As regional trade volumes continue to grow across Southern Africa, investment in warehousing, fleet operations and integrated logistics facilities is becoming just as important as investment in roads and border efficiency. Consequently, SMSA Africa Logistics Group has officially broken ground on a major new logistics facility that will expand capacity, improve operational efficiency and reinforce the company’s long-term commitment to regional supply chains.

Speaking at the official ground-breaking ceremony, Louis Ungerer, SMSA Africa Logistics Group Managing Director, described the development as both a celebration of the company’s journey and a foundation for its future.

“Today marks a significant milestone in the history of our business and one that fills us with immense pride, gratitude and excitement. We have gathered here not only to break ground on a new facility but to celebrate a journey that began more than two decades ago and to look ahead to an even brighter future.”

Built on more than two decades of logistics experience
Ungerer reflected on the company’s origins, explaining that Namlog was established in 2002 with a simple but ambitious vision of providing reliable, innovative and customer-focused logistics solutions throughout Southern Africa.

“Through hard work, determination and an unwavering commitment to our customers, we built a reputation as one of the region’s most trusted supply chain partners.”

Since then, the business has grown into a leading regional logistics provider serving customers across South Africa, Eswatini, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Along the way, it has developed long-standing partnerships across the mining, automotive, FMCG, engineering and retail sectors.

Today the company operates as SMSA Africa Logistics Group while retaining the values on which Namlog was founded.

“Today, while we proudly operate as SMSA Africa Logistics Group, we remain deeply rooted in the legacy and values that built Namlog. Strengthened by the global reach and support of SMSA, we continue to provide the same trusted logistics solutions with greater scale, enhanced technology and expanded capabilities.”

Investing through changing market conditions
Ungerer acknowledged that the company’s growth has come despite significant economic and operational challenges.

“Economic uncertainty, changing markets, evolving customer expectations and the complexities of cross-border logistics have all tested our resilience. Yet through every challenge, our people have demonstrated an extraordinary ability to adapt, innovate, and deliver.”

Today SMSA Africa Logistics Group employs more than 870 people, operates a fleet of over 470 vehicles and uses its own advanced Transport Management System to provide visibility and performance across customer supply chains. “These investments have allowed us to continually raise the standard of service we provide to our customers.”

Customer-led logistics remains the strategy
Rather than offering standardised logistics products, the company continues to build tailored supply chain solutions around individual customer requirements.

“At SMSA, there are no off-the-shelf solutions because no two businesses are the same. We believe in rolling up our sleeves, listening to our customers’ needs and understanding their unique challenges and developing tailor-made, 360-degree logistics solutions that create measurable value.”

Ungerer said this philosophy has underpinned the company’s growth since inception and explains why many customers have remained with the business for more than two decades.

The group’s services today include contract logistics, dedicated fleet distribution, local and cross-border transport, abnormal load handling, supply chain optimisation and warehouse solutions.

A foundation for future growth
For Ungerer, the new development represents considerably more than additional warehouse space. “This facility is far more than bricks, mortar, steel and concrete. It represents our belief in the future. It represents our confidence in our people, our customers, and the economies of the region we serve.”

He said the investment will significantly expand operational capability, increase capacity, improve efficiencies and create additional opportunities through a new third-party logistics warehouse. “It will enable us to better support our customers as they expand their own businesses, while positioning SMSA for the next chapter of its journey.”

Transformation and quality remain key priorities
Ungerer said the project also reflects SMSA’s ongoing commitment to transformation and sustainable growth through enterprise development, skills development and broader economic participation.

He highlighted the company’s partnership with Ninathi Holdings, its 26% equity ownership by black-owned enterprises, Level 2 B-BBEE status and continued investment in bursaries, learnerships, training and enterprise development initiatives.

He also pointed to the successful completion of the company’s ISO 9001:2015 certification audit as further evidence of SMSA’s commitment to quality management, continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.

Building the next chapter
Closing the ceremony, Ungerer said the development represents an investment in both the business and the wider Southern African economy.

“As we stand here today, we are not simply breaking ground. We are laying the foundation for future opportunities. We are creating capacity for future growth. We are investing in future jobs. And we are strengthening our ability to connect businesses, communities, and economies across Southern Africa.”

Thanking customers, employees, shareholders and business partners, he reflected on how far the business has come since its founding in 2002.

“The dream that started in 2002 has grown beyond what many of us could have imagined. Yet today is not the destination. It is the beginning of our next chapter. Together, we look forward to building a facility that will support our ambitions, strengthen our service offering, and enable us to continue delivering logistics solutions built for growth.”

Editor’s Comment: Southern Africa’s freight sector cannot expand without corresponding investment in logistics infrastructure. Modern warehousing, integrated fleet operations and technology-enabled supply chains improve efficiency well beyond a single operator, strengthening the competitiveness of entire industries that depend on reliable freight movement. SMSA Africa Logistics Group’s latest development is therefore more than a corporate milestone – it is another vote of confidence in the long-term growth of regional logistics and the role freight operators will continue to play in connecting Southern Africa’s economies.

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