Buffalo will actively market tailor-made finance product

Offering clients personalised trade finance is part of the service portfolio at Buffalo Freight. “We offer a complete range of international freight management and logistics services that takes care of all of our clients’ needs,” says managing director Margrit Wolff. “Trade finance is one of the ways we add value for our clients.” While the company has, until now, not actively marketed the service to the public, Buffalo Freight has for some time offered trade finance via a locally based Chinese banker who puts together tailor-made deals for each customer. “This is done by either restructuring their existing business financing or just doing normal financing deals for facilitation of international trade,” says Wolff. “Until now we have only offered it to people we knew needed the finance as well as to clients who had been using the very expensive traditional forms of shipping finance.” But, says Wolff, it is a part of the Buffalo Freight service they will be marketing to clients during 2009. The credit either comes from China or local banks – the client decides which risk they would prefer – the exchange rate or the interest rate. “The Chinese exchange rate has been very stable with only mild increases compared to some of the other currencies in recent times. The finance works very well and those clients who have used it have been very happy.” For Wolff it is all part of offering customers a full service. “I prefer to see the big picture. That way we never have to play the blame game and we can control all aspects of our service ensuring only the best for our clients.”