BP diversifies product range

DIVERSIFICATION is the current focus
for overborder transport specialist
BP Freight – and that applies to
destinations and product offering.
“Whereas in the past we specialised
in certain countries, now we offer an
all-encompassing export service – and
that extends to seafreight as well,”
says MD Brendon Sundelowitz who
is more than satisfied with current
volumes.
“Zimbabwe has been very good
to us and we believe our office in
Harare – which functions purely as a
distribution centre – has played a key
role in this growth as has aggressive
marketing in South Africa.”
The flows are fairly unpredictable
with three 28-ton consolidations on
some weeks and one on others. “We
generally average two trucks a week
into Harare, with a lot of mining
equipment moving into Kwekwe and
Gweru,” says Sundelowitz.
Volumes are also on the up to
Botswana, with three trucks a week
into Gaborone, while Malawi is
another up-and-coming market.
“We’ll go to any sub Saharan
country and although we may not
do our own consolidation, we control
the shipment by delivering it to the
truckers and tracking it every step of
the way.”
Border issues remain a problem for
all companies operating on the route,
says Sundelowitz, but careful forward
planning goes a long way to reducing
delays,
“Our only hiccup at Beitbridge
comes in the form of physical
customs inspections. We don’t have
many problems with losses but cargo
damage is largely caused during
Customs inspections – and it’s an area
over which we have no control.”
A new focus for the company, and
a lucrative new niche is same-day
deliveries.
“We’ve always done same-day
deliveries for our import and export
clients, but we’re now keen to develop
it into a standalone division. We’re
looking at cargo of any size on any
domestic route, excluding courier
business.”