Amalgamation grows volumes for Botswana consolidator

There have been some

big developments

at Botswana freight

consolidators Desert

Charm which earlier this year

joined forces with Kya Sands

Transport.

According to general manager

Lizelle Malherbe, there was an

immediate increase in volume

for the company which is part

of the Botswana Consolidators

group.

“The move to amalgamate the

two companies has allowed us to

grow our Botswana operations

significantly and to service the

market better than before,” she

told FTW.

Based in Phakalane,

Gaborone, 37km from the

Kopfontein/Tlokweng border

posts, with 800sqm of secure

warehouse space and a f leet of

vehicles for local deliveries, the

company now also has bigger

premises in Francistown.

“We have expanded our

operation to include a new depot

in Francistown. The warehouse

here offers approximately

2000sqm of secure space,” said

Malherbe.

In order to handle the

increased volumes the company

has been on an employment

drive and more staff have been

brought on board.

“This has increased our market

share and we are now moving

at least three consolidated

loads a day to Gaborone alone,”

said Malherbe. “And this has

enabled us to distribute more

regularly into some of the more

remote local areas – so we have

managed to improve our service

offering significantly.”

Malherbe said consolidated

loads to Francistown had also

increased.

The company earlier this

year opened its first bonded

warehouse at its Phakalani

premises – a move that was well

received in the market.

“It has been very positive for

the company as it has allowed

us to up our offering and give

that much-needed value-add to

customers.”

She said servicing a landlocked

country like Botswana required

operators to be reliable and

dependable. “It is not a difficult

market to operate in, but one

must not forget there is a lot

of reliance on goods coming in

as the country is landlocked.

Providing a service that is

reliable and trustworthy is of the

utmost importance.”

CAPTION

Warehousing an important part of the mix.