Opportunities abound as Coega beckons

ALAN PEAT THERE IS fast growing opportunity for the forwarding community in the Eastern Cape, with the automotive industries in Port Elizabeth and East London driving both import and export trade volumes to new levels, according to Andrew Roper, Premier Freight branch manager in Port Elizabeth. “The positive aspect from Premier’s point-of-view is that we are on the periphery of the automotive industry,” he told FTW. “In this respect the parts suppliers into the industry are our target market.” The Eastern Cape is already booming, Roper added, and this is only a sign of more to come. “We are also on the fringe of even busier times with certain plans which will develop both the import and export markets in the region.” This with the new deep-water port at Coega coming on-stream, the development of industrial development zones (IDZs) in East London and at Coega, and the on-going development of the tourist industry in the region. “Obviously we’d also have to highlight the fact that the citrus export industry is showing tremendous growth,” he said, “and that the ostrich industry – although it has suffered a recent setback because of avian infection – is definitely on the up-and-up from an export point-of-view.” The Premier Freight branch offers a full package of logistics products throughout the Eastern Cape region.