Freight Forwarder

Freight Forwarder: Shanghai Panuo International Transportation

2008-05-03T20:22:00.000-07:00

via China Freight Forwarders

Shanghai Panuo International Transportation Co., Ltd is a mature freight forwarding company, whose main business is ocean shipping providing both FCL and LCL services. Mr. Zhu Ming, CEO and the founder of Shanghai Panuo, established the company under his own initiative. During the interview, he emphasized that his interests and enthusiasm have played an important role in his career, and also presented his opinions toward the logistics industry.

Adapting to the logistics market

Mr. Zhu said that whether the logistics environment is favorable or not for a freight forwarding company, depends to a certain extent on the company's strength. If it can adapt itself to the environment and make full use of the resources, then the company will do well. As a result, it is important for freight forwarding companies to learn how to adapt and keep up with the changes affecting the logistics market.

The freight forwarding industry has been affected deeply by the revaluation of the Chinese Yuan and a change to the tax rebate laws in June 2007, causing a series of strikes and in turn affecting foreign trade. However, Mr. Zhu thought that since these problems are unavoidable, everyone working in the logistics industry should keep an optimistic attitude in order to develop more business opportunities. For example, the 2008 Olympics in Beijing is a valuable opportunity for logistics companies. Although not all companies can benefit directly from the event, Mr. Zhu said that the Olympics would greatly influence the Chinese logistics market and develop change, creating numerous opportunities.

Unique company culture is important

According to the management of a company, Mr. Zhu said that a mature company should have its own unique company culture, an effective team, and a management system. Within these three factors, company culture is the most important and is the key to a company's competitiveness.

With the help of its company culture, Shanghai Panuo has devoted itself to developing their markets, especially the overseas market, which lets Shanghai Panuo enjoy more resources and also strengthens the development of the company culture. Trying to keep up with the developments in modern logistics has become an important part in each company's culture.

Making full use of e-business

Over the past several years, e-business in China has developed fast and boosted the development of the logistics industry. Since e-business is convenient, effective and has the power to integrated resources, Shanghai Panuo makes full use of e-business and benefits greatly from it. That is also why Mr. Zhu chose to join JCtrans as a GCP member. He believes that the creditable platform provide by JCtrans is the best choice for him and his company, in order to most efficiently develop their overseas market.

Interview with Sergey Ivanov, Personal Relations Manager of AGS Logistics

2008-05-03T20:21:00.000-07:00

Q: Mr. Ivanov can you tell me a little about your company first?

A: AGS Logistics is a Russian international logistics provider and we provide a full range of logistics services in Russia and all over the world. We have over 10 years experience in dealing with the international market and good connections with European logistics providers. Now we have the strong intention of building similar connections here in Asia, especially in China, as the trade relations between the two countries are growing from strength to strength.

Q: Do you currently have any offices based here in China?

A: Actually not yet, but we have the intention to open two in the coming year; one here in Shanghai and the other in Guangzhou. After this exhibition we are hoping to establish many contacts, partners and clients in Shanghai and I believe that the office will be up and running here in early spring.

Q: There are many different ways to transport goods between China and Russia, for example by sea, air, railway, or by road. Which will be your preferred method of transportation?

A: Our priority is to cooperate with our clients and to offer them a personalized service, so the exact logistical methods will be tailor made for each individual client depending on their needs.

Q: What is your business strategy in China? Are you going to go it alone or are you looking for Chinese partners?

A: At the moment I think it is more effective to engage in cooperation with different Chinese partners. This is only the beginning of our business here; after all we have only just begun to expand into the Chinese market. We are looking to establish an effective business here in order to provide our clients with a high quality of service. I think in the future it would be much more advantageous for us to work independently, and I think that we will develop our business in this direction.

Q: Can you give me an estimate as to the amount of revenue your company receive from China compared to that obtained from other countries?

A: It's difficult to say, I think it will be a little lower than that of Europe, but the volume of trade on the Chinese market allows us to build a strong business here, even in spite of the fact that the revenue might not be so high.

Q: This is your first time to come to this conference, so can I ask you what you think of it so far?

A: When we were planning our participation in this exhibition, we intended it to be a trial. We wanted to see how easy it would be to establish contacts here in China, and just to see what it would be like without any particular objectives. But over the last few days we have acquired a huge amount of information, and we have received great interest in our company from many companies from China and other parts of the world. So I think that the outcome from attending this event is very positive for us. I think that the next time we attend a logistics exhibition in China we will make a stronger representation of our company, and look to build greater cooperation with more Chinese partners.

