Product development a cornerstone of airfreight focus

Friday 21 March 2014

Product development and service will be the priority focus of Röhlig-Grindrod’s airfreight division in the year ahead, according to Debby Gray, the logistics company’s airfreight product development manager based in Johannesburg.

With this in mind, several changes have been implemented on its airfreight routes.  “In 2014 there will be a major focus on our UK trade lane,” said Gray, adding that Röhlig’s strong carrier partnerships and ongoing negotiations enable the company to meet customer demands of on-time delivery at competitive rates.

“When UK carriers downgraded their fleets for seasonal and economic reasons last year, we were still able to offer our customers a two-tiered service at an unchanged rate after extensive negotiations,” said Gray. There will also be continued development on the USA route this year, following the implementation of Röhlig’s four gateways in 2013, said Gray. “Our priority is partnering with a carrier who can offer us a reliable service at a competitive rate,” she added. “There is still a lot of untapped potential on this route and we are confident that we can tap into it. The company has adopted a one
carrier strategy on the route which allows it to draw from its total US volumes in order to negotiate competitive rates.”

The German route remains Röhlig’s strongest lane. “Even in light of declining volumes in the market, we managed to increase volumes by 29% in 2013, year-on-year. This is a direct result of an ongoing review of market requirements and subsequent carrier negotiations  by both the South African team as well as our German colleagues with whom we work very closely,” said Gray, adding that the company would strive to replicate the success of this route on other key trade lanes.