DHL expands footprint into Sadc
FREIGHT services provider DHL Global Forwarding has expanded its presence across the African continent, with the aim of giving local and regional businesses within Sadc access to global markets.
The company said as a first step, DHL Global Forwarding set up a legal entity currently employing eight graduate trainees to align the sector with international standards synonymous with DHL and show the market the advantages of conducting business in a compliant manner.
The new entity, it said, comprises a full suite of technology solutions and exceptional market knowledge meant to successfully address the challenges faced by the country’s freight forwarding and logistics industry.
“Zimbabwe is on the cusp of strong economic growth, and we believe our new offering is well-timed to help the country achieve this. Our deep knowledge of the Sadc and other markets on the African continent will be invaluable to our clients as they prepare for global expansion. Against the backdrop of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to create the world’s largest free trade area by connecting 1,3 billion people across 54 countries, we are confident that with DHL Global Forwarding Zimbabwe, logistics will not let Africa down,” DHL Global Forwarding Zimbabwe country manager Shuvai Mugadza said.
“The expansion of DHL’s services in Zimbabwe will also accommodate the global export of agricultural products, a season-driven sector, as well as that of gold, the country’s top mineral export. The focus on exports is constantly changing, and meeting these demands requires agile logistics partners on the ground, which is where DHL Global Forwarding can add noticeable value.”
DHL Global Forwarding provides the mass network to move heavy machinery imported from China, Germany, and India for Zimbabwe’s mining and manufacturing sectors.
The logistics provider’s air freight services, the company said, would support the export of perishable goods, which are currently Zimbabwe’s most significant export commodities as well as tobacco and hemp.
“DHL Global Forwarding shares Sadc’s vision of a transport sector that supports vibrant industrial and social development. However, facilitating the robust integration of trade and socio-economic ties requires an efficient transport system,” the company said.
“Zimbabwe’s central road and air network provide access to the global market through the ports of Durban and Mozambique and, together with southern Africa’s network of roads, railways, ports, and airways, are adequate to meet the current demand of most users. However, pressure on these networks’ current capacity is mounting.”
According to Sadc figures, traffic for landlocked countries in the region will increase to 50 million tonnes, swelling nearly three-fold to 148 million tonnes by 2040 and port traffic will expand from 92 million tonnes to 500 million tonnes by 2027, hence DHL Global Forwarding aims to help in meeting future demand by offering an integrated, multi-modal logistics solution.