From person to person - Logwin Logistics...6 – Logwin Magazine – 02|11 focus the human side of...

Interviewwith John Mutton,Herringbone Sydney,about high quality fashion from Down Under

Yves RocherEnvironmentally friendly solutions for store deliveries

From person to person

The magazine for logistics customers and decision makers 02 | 2011

LOGWIN_magazin_E_05 27.09.2011 11:56 Uhr Seite 1

2 www.logwin-logistics.com – Logwin Magazine – 02|11

editorial

ImprintLogwin Magazine 02|2011

PublisherLogwin AGZIR Potaschberg5, an de LaengtenL-6776 GrevenmacherPhone +352 719 690-0E-Mail [email protected]

V. i. s. d. P.Mara Hancker

Cover:Sabrina Zalucki is in the third yearof her apprenticeship as an ad-ministrative assistent at Logwin in Aschaffenburg. Parallel she is involved as youth educationrepresentative.

ABOUT LOGWIN

Dear Readers,

We live in a global village. This simple statement encapsulates how closely countries, marketsand people are interwoven with each other nowadays. This applies in particular to our line of work, i.e. logistics. There is hardly any other sector that is so international. In this edition ofthe Logwin Magazine you will get to know some of those people who ensure that global tradeand business relationships run smoothly every day all over the world.

Some live and work far away from home, some have decades of experience and relive the days of yesteryear, and some are new to this world, but eager to share their first impressions.What we all have in common is logistics, a fascinating work environment. A world of workwhere competent and committed specialists are needed more than ever.

Not only educational institutions, but also companies need to make their contribution to pre -vent the threatened shortage of well-trained staff. We are keenly aware of our responsibilityhere at Logwin. Ultimately, Logwin can only develop successfully if the people in our companydevelop. When we gain and hold professional staff, when we develop the necessary specialistknowledge and impart the expertise to them today that they will need to have tomorrow andwhen we create room for new ideas. In order to achieve these goals we are training youngemployees every year, working closely together with schools, vocational colleges and universi-ties, ensuring logistics and business expertise through continuing education and training and allowing our staff to move between jobs both at home and abroad. This is how we areensuring that we will be able to deliver reliable top shelf services to our customers in future –around the world and with consistently high quality.

At this point I would like to thank all those staff who have provided an insight into their logisticswork as well as their personal logistics stories in our magazine on behalf of their 5,800 collea-gues worldwide. A cordial “Thank you” also goes to our business partners and customers, whonot only liaise with us constantly to develop new ideas and implement logistics projects, butalso fill our magazine with life.

Let’s keep things moving ahead together and enjoy another great read!

Sincerely

Berndt-Michael WinterCEO Logwin AG

As an integrated logistics andservice provider, Logwin developcomprehensive solutions for in dustry and commerce. With a staff of more than 5,800 in 38 countries around the world,Logwin offer contract logistics,international air and sea freightas well as transportation solu-tions for road and rail. Logwin’scusto mised logistics solutionshelp create sustainable growthfor its customers. To find out howthis can happen for you too, logon to www.logwin-logistics.com


3www.logwin-logistics.com – Logwin Magazine – 02|11

contents

4 From person to personMillions of people work every day toensure that goods arrive where they are needed

6 Home address: EarthCosmopolitans in logistics

8 Free, flexible, familiar Employees give personal insights intotheir working lives

10 Logistics from the past until todayA glance through generations

11 Key Account ManagementTrust, honesty, commitment – what isimportant for private relationships hasalso its worth in business

14 Mastering chaos Mumbai’s Dabbawallas are not affectedby modern logistics technology

26 News in brief Customers, projects and anniversaries

30 Competition

16 Quality from Down Under Interview with John Mutton, founder of the fashion label Herringbone Sydney

18 Green ambience for in- and outsideLogistics solutions for the Austrian garden centre chain Bellaflora

20 Adriatic hub Country report Croatia: A long road to Europe

23 Heavy, heavier, generator Logwin transports a generator for Shihlin from Spain to Taiwan

24 “Plant-based cosmetics need sustainable logistics” Interview with Karin Jaumann-Krämer and Ulrich Höptner, Yves Rocher Germany

The human side of logistics

Essential even in the 21st century

Croatia on the rise

With Europe into the future

Bellaflora

Logistics for Austria’s Green Number 1

20184

FOCUS BACKGROUND NEWSFLASH



focus the human side of logistics


LOOKING FOR THE NEXT GENERATION


LOGISTICS ALLIES

From one person to anotherHow do products get onto the shelves? Every day, millions of people in the logistics industry are at work in order to connect producers with consumers around the world. It’s hard to imagine an industry more diverse – workers range fromstaff in offices to vehicle drivers out on the road or pickers and packers in warehouses, from trainees to technicians or managers. Every single one of them works to ensure that goods travel smoothly across national borders to reach theirdestination on time. They make logistics work.

Logistics used to be known as freight forwarding. Moving things from A to B, warehouses for packaging and storage, trade between regions –these have always been part of the business. Today, as in times past,the industry stands for something solid. The people who work in logisticsare down-to-earth, thoroughly practical, and open to new ideas to buildupon and improve established processes. It’s an industry of facts andfigures: inventories, tonnages and delivery deadlines – all managedsystematically with IT systems; an industry where actions can be plan-ned, and processes remain transparent and comprehensible. Peoplewho choose to work in logistics are opting for a degree of predictabilityand solidity.

On the one hand. On the other hand, few professions demand as muchflexibility as logistics. Those in the industry must be able to find alternative solutions in as little time as possible, and they must be able todeal with the unexpected challenges posed by new technologies and a constantly changing marketplace. Acquired expertise and standardsolutions are not the only things that count; especially important inlogistics are people who – with good ideas, creativity, and the courageto use unconventional solutions – are able to find new ways to meettheir customers’ needs time and time again.

It takes all kinds

Professional drivers, IT specialists, administrators, senior managers –few industries offer a wider range of career options than the logisticsindustry. From skilled workers to university graduates, there is a needfor all kinds of people and the skills and experience they offer. Together,they form a team that works to ensure that products get to where theyare needed all over the world.

The international nature is another of the industry’s key features.Those who work in logistics work in a truly global industry. Telephonecalls and e-mails in a variety of languages to colleagues and businesspartners in every corner of the globe are all part of normal daily business.Those who want even more of an international experience can pursue

their career on any continent. There are plenty of opportunities andprospects for the future as logistics continues to grow in importancearound the world, offering people an absorbing working environmentwith new challenges every day.

Over the past few weeks, Logwin Magazine has asked staff from all over the world to tell their own stories of life in the logistics industry.On the following pages, we hear from men and from women, fromyounger staff and from some who have been working in the companyfor decades. There are those who have left their homeland behind tomove to faraway places, and those who have put down roots in their owncountry, providing consistent service for years. Each of them tells usabout their work and their personal experiences. You may even recog-nise some of them from your day-to-day contact with Logwin.

The logistics industry offers a multitude of interesting, multi-faceted careers. But in some countries, demographic changeshave led to a significant shortage of qualified personnel. In Germany, for instance, there has been a steady decline inrecent years in the number of suitable applicants for traineepositions. Companies are competing against each other, cour t -ing the best graduates in schools and universities and pro- moting themselves at career expos. Companies find somesupport in a range of national initiatives that involve tradepublications, recruitment agencies and government depart-ments working closely together to encourage young peopleentering the workforce to choose a career in logistics. Logwinis also active on this front with recruitment initiatives such as“Hallo, Zukunft!” (Hello, Future!) and “Talents for Logistics”.




Most of all, I love discovering newcountries and cultures with my hus-band, so we started together ouradventure coming to Europe fromMexico in 2006. First we went toMunich, then to Madrid, and now I’vebeen living in Hamburg for a shorttime. Spanish is spoken in both Mex -ico and in Spain, but that doesn’tmean I didn’t have language problemsin Madrid. There can be considerabledifferences in vocabulary. Now I wantto stay in Germany for a longer period to improve my language skills and tocontinue making new discoveries,both professionally and culturally.People here are very different from the Mexicans. They’re very punctualand law-abiding, amongst others. In Hamburg, for example, you don’thave to show that you’ve bought aticket every time you travel, becauseeveryone usually does. In Mexicopeople are cheerful, we love dancing,laughing and chatting with anyonenearby, whether we know them or not.And sometimes those are aspects I miss. But I am very happy here andlove to make lots of new experiences,as they make my stay very exciting.Working at Logwin has enabled this to me.

Yuri Ramirez, 30Employee Finance | Europe MiddleEast (Air + Ocean) Origin: Mexico Has lived in Munich, then worked forLogwin in Spain and is located in Ham- burg since the beginning of August

GERMANY

Home address: EarthLogistics companies offer something that was mainly the preserve of merchants, seafarers or diplomats in former centuries: a job in the big, wide world. These days, people who, in addition to their usual job, are looking for adventure,yearn to travel to distant countries, or want to experience foreign cultures or simply to improve their knowledge of languages often choose to work in the logistics industry. Logistics certainly does offer a sufficient variety of opportunities for a fulfilling professional career.

