Bolloré Logistics’ Milano makeover celebration
A little over a year since Bolloré Logistics opened up new offices in Florence, it has now celebrated the inauguration of its redeveloped Milan site. The existing site close to the airport now
has 1,500 m² more office space and its warehouse has been extended by 4,000 m². The official opening ceremony took place on 15JUN23, in the presence of the company’s top management: Eric Peigné
(CEO Western & Central Europe, Bolloré Logistics), Thierry Ehrenbogen (CEO Bolloré Logistics), Emiliano Rota (Sales Manager, Bolloré Logistics Italy), Henri Le Gouis (CEO Europe Bolloré
Logistics), Gabriella Sasso (Branch Manager, Bolloré Logistics Italy), with excellent catering in true Italian style. Aside from fashion which is normally thought of in conjunction with the city,
Bolloré Logistics Italy’s specialization lies in the transport of luxury goods, healthcare, food products (cheese and wine in particular – as demonstrated at the recent TuttoFood exhibition held
in Milan in MAY23), and industrial projects. With its extended warehouse, it is now also targeting new customers in the aeronautics and aerospace sectors, high-tech, energy, and humanitarian aid
segments.
Bolloré Logistics Italy, active since 1978, continues to expand and fortify its local presence. It plans to also open a Bolloré Logistics space in Verona before the end of this year and is
strengthening business relations with strategic countries across Africa, the French overseas departments, and in the Asia-Pacific region.
Emiliano Rota, Sales Manager, Bolloré Logistics Italy, revealed: “Over the last four years, we have ramped up our recruitment to bring in many new employees, whether in operational roles or
support functions such as accounting or sales. The specific aim was to support the growth of our main business sectors: healthcare, food and beverages, industrial projects, and luxury goods.
Italy can now count on the expertise and cooperation of some 180 employees. It is also for them, and for their quality of life at work, that Bolloré Logistics is updating and expanding its
working spaces.”
Hitit joins Cargo iQ to drive air cargo digitalization
Female-founded Turkish aviation software company, Hitit, which celebrates its 30th anniversary next year, is the world’s third largest passenger system provider (serving 60 airlines across six
continents). It successfully incorporated a modular and scalable integrated air cargo solution in 2018, and it is this knowledge in data handling technology that it aims to support Cargo iQ
members with to improve shipment visibility and thus quality. On 05JUL23, Cargo iQ therefore welcomed Hitit as a Strategic Associate member.
In its Strategic Associate role, “Hitit's combined team of tech experts and airline industry veterans will lend its sector insight and expertise in digital data management to Cargo iQ member
discussions and projects,” the release states, pointing to Cargo iQ Data Management Platform (CDMP)’s further development, too, at a later stage.
Lothar Moehle, Executive Director, Cargo iQ, stated: “With Hitit planning to develop the CDMP functionalities in the short term, they will be best positioned to serve their airline partners
by providing planning and measuring functionalities as per Cargo iQ specifications. We feel very positive about this new addition to our membership as it will enable more industry stakeholders to
improve process quality for their operations.”
Atilla Lise, Chief Transportation Solutions Officer, Hitit, commented: “For the past four years, Hitit has been committed to driving technological advancements within the air cargo industry,
so it is of utmost importance for us to be actively engaged in an influential interest group like Cargo iQ, supporting the establishment and implementation of high-quality standards for air
cargo. As a new Strategic Associate Member, we want to continue to contribute to the digitalization of the industry.”
Digitalization that has been a long time in coming, he feels: “Even very large companies in the sector continue to do business with old technologies and this habit of doing business spanning
decades, coupled with the problem of transferring data that has reached very large dimensions, has turned digitalization into a much desired but somewhat delayed reality. As part of Cargo iQ, we
are eager to maintain our momentum in driving industry-wide digitization. Our focus remains on actively collaborating with industry stakeholders, as we strive to usher in a new era and build upon
the success of our uninterrupted four-year air cargo initiatives.”
WebCargo’s Airline Dashboard goes from beta to better
The time has come to shift up a gear and WebCargo’s Airline Dashboard has thus moved away from its beta version to a proper new product available to WebCargo by Freightos’ more than 35 airline
partners. The Dashboard enables faster and more founded sales and revenue decisions (such as surcharges, services) based on its insights into demand patterns and pricing. Customer behavior
information is available across over 10,000 forwarding offices. Nearly real-time data coupled with general industry data, “including the Freightos Air Index (FAX) with daily market pricing,
as well as granular airline-specific lane-level insights, including sophisticated market data on the customer price sensitivity, how soon before departure the majority of customers book or cancel
freight, data on origins and destinations, and other market trends,” is underlined in the release. It also highlights the Dashboard’s “Look to book ratios” feature, which helps optimize
pricing based on how often potential customers who see an offer actually book it. It produces information as to how customers rate factors such as price, transit time, weight-break, or brand
loyalty, when they make a booking.
