Category Archives: News

02 August 2021

Improved transparency, reduced delay in GRV distribution and higher efficiency – all of which can be achieved with an automated goods received voucher.

In the past, a typical day at our North Riding Warehouse included receiving cargo at the warehouse, conducting a material inspection, counting and measuring cargo weight and dimensions, returning to the office, commencing with the manual goods receipt process, printing all paperwork, binding the GRV with the delivery note, scanning documentation and manually sending it to the customer.  This time-consuming and inconvenient process might sound familiar to the vast majority of the transport and logistics industry.  However, at Alistair Group we constantly look for ways to remove bottlenecks and improve our efficiency.

The goods received voucher (GRV), also known as a goods received note (GRN), was oftentimes reported to our team as being a problem area; taking anywhere between two to four days to deliver. This paperwork intensive process was flying under our efficiency radar and costing our business a lot of time and effort to manually process. GRV’s play a key part in notifying customers that their cargo has successfully been delivered. Without a timely and accurate GRV, our customer’s processes are delayed; BV inspections and load planning is stalled and thus transport of goods to the final destination is set back. Whilst auditing our GRV process, in the subsequent discussion with our warehousing team, it was made evident that manually processing the GRV took a large amount of time in data entry and distribution to customers. Additionally, our current process allowed for things such as human error, lack of accuracy, delays in sending the GRV and the inclusion of multiple unnecessary steps. Staff often had to walk more than 300m to book a goods receipt.

It was these conditions that led Alistair Group to develop and introduce an automated GRV system. The countless back and forth to receive cargo in the warehouse and input the data at the office, all of which was captured manually, has now been replaced with a user-friendly web-based application (see screenshot below). Our staff are now able to utilise their mobile phone or the office tablet to immediately capture all information while with the cargo. Thus, data entry can be done on-sight as soon as the cargo arrives; resulting in real-time data capturing and delivery transparency to customers. 

The new application is equipped with predetermined fields, automated customer information, cargo and delivery-note photo capturing and uploading capabilities, automatic GRV distribution and dashboard delivery status updates. This allows staff to book the cargo much faster. Through this improvement, Alistair Group has been able to make a substantial leap in the digitalization and automation of delivering GRV’s. Reducing the goods receipt process and drastically shortened the GRV delivery time; now allowing us to deliver GRV’s to customers within ten minutes of cargo delivery. The same data which is captured in the GRV note is then used to automatically prepare further documents such as Road Consignment Notes, Packing Lists and Clearance Documentation.

2021 marks 13 years of Alistair Group; a significant milestone for a company that began with one truck and the desire to solve problems. As of today, Alistair Group is the preferred logistics provider for a vast majority of industries in South and Eastern Africa. The Group operates across 20 countries worldwide, employs over 800 staff, manages 1039 assets and has 18 offices across Africa.

“Did we expect to still be here; to have grown this much? Honestly? No.” says Founder and CEO, Alistair James. “I suppose we always had our heads down and focused on the job back then. So, this is a good moment to look around and see all that has been accomplished by everyone involved.”

The company took its current form from a problem-solving basis. Alistair was originally based in the bush when he began working in Tanzania back in 2002. Due to his remote location, he had to overcome many logistical issues in terms of accessing food, spare parts and basic requirements. It quickly dawned upon him that there were many commercial opportunities to solving the present logistic restrictions within the community. His initial investment was in grain trading. He had witnessed the frustrations caused by the fluctuations in price and thus, became particularly good at predicting them. With a rented warehouse and a single small truck, he began trading in 2008. When he struggled to make the financials add up on such a small scale, he knew it was time for a bigger truck.

Alistair did not claim to be an expert in vehicles, he was learning on the job. However, with the potential of upscaling to a larger truck, he recognized the need for an experienced opinion. It was at this point Angelo Caruso joined forces with Alistair to provide hands-on maintenance and advise on the next investments. Angelo’s professional background in mining and road maintenance, coupled with his fascination with all thing’s vehicle related made him an ideal fit and a key component in the Group’s team. Angelo, now one of the three directors, is often described as “a well-oiled German machine; a petrol-head with a real heart for what we do”.

