AMI muscle boosts airport to door services

IN MARCH South Africa’s major airfreight wholesaler, MMA Consolidators, completed its merger with the world’s number one trade-only wholesaler, AMI. “Our two companies had already worked closely together for three years as service partners, and the new marriage is nothing but good news for South African agents,” said founder Mike Todd. Todd is now AMI’s regional VP Africa but continues to head the company’s South African operations. The merger allows MMA Consolidators to substantially boost its airport to door services, using the AMI network of 13 offices in the USA, Australasia, Europe and Far East to provide the necessary control of shipments right through to destination. “We will also be starting more inbound consolidations, and exploiting our strategic location to act as a gateway into the whole of southern Africa. Membership of the AMI family gives us better access to many key markets including India and China, both of which represent major potential for exports and imports,” said Todd. By pooling expertise with AMI partners worldwide, MMA Consolidators plans to develop such internet services as on-line booking and tracking. “Despite some unhealthy signs in the world economy, South Africa’s export competitiveness through the weaker rand should partly counteract the effects of any overall downturn. We will continue to champion the cause of the small and mediumsized agent here, giving them the opportunity to compete on level terms with larger agents for all available business. A key to achieving this will be our new-found ability to tap into AMI’s growing global buying power with airlines,” said Todd.