Company Announcement - A two year contract for transport, warehousing and logistics services has been awarded to Imperial Logistics group company Freightmax by synthetic rubber manufacturer Karbochem.

This is a significant contract renewal that reflects the company’s commitment to forging long term partnerships with clients by delivering exceptional service at competitive prices, comments Imperial Logistics chief business development officer Cobus Rossouw. “Freightmax’s association with Karbochem goes back five years, when our first contract was for line haul transport.  Recognising the value of Imperial’s comprehensive basket of services, Karbochem has since contracted Freightmax to provide additional services, including warehousing, container packing, crosshaul of export containers, unpacking or imported raw materials and on site bulk tank logistics at the manufacturer’s Newcastle plant.” These all form part of the scope of the latest R2,7-million contract with Karbochem, Rossouw adds.

State-of-the-art warehousing is provided at Freightmax’s multi principal Durban facility. Karbochem’s range of high quality rubbers are exported from the port of Durban, with the bulk of the company’s export volumes destined for Europe and the United States. A range of raw materials – mainly chemicals – are imported by Karbochem from Asia and Europe.

A recent innovation that Freightmax has brought to the partnership is the introduction of sideloader logistics at the company’s Newcastle plant, for the handling of bulk tanks. Rossouw explains that this was previously done by crane, at substantial cost. “As a result of this change, we have improved our client’s competitiveness by reducing costs, improving turnaround times and optimising space utilisation. “Our relationship has gone from strength to strength since our first contract award in 2010, and we look forward to continuing to assist Karbochem to contain logistics costs while maintaining customer service,” Rossouw concludes.

An international producer of synthetic rubbers, Karbochem started manufacturing emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber in 1964 at Sasolburg. Today, the company has manufacturing plants in Sasolburg and Newcastle. Its high quality rubbers are designed for even the most demanding applications, and are used in the production of tyres and golf balls, among other products.