With Angelo’s input, the company invested in two fuel tankers, leading to a little more success. Unfortunately, only a few months later, amid their rising success, one of the fuel trucks caught fire. When describing these events Alistair makes it apparent that they “could have given up then and there.” Instead, Alistair sold the remaining fuel tanker and his personal car to cover the cost of the lost fuel and to finance two new flat-bed trucks. Little did Alistair and Angelo know that these two flatbeds would be the start of their ever-growing fleet. A stroke of luck turned things around in the form of a rental contract on Mafia Island for the oil and gas industry.

As business improved, the focus never wavered. Two years later, Clementine James, Alistair’s sister, joined the company and become the third director. Clementine had the expertise and skills to assist with finding the resources to grow the business. At this point, the company only had around ten trucks. Fast-forward 13 years – Alistair Group now has a fleet size of over 400 trucks and transported more than 200,000 tons of cargo in the last year. The company may be asset-based but its culture of efficient execution and best practice has set it apart in the world of logistics solutions. Alistair stated that “sometimes when people ask me what I do I just say I’m a trucker but it’s no longer really true”. He continues to explain that the company has grown into the success it is today because of their ability to continually make things work better.

Our past is our foundation, and that’s vital to remember. However, it is in the future where all of the opportunity lies. However, for the present; Alistair Group is going from strength to strength and it’s hard not to notice the buzz in the air as the company expands into more countries, gains new assets, embraces new technology and continues to evolve. It’s a new era for Alistair Group and the company is poised for further success.

Since the opening of the new container terminal, the Walvis Bay Port has experienced a noteworthy increase in vessels and cargo handled per year. The port is conveniently located with direct access to major shipping routes and has become a key location for international trade. The world-class infrastructure and equipment available at the port and the year-round pleasant weather conditions eliminates unnecessary delays and have attracted many companies to switch to the Walvis Bay Port and corridor.

The Walvis Bay corridor is one of the three major corridors that Alistair Group service. Whether you require a storage facility or need to transport cargo from Walvis Bay to Zambia and the DRC, Alistair Group can assist every step of the way. With our 2,500sqm covered storage and an additional yard area of 1,000sqm, you can be certain that your cargo will be taken care of. The facility is in a prime location close to the port and fitted with 24-hour manned security, alarm systems, armed response and CCTV cameras giving you peace of mind. Suited for bulk, breakbulk and general cargo with both empty and full container services.

Alistair Group has a solid reputation and is preferred by many blue-chip companies in the sub-Saharan Africa region. Our team of over 850 employees and dedicated to providing end-to-end shipping and storage solutions and offers weighing, strapping, stitching and stuffing services.

Alistair Group Warehousing Solution in Walvis Bay:
• Transport cargo between Walvis Bay Port, Zambia and DRC.
• Bonded and non-bonded storage facilities available.
• Loading and offloading cargo.
• Short-term and long-term storage solutions.
• Real-time tracking and tracing.
• In-house cloud-based warehouse management system.
• Material Management and Material Handling.
• Port Handling and Stevedoring.

Alistair Group is well positioned in Namibia to better serve mining clients in Zambia and DRC by making greater use of the Walvis Bay Port. Although the Walvis Bay Port is still in tight competition with the Port of Durban, the Walvis Bay corridor has shown promising transit times and cost efficiencies. Contact us for more information on how we can move your cargo through Walvis Bay!

As an integrated logistics provider, we get that no two businesses are the same and therefore, we offer scalable and dynamic storage solutions to our clients to ensure that expectations are satisfied. As we continue to grow and expand, our facilities hand-picked and strategically positioned close to ports and major corridors. We are committed to making it easy for clients to store cargo and to effortlessly move cargo anywhere in the world, consequently, it is of utmost importance for our facilities to be easily accessible. The Port of Durban is currently the single largest and busiest shipping terminal in sub-Saharan Africa and handles up to 31.4 million ton of cargo every year. The Alistair Group Durban facility is ideally located in very close proximity to the port (within 10km) and the facility has a total space of 20,000sqm with 3,000sqm dedicated to bonded storage space.