Interview with Dominique Estampe, Director of the Institute for Supply Chain Excellence

2008-05-03T20:19:00.000-07:00

via air cargo

The Institute for Supply Chain Excellence is located in the southwest of France near Bordeaux. It is one of the top institutes for supply chain in the world and offers a well-respected and effective program. The program is for a master's degree in supply chain management and the duration of the course is one year. All of the lectures are taught in English, so students wishing to enroll need to be proficient in English, and another requirement is that students need to have acquired a bachelor's degree in a relevant field. Suitable degrees include: engineering, economics and international trade.

Mr Estampe described how the structure of the course is organized into two parts. For two days of each week the students will be taught in the classroom with class sizes of around 20, then they will be on placement at a company for a further 2 days. The fifth day of the week is reserved for research and completion of a supply chain management project, which will contribute to the final assessment of the master's degree. Professors are always on hand to offer guidance and assistance to students when undertaking their projects. There is a wide diversity of students at the institute with students attending this world-renowned school from across the globe. The course fees for the year are 14,000 Euros, and an estimated living cost of 900 Euros per month, depending on the standard of living. After graduation the institute can help students to seek employment by offering internships with companies, and also the reputation of the school goes a long way when its graduates are competing for employment.

Interview with Mr. Liu Guojin, Far East Advisor from the Port of Antwerp

2008-05-03T20:17:00.000-07:00

via China Freight Forwarding Company

As the second largest port in Europe, Antwerp is a major port for international trade. It is the first industrial and maritime petrochemical cluster in Europe, and is the European market leader in paper, forest products, fresh fruit, steel products, sugar, hazardous chemicals, and coffee.

Mr. Liu said that the purpose for the Port of Antwerp attending the SITL Asia 2007 exhibition in Shanghai was to promote itself in order to attract more cargo to Antwerp. The trade volume between China and Europe has grown rapidly over the past few years, and the amount of cargo transported through the Port of Antwerp reached 7 million TEUs in 2006. Mr. Liu hopes that by promoting the Port of Antwerp in China, he can secure more business and trade opportunities form Chinese companies.

In order to promote the position of Antwerp as the second largest port in Europe, Mr. Liu was looking to raise the reputation of his port in China. At the exhibition he had the opportunity to talk face to face with target customer groups, cargo owners and several large companies. As Antwerp is a base port, it can provide effective services for the market in Mainland China, and Mr. Liu hopes that more companies who export to Europe can choose Antwerp as their base.

Mr. Liu is also building a Chinese website for the Port of Antwerp and plans to publish promotional material aimed at Chinese companies every 3 months. In 2008, Antwerp will also open an office in Shanghai.

As Belgium is a small country, which relies heavily on the profits gained by using the commercial ports, the customs in Antwerp are really flexible. Antwerp is the best European port for handling ability, has many reputable logistics companies using its facilities and has 5.3 million square meters of enclosed warehouses space.

Antwerp has developed a multimodal transportation system extending into Northern and Western Europe, and utilizes inland-river transportation. Antwerp connects onto the river Rhine, which has the capacity to accommodate over 2000 ships. In addition, logistics companies already in cooperation with the Port of Antwerp help with their promotion, and many of them have established good relationships with Chinese companies or have offices and networks based in China.

When cooperating with customs, Antwerp has built a green line, which allows cargo to pass through customs more efficiently, and provides a more effective service for their customers.

There are many countries with different languages in the European Union, so communication can be a problem. However, at the port of Antwerp, most of the staff can speak 4 or 5 different languages such as Dutch, English, French, Chinese, etc. This helps to alleviate this problem and makes Antwerp a truly multilingual port.

As to the changing policies of Belgium caused by the conflicts between the north and south, Mr. Liu says that it will not affect business at the Port of Antwerp very much. The conflicts between the north and south are actually based on the different ideas held by several parties, and they will negotiate the matter by conferences instead of by arms. Besides, the capital of Belgium is located in the centre of the country, so it would be difficult for Belgium to be separated into two different countries. Also as a member of the European Union, any war would be controlled.

Interview with Olivier Girard, Chief Operating Officer of DPD, Direct Parcel Distribution Co., Ltd.

