Attractive IT solutions
How can a logistics IT provider stimulate airfreight? ITJ editor Andreas Haug talked to David Linford about this in Johannesburg recently. Linford previously worked for the GSA Network Airline Services, was Delta’s regional freight director for nine years, and with Continental Airlines for eleven years. Together with sales and account manager Muhammad Bilal Cassim he is now in charge of Champ’s activities in African markets.
Mr Linford, before moving into the airfreight industry you worked in the wine trade. What do you like most about your role with Champ Cargosystems?
I found that I actually love aviation. After several years in the retail industry I gravitated to an airline, briefly followed by a ground-handling agent, before returning to the airlines. My most recent post with a GSA provided a springboard to Champ and the IT sector. I believe in the wide range of products my new employer has on offer. I know the Cargospot solution from my time as a Champ client; there’s a new version due to be launched this year. I’m happy to make all of this known now in the region I work in.
New features offered by Champ Cargosystems include an emissions calculator (see also ITJ Daily of 19 February 2019) and your solution called ‘weight and balance’ (see ITJ Daily of 6 February 2019). Please tell us about that.
I arrived at Champ at just the right moment. In my second week with the firm I was able to enjoy a comprehensive introduction to the great potential of our small emissions calculator tool, as part of the kick-off event in Amsterdam.
My first act with ‘weight and balance’ was to participate in a demo of the product to a potential customer. It impressed me so much that I wanted to buy the tool myself; it perfectly illustrates our knowledge of the uses of technology so that our clients can optimise loading processes – quickly, efficiently, in compliance with international rules.
As we’re meeting in Johannesburg – how long has Champ been present in Africa? What, in your opinion, are the key characteristics of this rather interesting market?
Champ was founded in 2004, but through our parent company Sita Cargo (UK), which owns 51% of Champ, we’ve been present in Africa ever since 1992. Our first client here was Ethiopian Airlines, you know.
Today we have around 400 customers all across the continent – including forwarders, ground handlers and airlines. With products such as ‘Traxon Global Security’ (TGS) and ‘Traxon Global Customs’ (TGC) we also respond to increasingly stringent security regulations and the special needs of customs authorities.
We recently set up a task force, together with the African Airlines Association (Afraa), which aims to reduce the overall influence of border controls on the movement of goods and thus seeks to contribute to the further acceleration of the flow of goods, both across the huge continent as well as beyond Africa too.
We’re convinced that digitalisation, for example through the electronic bill of lading, will lead to an acceleration of airfreight business specifically, as well as of course of logistics processes in general.
How can and will Champ Cargosystems influence this in detail?
It helps that our numerous custo- mers are present at many different points along the air cargo supply chain, and also that they cover the entire continent. There may still be some gaps in West Africa, yes – but they’re also business opportunities for us. At Champ Cargosystems we want to tackle these, with my support and Muhammad at the forefront here in Africa.
Inadequate logistics infrastructure is a frequent topic at events such as Air Cargo Africa. How do you see developments?
That’s an interesting question; the continent doesn’t have its own answer, however. For example, the internet is slower where I live in England than it is in a house located just three miles away.
What I mean by this is that wherever investment is made in Africa – and happily there is indeed ever more investment taking place here – the technology that has been introduced is particularly advanced, and through this it helps to prepare the ground for further development.
What are your other digitalisation efforts resulting in?
We recently entered into a new partnership with Paycargo, for example – integrated within Cargospot handling – to make accounting easier for ground handlers and to speed up clearance for freight forwarders.
