Company gets world recognition for cargo security handling

CLIVE EMDON IN ITS 10th anniversary year Special Cargo Handling (SCH) is the only security service provider in South Africa and one of seven in the world to belong to the international Technology Asset Protection Association (TAPA), says director Marius Louw. “A worldwide organisation of technology manufacturers and logistics companies, TAPA focus intensively on the safety, storage, handling and auditing of vulnerable cargo,” says Louw. “They applied some tough criteria in accepting us.” SCH’s business involves the safe transport and monitoring of valuable cargoes as part of the logistics supply chain. “We provide an all encompassing value added service with updated shipment status information, which has an appreciable impact on our clients, many of whom are blue chip companies in technology and pharmaceuticals.” Innovative design development in real-time tracking is part of SCH’s repertoire, says Louw. Its current focus is on a system in mobile support vehicles that operates outside of a control room, and is capable of monitoring the company’s radio-linked fleet of 30 vehicles. Among its services the company provides armed escorts in unmarked vehicles, closed body delivery trucks and refrigerated delivery trucks. SCH employs an Oracle database and scanning systems to provide specific management reports that include analysis of damage or short-shipped cargo. “We use two separate fleet management systems to audit delivery routes and delivery times,” Louw says. “Monitoring of cargo in transit takes places in parallel with the existing logistics system to ensure the safest possible transit of cargo without any time constraints.”