P&ON restructures to reflect logistics focus

25 Aug 2000 - By Staff reporter

Comments | 0

P&O NEDLLOYD South Africa has overhauled its operating structure to reflect its expanding role as a complete logistics service provider to exporters and importers, managing director Nigel Pusey told FTW last week.
Pusey said that the purchase earlier this year of a 34% stake in depot and transport company, CCMC, and P&O Nedlloyd's selection as a preferred private partner in the Coega deep water harbour development had lent impetus to the changes now underway.
P&O Nedlloyd SA has always been actively involved in the shipping aspects of the local import and export trade, however how the customer moves the containers inland has not had the focus that it needs. Customers are looking to the total movement of containers from A to B and require their logistics providers to offer it in a total package, said Pusey.
In essence the changes will see the logistics components of the existing operating divisions being pooled together to form a stand-alone logistics division overseeing the entire business process. Wim Lagaay has been appointed Integrated Logistics Director.
In addition to the logistical changes, the sales and marketing activities under new director, Bill Leader, have been reviewed. Leader replaces Richard Burmeister who has moved to London to head one of P&O Nedlloyd's global system projects.
The review has focused more attention on the products customers ship as well as the trade routes they use. This matrix of product and trade should create the correct balance of focus in the organisation, explained Pusey.
He said that the technological developments presently under way would be of great benefit in this process.
The Internet looks set to change some of the fundamentals of the shipping industry and we intend to be at the forefront of them. Already we have seen a 232% increase in traffic to our local website, www.ponl.co.za, since last November, he said.