We are known for our safe, secure and compliant facilities and our Durban facility is no different. Access to the premises is completely controlled and security measures include fencing, 24hour CCTV footage and motion sensors. The facility is equipped with reach stackers, forklifts and a weighbridge.  To evolve our service offerings, real-time tracking of cargo and shipments through our in-house, fully web-based platform are offered as a value-added service to all clients. Alistair Group is one of the few logistics solution providers with the capability to track a fleet uninterruptedly through the entire Sub-Saharan region.

The facility is suited to accommodate any shape or size cargo, including project cargo and other bulky, abnormal cargo. We have the capacity to transport the cargo by road, rail and sea to or from the final destination and to handle breakbulk cargo directly at the port.  Furthermore, Alistair Group also has access to various outsourced warehousing facilities throughout South Africa that enables us to provide clients with custom, ready-to-go solutions.

The success of an integrated logistics supplier is directly linked to the condition of facilities, fleets and equipment. We are extremely excited about the latest edition to our facilities; our brand-new workshop in Durban to take our fleet and service offerings to the next level. The new Durban facility is currently under construction and the anticipated completion date is April 2021. This modern facility will be easily accessible to long body trailers and other bulky vehicles. We take the maintenance and condition of our assets very seriously and are proud to provide our clients with nothing other than the best!

For more information about our warehousing and logistics services available at Durban, contact our dedicated team today!

Alistair Group offers logistics expertise across various industries the including mining, construction and oil & gas industries. Our flexible solutions are backed by a team of experienced professionals who easily adapts to the dynamic demands of our clients. We offer reliable warehousing and logistics solutions across Africa, with one of our flagship locations being at the Port of Mtwara, Tanzania. In past years, the Port of Mtwara handled very little cargo and was mainly used for the export of cashew nuts. However, in December 2015 the port experienced major upgrades which resulted in space to dock larger ships of up to 209m. The port now handles approximately 400,000 metric tonnes of cargo annually with further development projects planned for the future. The Port of Mtwara is intended to be used as a gateway for cargo destined for Southern Tanzania, Malawi and Northern Mozambique.

Alistair Group has various storage facilities readily available and conveniently situated at the Mtwara Port. We offer unlimited solutions to store, consolidate and transport cargo. We have access to ample space in the port for project cargo and break-bulk cargo. Time after time, the Alistair Group facility and transport solutions via Mtwara has been successfully used and approved by various mega construction companies, mining majors and oil & gas exploration companies. Our warehousing and distribution solutions are supported by our in-house warehousing management system for breakbulk shipments and project cargo, ensuring improved service delivery and enhanced tracking of the movement of cargo. Apart from our warehousing solution, we offer additional container stuffing and de-stuffing services. Our stuffing and de-stuffing solution is smooth and hassle-free and includes freight and containers of any size, shape and type. Our teams have excellent planning and organisations skills and understand the value of cargo. Therefore, all cargo is handled carefully, yet speedily without damaging goods.

The Port of Mtwara is situated within 400km from the Port of Pemba in Mozambique and Alistair Group can easily ship cargo to Pemba or Afungi on a barge vessel. For any cargo destined to Pemba/Palma via Mtwara, our integrated logistics services include all trans-shipments clearance services required for cargo. Depending on your business needs, our warehousing services may include handling, import and export port shunting, all agency fees and wharfage.

If you are looking for accurate delivery of cargo to Tanzania or Mozambique, Alistair Group can offer you the assurance that your cargo will be taken care of. Get in touch with our skilled warehousing and logistics team for more information about our all-in logistics solution via the Port of Mtwara.

