Kale Logistics Solutions, which supplies IT systems to the global logistics sector, has revealed its belief in the importance of the African continent as an emerging market.
Air Cargo Africa is currently taking place (it runs between February 19 and 21 February) at Casino Convention Resort, Emperors Palace, in the city of Ekurhuleni in South Africa, and Vivek Pandit, AVP at Kale Logistics Solutions, is participating in a round table discussion at the event.
The title of the session in which Pandit is participating is: ‘For [the] air cargo industry, where’s the next threat coming from? UAVs or Amazons or Alibabas’.
Kale noted that, historically, the airfreight model business in Africa has been predominantly import-driven, with a few exceptions such as Kenya, Ghana and Senegal that export perishables to international markets.
Meanwhile, finished goods and industrial components make up a large percentage of Africa’s imports, which are sensitive to commodity prices.
There is technology available today that can digitally certify and control the entire supply chain, eliminating the need for paperwork through intra-customs communications and settlement services.
“By locking the end-to-end statutory and shipment data with approved shippers and consignees, under a transparent set of transaction points, the need for labour-intensive and time-consuming delays is eliminated,” Kale pointed out.
And: “Therein lies the benefit of digitalisation,” it observed.
Speaking on the cusp of the event, Vineet Malhotra, a director at Kale Logistics Solutions, said: “The future holds a plethora of possibilities for the logistics industry in Africa.”
Air Cargo Africa is designed to engage the global air cargo community to “explore and strengthen networking corridors with the African continent”, according to show organiser Messe München.
