Retail boom boosts packaging and racking sector

KEVIN MAYHEW
THE SPECTACULAR boom in retail trade in South Africa has had a major impact on other elements of the logistics chain such as packaging, racking and warehousing, says managing director of APC Group, Fred Albert. APC is the sole distributor of one of the international leaders in racking and slatting, Mecalux of Barcelona, Spain. “We have felt the impact of this explosion in retail as we have been called on to supply the necessary warehousing racking to meet the different packaging and sizes of the millions of items that have been held to meet the demand,” says Albert. The company – which imports completed units from Spain direct to the end user – is a dominant player in the R600m racking and slatting industry in South Africa. APC is shortly to open a sales office in Cape Town and will follow it up with another in Durban to meet the need.