Consolidations help speed throughput

ALAN PEAT IT IS not viable for small and medium-sized freight forwarding companies in SA to get involved in full-scale warehousing, according to Colin Bowring, CE of Kodiak Shipping. In these days of large third-party warehousing operations running capital intensive, high-tech bonded customs and general warehousing complexes it just isn’t feasible for the smaller forwarders in the field to burn their fingers trying to compete. “It’s only feasible where you get goods in, consolidate the loads, and then dispatch them immediately,” Bowring told FTW. “Long-term storage – where goods are dispatched bit-by-bit over the year - is just not worthwhile.” Therefore, Kodiak has geared itself towards this consolidation principle. “For example, we receive consignments from Malawi by roadfreight, and incoming airfreight from overseas,” said Bowring. “Both consignments are bound for Cape Town, so we consolidate these two loads, and send them on the way immediately.