Business as usual as KWE and MSASA join forces

The recently announced joint venture between Kintetsu World Express (KWE) and black-owned freight forwarding group, MSASA, will run independently as a parallel business with KWE in SA, and will also realise a transformation and skills acceleration, said KWE MD Arend Du Preez added. “The support will come from KWE and it is aimed to bolster the skills shortage within the industry and to contribute to the process of transformation.” A strong business base has been created, with KWE MSASA’s board of directors being George Khumalo as chairman and Joe Mnisi and Papilele Matlaila (all founders of MSASA in 2009) as directors, with the addition of Du Preez and Ikuhiro Hojo of KWE SA. The three founders of MSASA have chalked up more than 45 years of experience gained first-hand in the freight and cargo handling and mining industries. “Our success today is symbolised in a shared focus,” said Khumalo, “to build and maintain a wellbalanced business portfolio by becoming an ideal global logistics partner.” Khumalo described how the task of managing the business going forward would be achieved. “No change to either KWE or KWE MSASA’s core business is envisaged,” he told FTW. “In fact, our customers will directly benefit from our new business position.”