WHAT STARTED out as a chat among a group of former school friends has resulted in the development of an internet site where waiting cargo loads can be made instantly available to empty transport vehicles - and save the consignee and trucker time and money.
My son Jonathan and his pals thought out the idea, but eventually found the whole concept a little beyond their financial means, says Loads4Africa managing director Alan Cornish.
But Jonathan thought it had real potential and brought the matter to my notice. While two of his friends faded from the plan, a third, who was still actually writing his matric at the time, wrote up a website for us, and we were into the business of freight matching.
Now the Cornish combine has an electronic logistics management marketplace developed specifically for southern Africa. Their database uses the internet to link available loads with empty trucks.
It works out particularly well, says Cornish snr, in the instance of a long distance operation where the truck would be returning to base empty. But the operator can link into the website, find a waiting load within easy reach, and make a hit as he puts it.
There is often a bargaining period involved, where price structures come into play until both parties are satisfied. In this way the volume of empty trucks travelling on South African roads can be reduced - and the truckers add to their income.
With its headquarters in Benoni, Loads4Africa has agents in Durban, Port Elizabeth and Randburg, and is currently setting up more in East London, Cape Town and Pietersburg. Services offered include breakdown repairs, insurance and now a valuable credit rating, where a manufacturer with ready load can find the value of the potential trucker and, vice versa, the trucker will be advised of the credibility of the company for whom he is delivering.
Our investment in both infrastructure and software development has allowed us to meet the specific demands and expectations of the southern African market, says Cornish. By simply using the Internet, or calling us or your local agent, your company details can be available to an unlimited market.
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