Pioneer upgrades fleet as business picks up

Renewed optimism in the
Zimbabwean economy is reflected
in the upgrading of transport fleets.
“A lot of us have been investing
in new fleet since last year,” says
Albert Ushe, group chief executive
officer of Pioneer Corporation
Africa.
Through its network, Pioneer
offers overnight deliveries and pick
up services between all cities in
Zimbabwe, as well as consolidation
and transport services for imports
and exports.
“We move everything, from an
envelope to a full 35-ton load,” he
says.
He sees “lots of potential,”
particularly for companies like
Pioneer, which has its headquarters
in Harare and has maintained its
operations throughout the economic
and political upheavals of the past
few years.
Other companies, which
maintained only a “minimum
presence” in the country are now
facing “capacity issues,” he says.
Companies like Pioneer have
continued to invest, and have
on-line track and trace, as well as
scan and load systems.
This has created a window
of opportunity for Zimbabwean
companies which are now able
to compete with the bigger
internationals, which have lost
much of their capacity within the
country.
He says a measure of the
recovery of the economy is that “we
don’t have to go to South Africa to
shop any more”.
Most foodstuffs, groceries,
clothing and office products
are now available in Zimbabwe
again – which is a relief to the
Zimbabweans who had to make
regular shopping trips across the
border.