Demand for
converted
containers and
prefabricated
space solutions in East Africa
is on an upward trajectory,
according to Barron
Charsley, managing director
of Ufudu Zambia.
Ufudu, which forms part
of the Speedspace group of
companies, currently operates
in Zambia (Ufudu Zambia
Limited) with bases in Lusaka
and Kitwe, and in Tanzania
(Ufudu Tanzania Limited) with
a base in Dar es Salaam. It is
also currently
expanding into
Uganda.
“Our
business in East
Africa has two
core divisions,
providing a
wide range of
pre-fabricated
building
solutions for
sale and rental,
and the sale and
rental of new
and used shipping containers
of all types in the region,” said
Charsley. “Demand is on the
increase for these solutions –
and there’s growing awareness
of products that historically
were not easily available in East
African countries.”
Having regional offices
was extremely beneficial to its
East African operations, said
Charsley. “It has allowed us
to provide ongoing after sales
support and we find the market
very receptive to our products.”
Having
bases in
Kampala, Dar
es Salaam and
Kitwe has
also enabled
the company
to penetrate
markets such
as South
Sudan, North
East and
Southern
DRC, Rwanda,
Burundi and
Somalia without having a fulltime
physical presence in these
markets.
He said while mining had
always been a significant
market sector for Ufudu, the
physical presence had resulted
in a lot of new and interesting
markets in the region, with
mining currently contributing
less than 10% of its revenue in
East Africa.
“The major challenges we
face, in Tanzania more so than
in other countries, are all to
do with statutory red tape and
very slow turnaround time
from government agencies
which, at times, makes doing
business very difficult.”
Charsley said an important
factor in the company’s success
in East Africa was the fact that
it offered containers for hire
throughout the region and
allowed empty turn-in in other
countries.
“We have a lot of clients who
lease containers from us in
East Africa, load with cargo,
and return the empties to our
depots in China.”
We offer containers
for hire throughout
the region and allow
empty turn-in in
other countries.
– Barron Charsley
Demand for converted containers on the up in East Africa.
