Following the dictates of corporate culture is not something over which Kempston Group managers and employees lose much sleep.
The group has shunned the corporatism of large national companies – best reflected in swanky, branded offices – in favour of an unashamedly home-grown business environment, rooted in the unassuming personality of owner Tony Cotterell, his entrepreneurial approach to deal-making and a lifelong commitment to East London.
Murdoch says that Kempston has succeeded in integrating various businesses. In one instance, the group has established firm business connections between its Driver Academy operation and logistics, vehicle dealership, financing and even fuel businesses.
“Driver Academy is an accredited driver training business for code 14 licences and we’re one of 12 in SA which train and certify for dangerous goods transport.
“The academy has this database of skilled drivers whom we snap up and then put into work through Kempston Employment Solutions which employs 1500 people in East London. We also have an asset-based finance business which will finance truck drivers to buy a heavy duty vehicle, if they qualify. In that way we’re creating entrepreneurs and the driver will then become a sub-contractor to Kempston Logistics. We’d like them to buy one of our products, which can be either a Merc, MAN or a VW, but it doesn’t have to be.
“Kempston Logistics is a national transport brokerage with about 3000 subcontractors available to us on a daily basis. If a customer wants to get a bulk load from East London to Joburg, we negotiate a good price with any of those transporters.”
Murdoch says the transporter would buy diesel from Kempston Energy truck stops in Cape Town, East London, Bloemfontein and Middelburg in the Eastern Cape.
“He doesn’t take any cash out of his pocket. We offset what he has bought in fuel against what we must pay for the load. Many transporters want our business because not only do they avoid an empty leg on their routes but they don’t have to worry about the cost of fuel.
“We’re very big at reciprocal business, as long as it’s transparent and out there,” Murdoch says. — rayh@dispatch.co.za
Kempston Group’s wheels keep turning
The group has shunned the corporatism of large national companies – best reflected in swanky, branded offices – in favour of an unashamedly home-grown business environment, rooted in the unassuming personality of owner Tony Cotterell, his entrepreneurial approach to deal-making and a lifelong commitment to East London.
Murdoch says that Kempston has succeeded in integrating various businesses. In one instance, the group has established firm business connections between its Driver Academy operation and logistics, vehicle dealership, financing and even fuel businesses.
“Driver Academy is an accredited driver training business for code 14 licences and we’re one of 12 in SA which train and certify for dangerous goods transport.
“The academy has this database of skilled drivers whom we snap up and then put into work through Kempston Employment Solutions which employs 1500 people in East London. We also have an asset-based finance business which will finance truck drivers to buy a heavy duty vehicle, if they qualify. In that way we’re creating entrepreneurs and the driver will then become a sub-contractor to Kempston Logistics. We’d like them to buy one of our products, which can be either a Merc, MAN or a VW, but it doesn’t have to be.
“Kempston Logistics is a national transport brokerage with about 3000 subcontractors available to us on a daily basis. If a customer wants to get a bulk load from East London to Joburg, we negotiate a good price with any of those transporters.”
Murdoch says the transporter would buy diesel from Kempston Energy truck stops in Cape Town, East London, Bloemfontein and Middelburg in the Eastern Cape.
“He doesn’t take any cash out of his pocket. We offset what he has bought in fuel against what we must pay for the load. Many transporters want our business because not only do they avoid an empty leg on their routes but they don’t have to worry about the cost of fuel.
“We’re very big at reciprocal business, as long as it’s transparent and out there,” Murdoch says. — rayh@dispatch.co.za
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