A Tiger that never passes the buck!

Ask Ralston Smith for his title and he will tell you he is just a transporter. And that means moving cargo efficiently no matter where and no matter when. The managing director of Tiger Africa Transport, a business started by his father in 1981, Smith has always been involved in the transport industry and believes that learning the practical way has much to do with their success. One of the few transporters to tackle African countries as far as Ethiopia and Sudan, there is no place that Smith and his team deem too far. “Our strength lies in the fact that we are willing to venture off the known and main routes. If someone tells us of a bad road, we probably already know it.” Often taking on jobs to deliver in areas where there are hardly any roads, the answer to doing it well lies in speed, says Smith. “We drive slowly and we drive carefully. But our track record speaks for itself – we guarantee to deliver the goods safely and without damage.” And they can prove it. In the whole of 2008 the company only lost two bags of plastic resin that broke after the load shifted on the truck and they fell to the ground. In 2007 there were no incidents and the same can be said for 2009 so far. “The areas to which we travel are known for pilferage and it just does not happen with us which could possibly be due to our no-excuse policy.” Choosing to only have one person travelling per truck has also seen some success. “No-one can pass the buck,” says Smith. “We also make sure that management is on hand on site if something goes wrong.” Having travelled extensively in all the countries where Tiger Africa Transport operates, Smith has built up a team of contacts across the continent. “Working in Africa poses many challenges, making experience and contacts key. What makes us able to service Africa so well via road is that we truly understand the continent and the way it works.”