Neutral freight wholesaler Groupair South Africa is celebrating 27 years in business this year.Managing director Vernon Lines told Freight News that from humble beginnings the company had grown into the successful operation it was today.“Success in business is not guaranteed. It is a combination of hard work, dedicated staff, superior service, and ongoing business evolution.”The past year, in particular, has not been easy following the outbreak of Covid-19 which saw the world’s aircraft parked due to lockdowns and quarantine restrictions.“No-one could have predicted the outbreak of this pandemic in late 2019 or the impact it has had on the global economy, companies, their staff and our industry as a whole.”He said while the company had proven resilient during 2020 and managed to trade successfully, it had been necessary to transform and adapt quickly to the new normal.“We committed ourselves to our clients and found ways to move cargo when some could not.”While Groupair South Africa has weathered the storm, the landscape in which it operates has changed dramatically.“There are fewer f lights and much higher associated costs. This has meant that as a business we have had to think and act differently,” said Lines. “Our vast agency network has enabled Groupair to trade globally. It has also allowed us to introduce a range of import products as we continue to find innovative ways to serve our clients.”He maintained that while times were tough, opportunities existed for those companies willing to adopt a solutions mindset and that were f lexible enough to transform. “One cannot focus on one or two products any more. It is with this in mind that we rethought our entire operation and now offer a much wider suite of services, including import and export air and sea freight, courier express, over-border deliveries, and cross trades.”Lines said there was no doubt that 2021 would not be much easier than last year considering some of the key challenges that existed, such as increased costs, a shortage of f lights and capacity, and higher shipping costs. “Competition is also increasing as the chase for market share continues.”But, he said, Groupair South Africa had committed itself to continue adapting to new market conditions and was cautiously optimistic for the rest of the year.
