Strategic partners are a must for anyone entering the container business, according to Owen Bottomley of Cape Crating. While the company originally specialised in the supply of crates, it has diversified to provide a range of container-related services in the logistics industry. “The development of strategic partners is an ongoing process,” says Bottomley, who believes these are crucial to success in the industry. “This is especially true in the light of the global economic scene at present where the future is not looking as rosy as one would want. Markets are volatile and uncertain, making planning very difficult. Having partners in place is therefore more important than ever before.” According to Bottomley, one of the biggest challenges faced on a daily basis is the turnaround time of vehicles at ports and empty container depots. “A waiting time of up to three hours is quite regular and obviously becomes very costly as one’s asset is not actually working but just queuing.” He says it is therefore important to have the right equipment on board at all times to ensure the process is not held up anywhere else along the supply chain. “In the Port of Cape Town we have a 25t forklift that enables us to ground containers for quick and safe loading and offloading. This service is particularly useful when loading out-of-gauge cargo onto flat racks.” According to Bottomley, the company has extended its service offering to include the hiring out of certified opentop containers to the offshore industry as well as providing both loading and unloading services – at its premises or those of the client.
