‘Technologically agile’ companies take logistics lead

Namibian retailers, hauliers
and warehouse operators
are investing in the latest
information technology
to attract business to the Walvis Bay
corridors.
When applied properly the
technology helps reduce costs and
improve efficiencies, according to
Renko Bergh, operations director of
Forte Supply Chain Consulting.
There are, he says, a growing
number of
“technologically
agile companies”
in Namibia, many
of which are using
systems supplied
by Forte. They
include transport
and warehouse
operators and
retailers.
Forte Inventory
Solutions was
opened as Forte
Supply Chain
Consulting two years ago, a “proudly
Namibian company” providing
integrated inventory control software
and scanner hardware for local
retailers in the form of cycle stock
takes.
The rest of the Forte Consulting
offerings, including transport and
warehouse software solutions, are
provided and supported locally
from within
Forte Inventory
Solutions.
“We are really
passionate about
the Namibian
market and believe
the Walvis Bay
corridors provide
tremendous
opportunities,”
says Bergh.
Retailers are
increasingly
outsourcing
stock taking because having an
independent third party doing the
counting and verification removes
the risk of internal staff trying to
manipulate the data, he says.
At present Forte provides project
and system administrators together
with the necessary software and
hardware.
Store staff are trained on the
system and undertake the physical
count.
Customers will soon be able to
outsource the entire stock taking
operation, with Forte providing staff,
systems and hardware.
Using the system and equipment
supplied by Forte, most retailers are
able to complete a stock take of all
items in a shop and its warehouse
within a 24-hour period – without
disrupting store trading hours.
This includes physically scanning
and counting every can of beans and
other products on the shelves.
“In one or two of the bigger shops
the exercise may take two days at
most,” he says.
Forte is geared for growth to
match demand in line with the
expansion of retail operations
in Namibia and neighbouring
countries.
Bergh is confident that hauliers
and warehouse operators will also
be investing in management systems
to take advantage of the Namibian
government’s drive to make the
country the
logistics
hub for
SADC
countries.
INSERT
Using Forte systems most
retailers are able to
complete a stock take of
all items in a shop and its
warehouse within a 24-hour
period.
– Renko Bergh