Are you looking for a vehicle that is sturdy and can tackle any terrain with ease? Not only does URI-SA have the vehicle for you, but they can also customise it according to your specifications.

URI became the manufacturer of multipurpose vehicles made of steel in 2015, designed to be converted from a commercial vehicle to a mine vehicle. These vehicles have the capacity to be used in various industries.

URI-SA offers vehicles in four different departments:

  • Open pit and underground mining
  • Agriculture
  • Policing, security, military, and firefighting
  • Game viewing and recreation

André and Raymond Squire are the owners of URI-SA.

The existence of URI-SA

 The vehicles were originally built by Ewert Smith in Namibia from 1995. There was a need for vehicles compatible with a variety of applications and terrains. In 2015, André and Raymond Squire purchased the intellectual property and established URI. Both were familiar with the trackless mining industry.

URI-SA’s aspirations

The company strives to add value, specifically the value of vehicle development, profitability, availability, and effectiveness in various sectors.

  • Their motivation is to provide their customers with the best quality engineering and development
  • To provide cost-effective services
  • To be the market leaders in supplying vehicles that hold in the commercial and agricultural sectors, and
  • To be innovative vehicle providers.

URI vehicles handle any challenge with ease.

From old to new with URI-SA

URI-SA offers a very unique service. In addition to developing and building new vehicles, they can also transform your old vehicle into a URI vehicle.

Raymond says: “We have a very good option where people can donate their old Toyota Hilux to us, and then we restore all the parts according to their specifications and make them as good as new. We then take those parts and build them into a new URI body. Then the customer has a brand-new URI cabin built from their own donated vehicle parts, which are as good as new. This is one of our cost-saving initiatives that we have implemented.”

They integrate all of Toyota’s products into the vehicle. The 4.2 Landcruiser 4×4 and 2×4 as well as the KZTE Hilux ranges are particularly suitable for this build.

“But any vehicle can fit inside the URI, there are no limits to the type of vehicles we can build inside the URI,” says Raymond.

Agriculture

The ideal farming vehicle must last for years, be easy to maintain and to repair. The URI agricultural range’s design outperforms other agricultural vehicles with its durable monocoque frame. In such a frame, the covering is part of the structure’s support.

The frame is built from 3 mm steel tubes and covered with 1,6 mm sheet metal, making the frame durable while limiting the overall mass to 1 690 kg.

The heavier components are installed at the rear of the vehicle so that the mass is evenly distributed. This prevents the vehicle from rolling easily and improves wheel grip. This contributes to the vehicle’s excellent performance when traversing rubble and other loose surfaces.

The URI’s field performance is further enhanced by durable front and rear suspension. The vehicle has high ground clearance, agility, and comfort.

It is designed to transport people and goods economically across any surface.

The URI agricultural vehicle is available as a 2×4 or 4×4 model with a double or single cabin. The frame can be customised according to your specifications.

“We want to focus on bringing bakkies back to the agricultural sector over the next three to five years. We want to see if we can bring in a vehicle under the R400 000 mark that is guaranteed for 40 years for any welding work and any metal wear,” Raymond explains.

The vehicle will be based on the old Toyota KZTE Hilux technology. Raymond says that even though it’s an old model Toyota, it is still seen today as one of the last sturdy Toyota’s of its time.

“Our entire vehicle works with those bakkie’s components.”

Development is something URI-SA wants to focus on in the next two years. They are currently developing a new electric vehicle (EV) for a major mining group.

The technology could possibly also be adapted for a first-of-its-kind agricultural vehicle.

These small vehicles will be available to farm workers. The idea is that it is an affordable mobility enforcement unit that can go from point A to point B. Although it won’t be on the road, it will still have everything a robust farm vehicle needs. It will be a unique smart electronic vehicle for the mining and agricultural sectors.

“The vehicle will be able to drive for eight hours after its batteries are fully charged and can reach speeds of about 30 to 40 km/h. The vehicle will be able to provide many solutions to mining companies and farmers in terms of transportation and cost savings,” explains Raymond.

