Freightdynamics sets strategic new course

Joy Orlek
freightdynamics is on the threshold of a new era.
The Transnet-owned roadfreight company has shifted gear to set a strategic new course, which will harness its competitive strengths to create a service-orientated and profitable entity ahead of privatisation.
The message from recently appointed freightdynamics executive manager marketing and business development, Sheldon Cockcroft, comes through loud and clear. "We will no longer be an ad hoc supplier of transport to an ad hoc transport market. "A more focused approach will see the company entering into longer-term contractual commitments with all its customers based on total cost of ownership and shared risk.
Achieving this objective will clearly require some radical
downsizing, both in terms of infrastructure and staff. It's a painful process, but crucial to the company's survival. It must emerge as a profitable entity, and therefore an attractive
concern from a buyer's point
of view.
Established in April 2000 when Transnet combined Spoornet cartage, Portnet Road Transport and Autonet Freight into a single entity, freightdynamics was landed with duplicate infrastructure, excess truck and trailer capacity, and excess manpower. These are the issues which management is currently addressing.
At the same time, the company will exploit its competitive advantages to the full as it re-engineers for profitability and service excellence.
And that competitive advantage is extensive, says Cockcroft. "We are in a very strong position in the ports. Our national in-port facilities were acknowledged by a recent team of
consultants to be world class.
"Add to that a huge client base, many of them blue chip customers and a depth of expertise on which we can draw, and the potential for growth is vast."
Cockcroft believes that the company has not begun to fully exploit its many advantages.
The extensive fleet of 1027 truck tractors and 3000 trailers enables it to take on massive contracts without the need of subcontracting, which few competitors can match.
"The Durban facility is acknowledged to be the most strategic for depot operations," says Cockcroft. "At the moment we only use a small percentage. It's not currently an active part of the business, but we are
looking at using it to offer a range of container services for full and empty boxes.
"Our IT capability is up with
the best offering track and
trace, documentation and CTOs over the web." On August 1 all orders with Spoornet will be electronically enacted.
The transformation has shifted up a gear, and freightdynamics
is gradually changing its image from state-owned behemoth to
a lean and hungry organisation, ready to compete with the
industry's best, says Cockcroft.