Via Passeggiata, 4
Novazzano, CH-6883
Switzerland
The sales and management team of JAS ZA has officially accepted the monumental challenge of achieving a growth target nearly 4 times that which was achieved in the fiscal year 2017. Some may say that this kind of growth is not possible, but the team in South Africa would beg to differ!
THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA
With the political situation in South Africa seeming to begin to settle down, business confidence and international investment in the country are on the rise. If the newly elected president of the main political party is able to continue his drive towards a non-corrupt local government and manages to turn around certain dysfunctional state owned enterprises, the country will move even further forward.
A stronger local currency, trading at levels last seen over three years ago to the US Dollar, will assist to drive the increase of imported products to the country's shores. The world’s third largest investment bank Goldman Sachs said that South Africa is “The emerging market story for 2018”, this being a good indicator that the country is now finding the right track, also predicting interest rate cuts in 2018. The one downside of a stronger local currency will be the pressure it puts on the export market.
SO WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN FOR JAS ZA?
JAS ZA has done an immense amount of groundwork in 2017, putting in place measures to ensure they achieve their objectives in 2018. Critical to the success of the team in achieving their goal is to find the right balance between import and export volumes, as well as to look at new industry verticals.
Taking advantage of the favourable import conditions to South Africa will also be key to their success at achieving the growth targets. The team has been talking with a number of blue chip organisations, and many of the opportunities they have been collaborating on will start coming to fruition in the first quarter of 2018.
In terms of a new and improved service offerings, JAS South Africa is looking to further expand in some areas of their business. Investigating the viability of a trade finance solution as an additional advantage for new & existing clients, to be better than what any other forwarder has implemented so far. This solution is quite unique to the South African market due to local customs clearing practices, as well as clients wanting one company to handle their entire foreign trade activity, from purchase of goods to Forex management all tied in to the logistics of moving their cargo from factory to final consumer. JAS South Africa will be a leader in offering a full scope of services to our Customers.
Another focus area is going to be the general African market. JAS South Africa would like to develop this very important and emerging market with the vision to become the “Control Tower” for all trade into and out of Africa. The opportunities in these markets are bountiful, with many African countries still experiencing double digit growth figures annually.
BIG WINS FOR JAS SOUTH AFRICA SO FAR...
HANON SYSTEMS
JAS ZA has secured the customs brokerage, warehousing and last mile distribution for Hanon Systems. JAS ZA controls the imports from Thailand & Korea and has worked closely with Hanon over the past couple of years to earn this business and build this relationship.
Our JAS Johannesburg warehouse now holds all inventory pertaining to the FORD RANGER PICK-UP from where we deliver directly into the HANON incubation centre at FORD for the production line. We are expecting around 400 to 500 Containers per annum throughput as well as an additional 250 Cubic meters of LCL cargo.
BEARING MAN GROUP
Anver Mayet, our JAS Johannesburg Business Development Manager, has secured a five year contract with the Bearing Man Group, which will mean JAS ZA will be handling all of their ocean freight forwarding business. The expected FCL volumes are around 1440 Containers per annum.
Through the consistent expansion of their operations since 1974, BMG have become Africa’s largest specialist distributor of engineering components, strategically positioned to service all sectors of industry including agriculture, mining, petrochemical, sugar, paper, general engineering as well as the automotive and domestic sectors.
The extensive range of products includes bearings, seals, power transmission components, drives, motors, materials handling, tools & fasteners, hydraulics, filtration, lubrication and field services.
JAS ZA looks forward to a mutually beneficial and long standing relationship with The Bearing Man Group.
ENPING TRADING
James Roux, Key Account Manager in JAS Johannesburg, has bucked the import trend in South Africa, with the securing of an additional 2000 containers per annum of paper and paper related products which will be exported to the Far East, as well as European destinations. JAS ZA will be working hand in hand with Enpings’ suppliers to ensure that the operational aspects of this large export client are handled according to the clients exacting requirements.
IN THE OPERATION - A Message from JAS South Africa
A key market differentiation as a medium sized forwarder is our service. We have to ensure as a business that there is a lot of focus in this area, to offer a personalized service to our clients by going above and beyond their expectations.