I never actually had a strong desire to travel to distantcountries. It just kept on happening to me: France,England, Luxembourg, and now Spain. I came here eight years ago with my wife. We both made an effort to get to know local people, firstly, so we could learnSpanish, as you’re pretty lost here if you don’t speak the language. The other reason is that it’s really excitingto get to know the local people. I appreciate the warm,open manner of people here very much. People are onfirst-name terms with just about everyone, and even kiss their clients on the cheek when they greet them. At first I was surprised by the high level of improvisation.If I wanted to apply my German standards of order andstructure here, I wouldn’t get far. The Spaniards have acalmer, cooler and more relaxed attitude. But of coursethere are things I miss, most of all German bread.

Joachim Hesse, 43 Country Manager Spain (Solutions) Origin: Germany Has been working for Logwinin Spain since 2003

SPAIN


I chose a career in logistics because I wanted to work in theAsian region. Logwin is an international company, which enabledme to go abroad while keeping the lines of communication with Germany open. I’m virtually never homesick now. Of course I miss my family and a few good friends, but my life is in Singa-pore. After so many years with a solid team, my colleagues arenow a kind of second family. Work is valued very highly here. In Asia it’s extremely important to have your business card withyou all the time. You barely exist without it. What I do miss is the temperate Central European climate. It would be fantasticjust to go for a walk without breaking out in a sweat. As I didsome research before I came here, there were no major surprises,apart from the high price of beer.

Paul Portscher, 49 Director Warehouse and Logistics |South East Asia (Air + Ocean)Origin: GermanyHas been working for Logwin inSingapore since 1988

SINGAPORE

I always wanted to live in Austria. My family lives in Sopron, 40kilometres away from Vienna, so I learned a little German as a child. We only spoke Hungarian at home, but both countriesmean home to me. The main reason for relocating was thelanguage, and the second was family and friends. I’m working inHungary again now, but I still have my main residence in Austria.The differences in mentality between the two countries are notvery big, but people in Hungary are a bit more rigid, traditionaland conservative. On the other hand, they are faster to switch tousing first names, and that has nothing at all to do with lack ofrespect. In theory I could see myself living in a different country,but in practice all I need is the mountains. I adore skiing, andwhat better place is there for that than Austria?

Gabriella Szováti, 37 Country Manager Hungary (Solutions)Origin: HungaryHas been working for Logwin in Hungary again since 2009, before that in Austria

AUSTRIA

Patrick Federle, 40Managing Director of the region Africa (Air + Ocean) Origin: GermanyHas been working for Logwin in South Africa since 1997

SOUTH AFRICA

In Germany I had wanderlust, and in South Africa I’m homesick. As time goes on, our image of our native land isidealised, and we only remember the good things, such asour friends. But I’m very happy here, and can’t imagineleaving South Africa at the moment. Maybe in the future.Who knows? There aren’t many things that I miss, as youcan get everything here, ranging from German goods to German television. But of course there are big differences. The society isn’t stable, as the wealth isdistributed very unevenly. The upper class lives likeEuropeans, while the lower class lives in the third world.There is virtually no middle class. Yet people are farmore optimistic, cheerful and content than in Europe.People here have a positive basic attitude to life andto everything. I think that’s admirable.




LOGISTICS AS A MISSION

Free, flexible, familiarFreedom and distance are often mentioned in the same breath. But Izabell Laday and Joachim Hesse mean somethingdifferent when they say they really enjoy the freedom their jobs give them. They mean their autonomy, the chance to shape the day so it is most effective for everyone.

A Key Account Manager’s or Country Director’s day definitely doesn’tstop at 5 p.m. Meetings with customers and business dinners some-times go on until late in the evening. Variations with time-critical trans-ports may mean that the hunt for an alternative solution continues atnight. “I don’t mind that at all,” says Izabell Laday, Hungary. “I really valuemy flexible working hours.” New technology means she can be con- tacted by email or on her mobile anywhere and anytime. At the sametime, she can do personal errands in the middle of the day. The bound-aries are fluid, but that doesn’t bother the 35-year-old: “I love my job.”

Personal leeway is another important aspect. “My job is vitally impor-tant for me. It has to be enjoyable. I really value the fact that I can organ -ise my working day myself and make decisions independently,” saysJoachim Hesse, Spain. “The processes aren’t as rigid in South Africa;everything is in flux”, Patrick Federle adds. “I can get involved, and everyday is different. That is incredibly motivating.”

Rainer Zerbst says the only real freedom is on the road. Eight yearsago, the 55-year-old swapped his desk for a truck. And he has neverregretted it: “The variety in the scenery, the weather and the seasonsalone – an office worker doesn’t experience all that in the same way.

When you see the vineyards in Trier, Germany or the rape fields in thenorth – that is freedom.” But the long-haul truck driver values somethingelse about his job: the cooperative atmosphere. “It wasn’t like that inmy office, where there was more rivalry.” The drivers really stick together.

Work time is living time

We spend over 25 per cent of our lives at work. Family and friends take over from colleagues, customers and business partners only in the evenings and on weekends. So the atmosphere at work and interpersonal relations are extremely important.

“My colleagues are like a family to me,” says Sudiyono Sn. “We workat our company as if it was our home, and go to work with a smile everyday.” Sudiyono Sn has been working for Logwin in Indonesia for 20 years.Not only has this made the business relations more solid, he has alsobeen able to expand the service offering in Jakarta in a targeted way:“I’d only be half as good at my job if I didn’t have my family and thesupport of friends and colleagues.”

Ingrid Bachmann Employee Human Resources

Aschaffenburg

Werner SanderBranch Manager

Stuttgart

Manfred SchneiderBranch Manager

Mönchengladbach

My job is vitally important for me,

it has to be enjoyableJoachim Hesse, Madrid

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Izabell LadayCountry Director Hungary

Budapest

Frank BergmannProduct Manager Ocean Freight

Aschaffenburg

Sudiyono SnCountry Director Indonesia

Jarkarta

Erich von GrambuschManager Customs Affairs

Aschaffenburg

“People are communicating more again” says IngridBachmann happily. When she started working for Logwinalmost 40 years ago, there was an atmosphere of cohe -siveness and the group was able to manage additional workand overtime. After that, there was a period when work- mates would walk past each other and barely even say hello.The young employees are now also benefiting from thenewly discovered community feeling: “In Frankfurt and laterin Aschaffenburg, the teams welcomed me with open arms,”Sebastian Lustig reports. “Our longest-serving employee isrespected by everyone. When we greenhorns are at ourwits’ end, her experience is worth its weight in gold.” FrankBergmann puts it in a nutshell: “80 per cent of our dailywork is made up of contact, of interpersonal relations, par -ticularly with business partners and customers. Ultimatelyit is people that work together, not companies.” �

My colleagues arelike a family to me

Sudiyono Sn, Jakarta

I really value my flexibleworking hours

Izabell Laday, BudapestPeople are communicating

more again!Ingrid Bachmann, Aschaffenburg

Ultimately it is peoplethat work together,

not companiesFrank Bergmann, Aschaffenburg

When Jennifer Franck (24) decided to do an ap-prenticeship in logistics about three years ago, thevariety and flexibility of the job appealed to her. She completed her apprenticeship with top marksand is now studying Business Administration spe-cialising in Logistics at university as an extra-occu-pational course. Employee Import Seafreight

Sebastian Lustig (22) is also thinking of furtherstudy, later. “After a long school time and Abitur(final school leaving certificate), I wanted to dosomething practical first, something commercial if possible. He values the variety in his job. “We’re in touch with banks, insurance companies, clientsin all the different industries, authorities and thecustoms, and it’s all on an international level. That’sexciting!“ Employee Import

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Logistics then and nowE-mail, mobile phones, the internet, and intranets – nowadays we can’t imagine a day at workwithout them, but just a few decades ago they were completely unheard of. In 2011, staff whoonce sent important documents by telex share offices with colleagues who have never used a typewriter. Each generation can learn something from the other.

Globalisation was still a foreign word when Erich von Grambusch, now67, started out in logistics. Global networks were a far-off dream. He witnessed the expansion of IT first hand. “In the 1970s I processedcustoms payments on the first imports of computer hardware. In thosedays nobody knew what these things were. Nobody knew what they wereused for so there weren’t any customs regulations.” Together with acustoms officer he drove to the import company where an engineer ex -plai ned the machines to them. The first computers continued to bedeveloped gradually, but they were still a long way from the performancecapa bilities of today. “At the time, it was simply unimaginable that therecould be a single program that could be used by different companies,”the 67-year-old recalls. Each company would get programmers todevelop applications for them – but in most cases even these would bequickly superseded.

Ingrid Bachmann still remembers clearly the days when important,urgent documents were sent by telex. “The telex machine was aboutfour times the size of a typewriter and it had a strip of paper runningthrough it. The letters were represented by patterns of holes,” explainsthe 57-year-old, who has worked for Logwin for nearly 40 years. “The text came out on a strip of paper that would then be fed into the

machine and sent.” About 90 per cent ofregular correspondence went by post,and this made communication a muchmore time-consuming process than it is today. “20 years ago, business ran inslow motion,” says Max Panunzi fromCargolux, a firm that has worked withLogwin for many years.

