South Africa’s logistics performance will come under the spotlight in August when internationally renowned logistician and researcher Professor Lauri Ojala visits the country. Ojala, an adviser to the World Bank who considers logistics performance central to a country’s economic performance and global competitiveness, is also the chair in logistics at Turku University, the Finnish institution that arranged his visit to South Africa and Namibia to assist with the development of logistics performance measurement methodologies. Set to address the monthly Transport Forum in Stellenbosch, he will also be presenting guest lectures at the University of Stellenbosch’s logistics and industrial engineering departments. Ojala, together with JeanFrancois Arvis of the World Bank, initiated the global Logistics Performance Index (LPI) in 2007. With the 2018 LPI expected to be released soon, this will be the first opportunity to see South Africa’s results. But more so, said Professor Jan Havenga of the logistics department at the University of Stellenbosch, it offered local industry a golden opportunity to understand the results of the LPI and engage with Ojala personally on strategy formulation based on index findings. “The LPI is used widely in the world to develop national logistics strategy and measure logistics competency.
