Get it right from the start with the right packaging

Consultancy and practical expertise on offer JOY ORLEK GETTING THE fundamentals right is the key to logistics efficiency, and a crucial element lies in the packaging of the product. Particularly when it comes to outsize project cargo, outsourcing to a specialist makes practical sense, says Greg Mitchell of Johannesburg-based Mitchell Packers, who has seen the fall-out when customers try to cut corners. The company provides consultancy as well as practical expertise. “We’ll make an on-site inspection, decide whether the cargo needs a crate or a box, whether it should go breakbulk or in a container, and advise the customer accordingly. “Our core business is packing for exporters.” Once the cargo moves on board ship, it is rarely handled with kid gloves and the costs of cleaning up when inadequate packaging has been used are exorbitant, says Mitchell. Not to mention the insurance implications. Inadequate packaging generally voids any insurance claims, so the shipper loses out all round. “We know the field,” says Mitchell, who has been in the industry for the past 15 years. “The costs of repairing an item that has been damaged through incorrect packaging, as well as the implications of late delivery can be avoided by getting the packaging right from the start,” he told FTW. The company is currently based in Gauteng. A Durban office will open in two months time, a Cape Town branch at the end of next year, with Richards Bay on the long-term planning boards.