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Innovation Wins the Day

Innovative ideas developed in the transport sector to improve security, add quality and aid small business are sorely needed. One that apparently works was discovered in Cape Town by FleetWatch's Western Cape correspondent Stephanie Platt.

Lizette Conradie and her lawyer husband Jan are the brains behind LMC Express (Pty) Ltd, who advertise their business as "Book-a-Box". The idea originated while Lizette was working for a transport company and observed the problems related to perishable goods transported as part loads. She decided that one way to avoid pilferage and standing-time was to containerise the individual loads.

Jan had seen insulated mini containers in operation in France way back in 1981 and so the two of them got together with a manufacturer and designed a mini container for South African conditions. This led to the launch of LMC Express three years ago.

The box in question is insulated and carries 1100kgs. Palletised for ease of operation it has a heavy-duty vinyl flap door that seals completely by means of velcro strips. There is also a snow-shooting facility that is seldom used, as according to Lizette "the door seals in temperature for up to 48 hours. We have also found that dry ice works extremely well where necessary for a product such as ice-cream."

LMC delivers the box to their customer, who then loads and seals the unit. The boxes are collected and loaded onto a longhaul vehicle for transport to Gauteng, where they are once again put onto smaller distribution vehicles and dropped off at the consignee.

The Conradies don't claim to have developed an alternative to traditional transport but rather to facilitate supply chain management for small businesses or small loads. According to Jan "it is people intensive and very dependent on service delivery. We are fortunate in having a high calibre of staff, most of whom have been with us since the company started".

Manager of the Cape Town branch is Josie Moos, who has been with the company since it's inception and who, according to Jan, has made an invaluable contribution to their success. Moos is enthusiastic and listening to him on the telephone, it is obvious that he enjoys a good relationship with his clients.

"We work long hours to be there for the customers when they need us but as I was a long distance driver before coming across to LMC, I think if the hours were not like this I would probably have gone back on the road again", says Moos.

Not an easy task
Lizette is quite open about the fact that it has not been an easy task to persuade companies to give the system a try.

"Given the fact that people are so resistant to change, it has not been easy convincing the retail trade. They also have difficulty understanding that by transporting goods this way, the carrier does not carry responsibility for the contents of the box - they seal it and it is only unsealed after we have delivered at the other end. Because we cut out the throughput costs, companies need to look at the whole picture in order to appreciate the value of the system."

A major portion of their market consists of small businesses often operating from mini-factories or even from homes. Deliveries to, for example, restaurants where loading space and facilities are small and often congested are where the smaller distribution vehicles come into play. Articulated vehicles are too large to access many smaller firms.

Also, because the boxes are dropped off and collected later there is no time pressure. Pilferage is also eliminated as the box is sealed until opened at that point. "What has been gratifying is the number of customers who have increased their loads with us, indicating that their businesses are expanding assisted by the quality and reliability of their deliveries."

At present they only operate Cape Town - Johannesburg - Cape Town but are busy looking at additional routes to the Eastern Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal.

"We have the same imbalance as all carriers where 60% of goods travel into Cape Town. There is a need to expand the Cape Town to Johannesburg business and we are now focussing on broadening the customer base to include manufacturers of high value dry goods," says Jan, adding that what they have really done is put wheels under one ton containers."

As regards security of loads, Jan reckons that when loaded onto long distance vehicles, the boxes are placed face to face thereby providing added security. "Certainly there is no attraction to hijack the vehicle either as without full facilities, the boxes cannot be offloaded in anywhere near the time that a conventional vehicle is stripped of its load. The seamless design also ensures that in the event of a collision, damage to goods is further reduced."

A stack of testimonials from satisfied customers confirm that LMC has filled a need in the market through innovation and quality service. And who said there was no room in this market for new players. Innovation will always win the day.