Neutral air cargo wholesaler Groupair has recorded significant growth in import volumes on the SA route over the past 18 months – and expects more of the same for the future, says commercial operations manager Megan Forssman. It’s all about tailoring services to meet demand, which was the thinking behind the recent launch of regular consolidations on specific routes – including traditional high volume lanes like China and Europe into South Africa, says Forssman. “In addition to our general cargo we have also put in place customised service packages for time-critical cargo on a regular basis – and this includes an on-board courier service. In one instance we had six on-board couriers arriving from Spain on the same day to ensure that our customer could fulfil their promise to their customer.” Capacity constraints into Johannesburg are an ongoing challenge, says Forssman. “Capacity during the next few months will be even tighter – and when demand exceeds supply, rates are driven up. Limited capacity will also result in extended transit times due to increased volumes, which is why during this period we expect some cargo to be upgraded to express to meet delivery deadlines.” The company caters for both the urgent and less urgent consignments, she adds. And while traditional air freight imports are Groupair’s bread and butter, it also offers its overseas partners an on-forwarding solution from Johannesburg into neighbouring states and southern Africa. “Overseas agents are often intimidated by Africa. This provides a solution for them.” According to Forssman these volumes have been steadily increasing, with pharmaceuticals, mining equipment, high-tech electronic equipment and foreign aid topping the list of commodities. Groupair has access to over 6 300 partners in over 200 countries.
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Groupair also offers its overseas partners an on-forwarding solution from Johannesburg into neighbouring states and southern Africa. – Megan Forssman
