Schmidt heads Birkart’s sales drive

JOY ORLEK
ROBERT SCHMIDT has been appointed GM – sales & marketing at Birkart Globistics South Africa, based at head office in Johannesburg. Eastern Cape born and bred, Schmidt joined the company in 2000 and moved up the ranks to become the Port Elizabeth branch manager, spearheading a period of significant growth for the company’s Eastern Cape business. The automotive industry will continue to be a big focus in the immediate future, says Schmidt, with particular emphasis on growing and developing niche markets. “The plan for the present will be to develop the sales team to ensure that they go into battle equipped, with a strong focus on technical and sales training,” he added. “Birkart Globistics Worldwide has named 2007 the year of sales and marketing and this is a theme that will be carried through in South Africa.” Schmidt will represent Africa on the company’s international sales and marketing board. Joe Lemley, previously Hellmann’s sales and development manager, has taken over as branch manager in Port Elizabeth.