Empowerment deal adds muscle to intermodal offering

BOSS Logistics focuses on southern Africa JOY ORLEK MULTI-MODAL transport is the recipe for the future, particularly in southern Africa. That’s the view of BOSS Logistics which specialises in the movement of containerised traffic, bulk commodities and industrial input materials like lime, cement, oil, acid and fertilizer, primarily by rail. “Where it’s cost-effective the company will use rail for some of the distance and then transfer to road,” says chief executive Andries van Schalkwyk. “It could happen at literally any siding on the map,” he added. “Crossing borders quickly and with large bulk is more easily accomplished by rail, particularly when there is a hold-up of road trucks at borders like Beitbridge. “BOSS Logistics has even sold rail packages to road companies that have won contracts but did not have the capacity to accommodate them,” he said. Road transport now constitutes 10% of the company’s total operation. “There are instances where road transport truly is more time and cost effective as part of the whole solution, but rail will always be BOSS Logistics’ primary passion.” June this year marked a milestone development for the company when it signed a partnership deal with empowerment rail value chain company MENDO Holdings, which acquired a 30% strategic equity shareholding in the logistics company. The deal saw the appointment of MENDO Holdings’ chief executive and former Spoornet CEO Zandile Jakavula as chairperson of BOSS Logistics. “Rail transportation is the backbone of goods transportation in Africa,” says Van Schalkwyk. “Through the synergies we are able to leverage with this partnership we believe we are further entrenching BOSS Logistics’ position as a dominant presence in private logistics operations in the SADC region,” he said. The company has offices in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia, the major nodal points from Durban to the DRC and Dar es Salaam.