Covid-19 has introduced significant change into the logistics environment, says Francois Nortje of NT 55 Investments and developer of the Port of Gauteng.“We are operating in a rapidly changing environment at present. The market and clients have become far more demanding.”According to Nortje, there’s a lot of development in the warehousing/depot and distribution sector.
“Goods are getting relatively cheaper, resulting in companies having to increase volume significantly to maintain inf lation-adjusted tur nover.”Post Covid-19 there will be even more of a move towards value-for-money products, which also leads to greater volumes.Commenting on trends in the sector, Nortje said it was all about position.
“The ideal is to be situated in an area and have the necessary infrastructure in place that makes one’s offering better, faster and cheaper.”While South Africa has lagged in the e-commerce space, it is being accelerated at present with more consumers moving to online platforms. “Our volumes can still grow because of our growing population. This trend bodes well for the warehousing sector.”Nortje says being able to offer space and position at more economical rates is an important differentiator in the current market environment.