Market analysis identifies ‘steady’ customers

KEVIN MAYHEW
THE STRONGER rand has forced companies to identify specialised freight niches which are - by virtue of their importance – least likely to be affected by the currency’s performance.
These areas might be in the fields of medical and other indispensable goods which have generally maintained a critical demand, according to Ronald Naidoo, managing director of Compass Logistics.
The company has identified clients whose products continue to be in high demand irrespective of currency fluctuations.
“We did not simply sit down and allow currency changes to dictate our business flow.
“Instead we made a careful analysis of the market and began focusing mostly on those commodities that would withstand the highs and lows of the exchange rate,” said Naidoo.
Compass has been further aided in its operations by its membership of The Freight Club, a worldwide association of freight forwarders. This is the first company representing Africa and Naidoo is a director of this Swiss-based global network of independent freight forwarders.
“Joining the Freight Club opened up opportunities for cross-trades which were beneficial to us and would not have been available to us without the membership,” he said.
Compass Logistics offers a value-added service embracing consultancy on export and import freight, air freight using carriers worldwide, and global sea freight for all types of cargo to all markets.