Bertling Bulk Liquids has invested in Flexitank transportation to serve the South African wine industry as agricultural exports from the country surge after the crippling Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the company, increasing global trade and the competitiveness of Flexitanks over their substitutes such as International Standards Organization tanks (ISO tanks), drums, and intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) have resulted in accelerating market growth for Flexitanks.
“Foodstuffs and wine are among the most significant drivers of the Flexitank market growth, and Flexitanks are increasingly used by wine producers as their products are usually at risk of spoilage when packaged in ordinary shipping boxes,” the company said in a statement on Thursday.
“Due to their barrier layers that do not allow the passage of taint compounds, Flexitanks are good substitutes for traditional shipping as they protect the liquid from oxidation, taint, refermentation, and contamination, preserving the quality of the beverage.”
Flexitanks also improve efficiency as they can carry up to 24 000 litres and are faster to load and unload, decreasing transport costs for the wine producer.
Bertling Bulk Liquids is owned by the German-founded Bertling Group, which offers chartering and brokerage of ocean vessels, freight forwarding, project logistics, and information technology services and solutions. The firm has configured its own Bertling Flexitank and developed a worldwide network of in-house offices and partners globally. Many of Bertling’s 50 offices offer bulk-liquid transport solutions, either in Flexitanks, Isotanks, or on bulk vessels.
“We have reached a great symbiosis with Bertling’s key competencies in different types of logistics services across all modes, and with bulk liquid transportation globally. We have expanded globally very quickly as many Bertling offices support our new business offerings in their local markets. The global aspect gives a lot of comfort for our clients that we can provide local service both at origin and at the destination, as well as provide a 24/7 customer service,” Jacob Hallberg, business unit director for Bertling Bulk Liquids said.
One of the firm’s busiest bulk liquid teams is based in South Africa, steered by commercial manager Grant Cromhout and his team which operates in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) and Durban. The team has expanded the business significantly in the region and aims to become the most trusted partner for any liquid transportation from the region.
“The transportation of bulk liquids has been a great addition to our logistics service portfolio in South Africa. We have extensive knowledge of freight forwarding and project transportation from decades back, and bulk liquids are an additional value-adding service that we can offer to our existing and new clients,” Cromhout said.
