Established in 1924, Manica Group Namibia has been at the forefront of creating innovative and integrated logistics and marine service solutions for companies doing business to and from Africa. The company is made up of a diverse group of subsidiaries and divisions providing expert freight logistics and marine services that can easily be bundled to a one-stop-shop solution for any type of logistics requirement.
overview
history
team
facilities
sustainability
our philosophy
Manica Group Namibia is a solution driven group of companies with a strong commitment to creating lasting relationshps, customer service, the development of the local logistics industry and promotion of the ports of Walvis Bay and Luderitz. With a well-established international network of logistics partners, Manica is able to offer global solutions to local and international customers.
Manica is known for it flexibility and agility in harnessing these services, its staff and facilities to provide custom logistics solutions that are cost and time effective. The group services include clearing and forwarding, ships’ agency, cargo-handling, warehousing, intermodal transport, project-freight, airport ground-handling, shipping, industrial lubricants, bunkering and shore-based logistics support for the oil and gas industry. The group has a national footprint, with offices in Walvis Bay, Windhoek and Luderitz.
…tailor-made solutions for any cargo and freight management needs…
The company's prominent position in the industry is reflected in its strong operating performance and growing pool of skilled employees who are passionate about everything logistics. We embrace diversity and innovative thinking, while ensuring the highest level of safety and quality management. Manica group companies are ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 accredited, to ensure that our clients benefit from our high standard of quality management and safety systems.
Over and above its daily operations, Manica is also committed to an all-encompassing sustainability strategy. This strategy includes its commitment to actively reducing its carbon footprint in all aspects of its operations and uplifting the living conditions of the communities is operates in.
We take pride in the fact that we can move any cargo from anywhere in the world to your door-step without you having to worry about hidden costs and the everyday frustration of empty promises and unnecessary delays. With Manica at the helm of your off- and onshore logistics management and support requirements, you can sit back with the assurance that we will deliver – anything, anytime, anywhere.
Theodore 'Tetje' Woker starts a shipping and forwarding agency with Maertins called Maertins & Woker and acquires a stake in Sturrock (SWA) as a Trust.
1945
Sturrock (SWA) is incorporated into Mann George & Co (SWA). By 1954 Sturrock changed to Sturrock & Woker and later incorporates Dart & Howes (SWA).
1964
Mann George & Co (SWA) becomes Cory Mann George (SWA). By 1968 the Woker Trust acquired 66% shareholding in Sturrock.
1970
Cory Mann George (SWA) becomes Freight Services (SWA). Freight Services included the SWA assets and operations of Musgrove & Watson, Rennies and the South African Stevedores Services Company.
1976
Freight Services (SWA) turns into W. Woker Freight Services and is registered as such.
1984
Freight Services (SA) merges with Rennies Consolidated and forms Rennies Group Ltd.
Safren consisting of Rennies, Safmarine and Sun International is created. At the time Rennies owned Manica Group Ltd. (comprising all Manica companies in Africa including Woker Freight Services in Namibia).
1987
W. Woker Freight Services (Namibia) changes its name to Woker Freight Services.
1990
Woker Freight Services creates a fishing division called Namsov Fishing Enterprises.
1995
Woker Freight Services changes its name to Manica Group Namibia with various divisions focusing on marine services, materials handling and logistics.
1998
Bidvest South Africa acquires Rennies with the split of Safren and with that attains ownership of Manica Group Namibia.
1998
Lubrication Specialists is created in a partnership with ExxonMobil.
1998
Manica acquires Luderitz Bay Shipping & Forwarding to expand its footprint in the south of the country.
2005
Ocean Liner Services is created to unify the group’s existing liner and non-liner ships agency services into a single service offering.
2006
Bidvest Namibia is formed to group the Bidvest South Africa interests in Namibia.
2013
Manica establishes the business units Manica Business Centre and Manica Sourcing & Trading as office facilities and procurement services for marine contractors.
Jun 2014
Manica partners with Monjasa to establish a Monjasa Namibia office for bunkering services. The Manica warehousing division, Rennies starts a dedicated Transport wing
May 2019
Bidvest Namibia is delisted and sold to Bidvest.
Jul 2019
With the sale of Bidvest Namibia, Manica now resorts under Bidfreight, SA.
