FP Du Toit: 50 years of unrivalled logistical might

Yochanaan Coetzee - FP Du Toit Transport has over its 50 years in existence not only becoming a household name, but has also helped to haul Namibia and many of its neighbouring economies from insecurity to investment grade.

And with a new chapter dawning this year, they’re actively stepping up to the plate to develop new opportunities for their clientele, while revolutionising their operations to offer world-class logistical solutions.

“From the time our owner, Mr Du Toit, started this business 50 years ago, it’s remained a family business, guided by both family values and an inextinguishable love for his country and its development,” said Ryno Badenhorst, manager of commercial services at FP Du Toit.

“This drive to see our country and regional neighbours develop has seen us overcome many obstacles in the past, because from day one, our aim was to offer the best service possible every day of the week. And 50 years later, we still strive to meet those lofty ideals we’ve set for ourselves in every part of our operations, every single day.”

Regional player

Reaching the epic milestone of 50 years in operation this September, FP Du Toit Transport’s contribution to the development of Namibia cannot be overstated, and they have been visible on our roads and throughout the Southern African region for the past half a century.

“In recent years, we have put a lot of energy into bringing our operational procedures on par with the best in the world.

“Since then, we’ve implemented a world-class software system that has a massive impact on the productivity and efficiency of our operations, by giving us and our valued clients real-time tracking (capabilities).

“Managers can access the information anytime, from anywhere. This enables us to coordinate our fleet of over 535 vehicles, travelling over a million kilometres each month.”

“Paperless sign-on-glass hardware not only saves on paper waybills, but enables the realtime updating of our database, which is easily accessible by our customers; giving them unparrelled access to tracking their consignments as it travels both locally and internationally,” Badenhorst said.

“We started with a tiny operation, but through passion, commitment and drive, we’ve been able to grow into one of the top 15 logistical companies in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and the biggest road freight transport operator in the country. Now as much as ever, we rely on the experience, guidance and industry foresight of our irreplaceable ‘Baas Willie’, as he is affectionally known by the nearly 1 000-strong staff compliment we have.”

Innovation

Besides their dominance on routes throughout the SADC region, FP Du Toit’s drive for innovation has also seen them introduce new and exciting product offerings, to better suit their clients’ needs, as they evolve.

By offering the plastic transport bin concept, it has not only given clients an easy and convenient packaging option, but has also reduced the client’s carbon footprint, as it greatly reduces the waste of one-way packaging material.

“Through these efforts, our aim is to play our part in developing the technical and infrastructural capabilities our country needs, to reach our goal of becoming a leading logistical hub and achieving the development goals as set out in the Harambee Prosperity Plan and Vision 2030,” Badenhorst said.

What the future holds for this wholly Namibian-owned companyis easy to envision, thanks to its appetite for innovation and passion for regional development.

As the leading player in the country’s logistical and distribution network, its clear that FP Du Toit Transport will be around for the next 50 years, and long thereafter.