Freight system providers in joint venture

A new joint venture in the
Western Cape has combined
the muscle of two freight
system providers.
Easyclear and Clearing
Support Services (Cape) have
tied together their operations,
after they recognised that
“existing software would
not take the companies into
the future”, said CSS MD
Warwick Butcher.
“Synergies were perceived
that would benefit both
parties and allow for our
continued growth mainly in
the Western Cape and later
Namibia.”
As Michael Henning,
Easyclear GM described it:
“It was a strategic move to
increase market share and the
foothold already acquired in
the Western Cape region.
“The deal was struck
in late 2010, which,
when coupled with the
implementation of the SA
Revenue Service (Sars)
modernisation programme,
has borne fruit – not only
within the region targeted,
but on a national level.
“Easyclear has doubled
its market penetration in the
Western Cape and acquired
a substantial amount of
clients in the Natal and
Johannesburg regions as a
result. Naturally overheads
have risen through the
inevitable need to increase
support staff in all areas –
but this was expected.”
The group has its sights
set on increasing its market
share nationally. According
to Henning, it currently rivals
some of the already wellestablished
role players in the
industry – with a service and
a product that caters for all
aspects of the logistics supply
chain.
Butcher pointed out
that this involved a new,
fully Windows-based
product, with SQL database
technology. “Added to which
modernisation had its own
learning curve for clients,
support staff and even Sars.
With Phase 1 completed we
can look to future change
with interest and confidence.”
Easyclear MD, CJ Pagel,
agreed. “With modernisation
Phase 2 imminent, and the
already legislated manifest
acquittal system (MAS)
looming, it’s hard not to keep
an eye on a company that is
making waves in an ocean of
change,” he said.