Hill & Delamain expands into Zimbabwe

Hill & Delamain has expanded into Zimbabwe as part of its drive to establish a regional footprint. The company has opened offices in Harare and at Beitbridge, according to general manager Hiten Bhagat. In Zimbabwe the company is trading as Combined Logistics. According to Bhagat, the new company is a strategic investment that will enable Hill & Delamain and its customers to benefit from the growing economies of both Zambia and Zimbabwe, as well as the rest of southern Africa. It is an integral part of the company’s expansion in the subregion. “Our focus is on the interior and moving cargo within the region. “Zimbabwe offers huge potential. It is at a point of transition. It is the right time for Hill & Delamain to invest in the country. There are already synergies between Zambia and Zimbabwe. A number of our clients have interests in both countries,” he told FTW. Bhagat sees the expansion as part of a bigger picture where the SADC region becomes a single trading zone. “We had to decide whether to remain a Zambian company or to become a regional player. “With the opening of the two offices we can now control freight all the way from Beitbridge to the Congo. “Our next office will be at the Forbes border post between Zimbabwe and Mozambique because Beira is the closest port for much of the Copperbelt, and Zimbabwean companies use it a lot,” he says. A US$1.5 million bond has been registered to expedite transit cargo between Zambia and South Africa through Zimbabwe. Hill & Delamain, which has its own fleet of trucks in Zambia, is in the process of registering vehicles in Zimbabwe in order to provide maximum flexibility. Bhagat is also very confident about prospects within Zambia itself due to a massive investment in road, rail and power infrastructure by the government. “The government has raised a 750 million Eurobond to fund the investment,” he said. INSERT & CAPTION Zimbabwe offers huge potential. It is at a point of transition. – Hiten Bhagat