Gaborone-based logistics company goes regional

The Gaborone-based
Imperilog group has started
operating from Gauteng
as part of the group’s plans to
expand into the rest of Southern
Africa, according to KP (Vijay)
Vijayakumar, group managing
director.
He says the expansion is
preparing the company for
the planned Southern Africa
Development Community
(SADC) free trade area.
In August this year, the 14
heads of state met in Windhoek,
and set new time-frames for the
roll-out of the free trade area and
introduction of one-stop border
posts.
According to BuaNews, an
expert group was tasked to
identify ways of speeding up the
customs union. It is expected
to report back to the SADC by
December 2011.
“This will make a big
difference to trade in the region,”
says Vijayakumar.
The 10-year-old Imperilog
specialises in high-value
bonded cargo, and has expanded
from customs clearing into
warehousing and distribution.
Started as part of the Imperial
group, Imperilog Botswana is
now independent, and works
with a number of regional and
international forwarding agencies,
he says.
The company has expanded
from its core customs business in
anticipation of the opening up of
regional trade, and now offers a
full logistics solution.
It has also opened an office
at the Martin’s Drift border post
north of Gaborone, he says.
Vijayakumar says the company
has been active in South Africa
for a “long time,” and is licensed
by the South African Revenue
Service as a clearing agent.
Its new Gauteng operations
include a bonded warehouse.
Express and consolidation
freight services are being
provided between Gauteng and
Gaborone.
Courier services are offered
in-house by TNT. “We now have
everything in the group,” he says.
All movements are monitored
through a live track and trace
system, which was designed
for the high value cargo around
which the Imperilog business was
built.