Barloworld buys Dubai-based Swift Group

SUPPLY CHAIN major Barloworld Logistics has strengthened its global muscle following the acquisition of Dubai-based Swift Group and its affiliates in the Far East, India, UAE, Africa and Germany. The privately-owned Swift group, now in its 19th year of operations, has established services between South-East Asia and Western Europe and a number of freight logistics solutions specific to African markets. It employs 700 people in its 46 offices in 21 countries. Although Swift has made recent in-roads into China, Barloworld Logistics as part of its acquisition strategy is currently also finalising the acquisition of a Hong Kong-based logistics company to strengthen Swift’s presence in the region and to expand its product and service offering. Barloworld Logistics CEO Paul Stuiver, commenting on the rationale for the acquisitions, said last week: “By expanding our freight management services through their networks, we will become a significant player in a supply chain network that stretches from Asian manufacturing to Western European and African consumers. In addition, the acquisition will consolidate our existing presence in Dubai, which is already an important global logistics and transhipment hub.” Swift Group’s chairman and founder Issa Baluch will continue to play a leading role in the Swift Group. Services into Africa include Swift Perishable Logistics operating from the Dubai Flower Centre, offering African farmers and traders opportunities to export perishables around the world via Swift’s African network; and the SAM (Sea Air Model) – the first combined seaair transport solution into several destination points in Africa with scheduled services from origin points in the Far East and India, via transit points in Dubai.