The Supply Chain is a key part of any company’s overall business strategy and success. Having a sufficient and streamlined supply chain will ensure both cost savings and reduce turnaround times for critical products. At Alistair Group, we love to team up with our clients to improve their supply chain efficiencies to give them the competitive edge. We take each client’s operation and business model to see how we can combine our services, skills and equipment to provide them with lean services and to maximise the delivery and performance of major suppliers.

One of the key lessons we learnt during 2020 is that supply chains need to be resilient and this is exactly what we are focusing on as a company, to provide our clients with uninterrupted supply chain and logistics services. Our company is partnered with various reliable suppliers worldwide and has backup suppliers worldwide to take charge if needs be to protect our clients from unexpected disruptions.

If you want to streamline your supply chain in 2021, here’s how Alistair Group will help increase your efficiency and performance:
• Take Deals for Granted
When partnering with Alistair Group, you can rest assured that we work with your suppliers to ensure that the best deals, logistics and shipments options are selected to ensure that you get the most out of your supply chain.
• Speedy and Reliable Services
To maximise the efficiency of your supply chain, we offer clients with reliable logistics to ensure that the delivery time is optimised and by selecting suppliers who are able to deliver and meet the demands of our clients.
• Great Communication
A relationship without communication is destined to diminish. Alistair provides effective and responsive communication and makes logistics and the supply chain easy to understand. Whether it is responding to emails by queries or the use of our state-of-the-art track and trace system, Alistair Group maintains open and transparent communication with clients.
• Constant Evaluation of Services
Alistair Group is known for continual improvement of service offerings and for working smart. As a knowledgeable integrated logistics supplier, our team collaborates all operations to keep our supply chain solution under close observation to ensure that weak points and potential hiccups are identified and resolved quickly.

If you find you’re the performance of your supply chain performance unsatisfactory, then we have something for you to look forward to. Streamline your supply chain and become more competitive in the ever-growing global marketplace by partnering up with Alistair Group. We have the tools and teams in place to help your business succeed, improve efficiencies and maximise cost savings which will ultimately have the best effect on your company’s bottom line.

Over the last year, we have experienced a significant shift in the demand for warehousing solutions. There appears to be a downward trend in the demand for big, long-term warehousing solutions, whilst the demand for packing, delivering and exporting cargo faster are experiencing significant increases.

It is unavoidable that partnering up with a logistics partner has become a major decision for most companies. Selecting the right logistics and warehousing provider will make the world’s difference in a company’s efficiency, effectiveness and profitability. With over 13 years of experience in logistics in Africa, Alistair Group has been able to round off service offerings that are in harmony with the expectations of various industries, particularly those of mining, explosives and trading industries.

Alistair Group often expands our warehousing presence throughout Africa inline with the needs of our clients and boasts with various facilities readily available across 7 African countries along with a team of over 850 personnel to support your operation. Our facilities are positioned with the needs of our client in mind and are easily accessible for long body trailers and within close proximity to ports and borders making it very convenient for companies that require bonded warehousing solutions.

We realize that the need for getting cargo out faster and shipping goods more effectively has increased remarkably. Alistair Group has taken the challenges and lessons that came with 2020 and proven that we were able to adapt and conquer. Whether clients had mega shipments of consolidated cargo that required bonded storage or commodities that required coordination of the entire supply chain, Alistair Group delivered! In 2020 Alistair Group pursued trial shipments to prove that we are able to improve client efficiencies by using the Dar es Salaam Port. Tanzania is our stomping ground and it was with great enthusiasm that we succeeded to please our clients and eliminate needless delays. Our teams are eager to keep on thriving after we were able to effectively onboard various mining clients thanks to these improved efficiencies. Over the past year, our total volumes handled in Tanzania increased by a whopping 33% with 51% more tonnage imported and 15% more tonnage exported.

Alistair Group is equally focused on delivering satisfactory and setting the standard for integrated logistics solutions. Therefore, if you are looking to partner up with a logistics partner who will not only import and export your cargo faster but helps you grow, then we are excited to work with you!

