Inside LASER
Summer 2013
Dawn Wing
West Rand depot
Performance Club – Paris
Time Freight
Cape regional awards evening
Durban depot
GAC Laser
Oil & Gas investment
Tipper platform delivery
Year end celebrations
eCommerce
SA’s purchasing landscape
Improving the doorstep experience
Laser Logistics
Christmas with the less privileged
Leadership Academy Awards
Partner Info
Volvo Ocean Race Logistics provider
Exapaq predicts great customer
experience
CSR
Sports Development Programs
Wildlands Conservation Trust
Embracing sustainability
Staff News
Appointments: Jose da Fonseca
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MESSAGE FROM THE CENTRE
It is with pleasure that we again have the opportunity to communicate with you through this latest edition of Inside Laser.
eSolutions
Once again this issue includes much reference to eCommerce – not just the facts supporting the growth of this industry in South
Africa but also some of our initiatives in developing our eSolutions offering and expectations.
The most recent of these initiatives in the introduction to Dawn Wing’s vehicle livery the eSolutions logo illustrating to the market
place our commitment to this market.
Leadership supplementation and change
As we have articulated before, Laser and all of its operating businesses are very well positioned to play a more dominant role in the
South African logistics market – and also in the markets to the north of us.
To take advantage of the opportunities presenting themselves, we are delighted to announce the appointment of Iain Johnson to
assume the role of CEO, Laser, effective 1 February 2014. Iain’s appointment, and his experience and skill set, will enable our growth
ambitions in this regard.
During Iain’s first six months he will work closely with Phil, in transition, and between them they will share responsibility for the
role. Thereafter Iain will assume full responsibility and accountability to the Board.
In his capacity as a director of DPD Laser, Iain has had the benefit of meeting and working with a number of our executives over
the last few years. His understanding of and experience in one of our international partners, GeoPost, will be most valuable as we
develop our business further.
Phil will continue to play an executive role in the Group primarily contributing to strategic and business development activities
and initiatives.
Iain will assume a Board position at Laser on 1 February 2014. All other directorships remain the same.
We take this opportunity to welcome Iain to Laser, and of course wish him every success in his endeavours. We look forward to
working with him.
Welcome back and thank you
Many of you will have recently returned from leave and so in this regard, we welcome you back and wish you every success in 2014.
Thank you again, staff, customers and suppliers for all your efforts, custom and support.
Michael Fuller and Philip Hayes
VA LU E P RO P O S I T I O N
Multiple Customers
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Multiple Industries
Single or Multiple Specialised Logistics Services
Retail & other distribution
Express Distribution
International Forwarding
Warehousing
Dawn Wing
Time Freight
0kg
30kg
Documents
Parcels
Laser Logistics
100kg
Freight (air & sea)
GAC Laser
1000kg
Palletised
>1000kg
Containers
C O R P O R AT E I N F O R M AT I O N
O R GA N I SAT I O N A L S T R U C T U R E
THE LASER GROUP (PTY) LTD
DPD Laser Express
Logistics (Pty) Ltd
GAC Laser International
Logistics (Pty) Ltd
Laser Logistics
(Pty) Ltd
Express Distribution
International
Forwarding & Logistics
Specialised Distribution &
Warehousing
GAC Laser Specialised
Logistics Partnership
Laser Ezothutho
(Pty) Ltd
GeoPost SA
Gulf Agency
Company Ltd
Laser Employee
Share Trust
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L ASER NEWS
West Rand
Depot
Dawn Wing ’s West Rand
depot in Randburg is the
first of its kind. Situated in
the heart of the Randburg
CBD, it has a ‘retail’ look
and feel and will in due
course provide for a pick-up
and delivery outlet (PUDO)
supporting the company’s
eCommerce activities. The
depot also accommodates
a service counter for Herbal
Life, an important customer
of the group.
Performer’s Club
Towards the end of 2013 five of Dawn Wing’s top performing sales
representatives qualified for the opportunity to visit the magical
city of Paris. This as part of The Performers Club annual incentive
initiatives. The five ‘high performers’ were Veshti Lazarus, Angela
Frawley, Leah Ziegler, Lilly Tripepi and Elizabeth Kruger.
Highlights of the trip included a visit to the top of the magnificent
Eiffel Tower and experiencing the glamour and buzz of the
Moulin Rouge.
In 2014 the Performers Club will experience the diverse culture
of the island of Phuket, Thailand.
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L ASER NEWS
Cape Region Awards Evening
48 awards certificates were presented to staff and subcontractors
who excelled during the year in their respective disciplines. Awards
included Best Depot (Springbok), Best Subcontractor (Dirk Olivier),
Agent Depot of the Year (Bredasdorp). Long Service and attendance
awards were once again presented to those staff who have shown
their ongoing loyalty and commitment to Time Freight. This year,
Berto Du Toit was specially recognised for nil absenteeism in 10
years with the company.
