Abstract
M.Comm.
The South African government passed legislation in 2003 whereby fuel would have to meet a number of stringent environmental standards by 2006. These standards include the ceasing of sale of leaded petrol and sulphur added diesel and has a requirement for a higher octane unleaded fuel. To meet these standards Sasol Limited committed to invest R7 billion in new production facilities.
The Fischer Tropsch process is used by Sasol Limited to produce liquid fuel from coal. By-products are formed during the process and is further refined and sold as raw materials to producers of various other products. In October 2003 Sasol invested R7 billion in the transformation of the plant to produce by-products (polymers) for export. In the course of this process the SASOL Turbo Project was initiated. In order to build the most efficient supply chain and to ensure short lead times to target markets, Safmarine (Pty) Ltd was identified as a strategic partner to handle the external supply chain included but not limited to the ocean freight, cross-docking and packing of cargo. During an assessment of the supply chain, an opportunity for container triangulation was recognised. One of Safmarine’s global key accounts based in South Africa, was recognised as a fitting import partner to Sasol Polymers (a subsidiary of Sasol Limited) in the triangulation project.
Very little theory exists on the concept of container triangulation and its application in the field of supply chain management. The author could find only a few examples of successful container triangulation in practice so a need exits to study the concept further. The main aim of this study is to determine whether container triangulation can be used to improve supply chains and to provide guidelines for the successful implementation of such an initiative. The study is based on a combination of a literature review and experiences gained from a real-life triangulation project which was planned and partially implemented by Sasol Polymers and two supply chain partners.
The study found that the successful implementation of a container triangulation project holds the potential of many advantages for supply chain partners. During the planning of the triangulation project, potential advantages were identified to the
supply chains of Sasol Polymers and partners. Some of the possible advantages include, but are not limited, to:
• Cost saving benefits
• Improved equipment utilization
• Mutually beneficial partnerships
• Improved speed of container movement in the supply chain
The correct application of information technology is a prerequisite for the successful implementation of a container triangulation project. This study also briefly reflects on the information technology used in the Sasol Polymers triangulation project and provides suggestions for further improvement in this regard.