Right from the company’s inception in 2002, the Lufthansa Cargo subsidiary (100%) and legally independent specialist concentrated its customized and time-critical logistics services and concepts mainly on logistics customers based in Europe. Meanwhile, time:matters pushes towards globalization, accompanied by provisions to add value to the supply chain.
It is not presumptuous to claim that time:matters along with ULD manager Jettainer belongs to the most successful spin-offs of freight carrier Lufthansa Cargo, evidenced by constantly rising annual growth and sales figures. In the case of time:matters more than 500,000 shipments were transported last year, with a significant increase of cont- and intercont shipments versus 2017 mostly by air but also by rail or road. Sales seem to have increased during fiscal 2018 as well, although final figures will be published only by the end of March when parent LH Cargo presents their 2018 annual results. However, market observers estimate a 10% growth to 2017, when time:matters turned over €108 million.
Growing organically and through acquisitions
And there are strong indications that the next big leap is just around the corner, since t:m acquired a number of companies. This way the company is not only expanding its reach substantially but
simultaneously widens its service portfolio.
In September 2018 t:m fully acquired CB Customs Brokers GmbH and Customs Broker Handling GmbH. Thanks to these additional services complementing the company’s existing product portfolio
“customers are offered time-sensitive one-stop transport solutions, adding value to the supply chain,” CEO Alexander Kohnen of time:matters Holding states.
Going global
Currently, the management is undertaking initial steps of evaluating plans to establish an affiliate in the USA, covering the North American and Mexican markets. The process is “well advanced,”
says Mr Kohnen, emphasizing that the German specialist for high performance and special speed logistics runs already 16 stations there, offering 24/7 services.
For customers, the expansion means the shortest possible transport and handling times for shipments of up to 200 kg – combined with standardized pricing logic. The 16 new stations of the Sameday Air network complement the existing network of more than 100 stations and more than 21 partner
airlines in Europe and Israel. Within this network encompassing more than 80 stations, shipments up to 200 kg can be transported. The Sameday Air transports can easily be booked online via the
booking portal of time:matters.
For the rapid transport of these items, “we don’t book overnight services offered by commercial carriers but have created our own time-critical product, securing the fastest possible transport
and delivery at final destination,” Herr Kohnen holds.
Similarly to the company’s North American activities, t:m stretches out to China where an own subsidiary based in Shanghai will be launched before next summer, he states, enjoying de jure and de
facto full legal independence.
Its main tasks will be to secure the ultra-rapid door-door delivery of life & health products, semiconductors, and automotive parts from pick-up to hand-over at final destination. This is
coupled with capturing a significant part of the Asian high-speed market that is developing fast. For achieving this target, t:m intends to enlarge its Sameday network by integrating Japan, Hong
Kong and Taiwan.
High performance values
A big point his company has been credited for many years is the high level of customer satisfaction based on the so called NPS (Net Promoter Score). “Our satisfaction level, monitored constantly,
stands at plus 76 points within a range commencing at -100 and ending up at +100. We find this is a top result that can be only marginally improved.”
The company’s on-board courier platform, named time:matters Airmates, have substantially contributed to the
high acceptance of their non-standardized but customized services, Mr Kohnen notes. Currently, 12,000 Airmates spread across the world have rolled in, ready to pick up a shipment at origin and
hand it over at destination to a local agent or directly to the final consignee. Sometimes the contents of a package taken care of by a courier can be worth stunning €500,000 or even more.
Furthermore, time:matters offers since 2009 customized personally accompanied transport solutions, such as life-saving Stem Cell Courier Services, where major international registries and
transplantation centers rely on the company´s experience and personalized logistics services.
Heiner Siegmund
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