The high cost of keeping in touch

The office telephone has undoubtedly been around for a long time. Butbeing able to make national calls for a low flat rate, or using the internetto make calls around the world for nothing? Not by a long shot. “Tele-phone calls used to be really expensive, especially international calls.So you would only pick up the phone when you really had somethingimportant to say,” says Werner Sander, the manager of Logwin’s Stutt-gart branch and the inventor of the AirTextainer (see page 17). “These

days, communication is cheaper and easier.Email makes it possible to bring severalpeople up to date at once. The trade-off isthat we all have to battle a flood of informa-tion.”

“Everything changes,” says ManfredSchneider, branch manager in Mönchen-gladbach. “And people change, too.” Fromthe way they dress to the way they work,young staff bring a breath of fresh air to thecompany. “We senior staff need to be opento new ideas and not stand still,” the 47-year-old says. Max Panunzi is also confident that “there is a great deal we can learn fromyoung people”. The younger generationbenefits from the experience of senior col -leagues as well. “I endeavour to get youngerstaff involved in all of our pro cesses early on and introduce them to our clients so thatthey quickly get a feel for our day-to-dayoperations,” he says. It is important to ap -proach one another openly in order to ridourselves of any preconceived ideas andclear the way for constructive workingrelationships. �

From yesterday’s working worldto today’s, from an office to a truck, from East Germany toWest, Rainer Zerbst has livedin many contrasting worlds.Today, he has found his dreamjob as a truck driver, but it was a long road to get there. Havinggrown up in East Germany, hisfirst steps in the West were noteasy: “I fought for a year-and-a-half to get my qualificationsrecognised in West Germany,”he recalls. After nearly 25 yearsworking in an office, includingroles as a fleet manager, depart-mental manager and a long-distance dispatcher, the 55-year-old’s journey continues alongthe highways of Europe – and heis travelling with more passionthan ever.

LIFE EXPERIENCE OF THE SPECIAL KIND

Max PanunziDirector Global AccountManagement at Cargolux



KEY ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

The mission: Customer loyalty Healthy relationships are based on mutual trust, honesty, commitment and a little sensitivity every now and then. The principles that apply to personal relationships are no different in business relationships. These days more than ever before, good relationships with customers are vital to a business’s success. Key account managers play a major role in building and maintaining these relationships. Their specific focus is looking after customers who generate substantial revenue or are otherwise strategically important.

Manufacturers, suppliers and retailers acrossall industries – especially those operatingacross several countries or right around theglobe – expect their logistics providers to de -liver transnational service, integrated pack-ages and centralised support (“one face to thecustomer”). Unlike businesses that manufac-ture and sell products and merchandise, thelogistics industry deals in services that cannotbe stockpiled. However, logistics is much thesame as other industries in that its servicesmust constantly be modified or re-invented toadapt to changes in the marketplace and the

needs of its customers. To meet this challenge,logistics companies are making increasing use of customer relationship or key accountmanagement strategies to gain a crucial com -petitive advantage.

Tailored service – an absolute must

The commercial relationships involved in con -tract logistics are generally more complex andof a longer duration as for example when pur -

chasing a product or replaceable service.Before two companies enter into a businessrelation ship, there is an initial stage in whichdetailed information is exchanged. This oftentakes the form of a structured selection anddecision-making process – for example, infor -mation requests followed by quotation re-quests. This preliminary selection process, orlead-up phase, varies in intensity dependingon the nature of the type of business. The serv -ice provider’s main task is not only to providethe potential customer with effective advice,but also to lay the foundation for a good


Good customer management is the basic prerequisite for every contract.

In another way: Without customer management, there’s no deal

Thomas Dalsaß, Managing Director at Brax



relation-ship. “Good customer management is the basicprerequisite for every contract,” says Thomas Dalsaß,Managing Director at Brax, a clothing manufacturer andLogwin customer. “Or to put it another way, without custo-mer management, there’s no deal.” When it comes to itsservice provider, be sides the technical expertise he alsovalues having a rela tionship of trust with the people hedeals with. Once esta blished, it’s a relationship that conti-nues to develop through reliability, loyalty and the willing-ness to be there for one another.

Stage two: customer loyalty

When a deal is done, and the relationship between companyand customer is sealed, the next task is to maintain thatconnection for as long as possible. This is not somethingthat happens by itself. Once a customer has been acqui-red, the next phase consists of customer loyalty manage-ment. A solid basis on which to build trust is essential. Part of this is stability in personnel to minimise the lossesthat can result when a customer’s familiar contact is nolonger there. This is where key account managers come in.They serve as a central point of contact for all sales-relatedissues and, as such, have sufficient ambit to deal fully withthe current and future needs of their customers.

As a logistics partner we want to be operating on an eye level with our customers – in a proactive and integrated way

Karen Klement, Key Account Manager Industrial at Logwin

KEY ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

Key account management is defined as an area per -forming specific work and/or with special resour-ces dedicated to a company’s most significant (key)customers. This includes providing special services,communications and business terms and conditions,but also cultivating relationships with key people(decision-makers) within the customer organisation.Key account management also functions as amanagement system with a particular organisatio-nal structure such as a key account manager or akey account team and with special planning, controland information systems.

Because the concept encompasses both instru-mental aspects (KAM activities) as well as aspectsof implementing a customer loyalty managementsystem (KAM systems), it is considered to be aspecial model of customer loyalty management. Thesuccess of key account management is greatlydependent upon the degree to which it is embeddedwithin a company. It has been proven that compa-nies will pursue a successful strategy for growth andprosperity if they single out truly premium custo-mers, cultivate them, and win them over for the longterm with win-win solutions and partnering arrange-ments.

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Shirley Soh now has written confirmation of her outstanding relationshipmanagement abilities. In December 2010, Rapiscan Systems awarded the32-year-old key account manager from Malaysia a certificate of recognitionfor excellent customer service. Shirley Soh has been working for Logwin forover four years and has been looking after Rapiscan Systems in Malaysia for the past two years. The company manufactures scanners employed forinstance in airports and by customs officials worldwide. Logwin organisestheir ocean, air and road freight transports as well as customs services.

“I am in contact with many Rapiscan Systems staff, actually with the wholecompany,” explains Shirley Soh. Right from the outset, building a goodrelationship was very important to her. “It is fun to put yourself in the shoesof the customer and learn more about how they think and act.” In 2010 theaward was given to someone outside the company for the first time; previ -ously the company had only honoured their own employees for outstandingperformance. “Shirley Soh is our unsung hero,” declared Gurdeep Singh,Managing Director of Rapiscan in Malaysia, who presented the certificate.Both were very happy with the award. “I am very glad that the customer valuesmy efforts for their company so highly,” responded Shirley Soh.

Stephan Krajewski is a key account managerat Logwin. He looks after a range of customersin the fashion industry. “I meet with all of mykey account customers at least twice a year;with some every month,” he explains. Thefrequency of meetings depends mainly on thecomplexity of the service Logwin provides to a customer. These face-to-face meetings are ofenormous importance for both parties. Theynot only provide an opportunity to discuss cur -rent projects, some of which may be opera-tional, but also serve as a forum in which impro-vements can be suggested and strategicadvice given – which, in a best-case scenario,can lead to an increase in the volume of busi-ness done between the parties. As a centralpoint of contact, a key account manager mayalso be presented with operational issues. “I of course favour those ‘issues’ when custo-mers come to me with a problem they’re ha -ving with another service provider, and theyask me how something could be done better”adds Stephan Krajewski.

It goes without saying that key customersvary significantly and therefore a variety ofdifferent capabilities are called for in order toprovide tailored, customer-oriented service

I am in contact with many staff on customerside, actually

with the whole companyShirley Soh, Key Account Manager at Logwin

CUSTOMER SERVICE PAR EXCELLENCE

and support. “The crucial thing is to know the company well, to knowthe relevant contact person in the various sections of the company, and to know what their requirements are in terms of logistics, or whatthey could be in future, in relation to the company’s current and futureproducts. As a logistics partner we want to be operating on an eye levelwith our customers – in a proactive and integrated way,” explains Karen Klement, Key Account Manager Industrial at Logwin. The contractlogistics business involves selling complex, tailored logistics solutionsand services that require detailed explanation. This is often based onbenchmark projects and, therefore, on building trust. With trust beingsuch a crucial element, it follows that the work of key account managersis to build particularly close relationships with their customers.

Strength through teamwork

Key account managers cannot by themselves solve every problem their customers have; they won’t know the answer to every questionstraight away. The customer-focussed team at Logwin – from key ac -count managers and branch managers, right through to warehouse staffand heavy vehicle drivers – discuss the issues and find solutions together. This forms the basis of long-term business relationships withan emphasis on win-win relationships. �

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Indians love a hot meal prepared at home, so 5,000 Mumbai dabba-walas deliver around 200,000 home-made meals to commuters everyday. At lunchtime a metal food container, known as a Tiffin box, arrivespunctually on the desks of managers, staff, public servants or students.

