‘Investigative’ projects bode well for continued growth

ALAN PEAT THE PROJECT cargo market in Africa is on the boil, according to Marc Schweiger, MD of FH Bertling – where the bulk of the business is in project mobilisation in Africa and the re-supply of spares and consumer goods. “It’s currently a very strong market,” he said, “clearly indicated by the fact that our sales last year increased by 40%, and we are very confident that this trend will continue.” Much of this business is coming from the mining industry, driven by high world commodity prices. “Projects are just springing up all over the place,” said Schweiger, “particularly in Mozambique and Tanzania. “Also, a lot of other projects are currently at the investigative stage – and this means that there’s a very positive outlook.” Schweiger also notes that power supply projects are beginning to look interesting. “Also oil and gas,” he added, “which we’re targeting in Angola.” That country is also having to re-start its agricultural sector, and this will require lots of agricultural equipment. “That’s going to be a huge challenge in logistics,” said Schweiger. Bertling currently has a very strong focus on developments in West Africa - again especially in mining in Mali, Burkino Faso, Senegal, Guinea and Ghana. “We also have strong representation on the east coast,” Schweiger told FTW, “with a delegate in Dar es Salaam to oversee developments in Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.” Amongst it lengthy list of current project cargoes, FH Bertling is busy with a project in Uzbekistan for an SA client – with all the material being sourced in this country. It has also just done the relocation of a steam power plant from Newcastle to the US. “We consolidated the whole plant,” said Schweiger, “and moved it by rail and road to Richards Bay where it was shipped on a heavy vessel to the States. From there it was taken by rail to its destination in the state of Montana. “That was about 15 000 freight tons.” The company is currently busy with another project to Zambia – moving large tank units for a copper mine, each weighing between 100 and 200 tons – and also a large crusher to a gold mine in Mali. Bertling is also about to start a project moving five giant dump trucks from the US and a 700 cubic metre mining excavator from Germany to Tanzania.