Started as an in-house service three years ago to support the importation of animal feed raw material for processing and re-export in Zambia, Bester Clearing and Forwarding now has its sights set on becoming a regional and ultimately international company offering end-to-end logistics. The company has expanded beyond Zambia, where it was formed three years ago, to open offices in South Africa, with more in the pipeline. “Our vision is to become a true regional and one day a global player,” says newly appointed general manager Jonathan McDonald. “Over the past five months we have set up our South African entity which is now fully registered and licensed and is both moving and clearing cargo. “There is a very experienced team based in Stellenbosch,” he says. There has been growth in non-agricultural cargo, with the company handling an increasingly diverse mix of freight. It has offices in the Zambian border towns of Chirundu, Kazungula and Katima Mulilo “to ensure we offer best in class service to both the customers and the transporters. “We will be setting up the same model in Zimbabwe which will enable us to offer our customers a seamless solution between Durban/South Africa and the Copperbelt,” he says. There are also plans to open in Namibia to support the Walvis Bay corridors. “From there we are looking at Botswana and possibly Mozambique, after which we may look outside of Africa. “However, our growth will be organic, in line with the needs of our customers and opportunities we identify in the market.” It is working with other specialist logistics companies in the region in order to help importers and exporters to reduce the cost of doing business and to “make our region more globally competitive”, he says.
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There has been growth in non-agricultural cargo, with the company handling an increasingly diverse mix of freight. – Jonathan McDonald