Imperial joins forces with the Beijing Axis

BRAND ACTIVITY

Aug 15th, 10:07

IMPERIAL Logistics has boosted its international inbound supply chain management offering to the point where the company now offers its clients an end-to-end solution between Asia and Africa. This has been achieved by entering into a joint venture with international advisory and procurement firm, The Beijing Axis. Chief Integration Officer Cobus Rossouw says that the partnership will ensure that the logistics and supply chain group - and its clients - are well placed to reap the benefits of mushrooming trade between the two fastest growing regions in the world. China-Africa trade alone, according to analysts, could grow to $385 billion by 2015.

“IMPERIAL Logistics and The Beijing Axis’ expertise and service offerings are complementary,” Rossouw adds. “This joint venture produces a team with the ability to build a seamless distribution channel from China - and other Asian, low cost manufacturing countries - to Africa, and vice versa.”

The relationship fits within IMPERIAL Logistics’ Africa strategy and provides capabilities that will further solidify both partners’ presence in the mining, construction and industrial sectors. “We can support manufacturing up-time, capital project feasibility and cost optimisation,” Rossouw expands. “This is possible through sourcing, delivering and managing competitively priced, high quality goods. Such wares include raw materials, consumables, MRO items, construction material and capital equipment. The Beijing Axis’ experience and expertise in low cost country sourcing and international logistics will support our clients, and expand our ability to serve their needs in Asia-Africa business initiatives.” The joint venture also cements IMPERIAL Logistics’ position as a leading provider of logistics services for Far Eastern suppliers to Africa, Rossouw states.

Similarly, with an on-the-ground presence in Asia, the partnership will also provide strong support to companies that are looking to expand into the high-growth Asian region by offering a strategic and operational ‘soft landing’ to companies that are aiming to grow exports or establish a presence in Asia.

It is particularly in the areas of procurement and strategy that The Beijing Axis will augment IMPERIAL Logistics’ service offering. The organisation’s four principal operating areas are commodities, capital, procurement, and strategy. Since its establishment in 2002, The Beijing Axis has worked successfully with many international and Chinese multi-national corporations - across various sectors and industries, with a core focus on the mining and resources, industrial, infrastructure and engineering sectors. Group Managing Director Kobus van der Wath elaborates: “The Beijing Axis’ work is always cross-border – supporting international firms as they act in unfamiliar territory in China and Asia, or supporting Chinese and Asian firms as they venture out and 'go global'.” The Beijing Axis has offices in China, Singapore, Australia and South Africa.

“As one of the first regions visited by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Africa obviously holds a very important place in the country’s agenda,” contends van der Wath. “Apart from providing the wealth of raw materials that China needs in order to support its domestic development, Africa provides untold opportunities for Chinese companies, many of which are actively reshaping the continent’s landscape as part of a complex partnership that has reignited and vastly expanded ties from a previous era.”

“Our joint venture with The Beijing Axis reflects IMPERIAL Logistics’ commitment to ensuring that our clients are positioned to take advantage of global megatrends like the shift of economic and political power from West to East, and from developed to developing markets. The Beijing Axis’ low cost country sourcing expertise combined with the international supply chain management capabilities of IMPERIAL Logistics boosts our clients’ chances of success in ventures between China, the rest of Asia and Africa,” Rossouw concludes.Click here for more information on IMPERIAL Logistics