John Brazendale, Docks Shipping financial manager
SPECIALIST CUSTOMS clearing companies, like Cape Town's Docks Shipping, need to diversify their operations to provide a more comprehensive logistics service to their clients in future, says Docks financial manager John Brazendale.
Niche markets have been eroded because there is so much price-cutting, he says, and it is now essential that an added-value-service be provided instead of working on the old and accepted norms.
Docks Shipping was the first acquisition made by the Laser Group of transport companies in its plan to establish a specialist freight and logistics service, a division now headed by Charles Fairweather, former executive manager. South African Airways Cargo.
Laser secured the long-established shipping company at a cost of R8 500 000 after the death of its senior director, Max Raath last year, and has subsequently added the courier company Timefreight to its acquisition list at a cost of
R14 million.
Docks was the cornerstone purchase, says Brazendale, and the intention was that we should get straight into the scene providing a full logistics service. We have to go to the extent of collecting the initial waybill documents and then getting to the final door-to-door delivery.