Un-erring sense of direction

The working-day of a dabbawala begins around nine o’clock in themorning in the suburbs on the edge of Mumbai, in some cases dozensof kilometres from the city centre. He will knock on around 40 frontdoors, collecting Tiffin boxes that the mothers and wives have alreadyprepared for the men’s lunch. The dabbawala carries them all to theclosest railway station on a hand drawn cart or miraculously on a bicycle.But then the apparent chaos begins. Other dabbawalas have alreadyassembled on the platform, throwing their Tiffin boxes into the mix. Thenewly arrived containers are quickly whisked from their prior orderlyarrangement, landing in huge loading baskets. Stacked in this manner,they make their way in overfilled trains to one of Mumbai’s metropolitanrailway stations to meet up with thousands of Tiffin boxes coming fromall directions. Barely arrived, they are all shuffled again. Finally, the food containers set off on the last leg of their journey throughthe incredibly congested streets. Dabbawalas deliver thehome-cooked meals to office buildings across the cityon foot or by bicycle.

Automatically guided

It is incredibly difficult to keep track when somany consignments cross paths. Logistics com -panies face similar challenges to the dabbawalas.The main difference is that logistics service providersemploy modern technology in such cases to ensure uninter-rupted documentation of the consignment paths. One of the most multi-faceted is RFID.

An RFID tag stores information about the consignment, its route andthe recipient. These data are recorded wirelessly “in passing” – simulta-neously from all tags within range.

Packages with RFID tags are like travellers who find their own way totheir hotel and are able to check in and out without assistance from staff.

Each time a package passes a wireless barrier, whether atthe warehouse gate or in thevehicle cargo hold, the systemautomatically records thechange in location. At the sametime, it reads the destinationand recipient data. In this way,the intelligent packages com-municate their different routesto an automatic sorting ma-chine. They guide themselves to the right loading ramp and their ulti -mate destination in each case. From pickup to delivery, the preciselocation of the packages can always be determined and whether theyare heading in the right direction. Losses and incorrect deliveries arevirtually impossible.

The RFID tag can do even more: It is able to transmit informationfrom the enclosed sensors. During the shipment of sensitive goods forexample, they provide information about temperature, humidity orvibrations. If GPS is added, then the exact location of the package canbe determined and how it “feels” at the time.

Well coded, safely delivered

Back in Mumbai: The temperature of the food in the container remains pleasant until midday, withthe dabbawala suffering more from the humiditythan his payload and both bearing the vibrations with

the same degree of composure. But how does thedabbawala ensure that the Tiffin box reaches the right

recipient?Dabbawalas have no computer, no database, no lists –

most of them can’t even read. They don’t even use their ownvehicle the whole way, but rely largely on the Mumbai Suburban RailwayService. It is not uncommon for a meal to cover a distance of 70 kilome-tres. No one would be surprised if they ended up with the wrong steamingmeal in front of them or even no meal at all. In actual fact, on averageonly one in every 16 million containers fails to reach the right customer.

EFFICIENT LOGISTICS 2011

Mastering chaosTechnologies such as RFID are revolutionising logistics, with IT and GPS showing the way for automated and “intelligent” consignments. Nevertheless, time appears to be standing still in Mumbai. The rapidly expanding Indian metropolis has seen the development and growth of a unique logistics profession, the ‘dabbawala’. Their tools have hardly changed in 120 years.



The chaotic “tussle” at the train stations actually adheres to a strictsystem: A smart combination of numbers, letters and colours on thefood containers prevents mixups. The code specifies precisely whichdabbawala picks up the Tiffin boxes in the morning and which trainconnection takes the meal to which city train station. The experienceddabbawala also recognises who is responsible for the delivery and theoffice building where it is to be delivered. The railway station platformfunctions as a hub with a sorting facility.

All for one – One for all

Functionally, the dabbawala code is the equivalent of an RFID tag or abarcode. However, the code can only fulfil its function if someone readsand understands it and acts accordingly – in actual fact several people.And this is where the real secret to the efficiency of the whole system lies:Teamwork and reliability. A dabbawala does not necessarily deliver theTiffin boxes he picks up himself. Initially, he organises the “procurement”in a residential suburb. The subsequent “distribution” is performed by a dabbawala colleague who is responsible for a specified delivery zoneat a certain railway station destination. Each dabbawala must be able to depend 100 per cent on the fact that all others will attend to their partof the route just as reliably.

Managers around the world are amazed by the dabbawalas’ effi-ciency. Their system is successful because it is simple and local. Despitethe massive overall number of customers, each dabbawala has a clear,delineated scope of responsibility. All the procedures are tailored to thedaily delivery of meals on precisely the same routes. There is littlevariation and the routes remain largely unchanged. The delivery serviceis economical because it utilises existing local public transport infra-structure, thereby reducing investment, operating and maintenancecosts to a minimum. The most vital factor contributing to the notablequality of the logistics service is the people. The self concept and workethic of the dabbawalas elevate their service to a unique level – theyfeel a personal obligation to their business and their customers. This isbecause the dabbawalas are not employees, but each one is a self-employed entrepreneur who cooperates with other “shareholders”.They are also spiritual. It is good karma to deliver food to others.

Irreplaceable abilities

The delivery service in Mumbai is based on people. Similarly, automatedlogistics processes cannot function properly without them either. Onlyhumans are able to respond quickly to certain unpredictable situations.Humans are the only ones who can apply memory and personal experi-ence to new situations, can check something with their eyes, nose, earsor hands or read between the lines. �

RFID (radio frequency identification) technology is particularlyinteresting for shipping large quantities. Instead of scanning eachindividual RFID tag, the data for all consignments is wirelesslyrecorded simultaneously–up to several kilobytes per consignment.

The global positioning system (GPS) allows the exact positionto be tracked globally with the aid of navigation satellites. Therequisite transponders can be easily installed in delivery vehi-cles. Modern IT solutions combine the advantages of new tech-nologies and adapt their use to the particular requirements ineach case.

The dabbawalas (from “dabba” food container and “wala” carrier)belong to the Malva cast and are descendants of the soldiers ofShivaji, the warrior king. The delivery service started in the 1880sand has grown organically since then as the city and client num-bers have expanded. Vacant positions are filled by relatives fromthe same village upon recommendation from the village elders.The Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association has been officiallyregistered as a charitable foundation since 1956. Four experi-enced dabbawalas (mukadams) oversee the 15 to 25 memberscomprising a team. Although the teams compete amongst eachother for new customers, they work together on deliveries in a dis -ciplined manner. The dabbawalas charge a customer between150 and 300 Rupees per month (approx. F2.40 – F4.80). The pro -fit is shared equally among all members of a team. Consequently, a dabbawala earns between 5000 and 6000 Rupees a month –a considerable income in India.

RFID TECHNOLOGY

INDIA’S DABBAWALAS


interview

INTERVIEW WITH JOHN MUTTON / HERRINGBONE SYDNEY

Quality from Down UnderThe Australian fashion label Herringbone Sydney has stood for high end men’s fashion since 1997. Discerning clients all over the world swear by the Australian brand-name products. Logwin Magazine spoke with company founder John Mutton about the journey from the first shirt to becoming a global player.

John Mutton, co-founder of the Austral -ian fashion label Herringbone Sydney

Logwin Magazine: Mr Mutton, you’re thefounder and managing director of the Herring-bone fashion label. Did you train as a tailor orfashion designer?John Mutton: Neither – my background hadnothing at all to do with fashion. I trained as abanker.

Logwin Magazine: How does a banker get theidea of creating a fashion label?John Mutton: I went to London for workreasons in 1995 and discovered a totally newquality of men’s fashion there: fine fabrics,elaborate cuffs and exquisite ties. That qualityjust wasn’t available in Australia at the time. It was a real gap in the market.

Logwin Magazine: How did you turn this gap in the marketinto a functioning business model? John Mutton: An Australian colleague and I already beganlooking for good fabrics and patterns while we were inLondon. Back in Sydney we found an 80-year-old mastertailor who sewed the first 450 shirts for us. We then soldthem during the lunch break. We used to set up our littlestand in the foyers of large office buildings in Sydney’scentral business district. Our potential customers had towalk past us. They were allowed to try the shirts on atleisure in their offices. This unconventional, personal styleof marketing worked, and we turned over 25,000 Austral -ian dollars in one week. Two years later, in 1997, we openedour own store, right in the middle of the central businessdistrict, not far from the famous opera house and SydneyHarbour Bridge.



AirTextainer:crease-free delivery

Logwin transports hanging garmentssafely and crease-free to their desti-nation in the AirTextainer. The transportbox consists of a standard woodenpallet with a metal frame and an externalcovering made of reinforced corrugatedcardboard and weather resistant film.The AirTextainer had its maiden flight in1994. Werner Sander, manager of Log-win’s air freight branch in Stuttgart, developed the transport box together with a packaging manufacturer.

The AirTextainer is easy to assemble and dismantle, can be easilyloaded from all sides and is designed to accommodate hanging garments of differentlengths at the same time. This space-saving hanging method provides optimised spaceutilisation compared with a standard container. The AirTextainer comes in four sizes.The XL size takes about 365 suits or 1,430 blouses.

Originally developed for air freight, the AirTextainer is also suitable for other carriers.Approximately 5,000 AirTextainers are moved around the globe each year.

John Mutton: I have learned a great deal per -sonally through working with an internationalpartner. I have made fantastic business con-tacts as well as new friendships.