Manel Galindo, CEO of WebCargo, said, “WebCargo’s Airline Dashboard will transform airlines’ ability to optimize pricing and balance yield and volume. Many airlines have been in the
dark when it comes to broader industry behavior. Our Dashboard fixes this while helping them analyze why customers are clicking on certain offers and passing on others. Visibility into customer
behavior is invaluable for ai. Airlines’ pricing and revenue teams, especially when combined with tools to adjust their cargo offers to meet those needs and make the sale.”
Andrés Romero, Head of Revenue Management for American Airlines Cargo, explained: “The dashboard is an amazing tool not only to understand performance but also to adjust pricing strategy in
real time. Leveraging the data from the dashboard, we have been able to attract more revenue and adapt more quickly to market changes.”
The Dashboard’s benefits are confirmed by an early adopter: Toke Høgild, Head of Commercial at Scandinavian Airlines’ SAS Cargo Group, stated: “With WebCargo’s Airline Dashboard, the new data
that becomes available through digital sales gives us the ability to steer, navigate and test in new ways.”
The Mayan Group chosen as Waco representative in Israel
The 1973-founded independent global freight management and logistics organization, WACO, recently appointed Mayan Group as its representative in Israel. Mayan Group, established in 1977, is
specialized in supply chain logistics solutions which include a full door-to-door service, international shipping, customs clearance, marine insurance, land transportation, and logistics
services. It handles all kinds for freight from General Cargo, to Medical Equipment and Medical Supply; Assembly Line; Production plants; Food & Perishables; Electronics and Electronic
Industries; Home Appliances; Personal Effects, and is AEO certified as well as a member of IATA and FIATA. Its headquarters are located in Bnei Brak City (1 Km from Tel Aviv City), and it has
three operations branches in TLV Airport, Ashdod port, and Haifa port.
The official appointment was made public at the gala dinner at Waco’s recent Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Sorrento, Italy, where the forwarder network also marked its 50th anniversary – an
event which Mayan already used as a serious business backdrop, holding more than 40 bilateral meetings Waco's international agents. “The second annual WACO networking event will be its
Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to be held in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, 15 – 18OCT23,” the release reveals.
Richard Charles, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), WACO, announced: “We welcome The Mayan Group as representative of the WACO network in Israel and are confident that it will greatly contribute
to all the members.”
Michael Even, Vice President of Commerce, The Mayan Group, commented: “WACO's expression of trust in the Mayan Group is a very significant milestone in the company's development. Mayan Group,
which is currently one of the leading companies in the international freight forwarders and customs brokerage industry in Israel, strives for excellence and innovation, opens new markets, and
offers exclusive services, both from the countries included in the Abraham Accord agreements, and from many other destinations. We pride ourselves on a dedicated, professional, and caring staff,
available around the clock for any response, and type of service required to be handled at any time.”
cargo-partner’s latest iLogistics Center is in IST
cargo-partner first launched operations in Türkiye in 2018. Now, just five years on, the company has opened an impressively large, 20,000 m² warehouse in Istanbul, not far from the city’s new
international airport. This iLogistics Center includes 5,850 m² of bonded warehouse space, alongside new office space and will house cargo-partner's Turkish head office. The expansion creates 85
jobs, bringing the total number of cargo-partner employees in Türkiye to almost 250 by the end of the year. cargo-partner operates from eleven branches across Türkiye, providing
temperature-controlled foodstuffs logistics, and emergency services by air and road, and increasingly short sea services – the latter as an alternative solution to the lack of road feeder
drivers. Able to handle 20,000 pallets, and load/unload 17 vehicles at the same time, the iLogistics Center has been designed to enable fast, efficient shipment processing including
transshipment, customs bonded warehousing, and regional distribution. Warehousing services are strong in demand, as are fulfilment services. Thus, the facility includes storage areas for oversize
goods, and parcel pickup and return points.
Kürşad Tanrıverdi, Managing Director of cargo-partner Türkiye, explained: “Istanbul is not just the heart of trade in Türkiye, but also a major hub for the entire surrounding region. This
year we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye along with the 40th anniversary of cargo-partner and the fifth anniversary of cargo-partner in Türkiye – a perfect
occasion to diversify our services and strengthen our position in the country. This new, intelligent logistics facility will enable us to provide a range of fulfillment services for online
retailers and meet the requirements of current and future logistics challenges.”
Wallenborn Transport and Etihad Cargo drive European cargo
90 airports across 27 countries are now seamlessly interconnected thanks to Etihad Cargo partnering with the road feeder service provider, Wallenborn Transports. The airline thus aims to link its
European gateways such as Amsterdam, Paris, or Frankfurt, and expand its scheduled and specialized services within the Union, including offline stations. In Wallenstein, Etihad Cargo has found a
strong European partner offering specialized logistics solutions. Integrated telematics technology ensures that customers will be informed of the whereabouts of their shipments at all times.
