‘No place in the cut-throat rat race’

For Regan Moodley, managing
director of Shipping & General
Transport, there is no place in the
throat-slashing rat race often experienced
in the Durban market. Instead he has built
up a select client base that understands
his business acumen and vision. In
fact, his business, which he refers to
as the concierge desk to the clearing
and forwarding industry, is based on
maintaining honour and integrity at all
times, he told FTW.
“One of the challenges of doing
business in Durban is the total cut-throat
environment. There is certainly a lack
of basic business acumen amongst a
handful of operators in that there is not a
dynamic balance between the very basics
in business: sale and cost of sale. I have
opted not to partake or compete in this
rat race,” says Moodley.
Asked about other challenges facing
operations in Durban, he says he has
also found that smaller operators have a
tendency to price their services at a rate
that can only be described as hand-tomouth.
Essentially this means there is no
margin being maintained.
“There is also a lack of fully
established and adequately equipped
operators in Durban when measured with
their Johannesburg counterparts. There
is certainly a substantial number of oneman
operators who are owners of their
equipment and also drivers.”
But, says Moodley, despite these
challenges, Durban remains the busiest
port of call with a constant demand
for transport.
“We opened our Durban office some
three years ago as we found a demand in
the market and we have been very happy
with the outcome. Clients are always on
the look-out for reputable establishments
where they are able to draw on a very
comprehensive range of services under
one roof.”
Established some 25 years ago as a
provider of warehousing and transport to
the clearing and forwarding industry, the
company is licensed with Customs as a
carrier and has a monetary bond lodged
with Customs to the value of R200 000.
With a fleet in excess of 75 vehicles, its
services range from transport to craneage
and packing/unpacking of containers.
“We recently obtained a rail account
in City Deep and hence in close
collaboration with Transnet Freight
Rail are able to offer clients a railage
service and cross-haulage of containers
in and out of City Deep terminal,”
says Moodley.
“For us it has never been about
here today, gone tomorrow. It is about
ensuring sustainability while giving
clients exceptional service.”