Uitenhage logistics park gets global tenant

ED RICHARDSON
INTERNATIONAL LOGISTICS Company Schnellecke has decided to base a “significant part” of its African operations in the Nelson Mandela Bay Logistics Park in Uitenhage outside Port Elizabeth.
This follows the signing of an agreement with the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality (incorporating Port Elizabeth, Uitenhage and Despatch).
Schnellecke SA managing director Christian Thormeyer says the company aims to expand its service to a broader range of manufacturers and benefit from efficiencies offered by the park.
“A logistic or supplier park is essential for the industry to improve on supply chain stability, especially between the Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers and the Original Equipment manufacturers. It will also provide needed infrastructure to support the industry’s growth trend.
“The park will reduce logistic operation cost via shared infrastructure and economies of scale.
It will provide the Uitenhage district with necessary world class facilities needed for a technologically advanced production environment, especially focusing on competing in the export market,” he says.
Thormeyer says the Park will also play a key role in the national integration of the different motor manufacturing centres
Park managing director Lance Schultz said four further tenants had committed to the R394m development, adjacent to the Volkswagen plant in Uitenhage. These agreements are due to be signed within the next few weeks.
Construction of the Park began during April with the installation of internal services, including sewerage, water, electricity and the building itself. The first phase entails the establishment of perimeter fencing, the main gatehouse, 8700m² of buildings, internal and link roads and several mini-factories.
Construction in the first phase will be complete by September 1,2005, when Schnellecke will take occupation.