Saloodo! unveils digital road freight platform in Africa

Nov 12, 2019: Saloodo!, the logistics start-up, has unveiled a new digital road freight platform for shippers and transport providers in South Africa. This digital solution, which was first introduced in 2017 in Germany, has expanded its presence in the Netherlands and Poland. Now moving into markets outside of Europe, this arm of Deutsche Post DHL Group was launched in the Middle East six months ago. The solution has now spread its wings further and is now offering digital services in Africa.

An efficient road freight network plays a very important role in a country that is as widespread as South Africa but also for 16 landlocked countries within Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). But given the fragmented nature of the region’s road freight operations, it misses out on the visibility, efficiency and security that technology offers.

“After successfully entering the Middle East we have taken the decision to continue on our growth path by expanding to the African continent,” said Thomas Grunau, CEO of Saloodo! “As the world's youngest continent with 60 percent of the population below 25 economic decisions and growth are increasingly driven by a dynamic generation of digitally-minded young adults. These are ideal conditions for offering and further developing our smart solution.”

With South Africa being the stepping stone for the launch, Saloodo! is the first digital platform available in the region. This offers a single, simple and reliable interface for shippers and transport providers for route and cost optimization, cargo and transit times.

Backed by DHL's global and regional footprint and expertise, all contractual relationships on the platform are organized via the existing local DHL entity.

“With real-time visibility, Saloodo! will inject greater transparency and efficiency to the road network in the region, enabling shippers - from small enterprises and start-ups to large multinational groups - to find trusted and reliable freight carriers in South Africa. This will in turn help carriers manage existing fleets and optimize capacity with full truckload shipments,” said Tobias Maier, CEO of Saloodo! Middle East and Africa.