Logistics Companies in South Africa
The Challenges faced by Logistics Companies in South Africa
The logistics companies that operate in South Africa are faced with numerous challenges presented by the distance that needs to be covered and the nature of the goods that they are transporting. Companies need to maintain a large, versatile fleet in order to be competitive and deliver a good service.
MACTRANSCO is one of the most successful freight companies in the country at the moment and despite the fact that the majority of the work is done in the north of the country, they still manage to be one of the most recognised brands in the market.
The fleet that is operated by MACTRANSCO is maintained to the highest standards by professionals in well-equipped workshops. Management aims to keep the average age of vehicles at under 3 years so that customers can assured of vehicle reliability and hence punctuality.
Because a lot of the freight work caters for the needs of the mines, it is often necessary to utilise rail services. MACTRANSCO have a permanent arrangement with rail services and have siding facilities that allow for 40,000 tons of coal to be handled every month. 2006 saw them transport nearly one million tons. This arrangement with rail makes it possible for the transport of goods to take place 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Since larger logistics companies in South Africa service countries like Botswana and Zimbabwe, it has become necessary to build warehouses close to the border. This is essential when moving perishables because often trucks have to spend the night at the border. MACTRANSCO offers 6500 sq. metres of warehouse space at strategic locations.
The key to a successful large freight company lies in its entire staff sharing the same passion for service excellence. This kind of corporate culture is demonstrated in the pride which MACTRANSCO staff take in the leopard that is the centre of their logo. It represents many of the core beliefs and aspirations of the company, namely the ability to overcome harsh environmental obstacles, deliver fast and effective service, and operate without any breaks when needed.
MACTRANSCO is still evolving as the logistic market in South Africa dictates. This is evident in the amount of money spent on custom built computer systems ensuring that the entire operation can be monitored from a central location. A helicopter now forms part of the fleet for these high priority, emergency jobs.
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