‘It’s not about rates – but innovative solutions’

By focusing its business
growth on emerging markets,
one air freight firm has
managed to avoid the past
year’s industry doldrums.
“Overall 2011 was not a
great year for the airfreight
industry, even though there
was a slight improvement in
November and December. As
a company, however, our focus
on the emerging markets of
India and China (the factories
of the world), and Africa and
the Middle East, has put us
in good stead and helped us
increase our volumes on all
those trade lanes during 2011,”
said Warren Erfmann of Swift
Freight.
“Many companies have
focused their strategies
around buying in the East
and exporting to Africa, often
using the Middle East as a
hub due to its proximity to the
African continent, as well as
because of the many airlines
that service Africa from
the Gulf. Our 36 offices in
Africa, the Middle East, India
and China have proved to be
our competitive advantage and
market differentiator, and it
is a position we will continue
to take advantage of in 2012,”
Erfmann told FTW.
Noting Iata’s prediction
of negligible growth for the
industry in 2012, with little or
no growth in mature markets,
Swift Freight’s presence and
experience in these emerging
markets will ensure that it
continues to sustainably grow
its business in markets that are
still on the up, he said.
“We at Swift Freight
feel there are far too many
logistics providers that can
only offer rates and not
solutions, which is why when
talking to our customers and
potential new customers, we
never involve ourselves in
price sales, but rather value
added services and out-of-thebox
thinking. Anyone can
offer rates, but not everyone
can provide innovative
solutions, and that is what
all our staff aim to do when
engaging with our customers,”
Erfmann said.