“I think we’re going to shake up the market a bit,” Raymond says.

André Squire in one of the URI vehicles.

Desert Runner

The durable 4×4 and 4×2 Desert Runner is designed to conquer the toughest surfaces in Africa. It is made from seamless steel pipes that are 3 mm thick and covered with 1,6 mm sheet steel. The tailgate and doors can also be removed to facilitate the loading or unloading of large items.

A zinc undercoat and industrial topcoat provide rust protection, and the chassis, load bed, engine compartment, and interior are treated with polyurethane for durability.

Game Viewing Vehicles

Few things excite tourists as much as climbing aboard a game viewing vehicle. With the URI game viewing vehicle, you can be rest assured that your clients will safely reach their vantage point, even if the terrain is a bit rough.

These vehicles are also available as 4×4 or 4×2 models and can comfortably transport up to ten passengers. Recreational equipment and tools such as shovels, a buffer jack, spare wheel, tow bar, inverters, refrigerators, and radios are all fitted to the vehicle.

Policing, Military, and Security

Law enforcement is one of the most important and dangerous professions, requiring law enforcement officers to have rugged vehicles that can traverse rough terrain. Riots and the transportation of criminals or security dogs mean that vehicles must be fully equipped for safety.

The URI policing and military vehicles are built for such situations. The vehicles are also available as 4×4 and 4×2 models with single or double cabins, with the opportunity to bring your own specifications.

The vehicle has a secure load bed with a steel cover and lockable rear cover for transporting criminals. Special lights and other safety features are also added.

One of the URI 4.2 Landcruiser vehicles currently being tested on a 12-month basis in a large park in Zambia, an area that experiences up to 500 mm of floods annually. So far, no problems have surfaced.

Tour and recreation

Whether you’re a 4×4 enthusiast or just enjoy touring, URI has the vehicle for you. If you enjoy driving through wild terrain and tackling 4×4 routes, take a look at URI’s tour and recreation vehicle.

When a closed vehicle prevents you from enjoying the viewpoint or getting close enough to nature, a tent canopy can be added. These vehicles are also available as four-wheel or two-wheel drive with a single or double cabin and are equipped with recreational equipment and tools. The vehicle also has air conditioning, power outlets, and soundproofing inside.

With this vehicle, you can go where the road doesn’t even want to go.

Mining vehicles

URI has a wide variety of mining vehicles that include the single cab, double cab, and 1,4-meter high six-seater, as well as the 1,8-meter high single cab, double cab, and six-seater.

The URI Mark 2 is a tougher, larger, and better mining vehicle for personnel, with a width of 2 000 mm and eight seats. The enlarged engine compartment will accommodate the complete Toyota Landcruiser 75 and 79 series drive systems, even the Land Cruiser’s optional 3,0 L to 4,2 L diesel engines.

Development for all enterprises

One of the future plans is to develop efficient vehicles for various enterprises.

Raymond says, “We are looking at whether we can enter all markets with various vehicle options for ideas they bring forward. If they say they want a flat vehicle, 1,4 m wide with large wheels, and it must be able to float in the water, we are the people who can make it happen!”

Make a stop at NAMPO

“We have the most robust, versatile, and cost-effective vehicles Africa will ever see.”

This year, they will try to showcase two of their diesel models, the Landcruiser and KZTE Hilux, at NAMPO, and everyone is invited to come and see.

Raymond also says that they are already in the process of converting mining groups in Africa’s vehicles to URI vehicles.

“They want us to convert their old Landcruisers into hard-shell vehicles because the soft-shell vehicles can’t keep up. They last between one and two years maximum in the mine, our vehicles are guaranteed for 17 years of relentless mining environment. The load bed will not crack or break, or we’ll replace it for free.

“We stand by our product, we provide support for our products and components, and everything we build is inspired by Toyota. People might think the KZTE Hilux is an outdated extinct bakkie, but we’re bringing it back.”

These are just some of the products that URI-SA offers. For a complete list of their products and services, visit their website www.uri-sa.co.za