“The strategic plan for the development of Freight Transit Limited (FTL) has always been aimed at SA,” chairman of the Mauritiusheadquartered logistics group, Gerard Boulle, told FTW at the company’s official opening ceremony in this country, held in Durban just before Christmas. The first time FTL targeted SA was in 1994, the year of the company’s foundation, according to Boulle. “We recognised that SA was the gateway into southern Africa as a whole, and that the group’s future growth would be linked to growth in SA.” During the company’s developmental years – as FTL expanded its activities in sea and air cargo – it has taken a place as one of the top three Mauritian logistics companies, and developed sister businesses in France, Madagascar and Reunion, said Boulle. But SA has remained an ultimate goal, according to CEO Julien Audibert. “Establishing an arm of our business here,” he said, “we are set to really strengthen our presence in the Indian Ocean region. And SA’s proximity to Mauritius is very advantageous in this respect – being only four days by sea and same day by air. “Also, SA being a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), along with Mauritius and Madagascar, we have a direct link into the other free trade nations land-based in the southern continent. And, as the major global trading countries ran out of steam during this recession, Africa actually continued to develop – and was a logical target for us to aim at.” This led to the acquisition of 60% of the family-owned business, DB Freight, with offices in Durban and Johannesburg – and the change of name to FTL. “We now have a firm base on which to develop our activities in and out of SA and the rest of sub-Saharan Africa,” Audibert added. Questioned about his expectations, his answer was brief and to the point. “Our only plan for the future is growth, followed by more growth,” he told FTW. CAPTION Julien Audibert … ‘firm base for development into sub-Saharan Africa.’
