‘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.”