Freight firm expands footprint

Botswana Consolidators has opened a new depot in Palapye. It’s a strategic move aimed at improving delivery times to the town, as well as to Francistown and other surrounding areas. With this latest addition, the company now operates three key facilities across Botswana: in Gaborone, Francistown and Palapye.According to general manager Charlton Hewitt, the new facility will streamline operations by enabling daily dispatches from the Gaborone depot, ensuring faster and more efficient service across the northern region.“Botswana remains one of the most stable and consistent countries in Africa, which makes it a strong environment for long-term business investment,” said Hewitt. “We’re seeing continued development in sectors like mining and our outlook remains positive – stable, with slow and steady grow th.”Hewitt added that the company’s f lexible freight strategy is a key strength, especially in uncertain market conditions. “By doing full loads and consolidations, we find that when the markets drop in the destination countries, clients make use of the consol service to supplement smaller orders. By servicing multiple industries, we maintain a healthy balance and a mostly consistent f low of cargo to move.”However, he said that not all aspects of the logistics environment are without challenges. “One of the biggest hurdles right now is compliance, especially for companies supplying electrical products. Meeting Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) requirements is essential, yet some businesses attempt to bypass them using incorrect tariff codes.“As an AEO Level 2 certified company, we refuse to engage in such practices, even though it has cost us some business. Integrity and regulatory compliance remain core to our operations.”Plans for a fourth depot are already underway, with expectations high that it will be operational before the end of the year, further expanding the company’s national footprint. LV