www.fats.co.za - The African Business Journal

FATS
www.fats.co.za
From Freigh
A leader in the South Afr
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TRANSPORTATION
hts to FATS
rican transport business
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The company’s ethos to “provide superior quality service through innovation
and leadership” certainly rings true for FATS, with its unwavering business
ethics. Forwarding African Transport Services CC (FATS), the established
company that was started by sisters Caron and Elaine Harris, has become a
mainstay in the freight forwarding business in South Africa.
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TRANSPORTATION • Forwarding African Transport Services
“We started on the basic context of road trans-
years after that, we moved into an office block
port over borders. We’ve ventured into roads
that did the warehousing, exports, imports and
to handle imports from locations like Durban,”
every aspect of the logistics side.”
says Caron Harris MD of FATS. The company,
which started with two employees, has progres-
Freights
sively grown to 42 permanent staff members
FATS has a number of different freight options
since its started in 1992. FATS decided about
for customers including seafreights, airfreights
10 years after its initial founding to open an
and road freights. Its seafreight option imports
international business in South Africa. “Three
and exports cargo to and from South Africa and
DECEMBER 2010 • The African Business Journal
to worldwide destinations. It offers full container
loads, refrigerated containers and more.
Its air freights option offers export and im-
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Harris explains that 60 to 70 per cent of
FATS’ business is based on over border transport. “Our goal is to get involved in more proj-
port worldwide while its roadfreight option is
ect work and to increase our air freight moving
more based in the South African region, but their
forward internationally.”
expansive option list of transportation make
them an ideal business for any company or person’s shipment needs.
Currently, FATS is working on projects with
Social involvement
FATS takes social responsibility very seriously and they are very involved in a self-help
China with road construction. Harris says, “We
center based around educating women. “We are
are working with the Chinese on road construc-
very much involved in the centre, which is based
tion equipment that is used from Zambia. China
on developing skills in women who do not have
invested a lot in Africa.”
positions. We train them with additional skills,
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TRANSPORTATION • Forwarding African Transport Services
in terms of education in communication, budget
this commitment and passion. She notes that it is
training, real life skills etc.,” says Harris.
not just hers but company-wide philosophy. “It is
The company works with these women so
quite simply that we believe in passion and we are
they can generate their own income and be-
very passionate in what we do, as are our employ-
come strong and independent citizens in the
ees,” says Harris. “You need passion and drive.”
South African marketplace. For Harris, as a fe-
Personalized service is extremely important
male entrepreneur, this ownership of skills and
to the business model of FATS and the company
helping other women succeed is something of
believes it to be an integral part of success and
great importance.
growth. “The personal contact and the actual
concept of daily checkups on your client and
Passion for business
Harris speaks about her passion for her work and
believes the company has flourished because of
keeping them informed is extremely important.”
FATS focuses highly on customer service with
it being a main component to its business philos-
DECEMBER 2010 • The African Business Journal
ophy. “We are very much customer service based
and believe communication to be key. We are
extremely personable and go the extra mile for
the client. Trust within the client and business relationship is an integral part of company growth.”
Harris explains that the partnerships it chooses
are based on trust and that is what has worked
for the company within its decades of evolution.
Goals
Though Harris believes Africa to be a huge place
to do business, FAT’s educational knowledge
on the freight business makes them a standout
competitor in the marketplace. She says, “Africa
is a very difficult beast but it is about understanding the processes and having a good knowledge of those concepts. I believe this is one of
our strengths, as is having good partners in the
countries that we deal with.”
zation as well,” says Harris.
FATS has been a mainstay in the marketplace and with the hard work of Harris and the
It hopes within these strengths to grow even
passion she has for the craft, the company has
further and diversify the company within a num-
seen immense growth. With the continued suc-
ber of different locations outside of South Africa.
cess of the business and its quality customer
“I am very much a visionary person so for me I
support and options for transport, FATS will
have big dreams and aspirations for FATS.”
surely achieve its goals and continue to stay
The company hopes to open offices in Zambia before the end of next year and Harris hopes
a leader in freight services throughout South
Africa and internationally. TAB
for a $1 billion rand turnover within the next
three years. “Hopefully in the same time we can
develop more leadership skills within the organi-
www.fats.co.za
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AS SEEN IN THE DECEMBER 2010 ISSUE
OF THE AFRICAN BUSINESS JOURNAL