Safcor Panalpina expands sales force

IN AN aggressive drive to expand its customer base, Safcor Panalpina has strengthened its Gauteng sales force and added a new dimension to its marketing mix. The eleven-strong team, headed up by regional sales manager Gauteng, Andreas Nowak, combines sales and operational expertise in a new approach to customers.
"Safcor Panalpina boasts some of the most experienced industry professionals," says Nowak. "Our sales staff are now calling on customers in conjunction with operations staff so that any problems and issues which the customer may raise can be dealt with in a single call."
In addition, a number of Panalpina staff are being brought into the country to add international muscle and expertise. Nowak himself spent ten years with Panalpina in Nigeria and Germany prior to his local posting. Georg Geiger, who took over as forwarding manager in Cape Town recently, and Joerg Vierneisel, Eastern Cape regional sales manager, are both ex-Panalpina.
Safcor Panalpina sees enormous potential in the development of Cape Town as a hub for the West African oil industry. "Georg Geiger was previously posted in West Africa and his expertise in this market serves him well in his new post," says Nowak. "Joerg Vierniesel on the other hand was heavily involved in Panalpina's motor industry drive in Germany prior to his arrival in the Eastern Cape, which is the hub of the local automotive industry."
"We want complex and demanding accounts. Having the right people in the right places gives us the expertise to serve such accounts in a one stop shop," said Nowak.
The new sales team includes route development managers Annabelle Fulton (Americas), Claire Saunders (Asia), Pat Biggam (Europe) and regional sales manager Andreas Nowak.