European logistics powerhouse Rangel Logistics Solutions, headquartered in Portugal, is doubling down on its African ambitions with a significant €6 million (approximately R125.6 million) investment in a sprawling new warehouse near OR Tambo International Airport. This latest commitment, announced just four years after the family-owned firm first entered the South African market in 2020, underscores the company’s bullish outlook on the continent’s growth potential, particularly in the wake of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
Tiago Pocinho, Rangel’s Country Manager, made it clear that the company views its presence in Africa as more than just an expansion. “We take our commitment to Africa seriously,” he stated, highlighting the strategic importance of the new facility.
The expansive 10,000 square metre warehouse will serve as the central nerve centre for Rangel’s burgeoning Contract Logistics division. Crucially, it will offer bonded storage facilities, a vital feature for businesses engaged in international trade. This includes an “Operating Store” for goods storage up to 24 months and a “Special Operating Store” for shorter-term storage of up to six months. The bonded status means that goods housed within the facility are exempt from duties and charges until they are released for their final destination, offering significant financial advantages to importers and exporters. The warehouse will also provide crucial cross-docking services, streamlining the movement of goods.
Beyond this substantial infrastructure investment, Rangel is further cementing its regional footprint with the imminent opening of a new office in Nakop, strategically located on the Namibian border. This will complement their existing operations in Zambia (established in 2021) and Tanzania (2022), bringing the company’s total investment across these three key African nations to €7 million.
The new Johannesburg warehouse is projected to generate at least 160 new jobs, a figure that CEO Nuno Rangel anticipates will grow in tandem with the expansion of their Contract Logistics business. Since their initial foray into South Africa, Rangel’s primary focus had been on transportation and cross-border logistics, establishing a presence at crucial border crossings. Having successfully laid this groundwork, the company is now strategically deepening its involvement in the broader logistics sector.
The strategic location of the warehouse is no accident. It is designed to significantly enhance Rangel’s logistical capabilities within South Africa while simultaneously facilitating seamless trade flows between neighbouring markets. This includes key economies such as Mozambique, Zambia, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
Nuno Rangel emphasized the company’s growing expertise in the demanding mining sector. “Today, we are becoming a benchmark in transport for the mining sector in the main logistics corridors of the SADC region, from the DRC to the main ports – Durban, Beira, Walvis Bay and Dar es Salaam – carrying out highly demanding and complex operations, especially in the transport of copper (cathods, concentrate, blyster) cobalt hidroxyde and zinc,” he explained.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, held within the cavernous warehouse itself – a space large enough to accommodate over 500 cars – Nuno Rangel articulated his vision for the company’s future on the continent. “We want to be an African company and not only help connect the Southern African Development Community to Europe, but also facilitate trade among African countries,” he declared.
The initial impetus for Rangel’s investment in South Africa came from an unlikely source: prominent South African businessman and former Shoprite CEO, Whitey Basson. Nuno Rangel revealed that Basson’s insights into the country’s potential had inspired him to explore the market.
Addressing the stylish gathering, which included diplomats from Portugal and Botswana, Portuguese Ambassador to South Africa, His Excellency Carlos Costa Neves, and Basson himself, the former Shoprite boss highlighted the crucial role of robust logistics in Shoprite’s own successful expansion across Africa. Basson also painted a positive picture of the continent’s economic future, citing United Nations projections of a 4% GDP growth by 2026, with AfCFTA poised to be a significant driver of this expansion.
Ambassador Costa Neves offered his best wishes for Rangel’s success, stating confidently, “We are safe in the hands of Rangel.” The bonded warehouse, with its substantial storage capacity and strategic location, appears to be a tangible manifestation of Rangel’s long-term commitment to unlocking Africa’s vast trade potential.
