Growth in the sub-Saharan
Africa region – particularly
in the oil and gas regions
and landlocked countries –
is a key focus for Groupair
and the HAE Group this
year.
“Expansion of the HAE
group services into
the region, especially
from Europe and
the United States,
is vitally important
to us. And having
a foothold in South
Africa now – through
our recent
acquisition of Groupair
– fills in another key
strategic point on our
global map,” said Peter
Kerins, vice president for
HAE Group: Middle East
and Africa.
United
Kingdom-based
air cargo
industry
services
provider,
HAE Group,
announced
its acquisition
of local cargo
consolidator
Groupair in
November
last year, with Kerins
commenting that the local
and global trade’s response
to the merger had been
“fantastically positive”.
“We have already seen
increased volumes and
more customer interaction
since we made the
announcement last year,”
said Kerins, pointing
out that the acquisition
created opportunities for
both companies to offer a
broader scope of services
in the sub-Saharan African
region.
He said using the group
line haul purchasing to
develop new routes and
introduce
HAE
signature
products
such as
SKYSPACE
– the
consignee
sales
programme
from Asia
to various
locations
globally
– would
also be a “vital part” of the
growth.
“Our main goal since
the purchase of Groupair,
has been to
ensure that
customers
feel
comfortable
with our
group, so we
now need to
push on and
try and offer
them more
services,”
said Kerins.
Groupair
– one of
the oldest
wholesalers
in South
Africa, according to its
CE, Eric Parthesius – is
continuing to operate
under its own identity but
with a broader scope of
services.
“The HAE Group
provides a multiplatform
air cargo services division
which can only benefit our
customers. And, through
their association with us,
they can offer a seafreight
and roadfreight service
in the southern African
region,” said Parthesius,
commenting that the
combined
networks
allowed
both
companies
to be more
agile in their
offering.
“And of
course the
increased
buying
power is
a major
benefit to
our clients,”
he said.
Parthesius
pointed to HAE’s training
platform, trading as TSA,
which offers over 100
internationally recognised
certified training courses
as an added benefit for
South African school
leavers who are exploring
new career options. “We
need to attract new skills
to the industry and this is a
good way to do it.”
INSERT 1 & CAPTION
Having a foothold in
South Africa fills in
another key strategic
point on our global
map.
– Peter Kerins
INSERT 2 & CAPTION
The HAE Group
provides a
multiplatform air
cargo services division
which can only benefit
our customers.
– Eric Parthesius