AMOS LUYANDA JANTJIES (CT Employee of the Year Outsourced
Labour) and BERTO DU TOIT
CT – Drivers of the year - 1st GRESWILL GYSMAN (right) and 3rd
SEBENZILE MNDABELA (left) with Hendrik van Rhyn (middle)
This year’s awards evening took place at the popular Barnyard
Theatre in Durbanville. The live show, SURF’S UP, included popular
hits from The Beach Boys, Mango Groove, UB40 and others.
Durban
Depot
Time Freight ’s
Durban depot in
Kwa-Zulu Natal’s
leading industrial
zone, River Horse
Valley, has 6,700
sqm under roof
and a site area
of 19,600 sqm.
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Ecommerce and Logistics
PERFECTING CONVENIENCE
South Africa’s eCommerce Purchasing Landscape:
As eCommerce in South Africa accelerates to an expected online spend of R4.4 billion in 2014, so too does Laser’s commitment to developing
its network to support the developing ‘online’ retail channel.
45.1% of online shoppers are from Gauteng whilst 22.6% are from the Western Cape.
Dawn Wing and Time Freight’s
strategically located Depots, Hubs and
Agencies support the South African
eCommerce purchasing landscape.
“Our stated
objective and
aspiration is
to be South
Africa’s leading
eCommerce
distributor by
end 2014”
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Training to Improve the Doorstep
Experience of our Customer’s Customer:
In most cases the only physical interaction that etailers have with their
customers, is through their chosen delivery provider.
With this in mind, Dawn Wing have introduced a number of enhanced
training programmes to ensure that all drivers deliver their parcels with the
professional excellence required. Whilst driver appearance and standard
uniforms are important, so too the driver’s ability to properly engage with the
person receiving the parcel.
Introducing
our eCommerce
Expertise
Dawn Wing’s latest fleet expansion
programme provided an opportunity
to present on our fleet for the
first time the company’s eSolutions
offering.
Interesting Facts (CEP Research Data)
Christmas online sales soar over 50% in Germany
E-commerce sales soared by a spectacular 54.5% in Germany in the run-up to Christmas 2013 as consumers flocked online to buy clothes,
books, electronic products, games and jewellery.
E-commerce, logistics and digital mail drive Norway Post growth in 2013
Norway Post slightly improved profits in 2013 thanks to growth of its e-commerce, digital mail and logistics businesses which outweighed the
continuing drop in physical mail volumes, and has started 2014 with another small logistics acquisition in Sweden.
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L ASER NEWS
Acquisition of Specialist Oil
and Gas Services Company
The purchase of G&A Logistics in Q4 2013 has bolstered the
company’s specialist Oil & Gas offering.
Gary Godfrey heads up GAC Laser’s Oil &
Gas division. Gary’s career started in SA
Customs and Excise and then progressed
into shipping and freight forwarding with
Nestle and Pride Foramer (now Ensco).
In 2004 Gary founded G&A Logistics as a
specialised Oil & Gas provider servicing,
amongst others, Ensco, the world’s largest
oil and gas drill ship owner.
Tipper Platform Delivery
Truck on platform ready to tip its load of peanuts
One of GAC Laser’s largest groundnut export clients recently
imported a vehicle tipper platform and GAC Laser attended to the
customs clearance and delivery. In anticipation of the 2014 season
which runs from June to December, expectations are that they
Year End Celebration
Risha Gurlal and Prennal Naidu enjoying the spirit of the GAC Laser
Durban office year end function. Held at Barnyard Theatre at
Gateway, the function was attended by both staff and customers.
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will export some 22 000 metric tons of nuts in the season ahead,
substantially increased volumes over 2013. Golden Peanuts
grades, sorts and bag nuts for both local and international markets
at its facility in Hartswater.
L ASER NEWS
Christmas Shared
with Ouma Rose
Laser Logistics again shared its
Christmas celebration’s with less
privileged children.
A special Christmas day celebration
was spent with Ouma Rose and
15 under-privileged children from
Kalksteenfontein. The children enjoyed
a lunch at the Spur and were given gift
packs of toiletries and clothing that
were kindly donated and packed by
Laser Logistics staff.
Laser Leadership
Academy Awards
Laser Leadership Academy 2013
concluded its activities with a final
day and Awards evening at the Fire &
Ice Hotel, Cape Town.
53 candidates participated in an
‘Enhanced Leadership’ workshop
facilitated by Jenny Handley, author of
Raise Your Leaders, a book endorsed
by Laser.
Highlights of the day’s activities
included
inspirational,
thought
provoking and topical addresses
by Ravi Naidoo (founder of Design
Indaba) and Arthur Gillis (MD of The
Protea Hotel Group).
The Awards evening included some
delegate participation – through their
reflections of the 2013 course – as
well as the presence of guest speaker,
Siyoli Waters. Siyoli is SA’s No.1
women’s squash player.
Kershan Verathan, Rafick Kareem, Piet
Mangwane, Reon Baker and Johan van
Riel receiving their commemorative
award.
