Premises expanded to support 1200-truck fleet

A renewed focus on
improving efficiencies
within the business
is helping clients to
weather the present economic
downturn in
Zambia – and
J&J Transport
Zambia to
continue
investing in the
country.
The company
is in the process
of expanding its
Lusaka premises
by 40% to
support a fleet of
around
1 200 trucks run by the J&J
Group and its partners, according
to Oscar Gutierrez, general
manager of J&J Transport
Zambia.
Included in the investment
is the paving of the entire area
amongst other infrastructure.
The design of the facilities and
the systems being put in place to
manage them are based on the
J&J operations
in Beira,
which include
warehousing
and advanced
logistics.
“We are, in
effect, building
a multi-user
logistics facility,”
says Richard
Tiddy, group
commercial
manager.
“The facility is perfectly
positioned to serve as a hub
for Zambia and neighbouring
countries.
“We have already invested
in new container handling
equipment which allows us to be
a lot more flexible,” he adds.
Once all developments are
completed, container unpacking
and packing services will be
offered on site, and transit
containers will be staged in
Lusaka.
“All the
best practices
from our
experience in
Beira are being
incorporated
into the
Zambian operation in order
to maximise efficiencies,” says
Gutierrez.
“Customers benefit from
greater efficiencies because they
get their cargo earlier, and there
are fewer delays due to accidents
and breakdowns. We are also able
to offer more competitive rates,”
he says.
As part of the efficiency drive
customers are also being asked
to rate the service they receive
and to suggest ways to improve.
“Our f lat management
structure enables us to be nimble
and to make changes quickly
where needed,”
says Gutierrez.
One example
is that J&J
Transport
Zambia is
now handling
domestic
deliveries as well as
strengthening cross-border
and project cargo in order to
improve efficiencies through the
maximisation of fully loaded
round trips.
“Our objective is to reduce
the number of empty legs in
order to bring down costs to our
customers,” says Tiddy.
INSERT
40% The extent of expansion
of Lusaka premises.
INSERT & CAPTION
All the best practices from
our experience in Beira
are being incorporated
into the Zambian
operation.
– Oscar Gutierrez