Trend to smaller loads more often

“TALK IS good because it shows that things are happening,” says Alwyn Nel of Kingfisher Freight Services. “But until the plans are promulgated and a common customs union is implemented across the region, talk is just talk.” Fifteen years in the game, Kingfisher has expanded its focus from being exclusive roadfreight Zimbabwe into fully intermodal operations covering Africa, the US, North West Continent and the UK. “The problem with Zimbabwe is that Customs will bring out a new law, not tell anyone, and just collect the penalties – even if your trucks are in transit.” Despite this, Nel remains positive, describing the company’s future as buoyant. “It’s how you manage the rising (external) costs and still keep your focus and your customers happy that will make or break you in this game.” Offering regular consolidations and full load coverage across Southern Africa, Kingfisher runs daily express services into the BLNS (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland) countries. “We have found that demand has called for the handling of smaller loads more regularly compared to the bigger but more irregular consignments of previous years,” says Nel. “The EDI clearances are running at 100% efficiency, but a shortage of vehicles has hardened freight rates and that will challenge the industry this coming year.”