Unitrans has been serving the transport, distribution and logistics needs of South Africa for over a hundred years.  With revenue of R13, 4 billion, a 20% increase on the previous year, and profit of R338 million, an increase of 25%, Unitrans are leaders in their sector.

The Unitrans Freight and Logistics division provides specialised distribution and warehousing services, together with a full range of logistics and supply chain re-engineering services to the mining, manufacturing, industrial and allied sectors of the economy.

In 2005 BP Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd decided to review its warehousing and distribution operations for its lubricants products, marketed under the BP and Castrol brands, with the objectives of increasing efficiency and reducing cost.  BP invited a number of third party logistics providers to submit proposals that would help BP achieve these objectives.

The selected Unitrans solution involved a significant change in the logistics model.  A key element of the cost saving was based upon reducing the number of warehouses from 5 to 1, so that all customers would be serviced from a single warehouse with local ‘cross docking’ points.  To facilitate this change a new ‘state of the art’ distribution centre was constructed just north of Durban.  Products from the blend plant are transported to the new distribution centre for storage, picking and despatch. 

For the full case study please download the PDF or contact Linda Rodway at moreinfo@proteussoftware.com