Botswana forwarder sets up UK office

Extramile Express has gone
international with the
opening of its new branch
in the UK and Namibia.
The Botswana-based freight
forwarder’s office in the UK will
extend the company’s reach even
further, says CEO Joy Simakane.
“Botswana is reliant on imports
as we hardly manufacture here. It
is therefore necessary to have an
international foothold as well as a
strong presence in the region.”
With established offices in
Namibia and South Africa, the
company is set to extend its reach
to include all the Southern African
countries. “We have just been
granted a company reg certificate
for Zambia and we intend opening
an office there very soon. We are
also looking into the possibility
of expanding to several other
countries in Africa.”
That the expansion is proving
to be a success is evident from
the first month’s turnover, which
surpassed £20 000 in the UK.
Simakane says that much of this
expansion is due to client demand.
“It is not just about being
client-orientated, but also about
saying to our clients here is an
African company and we are
just as good as our international
colleagues – use us.”
A big part of its success is its
hands-on approach, which starts
long before the contract is signed.
“We are a team of people who sit
down and discuss the pros and
cons of signing a particular client
– does it make financial sense and
is it something we can
do successfully.”
It is an approach that has paid
off as the company continues to
expand. “We build relationships
with our clients and we keep
them satisfied.”
Taking into account that only
five years ago the company was
a one-woman band, this team is
definitely doing something right!