Birkart creates hubs to streamline material flow

ED RICHARDSON BIRKART GLOBISTICS in the Eastern Cape is creating hubs worldwide in order to streamline the logistics process. “Birkart Globistics South Africa offers its clients not only the knowledge and expertise of a freight forwarder, but that of a logistics provider concentrating on streamlining the material flow from the supplier to the end user, incorporating the complete supply chain,” says Robert Schmidt, branch manager for East London and Port Elizabeth. “Hub logistics is a current trend that allows us to consolidate cargo. Clients are advised of the whereabouts of their cargo with a web-based tracking system, as well as through advanced and final shipping notice. Once the shipment is collected, it goes into the hub, onto the vessel, is shipped to Port Elizabeth, the client is notified, we issue a status report, and the cargo is delivered.” Birkart already has such hubs in Hamburg, Barcelona and Shanghai, amongst others. It also provides warehouse facilities to cater for the needs of individual clients. These facilities include rebated and bonded warehousing. “A fully-fledged bar coding warehouse management system keeps control of all aspects of the material flow within the warehouse environment including Customs and Excise inventory requirements,” says Schmidt. The current warehouses within the Birkart Globistics SA group control all aspects of warehousing including the reduction of transport costs by utilising synergies with other projects. “By controlling the consolidation of the stock and integration of the client’s ordering system to Birkart Globistics SA Warehouse Management System there is a reduction of stock levels and the amount of capital tied up by inventory,” he said. The company has over 100 branches worldwide, 40 of which are in Germany. It is part of the THIEL Logistics and Services group.