Home FleetWatch 2016 Unitrans lays two contracts worth R400-million

Unitrans lays two contracts worth R400-million

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Unitrans will service the Quantum Foods contract through a purpose-built and dedicated fleet totalling 64 vehicles. This is one of the tankers used in the animal feeds supply division – which includes the Nova brand.

Unitrans, the leading supply chain management and integrated logistics specialist, has announced the clinching of two substantial contracts – worth in the region of R400-million over their combined duration – to supply specialised distribution and logistics services to Quantum Foods – and specifically its animal feed supply and farm services business.

Quantum Foods is a large, well-established, JSE-listed diversified feed and poultry business that provides quality products to selected South African and African markets. The company, headquartered in the Western Cape, has three main focus areas:

  • Animal feeds: this includes the Nova brand.
  • Eggs and layer livestock: This division includes the well-known egg brand Nulaid.
  • Broilers: This area of the business focuses on aligning the broiler value chain with the strategy of becoming a significant South African livestock supplier.

 

The contract involves all of Quantum’s farm services business, including the regional transport of eggs for subsidiary business Nulaid, as well as a full suite of specialised logistics services, including the distribution of day old chicks and live hens through their full life cycle.

The transportation and feeding of the birds requires a range of customised equipment and specialised fleet, as well as the expertise to handle the birds healthily and safely. Among these services are the safe transportation of eggs to hatcheries, the collection and transportation of chicks to broiler farms and the transportation of live birds to abattoirs.

In addition, Unitrans has been contracted to move point of lay hens for the Nulaid laying operation. Finally, Unitrans moves eggs from pack stations to market destinations in the Eastern Cape region on behalf of Nulaid.

Says Ray Singh, chief business development officer at Unitrans: “The farm services industry is a huge and highly specialised sector in terms of its supply chain and logistics requirements. Obviously, the transportation of eggs and live birds is delicate and demands industry knowledge and the right equipment to take proper care of the cargo. Unitrans has been involved in the industry for over two decades, and has been involved with Quantum Foods as a feed distribution partner since 2005. The awarding of this extended farm services contract – and the renewal of the existing contract we had with them – speaks to their confidence in our abilities and expertise in the sector.”

The contract will be serviced through a purpose-built and dedicated fleet totalling 64 vehicles. Operationally, Unitrans will deploy the fleet as optimally as possible through the analysis and improvement of the current distribution network, thereby reducing the total number of vehicles in operation, improving efficiencies and sustainably reducing costs.

“Our aim at Unitrans is to continuously improve our operations for our customers and partners,” says Singh. “For Quantum Foods, our goal is constant innovation in fleet design as well as in distribution and network planning and execution. The key benefit we can offer for Quantum is the partnership itself – bringing together business synergies and reliability in our operations. We can do this since Unitrans is the leading farm services provider to the poultry industry in South Africa. We are also proud to partner with such a prominent business as Quantum Foods – and to further extend our relationship with them.”

So next time you’re out for breakfast, think of Unitrans when you order your bacon and eggs. It’s because of them that you’ll be able to enjoy your sunny side up fare.