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PA R T N E R N E W S
Volvo Ocean Race Appoints GAC as its Logistics Provider
GAC Pindar has been appointed the official
logistics provider for the Volvo Ocean Race,
the world’s most prestigious round-the-world
sailing event.
GAC Pindar is a GAC Company specialising in
logistics services supporting the yachting and
power boat industry.
GAC Pindar will provide a complete logistics
package for the 12th edition of the Volvo Ocean
Race in 2014-15, including transportation and
customs clearance of pavilions and hospitality
infrastructure for the Race Villages, as well as
broadcast and other support equipment.
The Race starts in October 2014 from Alicante,
Spain and covers nearly 40,000 nautical miles
in 9 months. It ends in Gothenburg, Sweden,
on 27 June 2015.
Exapaq Predicts Great Customer
Experience
FRANCE
Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad and Lars
Säfverström, Co-Chairman of the GAC Group
Source credit: ‘GAC World’ magazine reproduced
with kind permission of GAC
As part of its commitment to first
class customer service, Exapaq is
the latest member of the Group to offer
Predict to customers, further supporting
high level parcel and document delivery across
France. Exapaq operates six sorting centers across
the country, dealing deal with more than 230,000
parcels and 2,400 delivery rounds daily. Predict enables
the company to keep delivering on its core values of Speed, Quality, Safety, Transparency,
Responsiveness and Proximity.
Predict is available in 18 countries in Europe: Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, France,
Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Source credit: ‘GeoPost
2014/02 ‘One Together We Are’
Laser Group’s international partners are themselves substantial global logistics businesses. Laser has partnered with GeoPost in its express distribution business
(operating as Time Freight and Dawn Wing) and with the Gulf Agency Company (GAC) in its international forwarding business (operating as GAC Laser).
GAC is a global provider of integrated shipping, logistics and marine services. Emphasising world-class performance, a long-term approach,
innovation, ethics and a strong human touch, GAC delivers a flexible and value-adding portfolio to help customers achieve their strategic
goals. Established in 1956, GAC employs over 10,000 people in more than 300 offices worldwide.
GeoPost SA is a subsidiary of La Poste (the French Post Office) and part of the GeoPost group of express delivery companies
companies.
Through its operating subsidiaries, which includes DPD UK, Chronoposte, Seur, GeoPost is the second largest express operator in Europe.
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CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILIT Y
Laser Ambassadors Support the Community
Laser has a strong affiliation with sport, recognising the positive impact that sport has on the individual and the community. Siyoli Waters and
Steve Coppinger are South Africa’s No. 1 squash players and respectively feature in the top 40 and top 20 rankings internationally.
Together with Laser, they are involved in various community sports development programmes, the latest of which featured children proudly
attired in Laser apparel.
Time Freight Supports Conservation
Laser Embraces
Sustainability
Embedded in Laser’s Mission Statement (refer to pg 3)
is the Group’s commitment to sustainable development.
Recognising that sustainability is an ongoing challenge
for the logistics industry, Laser has implemented various
initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint. Amongst those
initiatives are enhanced fleet sourcing protocols, recycling
and introducing electric forklifts to replace diesel forklifts.
Wildlands has a simple vision: a sustainable
future for all. Based on the premise that human
well-being is dependant on environmental
health, Wildlands partners with rural
communities to develop tools to enable them
to develop and strengthen their ecosystems.
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S TA F F & I N D U S T R Y N E W S
Jose Da Fonseca
DPD Laser, Chief Information Officer
A recent appointment in Laser, Jose brings with him strong leadership skills and experience in
the IT and logistics operations environment.
Whilst Jose started his career as a trainee programmer in the Financial Services sector, he has
spent much of his career in logistics. Prior to two years consulting to the industry, Jose was
Group IT Director of one of SA’s leading distribution companies.
INDUSTRY
Natural Gas as Alternative Fuel
The emergence of natural gas as an alternative fuel is still in its infancy, but the technology is now viable, and a geographic footprint is
emerging in several corridors. Several large trucking companies and shippers are early adopters. The price differential in natural gas technology
versus diesel engines is making it more attractive than ever from an investment standpoint. Look for the continued emergence of alternatives
to diesel over the coming years. (Source: Inbound Logistics)
Drone’s for Package Delivery
Online retailer Amazon.com has been experimenting with small,
unmanned aircraft for package delivery for implementation perhaps
as early as 2015. Amazon is not alone in evaluating drones as a
means to improve its transportation and logistics. The German
Deutsche Post is also currently conducting tests.
Time will tell whether or not drones will join other successful
innovations in the history of transportation and logistics such as
the wheeled cart, steam-powered railroad locomotive, automobile,
and airplane. Regardless, successful adoption of a new innovation
requires leadership and change management within the organization
and across the supply chain. (Source: Inbound Logistics)
The Laser Group
Level 2, Dean Street Arcade, Dean Street, Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa
Telephone: +27 21 659 4000 Facsimile: +27 21 659 4090
Email: [email protected] Web: www.laser.co.za
Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Board or Management
of the Laser Group. The Editorial committee reserves its editorial rights.
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