Logistics major records 100% growth in turnover

IN LINE with economic trends in the
region, more and more global companies
are using South Africa as a gateway
into Africa. Against this backdrop SDV
International Logistics in South Africa
has recorded exceptional year-onyear
trade growth, according to sales
manager Antoine Multon. “Turnover is
up 100% this year
compared to 2006
and in addition our
staff complement
has increased twofold
over the past
year.”
SDV South Africa
provides a range
of multimodal
solutions – air, sea
and road – for a
variety of industries
ranging from
pharmaceutical,
mining, high tech
and telecoms
to perishable,
automotive and oil.
It’s also active in the project cargo
market where the SDV network has
secured a number of major projects in
Southern Africa, notably Madagascar,
South Africa, Democratic Republic
of Congo and Angola. This has led to
growing brand awareness in the region,
says Multon.
And he is bullish about the outlook
for the year ahead. “We’re expecting
to increase our visibility further, with
the SAREG and East Africa trade lanes
featuring high on our Africa expansion
agenda.”
While the opportunities are there
for the taking, it’s a challenging
market. “There are problems of
capacity – and that applies to trucks,
airlines, vessels as well as airport and
port handling facilities – leading to
congestion, backlogs and extra charges.
Understanding the processes and
limitations in the countries in which
we operate is crucial to getting the job
done. It’s all about
knowing the market
and involving the
stakeholders in your
solutions.”
With a network
based in 43
countries in Africa,
the footprint of
the Bollore Group,
to which SDV
and SAGA belong,
covers 97% of
Africa, says Multon.
“For the past
50 years it has
provided freight
forwarding, clearing,
stevedoring and
trucking services – and its strategy
is to remain a major long-term
logistics player in Africa through
network intensification. As proof of
this commitment Bollore invests
approximately €100m on average in
Africa.”
During 2006/2007 the company
opened new offices in Fort Dauphin,
Madagascar; Walvis Bay, Namibia;
Maputo, Mozambique; Kolwezi, DRC and
Martin’s Drift, Botswana.
SDV South Africa recently appointed
Bernard Guillot as managing director. He
brings 30 years of logistics experience in
Africa to the position.