We are achieving more together in our busi -ness relationship, too. Synergy effects in pur -chasing are happening almost automatically.Moreover, we were sourcing our fabrics fromthe same Italian weavers even before our col -la boration with van Laack. With van Laack’ssupport, we now have better trading opportu-nities on international markets and a largecapital base behind us. In addition, we are be n -efiting from the company’s long years ofexperience and its productive capacities. Weare now having our shirts manufactured in thevan Laack factory in Vietnam. Our ties comefrom Turkey or Tunisia and our suits from China.

Logwin Magazine: What does this interna- tionalisation mean for the logistical area ofyour business?John Mutton: Obviously we needed a logisticsexpert who could organise international transport reliably, but also one with particular exper -tise in fashion logistics. Van Laack’s experi-ence with Logwin had been positive for manyyears, so it was clear that we could entrust

HERRINGBONE SYDNEY

Herringbone Sydney was founded byJohn Mutton and Mathew Jensen in1997. The fashion label began by manu-facturing and selling quality fashion for men. The range now also includesquality women’s fashion. The maintarget group is urban business clientsaged between 25 and 50.

Since August 2011 HerringboneSydney has offered tailor-made clothes.Using the new Made to Order Service,the customer chooses the fabric,pattern, lining, cuffs, buttons or collarsfor shirts, suits and other outerwear,provides their measurements and ob -tains an individual item of clothing.

Herringbone Sydney employs 50full-time staff and the same number of part-time staff. The name “Herring-bone” (bone pattern of the herringfish) is derived from the fabric struc-ture of one of the firm’s first shirts.

Logwin Magazine: But you didn’t leave it atone shop …John Mutton: Of course we did our best toexpand. The demand was there. More and moremen were realising the importance of lookingelegant. Besides, it was quite easy to get a loanat the time. This meant we were able to takeover the tailoring and expand our businessrapidly. Not long afterwards, we had 14 shopsof our own all over Australia selling our prod -ucts.

Logwin Magazine: Did you try to get estab-lished abroad?John Mutton: Of course. We began selling toNew Zealand very early on. Right from thestart we were reaching customers all over theworld through our Internet sales. But we wantto establish Herringbone Sydney even morestrongly as an international brand. That’s why we’re now setting up shops in Singapore,Dubai and the EU as well.

Logwin Magazine: In 2008 HerringboneSydney was in crisis. It was then bought by vanLaack, the traditional fashion company inMönchengladbach, Germany, in 2009. Whathave you gained from this association?

our procurement and distribution logistics toLogwin. And it has paid off. For example, the AirTextainer can reduce the payload in thetransport of hanging garments by up to 46 percent. This means we reduce weight and savemoney on every single shipment.

Logwin Magazine: What other countrieswould you like to conquer with the Herring-bone Sydney brand in the coming years?John Mutton: We take every opportunity as itcomes. We’re open to everything.

Logwin Magazine: Many thanks for theinterview!

LOGWIN AND HERRINGBONE

Herringbone Sydney has been a Log-win customer since 2009. Logwinorganises imports from Europe, theFar East and South East Asia by airand sea freight. In Australia, Logwinlooks after the warehousing and thedelivery of hanging garments andpacked clothing to the shops. Thefashion industry is fast-moving andhighly competitive, so Logwin alwaysresponds promptly and flexibly to the customers’ needs. This meansthat shirts, ties or shoes can alwaysbe ready for sale at the right time.



SUCCESSFUL FOR BELL AFLOR A

Green ambience for inside and outside

Austria’s “Green Number 1”, the garden centre chain bellaflora, is reorganising its logistics system. The company has developed a new

centralised supply concept in close cooperation with Logwin. The logistics company Logwin has been doing a variety of tasks for bellaflora for

17 years now, ranging from procurement from the Far East via picking through to the disposal of packaging material.

Not everyone with a garden is blessed with agreen thumb. However, with the right gardentools, even amateur gardeners can create alittle paradise of their own. bellaflora, Austria’slargest specialised garden market chain, hasall the right products for gardens. The companyhas been selling plants, gardening accessoriesand decorative items in Austria since 1978.

Logwin transported the first containers for Austria’s “Green Number 1” back in 1994.Change is currently under way in the logisticsfor the garden centre. bellaflora is movingfrom a decentralised system to a new centralsystem for supplying the branches, and Log-win’s new role will also be central.

Asia, Hamburg, Linz

bellaflora means ‘beautiful flower’. In order tolive up to its name, bellaflora believes in shorttransport routes for live plants, which comefrom market gardens or nurseries in the vicinityof each centre. However, bellaflora importsgardening accessories and decorative items

from all over the world. Logwin has been pro -curing some of this “hardware” from the FarEast, primarily China, since the beginning ofthe collaboration. About 100 standard containers are transported by ship to the port of Hamburg each year, and the planters, bas -ketry, decorative items or artificial plants then travel on to Linz by train.

Up to now these products were brought to -gether with other products sourced by bella-flora from Poland, Denmark, Italy, the Nether-lands or Germany, only when they arrived atthe individual garden centres. Domestic andforeign suppliers delivered to the branchesdecentrally, with each supplier arriving at thegarden markets in their delivery van to handout rubber boots or watering cans. This ischanging now, as the new logistics system will affect all the hardware. bellaflora’s man-aging director, Nikolaus Thaller M.A., says, “This concept will enable us to control our flow of goods more efficiently and thus to offer our customers even higher availability of goods”.

BELLAFLORA

bellaflora was founded in 1978 andwas originally a regional nurserybusiness. 33 years later, the companyis still committed to a regional focus.Today, bellaflora operates 24 gardencentres in seven Austrian provinces,has approximately 500 employees andabout 1.7 million customers each year.The turnover has grown constantly inrecent years. The range covers around25,000 articles in the areas of garden,decorative items and living ambience.Environmental protection and sustain -ability are important for the “GreenNumber 1”. bellaflora was one of thefirst Austrian companies to stock awide range of organic products. Now,with its bellaflora brand “biogarten”(organic garden), bellaflora is the lead -ing supplier of organic fruit and vege-table plants, organic herbs, organicfertiliser and organic herbicides.


19

projects

48 hours in the transit warehouse

Since July 2011, Logwin has been the central hub for deliver -ies to the bellaflora stores, as Logwin now looks after thecross-docking for the hardware suppliers. The productsarrive at the Logwin warehouse in Linz, and from there thelogistics company takes over the bundled distribution. The changeover is taking place in steps and should be com -pleted during the 2012 financial year. Then Logwin will use 900 square metres of its storage space in Linz for thebellaflora products. In this transit warehouse, the staff sort and pick and pack all incoming goods quickly anddeliver them to the 24 garden centres via the Logwin retailnetwork. This means the articles spend only an average of 48 hours in the warehouse.

The reorganisation of the logistics system is alsochanging the delivery structure for Logwin. “Deliveries usedto be sporadic and order-related”, explains Dr MichaelPlakolb, Manager Sales and Key Account Management forSales and Logistics Engineering at the Logwin businesssegment Solutions. While up to now goods for bellaflorahave been arriving at the Logwin warehouse in Linz aboutonce a week, Logwin expects one delivery per day in thefuture. This also means that goods will leave the ware-house more frequently too: “There will be regular deliveriesto the stores too, once a week in the low season, and twice a week in the high season,” says Dr Michael Plakolb.He anticipates there will be 6,500 outgoing pallets per year and that around seven full-time workers will be workingonly for bellaflora.

Furthermore, the introduction of Radio Frequency Iden -tification (RFID) is planned for next year. Then the transportboxes can be “married” to the goods. The unambiguousassignment of each consignment to a load device or typeof loading equipment means that bellaflora will know atany time which goods are located where.

Once just useful, now also beautiful

Flowerpots and watering cans have always been usefuleveryday items. But in the 21st century they are decorativetoo. They can be trendy, elegant or colourful and fit per-fectly into the interior design. bellaflora has developed thisinto a new business idea and has introduced the productworld “ambiente” (ambience) with exclusive decorationsand unusual gift ideas. This new sales model has led to a constant increase in incoming products for Logwin too.Dr Michael Plakolb estimates that Logwin is importingseveral thousand article groups for bellaflora. Beside thestandard bellaflora products there is also room for otherarticles and items in the Logwin warehouse. “We occa-sionally need additional storage space, such as for new openings, renovations or advertising campaigns such as at Christmas,” says Nikolaus Thaller M.A..

However Logwin’s work does not end with handlinggoods. Artificial plants, for example, are shipped fromabroad in individual parts. Logwin staff in Linz then put theindividual components together and put the artificialplants into pots. Only then are they ready for display on theshelves. In addition, Logwin is responsible for the labellingand the disposal of the packaging material. Logwin has beenprocessing around 500 bellaflora items per year up to now.“This number will multiply in the future too,” says Dr MichaelPlakolb.

With the support of its logistics service provider, bella-flora can continue to focus on its core competencies:making sure there are beautiful gardens and tasteful homesall over Austria for both professionals and amateurs. �

www.logwin-logistics.com – Logwin Magazine – 02|11



Croatia’s long road to EuropeThe Balkans has long been seen as Europe’s trouble spot. Following Slovenia, Croatia is now the second former Yugoslavian state to make the leap into the European Union.