A fairly simple, but often overlooked area of many businesses is how we communicate with our clients. A cornerstone of any successful service organisation is effective communication, both internal as well as external. JAS ZA will be putting a lot of effort into this area to ensure that we communicate with our clients properly, with immediate and accurate information in a timely manner. We believe that this fairly simple philosophy will contribute immeasurably to the retention of our existing business, this being key to the team reaching their goals and targets this year.
We at JAS ZA wish everyone around the world a successful 2018, and look forward to engaging with our fellow colleagues throughout the year.
In honor of World Water Day, JAS Worldwide (JAS) and the Bruni Foundation today announced their partnership with charity: water to provide clean and safe water to those in need.
The theme of World Water Day 2023 is "Water for Life and Livelihoods," which helps highlight the importance of water for life, economic development, and the environment. The United Nations (UN) reports that 771 million people worldwide live without access to clean water, which is essential for the health and well-being of individuals and communities.
JAS, the Bruni Foundation, and charity: water are committed to making a difference in the lives of those affected by the global water crisis. The first phase of the partnership will deploy a $100,200 gift from the Bruni Foundation, which will fully fund two clean and safe water projects in India and Mozambique.
In Mozambique, this partnership will fund new community wells and handpumps across provinces in the Northeast of Mozambique and provide access to clean and safe water for more than 800 people. In India, the funds will support rainwater harvesting in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan, Western India, helping to provide clean and safe water access to over 250 people.
These initiatives will make a tangible impact in the lives of those in the local communities where the projects are being funded and are just the first step in the commitment to the cause.
Throughout March, in honor of International Women's Day(March 8), we are celebrating some of the remarkable women at JAS. Today, we are honored to highlight Maria Paula Eslava, Managing Director, at JAS Colombia.
What advice would you give your younger self?
“I would tell my younger self to be fearless and to worry less about what people think of you. Be confident in your capabilities and open to learning new things every day. Believe in your power.”
How have female mentors/role models influenced your career?
“Sheryl Sandberg former Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, wrote a great book called “Lean In.” It is a very inspiring piece of work that every female leader needs to read.”
What achievement are you most proud of while working at JAS?
“I began my career at JAS as a Country Operations Manager. Over the years, I found a way to respectfully open doors, and I became the first female Managing Director at JAS. I am proud to be leading my country and making it a successful subsidiary by building a winning team on the local level and helping the company grow within the market.”
.jpg)
Throughout March, in honor of International Women's Day (March 8), we are celebrating some of the remarkable women at JAS. Today, we are honored to highlight Ewa Osowska, Sales Manger, JAS Poland.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Don't change anything. Be stubborn, be ambitious, and be committed. Lessons from failures can be a key to success in the future. Continue keeping your promises because trust builds business relationships that matter.
From the very beginning, I have treated work as a long-term journey. I like to learn and set ambitious goals for myself. I also like being open-minded and innovative.
When I started in November 2003 as an Airfreight Forwarder Assistant, I didn't know I would stay in the industry for the next 20 years. However, I am very happy with this choice right now. Over the years, I have had a chance to delve into the ins and outs of air freight, as well as ocean, road, and rail freight, and even contract logistics.
What achievement are you most proud of while working at JAS?
In February 2022, the eyes of the world were watching the dramatic scenes of the Russian attack on Ukraine. Poland, as a country with a direct border to Ukraine, has naturally become one of the major countries on the logistics map for building alternative supply chains for food, medications, medical kits, and all the other important equipment.
Thanks to JAS' global experience in Aid & Relief solutions, the United Nations has asked JAS to help support humanitarian efforts in Poland, a region where JAS recently expanded. Together with my colleague Salvatore Lauro, VP Regional Manager Center and South for Italy, we quickly created dedicated solutions so aid could be delivered despite the challenging situation. As a result, we were able to make food deliveries from the very beginning. I am proud of being part of it because it matters not only to me, not only to the company but to the Ukrainian people.
How do you #Embrace Equality?
It is a good question because, at JAS, people make the difference, regardless of gender, skin colour, or origin. I have not even thought about embracing equality, because it is already what I naturally do every day.
Our Sites use cookies for analytics purposes. For more information about the cookies we use on our Sites or how you can disable them, please see our Cookie Policy.
.png)