Zambian exporters can increase control of their logistics chains by using hubs as staging posts, says Jerome Binois, who has been executive director of Bollore Africa Logistics Zambia since February this year. Bollore is busy with “significant investments into logistics in Zambia” in order to allow clients to make use of the hub concept. The company will soon be opening a 2 000-sqm warehouse in Lusaka to add to the 20 000 sqm of warehouse and open space area, bonded or free, it already has in the country. Instead of despatching goods from the point of production, exports can be routed through a warehouse hub using the most cost-effective port, taking into account the full costs along the logistics chain. Bollore is able to leverage the strength of its sister companies Zalawi Haulage, Rainbow and White Horse Carriers, which between them operate over 400 trucks running from the Copperbelt along all the trade corridors. Bollore also has offices at all the ports and in neighbouring countries. The company’s African network covers 42 countries, says Binois. “We can take advantage of the strength of the group to help both importers and exporters in Zambia,” he says. Group expertise includes value-added logistics, and Bollore manages a high-security warehouse in Lusaka where cellphones are assembled before distribution in the local market. CAPTION Bollore’s new warehouse under construction in Lusaka.
