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PostNet, a subsidiary of AltX listed niche logistics group OneLogix, plans to expand its network of more than 218 franchised stores by another 15 outlets in the next 12 months and to grow its courier business by 30 percent.

By Roy Cokayne

Pretoria – PostNet, a subsidiary of AltX listed niche logistics group OneLogix, plans to expand its network of more than 218 franchised stores by another 15 outlets in the next 12 months and to grow its courier business by 30 percent.

Ian Lourens, the chief executive of OneLogix, said the expansion of PostNet’s network would involve a total investment of about R6 million by franchisees.

Lourens said PostNet was focused on and dominant in the small and medium enterprise sector, which was a growth market.

Chris Wheeler, the managing director of PostNet Southern Africa, said it had a turnover of R300 million in its last financial year, with about 40 percent coming from its courier service.

PostNet Southern Africa today employs 44 people. It has 218 business partners, 1 000 staff members and 1 000 outsourced contractors, who are primarily owner-drivers.

Lourens said it had empowered a huge number of people through its franchise model and its catch phrase was: “You own your own business but are not alone.”

He said PostNet’s growth would principally be organic, adding that there were massive expansion opportunities within the organisation.

PostNet stores served more than 32 000 “walk in” customers a day countrywide, he said.

There were also four product brands: PostNet Copy and Print, PostNet Digital, PostNet Stationery and PostNet Courier.

But Wheeler said that although the PostNet brand was familiar, few people knew what products and services the business provided.

PostNet had been selected by international courier firm DHL as its strategic retail partner, which meant all international DHL parcels and documents could be couriered from any PostNet store countrywide. This made PostNet a serious contender in the courier industry.

The partnership with DHL had doubled its volumes in the last 12 months, he said.

Wheeler said the company was looking to launch some exciting new products soon. It constantly adapted its product mix according to the needs of its customers.

Innovations it had introduced included the facility to access copies of more than 400 same-day international newspapers, printed on demand at local outlets.

Another innovation was an international excess baggage product that permitted international travellers to send excess baggage through their nearest PostNet, to meet up with them at their international destination.