Aggressive investment strategy targets southern Africa

Transport and
logistics company
Galco has embarked
on an aggressive
investment drive in southern
Africa – particularly Zambia
and South Africa – as part
of a bigger strategy to grow
its mining and minerals
portfolio.
General manager of Galco
Transport and Logistics,
Moses Kachunda, told FTW
he was optimistic about the
mining sector which was
showing healthy signs of
recovery after several years of
low commodity prices.
“Southern Africa holds
a lot of potential and
opportunities – especially
in the mining sector. But it’s
a difficult sector to service
from a logistics point of
view, particularly in terms
of security,” he said. “We
have, however, built up a
lot of experience in moving
valuable cargo in Africa and
understand the complexities
involved.”
Headquartered
in Dar es Salaam
in Tanzania, the
company has built
a strong reputation
for reliability and
dependability in
East Africa where
they service a
range of mines,
according to
Kachunda. “We
move a lot of raw
materials from the south to
the north. This includes a lot
of mining equipment and
goods from the port to the
various mines inland as well
as some mining commodity
volumes,” he said. “But East
Africa’s mining sector can’t
be compared with that of
southern Africa where we see
bigger volumes moving. The
mining and
agricultural
sectors are
the volume
drivers in
the region
and we are
positioning
ourselves to
service these
industries.”
He said
the company
had
already invested in a yard
and warehouse in Lusaka,
Zambia, and more recently in
Johannesburg. An office, yard
and warehouse will be opened
in Mozambique by no later
than July this year.
“Bigger is better from our
point of view and so we have
a very aggressive investment
strategy that will roll out over
the next few months as we
build reliable capacity into our
southern African operations,”
he said.
The third party logistics
provider operates throughout
Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda,
Southern Sudan, Rwanda,
Burundi, Malawi, DRC,
Mozambique, Zimbabwe,
Zambia and now South Africa.
With a fleet of of some 800
trucks, Kachunda says it is
about having the necessary
capacity on hand. “We are
investing in equipment and
systems to ensure we provide
our customers with complete
logistics solutions. Just as
important is our investment
in staff as they remain the
heartbeat of our operations.”
He said it was important
that Africa find solutions for
Africa. “The tendency that
one jacket fits all does not
apply in Africa and definitely
not in the logistics arena.
As an African business we
understand the complexities
and differences that exist on
the continent and bring tailormade
solutions that best fit
the customer.”
INSERT
With a fleet of some
800 trucks, we
have the necessary
capacity on hand.
– Moses Kachunda