Adriatic hub

Croatia is still a significant transhipment and transit zone today. Twopan-European transportation corridors intersect here: Central Europe/Turkey and Adriatic / Ukraine-Baltic. The country is now investingheavily in improving its transportation infrastructure to profit economi-cally from its geographic location and to lay the foundation stones for a successful future. This is particularly evident in the construction ofmotorways, but also bridges and tunnels. With only 300 km of motor-ways in 1996, Croatia is aiming to have 1,365 km completed by 2013.This makes it the fastest growing motorway network in Europe. The new routes are creating an uninterrupted thoroughfare right across the country, from the Serbian border in the northeast via Zagreb andthen from there on to the Adriatic coast and down to Dalmatia.

Diving off the Croatian coast is like travelling back in time. Barnaclecovered planks, muddy amphora, remnants of old ropes, coins and allkinds of weathered everyday objects litter the floor of the blue greenAdriatic depths, testimony to the lively commercial trade in this part ofthe Mediterranean through the ages.

Croatia lies directly on the route from Asia to Central Europe. Its long coast is dotted with numerous natural harbours and bays with crys -tal clear water. It is for this reason that vital trade routes have passedthrough here and across the country since antiquity. Throughout historyforeign forces have been attracted by its favourable position. The Greeks,Romans, Venetians, Ottomans and Habsburgers all left their mark onCroatia’s development, either through colonisation, war or even politicalsubjugation.

country profile



The country’s main commercial harbour in Rijeka (Fiume) is also linked to the networkto facilitate rapid ongoing transportation of maritime shipments by road. Shippingtraffic from Asia and the eastern Mediterranean in particular can reach the Europeanhinterland via Croatia’s Adriatic ports in no time at all. In addition to the roads, theinternal waterways of the Danube and its tributaries as well as its seven internationalairports offer multi-modal transportation options. In contrast, Croatia’s ageingrailway network is in dire need of modernisation.

The first step is the hardest

The need for structural redevelopmentcan be partly explained by the country’srecent history. The Second World War was followed by 45 years of socialism anda planned economy in Serbian dominatedYugoslavia. The fall of the iron curtain thenheralded the transition to the free marketeconomy in all of East and South-EastEurope. In the middle of this process Cro -atia declared its independence fromYugoslavia on 25 June 1991. It was onlyafter five years of war that the newlycreated Republic of Croatia found somerespite. The conflict hit the country veryhard also economically. During the con-flict industrial production declined, markets collapsed, skilled workers emi-grated and tourists stayed away. In addi-tion, there were the costs of reconstruc-tion and sup porting internal refugees.

Despite the challenging start, progressin the nascent republic was gradual butsteady. Prior to the global financial crisis,Croatia posted average economic growthof around five per cent. Substantial directforeign investment – from foreign Croatsas well – contributed greatly to this figure.The tourism industry delivers the largestportion of GDP at over 20 per cent. Every

year over 10 million guests now visit the country, which is only 56,542 square kilometres in size. Other significant business sectors are the mineral fuel industry,ship building along the Adriatic coast, food production and textile manufacturing.Already now over 60 per cent of foreign trade is with EU countries, with Italy and Ger -many as the major partners. Among other things, Croatia exports petroleum, food,electronics, machinery, raw materials, textiles and garments.

In the wake of the global recession experts reckon with renewed modest growthof approximately 1.5 per cent in Croatia in 2011. Despite the slight upturn, the coun-try is still facing economic challenges. For instance, the Croatian currency (Kuna) is overvalued by 15-20 per cent. Although this keeps inflation relatively low, it makesCroatian goods relatively expensive abroad – creating an export barrier. Conse-quently, Croatia suffers from a constant negative foreign trade balance. With a viewto arresting this trend, the Croatian government is implementing initiatives to createa positive investment environment and boost Croatian exports. These measuresinclude for example tax relief and reduced customs tariffs.

Deep canyons, rounded hills, bare boulder strewngorges, free standing rock formations, wide steppeswith little vegetation: The American prairie as seenby German movie-goers in the 1960s. But many KarlMay Eurowesterns were actually shot in Croatia.

The palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian in Split is a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site. It houses many of the lively harbour city’sshops and markets as well as its ancient Cathedral St. Duje.

CROATIA

� Capital: Zagreb (784,900 inhabitants in 2006)� Inhabitants: 4,489,409 (Estimate 2009)� Area: 56,542 m2

� Length of coast: 1,778 km

ITALY

BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA

ITALY SLOVENIA HUNGARY

MONTENEGRO

SERBIA

Sisak

Pula

Rijeka VukovarOsijek

Zagreb

ZadarSibenik

Dubrovnik

AD

RI A T I C

SE A

PURE NATURE AND BROAD EXPANSES

From Socialism to joining the EU: The young generation looks ahead optimistically.

Split

Ploce


“Pearl of the Adriatic”: The entire historic city centre ofDubrovnik is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts

countless visitors by land and ocean routes every year.

country profile

As early as the 17th Century Croatian soldiers werewearing a neckerchief knotted in a special way. A Croatian

regiment, the “Royal Cravates” (Royal Croats) was in theservice of the French at that time and it was on these

soldiers that Ludwig XIV discovered the fashionableexotic neckband. He began to wear one himself,thus popularising it first in France and then in Europe.The tie took its name from the original wearers:

“cravate” – cravat in English. Over the centuries it hasevolved into its present day form.

Today’s tie signifies style, both in business andsocial life, usually being manufactured from silk. It is

claimed that there are 180 different ways of binding a tie.

Croatia has much to offer its visitors: Tourists are attracted notonly by the magnificent landscape of the Pannonian Plain and theDinaric Alps, but also by Croatia’s Adriatic coast. With a totallength of 1,778 kilometres and hundreds of offshore islands it is aparadise for sailors, divers and water sports enthusiasts of allkinds. Its pristine waters make it especially popular. It is off Croa-tia and Cyprus that the best water quality in the Mediterraneancan be found.

STRONG IN TOURISM

Into a European future

Almost exactly 20 years after the declaration of independ -ence, EU leaders have expressed their support for Croatia’sbid to join the community of states. The process took eightyears from submitting the application until its approval. Theprocess was initially delayed by Croatia’s lack of coopera-tion with the war crimes tribunal in The Hague and a borderdispute with Slovenia. Croatia utilised the time for compre-hensive reforms. Therefore, alignment of the political, eco -nomic and social systems to EU standards is well advanced.Consequently, Croatia will be admitted as the 28th mem-ber of the EU on 1 July 2013. Until then, the country will con -tinue to be closely monitored by the EU. Brussels seeks to ensure that Croatia stays on course. Further reforms areparticularly necessary in the areas of law and basic rights.Work also needs to be done in the fight against corruption.

Owing to the crisis in nearby Greece, the Croatianpeople are not quite as euphoric as they were at the outsetof membership negotiations. Scepticism about additionalfinancial burdens is intensified by concern that the largemembers will overwhelm them politically – a concern sharedby all other small EU member states. Nevertheless, indus -try and tourism are hoping for more customers and salesfrom the large national economies in the union. All in all,there are many good reasons for Croatia to look toward abright future. �

BUSINESS ATTIRE BASICS


Shihlin Electric & Engineer -ing Corporation is one ofthe leading manufacturersof transformers in Taiwan. The company was founded in 1955 andnow employs around 3,800 staff in Taiwan, China and Vietnam. In addition to transformers, Shihlin Electric also manufacturespanels and switchgear as well as products for factory automation,industrial machines, various types of circuit breakers, and com-ponents for vehicle engines.

SHIHLIN


FROM SPAIN TO TAIWAN

Heavy, heavier,generator 146 tonnes, 234 cubic metres, 17 crates – these are thefigures behind a very special project that Logwin wasinvolved in this spring. The logistics service provider ar -ranged the shipping of several large generator compo-nents from Spain to Taiwan for the client Shihlin Electric.

Time and again, the ability to improvise is essential when shippingparticularly heavy, bulky goods. For a load that weighs 146 tonnes andconsists of crates with a total volume of 234 cubic metres, it’s not acase of ‘any old cargo ship will do’. For Shihlin Electric, one of Taiwan’sleading transformer manufacturers carrying out the relevant project on behalf of TPC (Taiwan Power Company), Logwin handled the taskexpertly, shipping a total of 17 crates from Spain to Kaohsiung in Taiwan. Once in operation at its destination, the generator will supporta hydroelectric power station that will turn the water resources heldbetween the Wushe and Wuchieh dams into clean electricity.

The project got tricky even before it came to finding a charter operatorwith the capacity to carry the heavy load. “Originally our client wantedto order all the components they needed from Slovenia,” explains SimonKuan, Logwin’s Sales & Marketing Manager in Taipei, Taiwan. “But someof them were so large that the Slovenian company was unable to makethem.” An alternative was found in Spain – a manufacturer of pumpsand underwater motors produced the required components.

Mediterranean instead of Atlantic

It was planned to transport the heavy crates about 90 kilometers fromthe production plant in Beasain, near the Basque city of San Sebastián,to the port of Bilbao, from where they would be shipped. But on thescheduled day of departure, the cargo ship could not get a docking per -mit. A quick change of plans and, instead of going via the Atlantic, theXXL freight headed to the Mediterranean port of Tarragona, 500 kilo -meters away, to begin its voyage to Taiwan from there. “We workedclosely with our colleagues in Spain throughout this process,” SimonKuan says.