Jan 2021
Manica invests in the port's first ever state-of-the-art mobile bagging plant and bags a record 20,000 tonnes of sulphur from the vessel's (Egret) shiphold straight on the quayside in 6 days.
our exco team
Ralph Ruiters
Managing Director
Sean Holmes
Financial Director
Trudi van Rooyen
Executive: Human Resources
Patrick Kohlstaedt
Executive: Trading, Business Development, Oil & Gas
Philip Coetzee
Executive: Logistics Services
our management team
Anchen Jankowitz
GM: Woker Freight Services GM: Walvis Bay Airport Services
Cronje Grane
GM: Rennies Consolidated
Gideon Kok
Manager: Rennies Transport
Nazeem Stuart
GM: Monjasa GM: Lubrication Specialists
Stefanie Swiegers
Financial Manager
Martine Viljoen
Compliance Manager
Raymond Human
IT Business System Analyst
Demi Smith
Branch Supervisor
Ian Foster
GM: Walvis Bay Stevedoring
our facilities
The Manica head office is located in Walvis Bay close to the main port entrance. With warehousing and open storage space of more than 150,000m2 close to the port, the group is well equipped to store and handle any cargo. The company also has a hangar at the Walvis Bay airport and warehouses, open storage facilities and distribution depots in Windhoek and Lüderitz.
With its experience in handling large volumes of cargo, Manica has invested considerable capital in acquiring the right cargo handling equipment. These include a large array of specialised heavy lift handling equipment, forklifts, reach-stackers, goose-neck, launches, cranes, airport ground handling equipment, trucks, side-loaders, and trailers. Manica operates infrastructure in the main central business hubs of Namibia.
Apart from the facilities in Walvis Bay, the company also has warehouses, open storage facilities and distribution depots (for lubricants) in Windhoek and Lüderitz. Manica's current storage facilities include:
Walvis Bay
Rennies Warehouse (underroof general and bonded storage)
Container Depot (open-air container stacking, includes weighbridge, rail-siding, reefer plugs)
Protea Shed (large underroof and container stacking for unpacking)
MLC Warehouse (large underroof warehousing, includes rail-siding)
Old UFE facility (underroof warehousing, open-air container stacking and unpacking)
Walvis Bay Airport Hangar
Windhoek
Windhoek WFS Warehouse
Windhoek Lubs Depot Storage
Luderitz
Luderitz Lubs Depot Storage
Luderitz Airport Hangar
Manica enjoys agent representation at all the country’s border posts to speed up the clearing process of cross-border freight.
committed to community upliftment
The main focus of Manica’s Corporate Social Investment programme is to promote community based upliftment projects and causes. The programme focuses on providing assistance to education, health, environment, youth development and community upliftment. The company invests 1,5% of its profits (after taxes) into local community projects.
Each year the Manica CSI fund identifies and supports more sustainability driven projects that need a small investment with the potential to become self sustaining, income generating and provide job opportunities. Certain charity causes and events are also supported, while donations by passing vessels and other visitors are also distributed to the needy in the community.
Some of the projects the CSI fund has supported included:
Formula milk for babies of single HIV positive mothers.
Tunnel gardening project for Sunshine Centre for the Disabled.
Girlchild health drives (national sanitary pads programme)
Road Safety drives
Staff members also actively participate in national fund-raising events such as Breast Cancer Awareness Drives and the Winter Food and Blanket collection for senior citizens.
our safety & quality
Manica Group Namibia is ISO 9001 (quality management systems) and ISO 45001 (safety management systems) certified. It also has various policies in place on Ethics, Procurement, Safety, Anti-Corruption. Manica values its employees as the
most valuable asset, and therefore is committed to ensure the highest standards in SHEQ. Manica ensures:
A healthy and safe working environment.
All employees are kept fully aware of their responsibilities and
accountabilities.
Regular safety training is provided to staff.
Dedicated safety monitors and officers are appointed.
Safety policies and work procedures and manuals in place.
Comply with national OHSE legislation and international standards.
Availability of safety devices, protective equipment and clothing.
committed to sustainability
Manica strives to minimize its carbon footprint in all its operations. This includes initiatives such as:
actively reducing the use of paper by automating and computerising systems
recycling paper
re-using wood used (dunnage) and other packaging materials
active saving electricity and water resources
purchasing eco-friendly and fuel efficient equipment, forklifts, vehicles
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