AMI expands at Cape Town Interational

The Cape Town base of Air Menzies International (AMI) – the world’s largest trade-only airfreight and express wholesaler – has doubled the size of its facility and trebled its temperature-controlled storage for perishables.

“Airfreight wholesaling” is the process by which freight agents can purchase space through an intermediary “wholesaler” – generally at lower rates than those offered by the airline or shipping line, itself.

In doing so, AMI has acquired the facility adjacent to its current base at Cape Town International Airport, doubling its warehousing to 1 000 m². This includes 120 m² of refrigerated storage, with separate temperature zones for flowers, fruit and vegetables.

The expanded facility will enable AMI to receive fresh produce from the Cape region – including seafood, fruit, vegetables and flowers – and maintain their condition while awaiting flights.

AMI’s vice president for Africa, Milton French, says: “The expanded AMI Cape Town facility and our increased perishables capability will help us to keep pace with the significant growth in traffic from this region.”

AMI’s South African business operates through branches in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. The Durban branch has shown a dramatic growth of 118 percent over the past four months.

Meanwhile, between January and August 2016, AMI held a 6,9 percent share of the total South African airfreight market, and ranked third in the country’s airfreight agents’ league table.