ACT Logistics grows through service

Augetto Graig - Airfreight Courier Transport Logistics, also known as ACT Logistics, has grown from humble beginnings to become a leader in the ever-expanding Namibian transportation and logistics industry. According to the company website, ACT Logistics is dedicated to providing the highest level of service that is available today. The goal is not just to deliver, clear or warehouse and distribute freight, but to communicate effectively with customers. It is this effective communication that sets ACT apart from its competitors.

This sentiment is echoed by equity partner Morné Engelbrecht who recently elaborated about the company at their brand new head office and warehouse facility in the Prosperita industrial area in Windhoek. “What differentiates us from other companies in this market is the service we deliver, which is what it is all about for us. At the centre of it all is our client for whom we strive to provide the service that suits his or her needs,” he says. According to him, the industry has many corporate players who struggle to be as flexible as ACT Logistics. “We adapt to our clients’ needs and work to provide what they require,” he said.

Since its early days the company has grown to employ close to 45 Namibians, with offices in Walvis Bay, Otjiwarongo and at the Hosea Kutako International Airport. ACT has a fleet of 16 vehicles at their disposal, including a couple of 15-ton trucks, one eight-, one six-, and a five-ton truck. There are also a number of 1.5 ton bakkies. At their new premises the company now boasts almost 1 000m² in warehouse space and will soon be installing a cool room for the storage of medical supplies which they also import and export.

ACT Logistics had its humble beginning in 2002 as the brainchild of André Smith, recalls his wife Berné. “His dream was to begin a logistics company which could deliver excellent service. Being in the courier trade for several years he was ready to take the step. With a proposal letter in hand he flew to Johannesburg to approach OCS, to become their agent in Namibia. A telephone call about a week later set his dream alight. André started off with the help of his friend in a borrowed office, with a borrowed desk and chair, one vehicle and one assistant,” she remembers.

With hard work and dedication ACT Logistics grew and so did the personnel, vehicles and office space. After four years in a home-based office, ACT moved to offices in Iridium Street, Prosperita, which was the company home for ten years. Offices in Otjiwarongo, Hosea Kutako International and Walvis Bay followed, and now the new office building in Windhoek has opened on the corner of Michelle McLean and Silver streets. And still André and the staff of ACT Logistics have only one main goal ... to deliver excellent service with a personal touch.

Today ACT Logistics is in partnership with the giant DSV distributive network and the WIN Logistics group assisting in global shipping. Among the wide variety of goods they distribute within this network are car parts and pharmaceutical products for global manufacturers. They make extensive use of air-, sea- and road freight operations, although they have not made much use of local rail services in recent years, says Engelbrecht.

Bearing in mind that Namibia brings in as much as 67% to 69% of all imports from South Africa, business with the neighbouring economic giant dominates. However ACT Logistics is also very active sending particularly medical supplies to Zimbabwe. For their varied client base they import from wherever the supply is best - being China, India and Europe where particularly Spain has been an important source destination, especially for ship parts.

According to Engelbrecht the logistics industry in Namibia is massive and has been growing. Apart from a slowdown in 2014, influenced among others by the impact of the oil price at the time, the trend has been one of growth. More recently the slowdown in the Namibian economy brought about by government austerity measures, has also had a snowball effect. Nevertheless, “we remain positive and keep looking for new clients. The clients we have all know that we will go all the way with them,” he said.

For the future Engelbrecht remains optimistic as Namibia moves nearer towards its goal of becoming a logistics hub for southern Africa. He says the new dual-carriage highway being constructed between Windhoek and Okahandja has caused delays, “but we see the bigger picture”. One area where development has really boosted the local logistics industry is air freight, following the arrival of large international carriers like Qatar airlines, among others. This has brought a huge change as everything can now be flown directly into Namibia for further distribution, he said. Also Engelbrecht spoke of a big drive from SADC countries like Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe who are moving away from the use of Durban harbour in favour of Walvis Bay. The reasons behind this shift include shorter delivery times and better service for clients. “The expansion of the Walvis Bay harbour capacity, to 750 000 containers a year will have a massive impact,” he said.

“The industry has changed a lot,” says Smith in reference to how things were when the business started. “We used to fill customs documents in by hand, now everything is done online. The industry is much more modern and Namibia has done well to keep up. All this means that Namibians can deliver a better quality of service which helps to put Namibia on the international logistics map,” she said.