2008-05-03T19:55:00.000-07:00

via Freight Forwarding Company

DPD Group is one of the leading courier service providers in Europe. They provide a wide range of products both on the domestic and international markets. With around 500 depots in 38 countries, more than 22,000 employees and 15,000 vehicles, they are truly a global organization. DPD started operations in China in 2006, and now owns 14 branches located in major economic centers across China.

Mr. Girard said that DPD provided door-to-door transportation for the global logistics communities and also offered tailor-made solutions to their clients. Their main mode of transportation is road-based, provided by their fleet of trucks. They are specialized in pickup and delivery of parcels for medium-to-large-volume shippers, even for long distance needs, which is over distances greater than express delivery. They provide track and trace for shipments during transit and offer information and consultation services to their customers.

DPD offers a high quality service in Europe with 98-99% of their deliveries completed successfully on time. Mr. Girard said that they provided the same quality of service here in China and that they would not compromise on service quality in order to compete on price. He also said that they needed to adapt to the Chinese market to sustain company growth and development, but this would be done through improving their mode of operations and finding good solutions with competitive prices, rather than by downgrading their products. In this way they hope to provide an effective and cost efficient service to their local clients.

Mr. Girard said that the advantages of the company over their rivals are reliability, flexibility and the ability to adapt to their customer's needs. They can also offer outstanding value for money especially on large volumes of cargo. He said that they were flexible because they can offer customized solutions to their clients by using agents and other networks, whereas other companies only work within their own networks. Due to the fact that China is so large, it is difficult for one company to provide total coverage for the entire region. DPD currently covers around 90% of the large economic centers in China through their 14 local branches and further use of 21 different agencies. To keep these agencies in line with the reliability and operating procedure offered by DPD, Mr. Girard insists that the flow of information is the key. They keep a close watch over their partners through the tracking of shipments at each step of the supply chain. This not only guarantees their clients quality of service, but also provides them with track and trace services to keep them fully informed as to the location and estimated time of arrival of their shipment.

Interview with Pedro Calvar and Santiago Fernandez from the Business Development Department of TPF

2008-04-28T00:03:00.000-07:00

[via China Freight Forwarding Service ]

TPF offers many different services related to the maritime business, including freight forwarding, vessel chartering, warehousing, etc. TPF container terminal is located in the northwest of Spain, and their main purpose for attending this conference is to promote their business. Mr. Calvar said that currently they are acting as freight forwarders in 7 major ports across Spain and that their yearly revenue is approximately 4 million Euros from this market alone. He also stated that the main advantage of his company over others freight forwarders is that TPF has the facilities to deal with many aspects of the chain of supply, including packaging, shipping and warehousing. This means they can provide a cheaper and more efficient service, as they do not need to subcontract to other companies.

Another reason for TPF attending the exhibition is to search for reliable partners in China to assist them in handling the shipments once they reach the Chinese mainland. Mr. Fernandez said that they are also trying to establish relationships with some of the key players in the Chinese shipping lines. He is hoping that they will be interested in using their container terminal as either a transshipping port or as the gateway for the European import and export market. Mr. Calvar also expressed that they were getting positive feedback from some of the big liners and that they were showing interest in the services offered by TPF.

Interview with Marian Mironescu, Head of Promotion and Customer Relations for Constantza Port

2008-04-28T00:02:00.000-07:00

[via China Freight ]

Maritime Ports Administration SA Constantza is a National Company under the supervision of the Romanian Ministry of Transport and acts as Port Authority for the Romanian ports of Constantza, Midia and Mangalia. The company's main activities include: administration, maintenance of port infrastructure, port marketing and general development.

Mrs. Mironescu said that their port was under aggressive development and that their main reason for attending the exhibition in Shanghai was to promote their port and to attract more clients. The Port of Constantza already has partnerships with several companies in Shanghai, so this was an opportunity to meet face to face with them and also to meet more freight forwarders and operators of large shipping lines. Currently they do not have any offices in China but they are considering opening one in the coming years.

When asked about the advantages of using the Port of Conatantza, Mrs. Mironescu spoke of their modernized container terminal and how this was a contributing factor to their port having the fastest growth rate, in terms of TEUs being handled, amongst all the ports in the world. Last year they handled over 1 million TEUs and this capacity is expected to double over the next year. They have a very deep draft depth at the port of 20 meters, and by utilizing the Black Sea Canal it is easy to transport shipments into central Europe by boat, which is cheaper than using land transportation. Also many of the other ports in Europe suffer from congestion, which is not a problem at their port so they can offer their clients an alternative.

