“Support from Transnet Freight Rail and Zambia Railways is helping Grindrod Logistics Africa to deliver multimodal solutions to our customers,” says Danie Parsons, divisional chief executive of Grindrod Logistics Africa.
Formerly Sturrock Focus Clearing, Grindrod Logistics Africa opened its first offices in Komatipoort in 1995, and now has a total of 11 offices throughout the region, including an operation in Zambia.
The company specialises in the movement of mining and other equipment by rail and road from origin to the project site.
“We combine all logistics service offerings within the Grindrod Group including shipping, terminal operation, warehousing, transport and customs clearing under one umbrella, with a single point of contact.
“Our border offices on the major transit corridors provide seamless border crossing, reducing overall dwell time and improving turnaround times – with realtime visibility of the process for clients,” he says.
Parsons says the combination of rail and road helps meet the need of shippers and cargo owners to reduce and manage supply chain costs.
One of the challenges that the combination of road and rail helps overcome is the limitations of the road infrastructure in the region, as well as regulatory requirements.
“Local knowledge is key. Our teams on the ground oversee and manage the intricacies of supply chains.
“Where sub-contractors are used we only team up with like-minded companies with proven track records. We’ve been fortunate to work with excellent service providers.
“It is also important for there to be long-term partnerships with our customers. The better we understand their product and company dynamics, the more we can tailor their supply chain – using our years of experience – through transparent mechanisms.”
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Our border offices on the major transit corridors provide seamless border crossing. – Danie Parsons
