Bob Buhl has traveled to over 35 African countries – promoting logistics solutions with a “hands on” experience and work ethic that has made him a “regional expert” in the trade.

On an aggregate basis, he has spent over 12 years in developing unique logistics applications in new and emerging markets in Africa with poor or even non-existent infrastructure to support operations; inclusive being countries such as Nigeria, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mali, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroun, and Tanzania among others.

Beginning in 1980, from a London-base of operations, he spent 70% of the time traveling extensively throughout Africa for Circle Air Freight. (Circle was then the largest subsidiary of the Harper Group, later re-branded Circle International and then acquired by Eagle Group in 2000.

In the 80’s Mr. Buhl took full control of “Skypower Cargo” in the USA and developed it as a household word in the Nigeria Market.    As the exclusive GSA for Nigeria Airways between USA and Nigeria, Mr. Buhl’s marketing and operations were so successful that he organized scheduled DC-10F aircraft charters to accommodate the overflow and meet capacity demands.   He pioneered the use of ‘pre-cleared cargo’ on scheduled Nigeria Airways passenger flights and kept such tight operational control that over 10 Million kilos a year moved from the USA to Nigeria without a single piece-count discrepancy.

Mr. Buhl personally programmed and directed initial I.T. solutions for Africa.    His pre-clearance manifest and onhand control systems were of his own design.    Ironically, when U.S. Customs required a change in the standard manifest (ICAO Annex 9), to include shipper and consignee name and address submission, although most major airlines could not comply for over a year  - Mr. Buhl programmed a solution, and accomplished the feat in less than an hour, complying fully with customs, and earning their appreciation and commendation. 

Despite the many challenges faced in Nigeria (and region) in the 1980’s, (eg. power failures, communications truncations for days, and rampant corruption - being amongst only the few hazards of the game), Mr. Buhl created a normalized, predictable service, which rivaled and exceeded the standards of conventional European destinations.

His depth of knowledge of the market was so extensive that eventually he helped to create “Nigeria Air Services” as an independent handler at JFK for passenger services, and even pioneered the first “passenger safari” into Nigeria in the mid 1980’s.

      
                                                      Angola pipe yard for TOTAL OIL 

In “Portuguese Africa”, his contacts with major oil company and infrastructure projects goes back to the early days of Exxon (Esso) Angola from their first small representative offices in the early 90’s, and in “Francophile Africa”) with Exxon’s early planning for what later was to become the Chad-Cameroun development and culminated in the pipeline construction by Spie-Capag/Willbros in 2001-2002

Luanda Angola Airport in 1990's 

SAGA’s handling of the BHP Syama Project gold mine in Mali was brought about by Mr. Buhl’s travels to Bamako and Abidjan and his relentless focus on the development and landing of that business.

Solutions to logistics needs of the mines for major equipment manufacturers to the copper and cobalt mines in the region required not only rapid supply from sources like ORD, PDX, MEM and Peoria but also air and sea charters, with complex multi-modal ocean/land links, and a creative way to meet financially strapped or blocked forex funds in the doldrums of the African economies.

Mr. Buhl assisted in spearheading the then new concept of providing NVO / LCL solutions to Africa from North America (Combitainer).   The concept of moving Air-Sea solutions for West African coastal service away from Port Harcourt to Sao Tome’ / Principe was first put forward by Mr. Buhl, even ahead of the oil discoveries that have since made such things more commonplace.

Mr. Buhl developed extensive agents networks and operational systems rich in both cost and service control parameters for more than one major forwarder.

From the early days in the 70s/80s with Circle, through to Celadon / Jacky Maeder (a unit of Bank of Switzerland), a network blossomed in Africa with extensive coverage under his guidance and tutelage.  Later, with Emery Worldwide (now part of CNF/Menlo Logistics), his treatment and development of the market was so extensive in detail to all 53 of Africa’s countries, that the Emery computer could not completely accommodate it.

Despite the ongoing trend toward consolidation of logistics companies, Mr. Buhl retains a reputation in many of those logistics circles as ‘THE African expert”.  His motto being “there is nothing that cannot be done, if only someone would try” is founded based on a work ethic of creativity, hands-on experience, tenacity, and honesty in dealing with his peers, clients, and vendors.