39 days later the ship reached the port of Kaohsiung. “We know that it is not easy to book a load of this size from Spain to Taiwan,” says Cong Ming Wu, project manager at Shihlin. “So we didn’t set a specificdeadline at the start of the project; we simply relied on Logwin to makethe shipping happen as quickly as possible.”

Right from the start, the project’s biggest challenge was the weightinvolved. At 61.5 tonnes, the rotor was the heaviest component of thegenerator. It weighed 1.5 tonnes more than the maximum the ship’sonboard crane could lift. Personnel overcame this challenge with theaid of an additional mobile crane. “Our project requirements changedseveral times since the initial planning began, this often can’t be avoided,” Cong Ming Wu says. “Logwin adjusted to the new plans everytime. They were flexible and able to improvise, and they carried out the as signment to our complete satisfaction.” �

project



interview

LOGWIN DELIVERS TO YVES ROCHER

“Plant-based cosmetics needsustainable logistics”Nature is an inexhaustible reservoir for the French cosmetics manufacturerYves Rocher. Specialists at its laboratories search for new and powerful plant-based substances for effective beauty and care products. Logistics managersat Yves Rocher hit upon Logwin in their search for environmentally friendlydelivery solutions to their stores.

Logwin Magazin: How do you define sustainable logistics?Karin Jaumann-Krämer, Director Administration and IT, ShopsCentral Europe at Yves Rocher Germany:The most important aspect for us as a cosmetics manufacturer is thesubject of packaging. Our articles must satisfy a number of varyingdemands. Bottles, tins and tunes must protect their contents but mustalso be aesthetically appealing to the customer. It doesn’t matter ifproducts are packed in cardboard, glass, metal or plastic – they mustlook good in the store. That’s why we require a secure outer package for storage and transportation that will protect them from all types ofdamage. It’s here that Logwin offers a persuasive concept with recy-cling and reusable containers. This fits in well with our strategy.

Logwin Magazine: How does recycling work exactly?Karin Jaumann-Krämer: Each time Logwin makes a delivery they col -lect packaging materials such as paper, cardboard boxes and films and take them for recycling. This is particularly important since we onlyhave very limited storage space in our shops which we need for ourstock. If in the course of further collaboration we implement our plansfor reusable containers the process would basically involve Logwindelivering full containers and taking the empty containers back withthem. The advantage here is that this would allow us to drasticallyreduce packaging material and conserve natural resources.

Logwin Magazine: Are there additional environmental aspects tomention here?Ulrich Höptner, Director Specialist Shops, Central Europe at Yves Rocher: When I think of the environment I think above all of trans-port. It is important for us that our products cause as little CO2 aspossible in reaching their destination. Logwin meets these requirements.They plan all their routes to ensure that delivery vehicles are optimally

loaded and thereby avoid unnecessary journeys – that’soptimal handling of fuel.

Logwin Magazine: Besides the sustainability aspect, what was it that clinched the deal for Logwin?Ulrich Höptner: First, the personal contact. Wehave known our contact, Andreas Zinnkann, formany years. He has always given us good adviceon various matters. Second, we know thatLogwin can call on extensive experience inretail logistics, which can also be of greatvalue to our business. As inthe field of fashion, ourstores are usually in the



center of town, very often in pedestrian zones. Our goods must still bedelivered exactly on time. Delivery to the shelf, direct to the point ofsale, is also of great interest to us.

Logwin Magazine: What services do you currently use?Karin Jaumann-Krämer: It’s currently mainly store deliveries. Initiallywe started with a test run in Switzerland back in the third quarter of2010. Everything went like clockwork for the Christmas business andwe were never out of stock. We have been testing the services forAustria since the beginning of the year. Logwin presented a tour de forceby providing replenishment deliveries for a store in the First District of Vienna which has only 20 m2 of floor space. And the test phase in Ger -many was launched in July. Logwin delivered to an initial 20 specialistbeauty shops over a period of six to eight weeks. Full live operationsrepresent by far the biggest challenge since around 110 shops will haveto be supplied with our products.

Logwin Magazine: The cooperation between Yves Rocher and Logwinis still very new. Even so, we would like to know if there are plans toextend collaboration.

YVES ROCHER

The Yves Rocher success story goes back50 years. The French manufacturer ofplant-based cosmetics now offers around700 cosmetics products from its carerange. Yves Rocher has a presence in 88countries around the world on five con -tinents. Of the 1,600 specialist shops,around 110 are in Germany, 18 in Austriaand 20 in Switzerland. 30 million custo-mers around the world buy 300 millionYves Rocher products each year.

Karin Jaumann-Krämer: It would make sense in a lot ofrespects in order to exploit synergies. We currently handover goods to Logwin that we have already pre-picked. It is conceivable that in the long term we will take advantageof warehousing and other types of additional servicessince these are all part of Logwin’s core competence. Thenthere is a great deal of potential in the area of value-addedservices. Delivery to the point of sale is just the beginning. �


newsflash

newsflash

LOGWIN STAFF DONATIONS

Teddy bears for Tunisia

Many individuals and companies donate toys to needy children. The specialthing about Logwin is that as a logistics service provider its staff can deliver thedonated items directly to their recipients and see the children’s eyes light up. In February this year, together with a partner business, staff at the Logwin branchin Langenfeld collected new and used toys of all descriptions. They packagedthe items in the warehouse and shipped them to Sousse, Tunisia. The final desti -nation was the corporate kindergarten of a long-standing customer. The chil-dren there were thrilled to receive the toy cars, puppets and teddy bears – theywould have happily stayed longer at kindergarten that day. Particularly in thewake of the recent political upheaval in Tunisia, the staff at Logwin were deeplymoved to be able to help the affected children in the country. Logwin is lookingto assist individuals and particularly children in emergency situations in future. �

EARLY CONTRACT EXTENSION

Crossing Europe for BenchAmericana, the exclusive distributionpartner for the Bench fashion label, andLogwin have been working together forthree years. In February 2011, the agree-ment was extended before the scheduledrenewal date. Logwin will continue to provide procurement logistics, ware-housing and distribution of the fashion products until mid-2015 at the earliest. At the Logwin site in Nuremberg, centrallogistics centre for Bench, staff performother tasks such as labelling, packaging,price tagging and product security. Trans-portation of the clothes and accessoriesto 17 European countries is also organ-ised from here. �



AIR FREIGHT

Outstanding supply services

Assisted by Logwin, A1 (formerly known as A1 TelekomAustria) has completely re-engineered the distributionstrategy to its technicians. Not only are the techniciansimpressed with the new material supply system, butalso the Austrian Logistics Network Association (VNL).The association awarded the Austrian Logistics Prizefor the third time at the Austrian Logistics Day held on7 June 2011. First prize in the “Most improved businessresult using a logi stics tool” category was awarded totwo Viennese com panies, including A1. Logwin hasbeen delivering modems, media boxes, cables andtelephone equipment directly into the A1 technicians’lockers overnight since March, which means they no longer need to procure the parts from 85 differentregional warehouses. The new strategy saves evenmore: 1.65 million minutes of annual logis tics work bycustomer service technicians, two million team leaderminutes and more than one million on-road kilome-tres, making it a great contribution to environmentalprotection as well. �

AUSTRIAN LOGISTICS PRIZE 2011

Logwin – IATA agent for 40 years

Back then the application was completed on a typewriter: Now Logwin is celebrating 40 years as an official IATA agent. The International Air TransportAssociation (IATA) was established shortly after the Second World War andtoday represents the economic and political interests of around 230 airlines.Together, these aviation companies are responsible for more than 90 per cent of all international flights. IATA guarantees a consistent standard across thesector with its freight forwarding agency program, which benefits both airlinesand agents. Until today, Logwin has fulfilled all criteria for agents developed by the airlines in cooperation with freight forwarding industry representatives.IATA has always been a pioneer - among other things, it is championing thepaperless future of air freight through the introduction of E-freight or electronicair waybills. �

LOGWIN IN CHINA DONATES FOR SCHOOL

Children’s Day assistance

1st June sees the spotlight focussed on China’s youngest: It is Children’s Day.This year, all 150 students at Jiacheng School in Anhui Province were able tocelebrate something extra special. Logwin’s Shanghai branch gave the schoolfive PCs, books, school bags and stationery. Logwin staff supported the idea of the donations with gusto and many were actively involved on a private level.Outside China’s modern metropolitan centres such as Beijing and Shanghai,there is great poverty in many rural areas. Most schools do not have the materi-als required to ensure adequate levels of education. The educational materialshanded over by Logwin will help the first to eighth graders to power ahead intheir learning activities. �


NIKI LUFTFAHRT GMBH

Logistics in a flash

An aircraft grounded due to a faulty part soon generatesimmense costs. A major logis-tical challenge as the requisitespare parts must be delivered to the airport withinhours – 24/7. Since the beginning of the year Logwinhas been delivering express consignments for NIKILuftfahrt GmbH for such “Aircraft on ground” (AOG).Proprietor of the NIKI airline is former Formula 1racing car driver and aircraft pilot Niki Lauda. Logwindelivers a whole range of re placement parts, tools and even complete engines to the customer on a dailybasis from Paris to Vienna. Logwin staff demonstratetheir amazing commitment and flexibility: They mustbe contactable around the clock. �


28

newsflash

New Spanish treble

Logwin customers have “Nothing to declare” when their goods arrive in Spain. This is because they will be

using Logwin’s new bonded warehouse in Madrid, where imports remain under official control. Import duties are only

due when the goods leave the warehouse for the end customer. Logwin isthe first independent logistics service provider to offer this service in Spainfor hanging garments as well.

