Container handling facility to set up in logistics park

Global carrier to manage facility Lance Schultz, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Automotive Specialist, Msokoli Ntombana and Schnellecke MD, Christian Thormeyer. Schnellecke will take occupation of its new warehouse and offices at the Park before the end of the year. ED RICHARDSON PLANS HAVE been announced to establish a multi-million rand Container Yard Facility at the Nelson Mandela Bay Logistics Park (NMBLP) in Uitenhage. Located within South Africa’s second Automotive Supplier Park, the facility will form a critical link in supporting the NMBLP to stimulate continued growth in South Africa’s automotive and export sectors. Park project director Lance Schultz confirmed that negotiations were concluded but not yet signed with a global shipping company to construct and manage the facility. The container handling facility, covering an area of around 40 000m2, includes a container maintenance building and bonded area. Earlier, international logistics service provider Schnellecke and specialised detergent manufacturer and packaging distributor Baypac, announced plans to establish operations in the park before the end of 2005. The R394m Uitenhage development is adjacent to Volkswagen SA and located strategically to provide services to General Motors, the Ford Engine Plant and plants in the Coega IDZ as well. NMBLP project co-ordinator, Lance Schultz, of the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC), said negotiations with several further tenants were advanced and that announcements would be made soon. “The container yard forms one of the critical links in the Park’s logistics chain and adds tremendous value to the park concept and its tenants. The proximity of the Container Yard and Logistics Centre within the NMBLP, of which Schnellecke is part, creates a symbiotic relationship that produces significant additional benefits. “This arrangement is a unique feature of the NMBLP that you don’t have in normal industrial parks,’’ Schultz said. AIDC CEO Paulo Fernandes said the park would reduce costs attached to logistics and ensure that the South African automotive industry was more globally competitive. The facility would ease the load at the Port Elizabeth harbour container facility and ensure faster turn-around times of containers - “creating opportunity for huge savings to export orientated Uitenhage companies like Continental Tyres, Goodyear, Venture and Johnson Controls”. The first phase of construction of the park entails the establishment of perimeter fencing, the main gatehouse, 12000m2 of buildings, internal and link roads and several mini-factories.