The airfreight industry has consistently faced the challenge of economic f luctuations – but as export volumes fall short of expectations, the compounding impact of uncontrollable factors such as load-shedding, the state of the world economy, and geopolitical tensions, is adding to the mix, says Frederik du Plessis, branch manager for perishables and charter at Air Menzies International (AMI) in Johannesburg."This has led to certain sectors and verticals struggling to achieve their expected growth targets. At the same time, sea freight remains a formidable competitor, while road remains a preferred mode of transport in Africa, exerting a direct impact on the airfreight business."According to Du Plessis, building solid relationships and establishing extensive connections within the industry networks remains crucial. "The AMI perishables department serves numerous destinations, offering a diverse range of products sourced from South Africa. There’s growing interest from clients in our one-stop-shop last mile and value-added service offerings. Furthermore, we continue collaborating with additional airlines to secure access to key markets, ensuring the most competitive price offerings."Du Plessis said it was about "paying less for more" in these tough economic times where a capacity shortage and aero-political challenges on specific trade lanes continued to impact the airfreight sector, which remained highly competitive in an ever-changing market.He told Freight News he remained optimistic about the local airfreight sector as access to emerging markets and the increasing demand for industrial and perishable local products ref lected the world's appetite for "Proudly South African" goods. "We are fully prepared to meet this demand. Our commitment to providing fast and efficient services is particularly evident in transporting critical and time-sensitive items like vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and other life-saving commodities, where airfreight excels, ensuring departure today and arrival tomorrow," he said. "South Africa has traditionally been a powerful manufacturing country and is ideally positioned as a significant global supplier. When it comes to mining, our products are in demand worldwide, which opens up new airfreight opportunities on a global scale. The country's burgeoning livestock market also presents another promising growth area."Du Plessis said that while volumes remained sporadic, the industry eagerly anticipated a pick-up after the July/August holidays when the historic high season begins. "The technological advancements in the perishable sector are expected to extend product supply compared to previous years. South African products continue to stand out as the best in the world, offering unmatched quality and competitive pricing per unit."He said the airfreight industry remained resilient and could change quickly with market conditions, and positive growth was expected for the sector."Africa and the surrounding island communities continue to be the driving force behind demand and supply dynamics. Nevertheless, the Middle Eastern markets stand out as the primary stronghold for product demand, not only from South Africa but also from other parts of the world," said Du Plessis.He emphasised that to sustain and f lourish in this ever-changing environment, the industry must wholeheartedly embrace change, foster new partnerships, and make substantial investments in cutting-edge technologies to effectively address the evolving needs of global trade.
