Zim economy poised for explosive growth

Taking service into a new dimension with “after-service service” is helping Zimbabwe’s Anlink Freight and its clients to weather the economic and political storms that have battered the country and the world economy. “This is a dynamic industry. One minute you are a rich man, the next you are poor,” says Anlink Freight managing director Patrick Gwasera with a smile. Much of that dynamism is caused by political and economic forces outside the control of companies like Anlink and its clients. “It is difficult to plan. No one doing business in Zimbabwe can have a five-year plan. There are just too many uncertainties,” he says. Gwasera is confident, however, that the Zimbabwean economy is poised to grow rapidly – and that Anlink Freight will be moving bigger volumes of imports and exports. “When things go right, this economy will explode, and the challenge will be lack of capacity. “We are ready for that,” he says. A strong network, flexibility and an ability to improvise are keys to keeping freight flowing and the economy moving, he says. The company has provided the project cargo services for some of the biggest Zimbabwean investments over the past few years, and also handles general and special cargo. “We have, for example, moved construction equipment from Botswana to Mozambique,” he says. “Our strength is in our network – we are well connected. “We also pride ourselves in our ‘after-service service’. Our relationship with our clients does not end when the cargo is delivered. We keep in touch by updating them on what is happening in the industry by sending out regular newsletters,” he says. The newsletters help Anlink’s existing, past and future clients to plan ahead for the time when the Zimbabwean economy “explodes” – in a good way.