Manica opens logistics centre in Walvis Bay

Manica has invested in the first “true logistics centre” in Walvis Bay, says Hans-Werner Timke, managing director of the Manica Group of Companies. The Manica Logistics Centre is situated in a former Metal Box canning factory and covers 17 000 m2. “It will allow us to ultimately provide all the services under cover,” he says. The Centre is currently being improved to optimise logistics flows. According to Timke, the development of the logistics centre is a natural progression of the formation of a logistics division within Manica that combines the various services provided by the group. These include clearing and forwarding, warehousing, project freight, strategic sourcing including procurement, transport arrangements (road, air, sea), IT logistics as well as logistics consulting to develop integrated supply chain solutions. The facility, which has road and rail links and is in close proximity to the port, is being developed on a “similar business model” as the South African Container Depot (SACD) – a sister company in the Bidvest group. It will be used to destuff and stuff containers and consolidate freight, among other services. Road and rail trucks will be loaded for transport into the hinterland and neighbouring countries. According to Timke, there is a demand from shipping companies for the service as it takes too long for containers to be returned from destinations like Angola and Zambia. “The shipping companies don’t want containers held up in the transport process. They should be on board vessels moving cargo,” he says. There are also efficiencies in switching to breakbulk, as a container weighs about two tons – which means that the vehicle can carry that much less freight. Manica is strengthening its Windhoek operations to support the Manica Logistics Centre in Walvis Bay. “We will be adding logistics to the current clearing and forwarding services offered in Windhoek,” he says. This will provide support for shippers sending freight from South Africa, and other neighbouring states. The group continues to build on its experience in projects such as support to oil rig repairs and heavy equipment moving, providing shore base operations for the oil industry, integrated project management contracts and total freight management for the mining industry. It recently took over the logistics operations for the Scorpion mine in the port of Lüderitz Bay and handles the export clearing and forwarding processes for the operational uranium mines near Swakopmund. Timke is among those who see uranium helping stabilise the Namibian economy and the freight sector in particular during the current world downturn. He points out that there is growing demand for uranium, and many of the major new uranium mining projects appear too far advanced to be mothballed.