Etihad Cargo's Head of Cargo Operations and Delivery, Thomas Schürmann illustrated: “Providing seamless connectivity between Etihad Cargo's European main freighter gateways and offline
destinations is essential to meeting the carrier's delivery promises. Strategic partnerships with leading RFS providers such as Wallenborn strengthen Etihad Cargo's value proposition and will
enable the carrier to further expand operations in Europe, which is a key territory for the airline. Etihad Cargo remains committed to being the air cargo partner of choice and is achieving this
through the provision of fast, efficient and reliable transportation of cargo from its arrival in-country to its final destination.”
Frantz Wallenborn, Wallenborn Group President & CEO, commented: “We're proud to be selected as a strategic partner and look forward to enhancing Etihad Cargo's capabilities in Europe and
introducing its premium products to new markets. Our values are closely aligned, and we both aspire to make air logistics smarter and more sustainable. This partnership will give Etihad Cargo's
customers access to a comprehensive network connecting over 90 airports and a range of specialized logistics solutions, such as GDP-validated transport for temperature-sensitive healthcare
products. Highlights of our partnership include dedicated capacity, 24/7 customer support and handling services in 27 countries.”
Electric planes symbolically open new runway
The product of €35.3 million worth of investment: Maastricht Aachen Airport (MST)’s new runway was ceremoniously opened on 30JUN23, after two months of renovation work. A first milestone in a
project that will see the runway be extended to a length of 2,750 meters by JAN25 at a total improvement cost of €100 million, supporting the Netherland’s second largest cargo hub.
The first aircraft to touch down was an electric plane – one of two belonging to the Fachhochschule Aachen, which operated several flights on that day, during noon and 16:00. An electric aircraft
was chosen as a symbol for a more sustainable future in aviation, and the topic was underlined with a presentation by scientist and entrepreneur, Prof. Dr. Dr. Günther Schuh from RWTH Aachen
University on sustainable aviation. Further, attendees of the opening ceremony had the opportunity to examine the aircraft up close in the JetCenter hangar, and talk to the crew.
Following the opening, MST’s cargo airline customers resumed their operations: Turkish Cargo serves the hub five times per week, Royal Jordanian and Emirates SkyCargo each have two weekly
flights. Passenger airlines, too, have returned with Ryanair and Corendon operations. And – following a storm on 05JUL23, preventing safe landings at AMS, MST welcomed its first ever Boeing
787-10. The KLM flight from Delhi had been diverted to Maastricht Aachen Airport. Perhaps also a sign of things to come?
Jos Roeven, Chief Executive Officer, Maastricht Aachen Airport, announced: “Today [30JUN23], we are celebrating the launch of our newly improved runway and looking back over the hard work
that has gone into the planning and execution of this project – but we are also looking forward. The decision to inaugurate the runway with an electric plane is symbolic of our commitment to
ensure the sustainability of this airport for years to come.”
AFKLMP Cargo sets on next level sales and customer service
Air France KLM Martinair Cargo has completed another milestone in its commercial transformation strategy and its goal to become the most customer-centric air freight carrier in the industry. It
has partnered with Salesforce and Vonage as it implements a new Customer Relationship Management solution. Focused on establishing a single platform that provides fast, high-quality and more
tailored support to customers, be this via phone or digital channel (the latter already sees 75% of its traffic!), AFKLMP Cargo has chosen its partners in order to benefit from the latest
technology and data and combine this with employee expertise. Employees will have a 360-degree view of customers, enabling them to optimize and tailor services accordingly. Salesforce bases on
data, advanced technology, and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide its sales solutions. This combined with Vonage’s contact center solution, will transform the overall customer experience,
whilst streamlining processes leading to smoother daily business operations.
GertJan Roelands, SVP Commercial at AFKLMP Cargo, stated: “Our decision to invest in a new state-of-the-art CRM and contact center solutions is a key development and an important building
block of our overall commercial transformation, which we started in 2020. On top of the technological advantages and possibilities, our customers will continue to benefit from our highly
experienced and specialized customer service teams at over 60 offices worldwide, connecting them through our new CRM platform. This will help optimize time-to-market and improve overall service
levels. All this fits in within our commitment to becoming a leader in sustainable airfreight, while passionately delivering best-in-class customer experiences.”
Michiel Hustinx, General Manager of Salesforce in the Netherlands, declared: “We are truly honored to help Air France KLM Martinair Cargo improve their global customer service. With our
solution, the company opts for innovation and a future in which they better meet their customers' needs and expectations, supporting their ambition to be an innovator in the cargo market. We
thank AFKLMP Cargo management and their staff for the intensive cooperation over the past year and look forward to a fruitful and freight-ful future.”
Reggie Scales, SVP of Global Sales Applications at Vonage, commented: “Air France KLM Martinair Cargo is focused on providing enhanced customer engagement through intelligent technology, and
we are proud they chose Vonage Contact Center to bring even more automation, intelligence, and global calling capability to the innovative Service Cloud Voice solution. Through Partner Telephony,
Salesforce customers like Air France KLM Martinair Cargo can enjoy the best agent experience within Service Cloud, powered by Vonage.”
Brigitte Gledhill
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