New Swiss logistics company opens in SA

Ray Smuts VYING FOR a bigger slice of the import and export cake is Swiss company Haba-Sped which made its entry into the South African market on October 1. The opening of Haba-Sped Logistics, with offices in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, at the same time brings about the closure of Intercon Groupage Service for its owner Linda Bruce heads the new enterprise. "This is a very exciting development," says Bruce. "We have good partners, an excellent team and we are going to grow this company." According to Bruce she was recommended to Roland Schaffer, one of Haba-SpedÕs owners, and offered a 51% stake in the new venture which cost more than R1 million to set up. "The thrust of the new company will be on forwarding and groupage, anything to do with shipping really." Intercon Groupage Service was formed ten years ago with Bruce as a 1% shareholder. She went on to own the company which focused on export consolidations, mainly wine, but the thrust will change with the new dispensation. "With Haba-Sped we will use their offices to concentrate on exports and imports and we foresee that Durban and Johannesburg will be far bigger for imports than Cape Town in future." Excluding volumes from its international agencies, Haba-Sped currently ships 150teus once a week to South African ports through its own offices. Appointed branch manager in Johannesburg is Leonardo Potter while Vee Gani will serve as branch manager and Nisha Bham as operations manager in Durban. Haba-Sped has 17 offices wordwide, excluding South Africa. Linda Bruce . . . thrust will be on forwarding and groupage