Cargologic, Swiss WorldCargo and SATS Embark on a Quality Journey

Oliver Evans, SWC’s Chief Cargo Officer, is enthusiastic about the new mission: “Both SATS and Cargologic are trusted partners of ours,” he states, “helping us to achieve our goal of being a global leader in the transportation of care-intensive shipments.” In a release issued today (13 January) the three participants speak of a unique and innovative ‘quality alliance’ the partners have committed to set up. “Its aim is to position itself as a knowledge, innovation and quality leader with a special focus on providing value-adding services and superior facilities,” reads the text.
However, it is not so much a matter of big words but about big deeds, in order to “achieve an even higher level of operational excellence,” as Oliver puts it.

Best practice solutions
The aforementioned predictions should become reality by first being rolled out on the trade lane Zurich-Singapore, implementing best practice solutions in areas such as temperature-controlled transport management, specialized handling solutions and innovative data transmissions. 
“Shippers of valuables have repeatedly asked us to provide adequate tools enabling them to permanently track and trace their goods, thus knowing the exact status of the items at all times,” explains Managing Director Marco Gredig of Cargologic a key trigger among some others that led to the founding of the “quality alliance.”

Multinationals come first
The solution will be a new web portal that clients can enter by inserting a specific security code, displaying the sensitive data of their individual shipments from beginning to end. “This kind of well administered data consistency we mutually intend to develop and introduce to our customers within the coming weeks and months,” announces the manager. First to be addressed by the trio will be multinational logistics firms like Kuehne + Nagel or Panalpina, with smaller agents following after processes have been fine tuned and operations streamlined.

Upgrading Basel
The intended move is also based on strategic considerations, Cargologic Chief Gredic indicates, to keep pace with the integrators that offer these services already. “So it’s about time we match their offerings.”
According to the manager his firm will invest CHF 1 million (833,000 euros) this year into pharma and cool ground infrastructure to guarantee shippers and their forwarding agents best practice service quality all along the way. “Innovations don’t always have to be new products but can also be enhanced processes,” he emphasizes. While Cargologic’s Zurich warehouse is already equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure the ground handler now plans to upgrade its other facilities at Switzerland’s airports. This accounts above all for Basel where the local station will shortly move from its current location into a brand new cargo terminal set up at the airport. An important step because major pharma producers are at home in Basel. 

SWC is the interface between the ground handlers
Cargologic’s Basel plans are part of the trio’s intention to actively cultivate Good Distribution Practice (GDP) at both Cargologic’s certified cool chain facilities and the stations set up by SATS particularly in Singapore but also all across Asia, including the promotion of pharmaceutical and other temperature-controlled air freight for Swiss WorldCargo. Says Marco Gredig: “The carrier is our prime customer, based in Zurich and like us very experienced and efficient. It therefore makes much sense to join forces in GDP.”
Alex Hungate, President and Chief Executive Officer of SATS, adds to this: “Both Swiss WorldCargo and Cargologic are leaders in transporting high-value and care-intensive consignments for industrial sectors such as the pharmaceutical industry. This focus aligns very well with SATS’ own airfreight handling capabilities across Asia.”

North America is the next step
In their joint release the three firms emphasize that the concept of the agreement is not only to bring the three parties closer together, but to facilitate exchange and mutual learning between the respective air cargo communities of Singapore and Switzerland, including the administrations. Both states share a number of characteristics and values including a commitment to a liberal aviation market, innovation and quality leadership.
“Rolling out our best practice concept here in Switzerland and in Singapore will be our initial step with others to follow after we have fine-tuned processes and streamlined operations on this specific route during the upcoming learning phase,” describes Managing Director Marco Gredig of Cargologic the trio’s vision. This, he says will  take approximately one year. After implementing the services on Swiss routes to and from North America will follow next, he says. Since Cargologic doesn’t have own offices there the ground handler will cooperate with selected local U.S. partners that are keen to join the innovative bandwagon.

Heiner Siegmund