Warehousing addition closes supply chain loop

Providing customers with a complete supply chain solution is critical in the current business market where volatility and unpredictability are often the order of the day. It was for this reason that NGL Logistic Solutions entered the warehousing field and acquired its own space, according to director Quinton de Villiers. “Previously we had never had the need for a yard or a warehouse but some eight months ago we realised that having our own warehouse would open some real growth opportunities,” he said. The initial plan was for a 1000-square-metre facility, but they finally found the right premises in Denver, Johannesburg, even though it was double the size. “This is a facility we can grow into and already we are finding there is demand and have signed some key contracts,” he told FTW. Strategically situated between the airport and the container depots in City Deep and surrounding areas, the warehouse has capacity for 3000 pallet holdings and offers inventory control systems, pick pack facilities as well as dock levellers for ease of off-loading and loading. The facility is run by dedicated warehouse staff . It also has lock up facilities for pre-loaded trucks – a major requirement of one of the company’s clients, said De Villiers. “More important than signing new clients for the facility, it allows us to increase the service offering to our existing client base as we can now provide them with a complete supply chain solution.” According to Mark Scott, also a director, warehousing is a critical component in the supply chain. “They are expensive to rent and the market is not always willing to pay high rates for the space, making it a costly business to enter.” He said it was for this reason that it was important for a logistics supplier to be able to offer its clients a warehouse solution. “It really does make you more competitive in the market and it enhances your offering to your client, something that is extremely critical in the business environment today. “It comes down to being able to guarantee the promises one makes. We are not built around volumes, but rather around the promises we make,” said Scott. “For us it is about being a specialised solution to the client where we guarantee we will do what we say.”