As Romania only became a member of the European Union a few years ago, Mrs. Mironescu wanted to assure potential clients that the legislation in place at their port is in accordance with the rest of Europe. Therefore there are fewer problems with customs clearance as compared to entering Europe through some other countries ports.

China Freight Forwarding Company: SHENZHEN CHANNELTON LOGISTICS DEVELOPMENT

2008-04-27T23:59:00.000-07:00

[via Freight Forwarding Company ]

Shenzhen Channelton Logistics Development Co., Ltd (Abbr. CLD) is based in the port of Shenzhen (the NO.4 container port in the world) and covers the Pearl River Delta and Southern China. With more than 10 years' development, it has become a leading and reputable international port logistics services provider. In the interview, Mr. Lai Qingbo, chief manager of the CLD, shares his experience and presents his ideas towards the logistics industry in China.

Build a strong base in order to compete with foreign companies
Mr. Lai pays attention to building a strong foundation on which to develop his company. He said that it takes a lot of time and capital for a logistics company to grow into a strong one. Mr. Lai started to work in the logistics industry after 1996, and there were two reasons why he decided to found the CLD. The first one is that the logistics market is really huge in Shenzhen and there are many opportunities. The second is that he has the ability to seize the opportunities and can devote himself to the company. In the early stages after the company was founded, he did well to control the costs and that was good for the further development of the company.

As some large foreign logistics companies enter the Chinese market, CLD meets more and more challenges. Those foreign companies are mostly from developed countries, which have advanced management systems and better network systems. As a result, he decided to provide services for cargo owners before the export cargo passes through the Chinese customs, such as warehousing, domestic transportation, customs declaration, etc, instead of competing with the foreign companies at what they specialize in. As a local company, CLD has more advantages on the domestic market. Besides, Mr. Lai pays attentions to building good relationships with the government in China. It is much easier for local companies to do that with less cost, and once the company cooperates with the government, it will be more convenient for it when doing business.

Full hearted, full devotion
CLD has a slogan that helped it to grow into a strong company: full hearted, full devotion. Although the company is not the largest one in Shenzhen, it has the best operation ability and no one else can compete with them. By utilizing the company's network, information, etc, it can provide more valuable services to customers and reduce the cost of operations. As all of the staff at CLD are required to devote themselves to their work, customers can enjoy the services without any worries. That is also one of the core aspects of the company.

Staff growing happily together with the company
Mr. Lai is optimistic and he hopes that his staff can work happily. He provides comfortable working conditions and colorful activities for the staff, and communication platforms such as OA system, company magazines, etc. He has three requirements for them to follow:
1. Work happily and create happiness for others.
2. Possess basic skills in logistics and having the ability to learn.
3. Devote themselves to their work and grow together with the company.

New staff do not need to have much work experience, for CLD provides all-round training for both managers and regular staff, not only training insides the company, but also that provided by some professional logistics institutes. The staff with a high ability will also have the chance to take further development courses.

In order to avoid the losses caused by staff leaving, Mr. Lai also has three requirements for the staff in the human resources department:
1. Have the ability to remain as an excellent staff member in the company.
2. The staff with low ability leave the company by themselves.
3. Attract logistics talents to come and work in the company.

At the same time, Mr. Lai also works hard to make the staff's salary correspond to their ability. For example, if a good staff member has a 4000 Yuan salary every month in another logistics company, CLD would like to provide them with 1000 Yuan more. In contrast, if a bad staff member earns 2500 Yuan every month in a company, they can only earn 2000 Yuan at CLD.

As a result, although the highest rate of staff depletion in companies in Shenzhen can reach 50%, CLD controls the rate to within 10%.

Website, a key to success
Compared with other logistics companies, CLD has a better website, including online booking and an online enquiry service. Mr. Lai said that websites are especially important in the logistics industry, and are a key to success. A good website can impress customers deeply and make them trust the company more. There are professional staff in the company to keep the website updated regularly. In early 2008, more functions will be added to the website, such as the online customs declaration, etc, to make the work with ports and customs more effective.

As a GCP member of www.jctrans.net, CLD hopes it can promote itself by using the B2B platform provided by the website in order to seize more opportunities. Although there are still some deficiencies in online logistics, Mr. Lai believes that it will play a more and more important role in the logistics industry and give more help to CLD.

