Groupage operator offers benefits of Chinese-speaking staff

PORT ELIZABETH’S large fraternity of students from the Chinese mainland has proven a rich recruiting ground for groupage operator Ecu-Line. And, for many of them, the training started in a restaurant, where they learnt about customer service and handling pressure. “Many of our top employees have been found working their way through university as waiters and waitresses,” says Palm. Based in Port Elizabeth, Ecu- Line’s administration offices are staffed mainly by graduates, including student temps such as the Chinese nationals who enrol at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, in part to improve their English. Having Chinese speakers on staff is proving to be a huge advantage for Ecu-Line and its customers as groupage business from the mainland continues to grow, according to Palm. The company offers weekly groupage services from a growing number of ports throughout China and other centres in the Far East. At present, the biggest volumes are from Shanghai, Ningbo, Hong Kong, Kaohsiung, Xingang and Singapore. Guangdong was recently added. While the Chinese trade is the strongest at present, Ecu-Line has 160 offices in 120 countries around the world. From South Africa it serves Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo through the ports of Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth. According to Palm, the tighter economic conditions have seen a shift away from full container loads to groupage. She says the company is carrying “everything, from name brands to machinery”. This poses challenges in the packing of the containers as there are stacking limits to some cargo, and certain products may not be mixed. “We handle all the documentation, including obtaining permission for the carriage of hazardous cargo and ensuring that it is properly identified,” she says. Given the complexity of the job, Palm says she decided to break from the tradition of employing unqualified people and training them on the job and instead opted for graduates. She selects them for their attitude and if they are “studying for degrees which may interest us”. This includes marketing. Those who show an aptitude for the job may also be assisted in their studies as they complete their degrees while working parttime at Ecu-Line.