Vehicle turnaround time one of the biggest challenges

THE TURNAROUND time of vehicles poses
one of the biggest challenges to Kodav
Logistics, says managing director
Corné Pretorius.
Viable return loads to Johannesburg
are a problem that affects the company’s
Johannesburg loading schedules. Kodav
often ends up sending trucks to Beira due
to the lack of cargo to Johannesburg, and it
then takes a few trips to get back onto the
Johannesburg route again.
The company specialises in a complete
logistic solution for its clients by sea,
road or rail.
“We offer clients various options that
take away the headache of having to deal
with four or five different companies in
order to move their cargo. We handle the
entire chain from loading the cargo at the
production facility, up to final delivery to
the customer.”
The company handles mainly exports
from South Africa to sub-Saharan Africa.
The main routings are Malawi, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique
via South Africa or the port of Beira,
Mozambique. They also provide a consulting
service to clients who operate their own
delivery vehicles in order to optimise that
part of the chain, especially with the current
high fuel price.
The main commodity dealt with by Kodav
is fertiliser, but it specialises in steel as well.
The company also carries cotton, tobacco,
maize and wheat. For larger contracts (over
3 000 mt) they prefer to use rail depending
on the destination, but for the rest they
have found that road still seems to be the
best and most versatile option.
Questioned on the economic climate in
Zambia at present, Corné commented: “If I
may use the South African quote - I think
it’s alive with possibility.” This is due to the
agriculture and obviously the mining sector
which continues to grow.
“There are a few challenges that affect
not only Zambia, but the entire region and
if these can be overcome I think the overall
outlook for the future is quite good,”
he concluded.