News 2-2008 E NEU:News 2/05.2 - Panopa

22 I M P E R I A L S O U T H A F R I C A
Inspired Input, Intelligent Outcome
Imperial Logistics Southern Africa has come a long way since 1975 when a small fleet of light commercial
vehicles were rented to clients to distribute food and fresh produce to restaurants. Today, Imperial Logistics is
the leading logistics and supply chain management company in the Southern African region.
The company’s evolution from
good to great lies in the strategy
of combining the best available
skills and supply chain management
specialists with a large and modern
resource base of vehicles for trans por -
t ation, warehousing facilities and bestin-breed
IT systems supported by the
ability to invest in new businesses
and customer solutions.
According to Marius Swane -
poel, Chief Executive Officer
at Imperial Logistics, their
reputation is based on develop -
ing intelligent and tailor-made
solutions for a wide variety of
blue chip customers. “This is
done by leveraging processes,
people, technology, infrastructure
and the strength of our
strategic partnerships and
alliances with leading technology
partners. Our track record
is underpinned by our ability
to determine the correct operat ing
model, including identifying which
logistic functions to outsource and
which to keep in-house.”
One of three divisions of Imperial
Holdings and home to 70 operating
companies, Imperial Logistics has a
blue chip customer base extending
across many industries. The group po -
sitions itself as an extension of its
customers’ business and has the ability
to extend its service offerings as and
when required.
Imperial Logistics employs more than
14,500 people and operates a fleet of
Imperial News 2/2008
some 5500 vehicles with a further
2000 utilised by subcontractors, and
has warehouse capacity of more than
711,000 square metres.
The multi-brand structure ensures that
the group optimises the benefits, scale
and synergies that are derived from
f.l.t.r. Tansey Coetzee (Miss SA,) Abrie de Swardt (Marketing
Director Imperial Logistics) accepting the National Logistics
Award 2008 and Monwabsi Nanjezi (Director Kintetsu
World Express, the company who sponsored the award)
large businesses, while retaining its
agility, customer focus and an entrepreneurial
flair that characterises
small businesses. “Our ability to tailormake
solutions and really focus on
what the customer needs rather than
what we can offer, distinguishes us in
the market place”, says marketing
director Abrie de Swardt.
“Imperial Logistics values associations
with selected academic institutions
such as what we have with Cardiff
University’s Logistics and Operations
Management Section, who is doing
advanced work in the research of
green logistics. We are monitoring
some of their findings and using some
of their skills on our projects”, ex plains
de Swardt.
Imperial Logistics was recognised for
excellence in business and won the
2008 National Logistics Award. “A
huge thank you must go to our custom -
ers for affording us the opportunity to
handle their products and
brands. This award shows
that when we bring it all
together, we have a very
good story to tell and we are
a well balanced busi ness”,
notes de Swardt.
Another important mile -
stone for Imperial Logistics
was the recent acquisition of
Volition Consulting Services,
who focuses on supply chain
consulting. The company now
has in excess of 80 supply
chain experts. “Our focus is
on strategy formulation, operations
improvement, people alignment
and technology enablement, and
this will help us to remain the leader
in logistics and supply chain management
in Southern Africa”, says de Swardt.
Imperial Logistics was also awarded
the 2008 “Focus on Excellence” Cor -
porate Social Investment Recog nition
Award. In addition to initiatives ensur -
ing the health and safety of its own
drivers, Imperial Logistics is also in -
volved in combating HIV / AIDS by
sponsoring two roadside clinics that
offer AIDS education, food and support
to the benefit of surrounding commu -
nities.