THL sets it sights on DRC and Angola expansion

With the Botswana-based Transport Holdings Limited (THL) now celebrating almost three decades in cross-border transport with SA, the company is looking to expand its business activities further afield, according to business development manager, Johan Eloff. “Our present focus,” he told FTW, “is on developing transport business to DRC and Angola, with a move further north in the subcontinent at a later date.” “Also we are presently involved in the transportation of fuel and dry goods, consolidations, warehousing and distribution, but have the intention of expanding into other operations to create a large scale logistics solutions business.” A promising event in cross-border transport, Eloff told FTW, has been the introduction of electronic data interchange (EDI) between shippers, transporters and customs – and the end of the need to complete the manual F178 form. “This has improved things a great deal and makes life with customs much easier,” he said. “It makes things so simple that it’s only a pleasure getting cargo cross-border now.” Since 2006, THL has been a member of the Imperial Logistics Group – which Eloff claims to be the largest provider of logistic services in Southern Africa and the largest road transporter in sub-Saharan Africa. The THL group, with MD Anthony Lee, is split into three operating units. Transport Holdings (the company itself) provides bulk dry goods transport and consolidation to the mining and industrial sectors and is the holding company for the group in Botswana. Current clients include Debswana Diamond Company, BCL, Tati and Morupule Colliery. THL owns 51% of Petrologistics (formerly known as Truck Africa Botswana), which was renamed following the 100% acquisition of Fuelogic Botswana. Current clients include Shell and Engen. THL owns 100% of Express Cartage – providing express cross border transportation and consolidation of dry goods to the retail, service and industrial sectors – with key customers being Bolux Milling, De Beers, general retail and wholesale customers and Botswana Meat Company. Transport Holdings has its main operation in the former Truck Africa’s SA premises in Wadeville, Johannesburg. It also has an operation in BCL mine in Selebi Phikwe – a mining town located in the Central District of Botswana. Express Cartage operates from three facilities – Wadeville and Gaborone and Francistown in Botswana. Petrologistics has two operations - Francistown and Tlokweng.