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