Experience comes up trumps: Logwin is acquiring new customers fromthe fashion, media and telecommunications sectors. Randy, the Spanishsports wear and accessories manufacturer, has commissioned Logwin tomanage all its logistics needs from warehousing to distribution. In addition to its own products, Randy markets Molten sports balls in Spain exclusively;Molten is the world’s number one manufacturer of such products.

Logwin is also responsible for storing the video archive of the premierCatalan television broadcaster TV3 under uniquely calibrated climatic con -ditions. Teldat, the Spanish hardware manufacturer, has its products built in Asia and benefits from the new Logwin bonded warehouse in Madrid whenimporting them. For example, routers are shipped to leading telecommuni-cations companies from there.

Child’s play: Nintendo presented its new Nintendo 3DS consoles simul-taneously across Europe. The Logwin facility in Barcelona made this possi-ble. Staff organised the just-in-time consignment of the interactive dis-plays within an incredibly short time frame, with 94 trucks involved. �

LOGWIN IN MACEDONIA

Total commitment

A reason to celebrate: Logwin has had a presence inMacedonia for 15 years with its own national subsid -iary in Stip. The original team of five staff has multi-plied to 45, with Logwin continually expanding itsstorage capacity and services.

Around the clock: A particularly attractive serviceoffered by Logwin in Macedonia is customs clearance24/7. Specially trained employees manage the cus-toms process locally without official involvement – 24hours a day, seven days a week. Customers are able to save up to three or four days, depending on the des -ti nation and consignment type, not only domesticallybut also internationally.

The Macedonian customs office acknowledged thesuccessful cooperative effort in 2010 in two respects.Firstly, Logwin’s Macedonian customs licenses wererenewed for a further two years. Secondly, Logwin isamongst those businesses to receive an award for itsreliable customs processing efforts. Trajan Angelov,Country Director of the Macedonian national sub-sidiary, accepted the prize from the director of the customs office. The presence of the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Macedonia underlines thesignificance of the award. One thing is certain: Theteam knows their outstanding work has its rewardsand will continue to excel in future. �

CHINA

Logwin now in Dongguan

Network extended in South East China: Logwin opened a new sales officein Dongguan in early 2011, about 140 kilometres north of Hong Kong. Withthis facility, the logistics service provider is extending its presence in thePearl River Delta economic region. Logwin is already well-placed here withits branches in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. The Logwin team inDongguan is under the leadership of Sales Manager Oscar Gao and offersits customers the full range of international air and ocean freight services.Dongguan, a city of over 1.5 million inhabitants, is home to numerous pro -duction companies manufacturing for instance IT, pharmaceutical, textileand footwear products. �

www.logwin-logistics.com – Logwin Magazine – 02|11

SERVICE, CUSTOMERS, PROJECTS



NEW LOCATIONS

Tightly woven in South-East Europe

Logwin’s international network strengthened: Two new national companies inSerbia and Bulgaria mesh perfectly with the existing structures. Transnationalconsignments are now even more efficient thanks to the new branches inSouth-East Europe.

The Serbian facility in the vicinity of Belgrade Airport commenced operationsin Spring 2011. The Bulgarian facility in the Sofia Airport Centre at the capitalcity’s main airport followed at the end of June 2011. Logwin organises nationaland international road transports, warehousing, customer-specific value addedservices as well as air and ocean freight in both countries.

In Serbia Country Manager Bogdan Soskic is focusing on the transportationfor contract processing. The growing retail market is providing Logwin withspecial opportunities not only in the fashion and lifestyle sector, but also in theautomotive and electronic industries.

Logwin is also working together largely with retail and automotive customersin Bulgaria. The upward economic trend in the EU member state is having apositive impacting on logistics: Country Manager Ingo Schlieper is convincedthere will be further orders from these sectors. �

LOGWIN COURIER TURNS 20

Urgent, vital, valuable

Fragile cameras, costly artworks, critical documents:Objects requiring special attention have been arrivingsafely and speedily at their destinations for 20 yearsthanks to Logwin Courier. Holger Schönberg, head ofLogwin Courier, has been there right from the start.The solid customer base includes banks, insurancecompanies, government offices, printers and pub-lishers. “Our core competence is dealing with orders,quantities and destinations that change on a dailybasis. Flexible dispatch times and punctual, reliabledelivery are the number one priority.” �

JUBILEE

Logwin sites celebrate anniversaries

35 years in South Africa: Logwin started in 1976 with an office inJohannesburg. The logistics service provider now operates five facil -ities in the country with a total storage capacity of about 11,400square meters. In 1992 a second branch was opened in the portcity of Durban, with subsequent facilities in East London, CapeTown and Port Elisabeth. From just a handful of staff initially, thenumber has grown to 120 over the years. Among other things, inSouth Africa Logwin offers international consignments, customsclearance and warehousing.

Round anniversary in Indonesia: 20 years ago Logwin commencedbusiness in down town Jakarta with a 130 m2 office and a staff of eightpeople. Logwin now has 51 staff at three sites and operates its ownfashion distribution centre. That is where the logistics company handlesthe delivery of branded apparel like Zara, Next, Massimo Dutti, GeorgioArmani, Swatch, Mango, Stradivarius, Bershka, Debenhams and Marks& Spencer for the Authorized Main Distributor in Indonesia, the MAPGROUP (Mitra Adi Perkasa Group). �



play sudoku and win

1st prize: aXbo Couple White sleepphasealarmclock worth 200 euros

Innovation when it comes to waking up. The first sleepphase alarmclock from aXbo will wake you every day in your fast watchmoment as if you had woken up by yourself.Using the toweling wristband, aXbo will determine your optimal wake-up time within a window of 30 minutes prior to the set wake-up time. Gentle sounds will thus wake you at the ideal time, giving you more energy tosee you through the day.

Join in our competition–win and feel good.Our prizes will keep you relaxed throughout the day.



2nd prize: Aiptek Pocket Cinema T25 worth 150 euros

Aiptek’s new portable pico projector allowsyou to show presentations, photographs andfilms from your laptop at any time, regardlessof whether you are in the office, in a hotel or at home. You can easily project data of up to185 cm diagonal onto any wall via your com-puter’s USB port. And the mini-projector fitsinto any trouser pocket.

3rd prize: Longchamp Le Pliage handbag worth 100 euros

With its characteristic brown calf leather trim, the classically stylish Le Pliage handbag fromLongchamp Paris is a must in any wardrobe. The feather application from the current autumncollection gives the bag a certain individualsomething.

3 4 5 6 6 2 3 8 5 2 1 8 3 3 7 4 9 6 2 6 2 1 4 2 6 8 5 3 4

Here’s how to enter: Fill in each blank square with anumber from 1 to 9 so that in eachrow, each column and each 3 x 3 box,each number appears once only. The numbers in the coloured squaresform the solution code you need toenter. Email the solution code alongwith your name and address to:[email protected]

Entries close 31 January 2012. Em-ployees of the Logwin Group andtheir next of kin are excluded fromparticipating. There will be no right of legal appeal against the outcome.Winners will be notified in writing and published in the next edition.

The solution to the puzzle in issue1|2011 was 33655. The winnerswere: Tan Bee Tin, Prai, Malaysia (1st prize: D-Link Boxee Box), OliverBock, Hamburg, Germany (2nd prize:Samsung Blu-ray Player) and KathrynGroves, Dandenong, Australia (3rd prize: Harmony One AdvancedUniversal Remote). Congratulations to all our winners!

© Logwin unless indicates otherwise;p.3 © Jürgen Fälchle – Fotolia.com;Dominique Simone Klopp, p.4 © mau -ritius images/Johnér, p.6 © Jezper –Fotolia.com, p.10 © Cargo lux, p.14 ©Elena Moiseeva – Fotolia.com; © JasonFlorio/Aurora/laif, p.16 © Herring-bone, S.18 © Team 5 – Fotolia.com, © bellaflora, p.19 © bellaflora, p.20 © mauritius images / Walter Bibikow,p.21 © elenarostunova - Fotolia.com;© Dominique Simone Klopp, p.22 © ArTo – Fotolia.com; © DominiqueSimone Klopp, p.23 © Shihlin Electric,p.24 © Yves Rocher, p.26 © Bench,p.27 © Sandor Jackal - Fotolia.com,p.28 © Nintendo, p.30 © infactoryinnovations & trade gmbh, p.31 © AIPTEK International GmbH; Long -champ

SOURCES OF IMAGES


As an integrated logistics and service provider, Logwin develops comprehensive solutions for industry and commerce. With more than 5,800 staff at approximately 250 locations in 38 countries around the world, Logwin offers contract logistics, international air and sea freight as well as transport solutions for road and rail. Logwin’s customised logistics solutions help createsustainable growth for its customers. Find more new ideas and a team that’s more intune with your needs here: www.logwin-logistics.com

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