As a transporter, we need to understand the conditions of the road and the challenges our drivers face in order to properly assess risks and to ensure successful journey management.

This month our team successfully completed a route survey, covering over 10,000km, to ensure that our route risk assessments are up to date. Now that our teams are updated and aware of the conditions of the routes, we have established increased situational awareness throughout the company and a better understanding of the challenges we face.

In conjunction with this route survey, we also introduced and implemented our “Road Patrol Checks”. These checks are primarily focused on spot-checking drivers’ professional conduct on the route and include cargo security, vehicle condition, personal protection equipment, and fitness to drive checks.  The magic is that the Road Patrol Check sheets are carried out on an online system, meaning that the observation is mailed to our Driver Control team immediately.

Our drivers are graded on their performance and we anticipate that this new initiative will drive up our professional standards even further amongst the people who matter most – our drivers at the sharp end. We are dedicated to delivering cargo safely and efficiently and are excited about becoming even more proficient.

Alistair Group has been providing logistics services to the Oil & Gas sector in South and East Africa since inception in 2008. We have grown to become the logistics provider of choice for many blue-chip companies in the region. We provide an integrated logistics service and are conversant and compliant with the standards and methodologies required by the oil and gas industry.

This month, we kicked off the 2019 Pemba drilling campaign by delivering all required material handling equipment to one of our blue-chip clients to be loaded on the offshore drilling vessel. The equipment includes our 120ton rough terrain crane, 80ton rough terrain crane, 165ton crawler crane and our 18ton telehandler with pipe handler attachment. We are proud to supply only the best quality and certified equipment to ensure that the project is completed safely and efficiently.

Thanks to our client for selecting us as their preferred equipment supplier, we look forward to a successful offshore drilling campaign.

1. All Our Equipment is Certified To International Standards
In addition to our in house maintenance and equipment pre-use inspection routines, all our machinery is inspected by third parties and certified to international standards. We ensure that certification is renewed every 6 – 12 months, which allows us to ensure that our equipment is safe for use and in turn our clients’ operations are up to standard. We ensure that all tools, appliances, machines, vehicles or other equipment, are in a safe working condition at all times and comply with internationally adopted best practices such as LOLER and local legislation and regulations. All our equipment is only used by authorised and competent persons trained in the use of such equipment.

2. We Employ Highly Skilled Equipment Operators
All operators of Alistair Group’s rental equipment have years of experience working in relevant industries on similar machines. Our operators undergo constant training courses to ensure their certificates and competency is always up to date and standard. As a Company, Alistair Group believes that learning never ends and strive to constantly build capacity and progress the standards of our equipment rental operators and riggers.

3. We Only Use The Best Quality Material Handling Equipment
We only use the best quality and industry-leading equipment and are constantly adding to our rental fleet and we are willing to invest in specialist machinery as per interest from our clients. Some of the brands in our fleet include Grove, Liebherr, Manitowoc, Manitou, Heli, Hyster, Utilev, Mitsubishi, and TCM. We are proud to boast the youngest and most specialised, state-of-the-art fleet in the region, often fitted with specialized attachment to carry out work as safely and efficiently as possible.

4. We Follow a Strict Preventative Maintenance Procedure
In order to service our fleet of rental equipment, Alistair Group operates full workshop and maintenance facilities in Dar es Salaam, Mtwara, Palma, Pemba and other field sites near every rental equipment operation. We have developed a Preventative Maintenance Schedule for each piece of equipment designed to improve upon factory recommendations. Access to the maintenance records for each machine will always be available for the Client’s inspection through our state of the art maintenance software.

5. We Minimize Delays Caused By Breakdowns 
Two years’ worth of critical spare parts are kept on-site for each machine, limiting the delay caused by any breakdown of rental equipment. Our technicians are trained at manufacturer facilities and have access to all the diagnostic software and proprietary knowledge required to identify and immediately resolve breakdowns at our workshops or in the field. Our technicians travel around the region as necessary and will always be available in less than 24 hours on-site to diagnose and repair any issues.