Logistics company Bidvest Panalpina Logistics (BPL) provides integrated solutions for the movement and storage of goods in a field, it explains, requires expertise and experience.

BPL operations director Stephen Smith states that the company’s global clients require the company to meet international standards in all its services, adding that this is especially important to its warehousing and storage clients.

“Drawing on our vast resources in ocean and air freight, clearing and forwarding, transport and warehousing service offerings, we provide tailor-made integrated end-to-end solutions. Our customs broking expertise is critical to the movement of goods within the supply chain,” Smith explains.

The company has cross docking in port facilities in Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and East London, which BPL maintains enables it to provide cost-saving solutions for its clients. It also has a dedicated capital projects and energy team that offers tailor-made solutions for abnormal-size cargo and unusual consignments by sea, air, road and rail.

BPL works primarily in industry verticals that include automotive; high technology; chemicals; fast-moving consumer goods; retail and fashion; healthcare; telecommunications; oil and gas; capital projects and energy; mining and manufacturing; and defence and aerospace.

BPL has 25 warehouses throughout South Africa, which are compliant with safety, health, environment, risk and quality legislation, ISO 9001 and other relevant regulations.

“In the field of warehousing and storage, compliance standards need to meet global criteria. We have chemically compliant warehouses in all major cities of South Africa, which cater specifically for the storage of flammable and hazardous chemicals. Our warehouse management system provides full integration with clients’ systems to give them visibility of their stock at all times,” Smith explains.

He adds that BPL’s transport division has a national fleet that provides efficient integrated transport solutions for the distribution of goods throughout the supply chain.

“As the winner of the 2012 Responsible Care Haulier Award by the Chemical and Allied Industries Association, BPL confirms its commitment to safety, health and the environment in the movement of dangerous goods,” Smith highlights.

He concludes that, together with its global partner, Panalpina, BPL draws on the resources of about 16 000 employees worldwide in more than 70 countries, as well as partner companies in a further 90 countries.