Savino sees tough 2014 for logistics

Freight forwarding and supply chain management companies will be challenged by uncertain international trade conditions and the introduction of new customs legislation in the coming year according to Kobus Maree, Managing Director of Savino Del Bene SA.
“In the light of this the company has geared itself to take an aggressive approach to business in 2014 after up-skilling its workforce and setting in place structures to meet the demands of the coming year.  In addition, the opportunities offered by multi-billion rand development of infrastructure across Southern Africa have seen Savino’s Africa Pioneer strategy take off,” he said.

“The rapid growth into this continent is being driven by some of the world’s fastest growing economies and this is evidenced in the growth of our own Africa footprint. We have appointed a top-flight and experienced African Business Development Manager who is implementing the company’s Africa Pioneer strategy which is driving operations throughout the region.  We have opened offices in Port Elizabeth, Mozambique and Zambia. “Walvis Bay as part of our sub-Saharan infrastructure is attracting ever-increasing volumes of business especially as we have been able to save clients who switch from Dar es Salaam some three weeks on delivery.  Our end-to-end service features a 22 000sqm warehouse and the ability to organise loads both ways into the developing corridors from Namibia into South Africa, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Our Namibia manager reports a growing demand for the large truck capacity we offer importers and exporters to supplement the packing and unpacking facility we operate in Walvis Bay. “Our investment in trusted partners and strategic alliances such as Imperial Logistics to move goods and a robust infrastructure, coupled to our global capability, has place us in a position where we can flex our muscles in the marketplace next year,” he said. The company founded some 15 years ago by Kobus and Juanita Maree is today part of a worldwide corporate network that specialises in global logistics, freight forwarding, clearing and supply chain management, and one that is among the top players in Southern Africa. “However, the phenomenal growth,” said Maree, “has not affected our core values based on a family business and we still operate as a close-knit team while regarding our clients as an extension of this approach. The past year has seen the company raising its level of communication with the marketplace with the effect of greater interaction with clients and an increase in the ‘Savino’ brand awareness.” The company’s history of innovations and high service levels saw Savino receive Platinum recognition at the SA Logistics Achievers Awards (LAA) SDBSA’s with an entry focused on the imported tyre market in southern Africa.  The award recognises professionalism and excellence in the effective application of strategic, tactical and operational logistics in supply chain management.