Escalating demand for
perishable products into
developing markets like Africa
has seen logistics operators like
Afri-Cross Logistical Solutions
recording significant growth.
“A very high percentage of
products are still exported
via seafreight,” said Jan Louw
Malherbe of Afri-Cross, “but
it’s interesting to note that on
the Cape Town/Johannesburg
to Luanda route road is
cheaper than sea when working
with landed cost.”
He says that when dealing
with Africa there is a degree of
uncertainty around roadfreight
and getting products through
customs does require careful
planning and good systems.
“But we are slowly seeing
people warming to the
idea of making use of road
transport for perishables into
the region,” he says. “And the
only way we are achieving this
is by providing an excellent
service at a competitive rate.
Ultimately, when dealing with
perishables, it comes down
to two things – the speed of
service and getting the product
to the final destination in
perfect condition.”
On its Angola route the
company has managed to
make significant inroads, says
Malherbe. “We manage to
deliver over 90% of our reefer
trucks in under nine days from
loading from Cape Town/
Johannesburg to Luanda.”
And in the reefer sector,
reliable equipment is key.
“We ensure we have the latest
technology in place and believe
that by investing in better
quality reefers we are able
to provide a better service.
That has translated into an
incredibly low claims rate.”
According to Malherbe,
the lower oil prices have had a
somewhat negative impact on
the market in recent months,
but there is evidence of a slow
recovery.
CAPTION
Part of the Afri-cross fleet … the latest
technology translates into a very low claims rate.
