New man heads up Grindrod Intermodal

GRINDROD INTERMODAL
emerged this year as a onestop
service provider for the
movement of containerised
cargo in Southern Africa,
a development made
possible by consolidating
three businesses within the
Grindrod Group – Cross
Country Containers, CMC
Grindrod and Grindrod J&J.
“The consolidation of the
three businesses was bedded
down fairly quickly, without
too many major disruptions,”
said Richard Foulds, managing
director Grindrod Intermodal.
Foulds, who co-founded
Cross Country Containers
in 1988 with the late Grant
Wells, says the business
has changed over the years.
When first established Cross
Country Containers marketed
themselves as the first
independent rail operator and
as business grew it expanded
with a container depot and
warehouse operation known
as CMC. This was later merged
with Grindrod Container
Services to become CMC
Grindrod.
Today Grindrod Intermodal
has 500 000 m2 of depot and
warehouse space and R90m
worth of handling equipment.
Foulds, who is retiring
at the end of 2007, said he
was proud of what had been
achieved. Jan Nair, who has
been closely involved in the
consolidation, will take over as
MD of Grindrod Intermodal.
He added that Unitainer,
another business within the
Grindrod Group, was to be
consolidated within Grindrod
Intermodal.
“Unitainer’s container
depots will complement
the existing depots and the
container trading area of the
business provides synergies
and added value for clients.
“Michael Fry, the current
general manager of Unitainer,
will continue running this
business and will be appointed
a director of Grindrod
Intermodal.”
Nair, who has been in
the industry for 30 years
and with Cross Country
Containers for the last 10, said
he was excited by Grindrod
Intermodal’s future prospects.
Grindrod has made
significant investments in
infrastructure development
and terminals specifically in
Maputo and Richards Bay.
“There is obviously going
to be an opportunity for
Grindrod Intermodal to
expand its operations into
these areas,” he said.