The need for regular consolidations from Europe in the chemical sector is increasing, says Peter Schmidt-Löff ler, Leschaco CEO Sub-Saharan Africa.“Over the past 12 months there has been an increase in demand for consolidation services and we have seen an upward trend in volumes,” he told Freight News.Leschaco offers consolidation services globally, in particular servicing the chemical industry. Some additional services have been introduced, allowing the company to offer a complete package to its customers in 23 countries around the world.According to Schmidt-Löff ler, it is not just volumes from Europe to South Africa that have increased, but Leschaco’s global less-than-containerload (LCL) volumes have seen a spike. “We are definitely seeing the same trend in South Africa,” he says. “Efforts are ongoing to develop new ideas on how best to consolidate cargo efficiently and economically within Europe. This has resulted in more regular and on-time services which, especially in the chemical and automotive sectors, is a must.”He says in the current environment where the supply chain is under extreme pressure, consolidation service offerings remain a sustainable and attractive option for importers and exporters.“Globally there is a shortage of equipment and space and we are seeing delays in all major ports. The recent pandemic measures in China only added to the woes, and locally, the latest f lood disaster in Kwa-Zulu Natal has put major pressure on service delivery.”The full containerload (FCL) market has been struggling to cope with all these challenges.“At Leschaco, we have seen opportunities in air/sea, sea/air, airfreight and ocean freight consolidations,” says Schmidt-Löff ler. “The challenges have forced us to become more innovative and to think out of the box. Personal service, understanding our client’s business, and communicating every step of the supply chain to our customers, have given our customers increased confidence in our service offerings. We have also seen a big opportunity in training by recruiting talent from all service sectors, not just from the freight and transport sectors.”
