Rs 61 million. It includes the construction of the garage, access works, site security measures and the renovation of an existing building, now converted into offices, changing rooms, a dining area and storage space.
Panagora’s garage is also equipped with cameras connected to a remote surveillance system. Used oil and other waste generated by vehicle maintenance are sorted and handed over to specialist service providers for recycling.
With this new facility, Panagora has chosen to bring its expertise together and prepare for the future. “We wanted to think big and look ahead, so that Panagora can continue to evolve,” says Joël Bathfield.
Every year, the company delivers several thousand tonnes of products. Behind those volumes is a well-oiled operation. And in Valentina, the garage is one of its essential cogs.