Wine logistics specialist adds dedicated consolidation service

Understanding the complexities and challenges of your customer’s business is crucial in a niche market, says Karen Dippenaar, sales manager for beverage logistics specialist JF Hillebrand. “Many of our staff have extensive experience in the wine industry – be it as logistics operators for a wine farm or even as wine makers,” she explained. “We believe this provides an in-depth understanding of what the wine maker is looking for in terms of a service provider.” The beverage industry has undergone some big logistical changes of late, including the move from bottled to bulk exports. “Ultimately one has to be proactive and have measures in place that can ensure the smooth running of the high volume of containers moving out of South African ports and to overseas destinations,” said Dippenaar. Among the proactive costsaving initiatives implemented by JF Hillebrand are the running of a rail network in the UK and the establishment of a dedicated wine consolidation service offered on various trade lanes globally as well as the development and production of a Vinliner protective container liner. “The establishment of a production plant in South Africa dedicated to the global production of the f lexi bags is a sign of the group’s confidence in the work we are doing as an industry in South Africa,” said Dippenaar. At the same time logistics also has to keep sight of the environment, always taking the carbon footprint into consideration. “Environmental issues are important to everyone in the industry and we are doing everything possible to ensure the consistent reduction of our carbon footprint. This includes a recycling system for the used f lexi bags,” she said.