Machine moving and rigging specialist Jacobs Transport is seeing steady growth in its overborder business – and it’s an area of significant potential in the view of managing director Gys Jacobs. The company’s diversified fleet – capable of handling loads from 3-35 tons – is well suited to the needs of the overborder market, says Jacobs. “Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (BLNS) are big for us. We do a lot of NGO projects – clinics for North Star Lines that are used for TB and Aids testing – mines, and building and civil engineering projects like bridges and dams. We take a lot of yellow metal across the border as abnormal loads.” It’s a sector where compliance is a non-negotiable. “We arrange for permits and escorts for abnormals and have abnormal-type trailers.” The company is considering opening a branch in Gaborone in Botswana and is currently involved in the complicated task of getting work permits sorted out. When you’re dealing with high-value cargo, safety is critical – and this is one of the value propositions that the company offers, says Jacobs. “We feel that keeping our fleet as young as possible helps maintain our safety standards and our good name in the industry. “We have acquired four new trucks this year alone – with far more powerful cranes – replacing four older vehicles.” The company covers the entire sub-Saharan Africa region as far as Lubumbashi in the DRC. In the overborder and domestic market there are many opportunities for crane trucks, says Jacobs. “There’s a lot more rigging involved and we also do site inspections which is included in our rate. “Although we may be more expensive than breakbulk operators, instead of creating return loads for the truck – which is what most breakbulk operators do – we go with a specialised vehicle and come back empty. And clients are prepared to do that because they need the crane. It’s a big selling point for us. We also offer the clearing to make it as easy as possible to deal with us as a company.”
INSERT with IMAGE We have acquired four new trucks this year alone ― with far more powerful cranes. – Gys Jacobs
