By Joseph Mudingu

It was an evening of making merry with friends and family of Bollore Transport and Logistics at Hotel Mille Collines last Friday 9th2016 in Kigali.

Bollore It was a ceremony meant to give back and appreciating customers of the Bollore Family where the company used the occasion to announce re-branding from Bollore Africa Logistics to Bollore Transport and Logistics and to wish their esteemed customers a merry Christmas and happy new 2017.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Gilles Shwarz, the Company Managing Director said he was humbled and honored to host business partners and friends who had turned up for the evening as part of Bollore family.

"It’s now official. From July 1st 2016, all the African transport and logistics entities of the Bolloré Group are changing their name to become Bolloré Transport & Logistics. We decided to bring together under a single brand the Bolloré Group’s businesses dedicated to port, logistics, railways and oil activities.This is a new step for the brand which has been gradually expanding since January 1st” , said Gilles.

He commended the government of Rwanda and the entire business community for the good working relationship they accorded the company for the long time they have been operating in the region.

With its strong track record and Ppan-African network, Bolloré Transport and Logistics, established in Kigali for over 50 years, has created a sub-regional hub in Rwanda.

He noted that Bollore Transport and Logistics is proud to be having over 99% of its employees as Rwandan citizens and for the good of providing quality services, the company still builds capacities of its employees.

The company is located in the industrial Area, Gikondo with offices at a number of border crossings in Gisenyi, Gatuna, Rusumo and Akanyaru.

As a leading Transport and Logistics Company in Rwanda, Bollore’s main activities include import and export transit, sea and air freight management, cross-border operations with 4 border offices, long distance haulage delivering cargo to DRC, Uganda and Burundi, inland container depot (ICD) and warehousing management.

The Logistics Company operates with a workforce of 110 employees in Rwanda and 25, 000 worldwide.

Bolloré Transport & Logistics has four business lines, each with its own expertise. One is Bolloré Ports, specialized in port concessions, traditional cargo handling and acting as a shipping agent; Bolloré Logistics, global leader in supply chain management, provideing a wide range of services in  Multimodal Transport, Customs and Regulatory Compliance, Logistics, Global Supply Chain, Industrial Projects, Bolloré Energy, major actor of petroleum distribution and logistics in France and Europe and Bolloré Railways, specialized in construction and exploitation of railways on the African continent

This new organization enables all the businesses to consolidate their leading positions in France and in Africa, to generate external growth and to accelerate the global development of activities.

The synergies between these four business units promote the diversification of business and offers. It provides specific solutions to clients’ requirements, while adapting to market changes and developments.

Since its initiation, BolloréTransport and Logistics has been strongly dedicated to opening up Africa and with significant zeal contributing to the growth of African trade and African people.

The company has invested over 300 million Euros to handle 6.5 million tons of general cargo per year on the Continent.

Leader in bonded and value-added warehousing, Bollore subsidiary in Rwanda is expert in the management of industrial and high-tech projects, building logistics solutions that address all the demands of major accounts.

A reference logistics expert for the routing of soft commodities, Bolloré Africa Logistics has won the trust of humanitarian organisations that depend on the reliability of its services and strategy to unlock the neighbouring hinterland countries. The company will continue to positively impact the Rwandan economic growth for the next 50 years and beyond.