Hellmann opens own office in East London

HELLMANN Worldwide Logistics has opened a stand-alone office in East London as part of the company’s Eastern Cape investment drive. The company had been operating out of the premises of one of its major East London clients who has since moved. “We saw it as an opportunity to raise our profile in the East London area. We see it and the Garden Route as growth areas for us,” says Keith Domoney, general manager for sales, marketing and automotive. The focus in East London will be on general cargo as well as Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive suppliers. “Through the global Hellmann network we are able to offer a specialised groupage service for exporters and importers in the province,” says Eastern Cape general manager Liezl Taute. This makes it possible for companies to improve efficiencies and reduce costs by moving smaller than container loads. This allows companies to reduce inventories and to meet production schedules. “Companies are working on shortened lead times and often cannot wait for a full container. Through our groupage service they can send the goods every week or every fortnight,” she adds. Hellmann has set up a separate division, Hellmann Automotive Logistics, to provide this service to the industry. Other specialist services provided in the Eastern Cape are the shipping of timber, feathers, fish and similar products. Hellmann’s investment in technology means that the company is able to provide a full range of services to the Eastern Cape – including the East London office. “All documentation is now scanned into the system and handled by our specialist staff. “The documentation is EDI certified and we archive these documents for up to 10 years to provide ready reference for clients who may need to respond to customs queries some time after a shipment has gone through. This is provided for on negotiation with the client as part of our service package” says Domoney.