Africa specialist plans over-border offices

Johannesburg-based African distribution specialists, African Distribution Network (ADN), is spreading its wings and has opened offices in Cape Town with plans in the running to do the same in several neighbouring countries in the near future. “We have seen steady growth in the company – so much so that we have expanded our target market to now include small and medium-size freight forwarders as well,” said director Simon Chalker. Having initially focused only on courier companies, Chalker and his team identified a much-needed opportunity in the market. Thanks to their considerable investment in more direct routings and efficient communication channels, they have achieved drastically reduced transit times and costs, he said. “Africa is a complex and often difficult environment to enter. ADN is one of very few specialist international wholesale providers in the world concentrating on the African continent,” said Chalker. “We understand and are able to operate on the continent and therefore provide the solution that smaller courier companies and freight forwarders need.” Also, with Africa’s expected growth, having a well-connected service provider entrenched across the continent is becoming imperative for good business operations. Between 1995 and 2005 Africa’s rate of economic growth has increased, averaging 5% in 2005. Trade with Africa and the world has increased rapidly over the last 10 years. According to indicators, growth in African trade will not only continue but the rate of growth will increase. “Our service is strictly wholesale, allowing courier and freight companies to deliver their goods to us at the shortest possible and practical cut-off times, ensuring that their shipments are on the next available flight and routing into Africa,” he said. “We have opened several direct routes to countries such as the DRC, Angola and Cameroon. We continue to invest in partners and agents across the continent and have a comprehensive network at our disposal, but we are also planning to open our own offices in several of our neighbouring countries.” For Chalker the decision to branch out despite recessionary talk in the Eurozone and other areas across the globe is focused around the amount of interest in Africa. “We specialise in Africa and understand the complexities of being able to provide an efficient, reliable service into the continent that is known for difficult working operations. As African experts we believe that Africa’s time has come and that there is major opportunity for growth,” he told FTW. “Also South Africa is still seen as a gateway into Africa.”