Perishable specialist diversifies

JOY ORLEK INCREASING COMPETITION on the SA – Namibia run, combined with the spiralling fuel price, is challenging operators on the route. It’s a market where experience and track record make the difference, says managing director of Transworld Roadfreight, Gordon Jay. The company has operated on the route for the past 13 years and currently runs a service from Johannesburg and Cape Town to Namibia catering largely for groupage traffic. Transworld’s fleet of eight long-distance rigs carries a range of general cargo and the company is also a registered “in bond” carrier with its own warehouse in Johannesburg and Namibia. All clearances for Namibia and South Africa are now done electronically so that the goods are precleared when the trucks leave. Along with his colleagues in the industry, Jay cites the rising fuel price as one of the major issues. “We don’t impose any surcharges when the fuel price is increased – it’s a cost that we are forced to absorb ourselves.” A top priority for customers and Transworld is cargo security, and several interventions have been put in place. “All vehicles are fitted with tracking devices, and in high risk zones, a security escort ensures that cargo risk is minimised,” he said.