Pictured with the only reminder that Corsair Logistics’ new warehouse was once a textile factory, a giant wheel for an industrial belt, are (from left) Dave Evans, Propco, Les Westergreen, Corsair and Grant Smith, Ross Developments. Pictured with the only reminder that Corsair Logistics’ new warehouse was once a textile factory, a giant wheel for an industrial belt, are (from left) Dave Evans, Propco, Les Westergreen, Corsair and Grant Smith, Ross Developments. KEVIN MAYHEW THE DURBAN Municipality’s ambitions to revitalise the city’s industrial infrastructure were given a boost when Corsair Logistics took a leap of faith and established its new Jacobs warehouse. The new facility – previously the site of a textile manufacturer alongside the southern freeway – was redeveloped to Corsair’s specifications which include a yard of 4000 m2 and a warehouse of 14 000 m2 with its own vehicle weighbridge, according to owner Les Westergreen. It has 15 container loading or offloading bays with undercover loading areas and a drive through facility to cater for Superlinks. The property, which became operational in May this year, covers an entire block and is both a container and breakbulk facility. Corsair has a further 10 000 m2 warehouse in Congella which is within a kilometer of Maydon Wharf. “The move was necessary to meet the changing needs of existing clients, but has immediately led to new business as we have made the commitment and now provide facilities that lead in Durban,” Westergreen said. Dave Evans, director of Propco, which sourced the site for Corsair, said its redevelopment was in line with the official local authority objectives to promote development of Durban’s traditional logistics base and revitalise its industrial areas. “The site is near the southern freeway which gives access to the road network, port and airport. This made it ideal for a warehouse application and has been made more attractive by the road upgrades that will make access to the freeway easier, so we have a commitment from all the parties,” he said. Grant Smith of Ross Developments, which refitted the warehouse to meet Corsair’s needs, said that it was an exercise in maximum utilisation of space to meet the different needs of cargo and vehicle types, in particular container traffic. “There are also extras that others have not included in property redevelopment, such as the covered loading and offloading areas that are protected from both the harsh Durban sun and any rain,” he added.
