Who we are ?
History
1959 SAM Daron founded in Pointe Noire, Congo
To supply ships calling at Pointe Noire, two brothers, Michel and Henri Daron started up the Société d'Avitaillement Maritime of the Congo (SAM Congo) within the port area in 1959. Main customers at the time were European fleets of tuna fishermen, other fishing vessels, and French navy vessels.
1965 SAM Daron Bordeaux, which then became OLEX
Michel and Henri started up a shipchandling firm, SAM Daron, at the Port of Bordeaux. The needs of the African sister companies and the decline in port activities brought about changes in this firm towards one more geared towards export purchasing. Over time, this office has become an essential part of the African entities’ supply chain, and it is the guarantor of the group’s quality and regularity. Now called OLEX, its skills are recognized ans used by many wholesalers and retailers on several continents.
1972 SAM Daron, Port Gentil, Gabon
To offer shipchandling services to customers operating in the Gulf of Guinean, SAM Gabon was started up in 1972. Operating on the same business model as its sister company in Pointe Noire, it offered a continuity of services on the coast and the possibility for our customers to access a well-known and tested product range.
1973 Beginning of Oil & Gas activity
In the aftermath of the 1973 Oil Crisis, 1973 was the kick off of the petroleum industry in the Gulf of Guinea. Many projects were emerging and led to the set up of several rigs, some of which are still in operation today. Survey, exploration or working ships would be operating in this area, and their needs as well as those of their crews would drive the SAMs’ development.
1992 Raft sales and maintenance activities started up
To meet their customers’ growing demand, the SAMs Congo and Gabon began offering services in 1992 linked to seafaring safety, notably the sale, repair and recertification of lifeboats and other safety equipments.
2000 Shareholdings transferred to the second generation of the Daron Family
Michel and Henri Daron transferred control of the group to their sons Patrick, Louis, and Christophe, who took over the key operational positions in France and Africa, and who would contribute to the development of the SAMs.
2004 SEAS SERVICES founded
The success and expansion of the seafaring safety services range led to the starting up of a specialized subsidiary with its own identity, Seas Services. Apart from its original purpose, sales and recertification of life rafts, the firm also installs fire prevention systems and services any offshore safety equipment..
2014 ISO 9001 Certification
To meet the growing demands of its customers, SAM Congo, SAM Gabon and Olex committed themselves to ISO 9001 certification. All our entities are now certified ISO 9001 V 2015.
2016 SAM Daron Angola founded
SAM Angola is the newest player on our team completing the Daron Group in the region with facilities in Luanda and a partnership with Capcimbo.
Our profession, our expertise
SHIPCHANDLER
Our business is to supply your vessels with on food, cabin and kitchen stores as well as consumables for their crews and equipments.
To achieve this, we import, store, and deliver a large range of food, household and technical products.
Our desire is to make all of the means at our disposal available to you for successful calls in ports.
RELIABILITY
Our experience gained on the job has allowed us to pinpoint the conditions for a successful call !
Since 1959, we have dedicated ourselves to paying close attention to the basics that structure our companies.
Reliability, pragmatism, and responsiveness: the assets that have allowed us to become – and remain – the definitive shipchandler in the Gulf of Guinea.
Some numbers
Total storage space 28 000 cbm
Dry storage space 21 000 cbm
Reefer storage space 7 000 cbm
Number of delivery vehicles 15 reefer trucks 30 trucks total
150
Our commitments
Customer Satisfaction
- Flexibility and Responsiveness
- Tailor-Made Services
- Ready Availability of a Wide Range of Products
Responsability & Expertise
- Dedictated integrated management systems
- Mastery of customs procedures
- Executive training and education
- Development of local competencies
- ISO Certified
- Strict selection of our sourcing partners
- Product traceability
Ethics and Corporate Culture
- Relationship based on trust and integrity
- A family-run firm right down to our DNA, built on our experience
- Development of the local economic and associative make-up
- Environmentally conscious
Corporate responsibility
In Pointe Noire, Daron Shipchandler offers financial support to the IECD, the European Institute of Cooperation and Development. This association has begun a programme of assisting SMEs thanks to the opening of training centres in underdeveloped neighbourhoods. These centres offer basic management courses, as well as training for entrepreneurs and project promoters. To accompany them is a club of entrepreneurs who will guide them through the steps in setting up their business plans and see them through the financing of their projects..
Along with other firms in the group, the company has commited an effort in supporting the charity programs of the Rotary international.
In terms of sustainable development, Daron Shipchandler supports Rénatura, an association for biodiversity conservation thanks notably to the study and protection of sea turtles in Congo.