Imperial to distribute Johnson & Johnson products nationally

Johan Truter, joint managing director, explains that the scope of this contract includes all national direct customer deliveries - from Johnson & Johnson's East London manufacturing facility to retail outlets, supermarkets and wholesalers around the country. In addition, he reveals that Imperial will handle some primary inbound loads for Johnson & Johnson - from East London to Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.

Imperial's ability to offer customers a single point of contact to move goods anywhere in southern Africa, including providing a comprehensive transport management solution, full operational and reporting visibility, was instrumental in this contract win, Truter states.

"Imperial Managed Logistics provides a proactive and cost-effective supply chain management solution for businesses that are looking to take the intensity of formulating and managing a cost effective supply chain management programme off their shoulders," he adds. "Our service offering allows our clients to focus on their core businesses."

Outlining their approach, Truter explains that all facets of the customer's transport needs are assessed at the outset, and this information is then combined with the company's knowledge of national transport routes, the geographical layout of South Africa and the available transport in the area, to ensure that goods are delivered on time exactly where they need to be.

"One of the greatest advantages for our clients is that the Imperial Managed Logistics model offers a single point of contact. We engage directly with the customer, assessing transport requirements, designing the best possible solution and ensuring that we source the relevant capacity to move the client's goods to the end destination."

Luan de Vries, Head of Customer Services and Logistics for Johnson & Johnson (Pty) Ltd, outlines why Imperial was successful in securing the business: "As we continue looking for ways to better meet the needs of our customers and consumers, we embarked upon a rigorous tender process to seek the best partner for our transportation needs. Imperial Managed Logistics were strong contenders with a proven service and cost model. They brought us a unique solution, giving us flexibility and innovation in the way we service our customers. This we believe will give us a competitive edge in the future."