China Freight Forwarding Company: Shanghai Ever-leading Logistics

2008-04-27T23:57:00.000-07:00

[via China Freight Forwarding Company ]

Shanghai Ever-leading Logistics Co., Ltd was founded in 1996, and belongs to the Shanghai Sunshine Freight Group. It is a member of the Chinese International Freight Forwarders Association and the Shanghai International Freight Forwarders Association. Over the past 10 years, it has grown into a mature logistics company. Ms. Zheng presents her opinions towards the development of the company and the logistics industry in China.

Since Ever-leading was founded, the staff at the company have been working hard to reach the goal--to provide excellent logistics services to small and medium sized international enterprises. Ms. Zheng thinks that the Director of the company plays the most important role on the way to achieving this goal, because his decisions decide the direction and targets of the company. Most Chinese private companies belong to a family because this can cut costs at the beginning, but this is not good for their future. However, as a private logistics company, Ever-leading is different from others. It pays attention to the potential opportunities in the future and never hesitates to spend money on any valuable assets.

Talented individuals and teamwork are important for logistics companies. The competition among private companies is fierce, so the staff at Ever-leading have to grow faster than others. As the logistics industry doesn't require much of employees at the beginning of their careers, most of them have to learn a lot while working. As a result, Ever-leading provides all-round training for its staff throughout the year to help them grow quickly. Ever-leading started from nothing and now their staff are what they treasure the most.

"The Chinese logistics market is full of opportunities and risks. Although it is developing fast, there are lots of problems, such as the lack of professional management, competition, the brain drain, etc. However, we have been prepared to solve these problems from the beginning. As one of the most important ports in China, Shanghai also faces great challenges from other ports and continues to lose some of its advantages. As a result, we have to seize any opportunities and improve our ability to compete with others." stated Ms. Zheng.

Interview with PRAKASH NAIR--Manager Network Cargo Sales Development, Emirates Airline

2008-04-27T23:54:00.000-07:00

[via Freight Forwarding Company ]

Prakash Nair is Manager Network Cargo Sales Development, responsible for Emirates SkyCargo's growing range of services and solutions worldwide -both across the division's network and its offline points. He was appointed to this position in July 2004.

Mr Nair's association with the cargo industry and the Middle East began in 1978, when he joined Kuwait Airways in Kuwait as Cargo Officer. The next year he became Station Supervisor for Saudi Arabian Airlines, where he acquired experience in handling both passenger and cargo operations.

In 1987, two years after Emirates commenced operations, he moved to Dubai and joined the airline as Planning and Capacity Controller. In 1995, Emirates SkyCargo decided to establish a full-fledged sales development department and called on Prakash to set it up and lead the team, drawing on his industry acumen and organisational capabilities.

Mr Nair has been a member of Air Cargo Europe's Advisory Board since 2003 and the Chief Advisor of Air Cargo India since 2006. He also presides on the Executive Board of Directors for the Middle East Logistics Awards (MELA) and has been appointed Honorary CEO of the MELA Winners' Alliance- an advisory body of experts who have achieved industry recognition in the field.

Mr Nair holds an MBA (Marketing) from the University of Lincoln, UK and a Bachelor of Commerce from Mumbai University, India.

Interview with Divisional Senior Vice President Cargo, Emirates Airline

2008-04-23T18:32:00.000-07:00

[via Freight Forwarder]

Ram Menen is Divisional Senior Vice President Cargo, Emirates Airline.

He began his career in aviation in 1976 at Kuwait Airways. He later moved to British Airways to head its cargo operations in Kuwait. In 1984, he joined the Kuwaiti aviation group Alghanim Al Qutub Shipping Agencies, to set up and manage its airfreight-forwarding unit in Dubai. Mr. Menen has headed the cargo division of Emirates since the inception of the airline in October 1985.

Trained as an engineer, he spearheaded the conceptualisation and development of the LD-36 (AMF) type of ULD (Unit Load Device) which increased usable space on each lower deck pallet base by 33 per cent.

He is one of the founder members of The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA), the premier organisation for the entire air logistics business, serving as Vice President in 1993 and 1994, and as President, CEO and Chairman of the Board in 1995 and 1996.

He continues to be involved with TIACA as Trustee and member of the Chairman's Council. Mr. Menen is a member of the IATA's Cargo Committee and is also involved in advisory capacity with several organizations.

He has been a resolute champion of air logistics industry and is actively involved in the development of various IT initiatives to address the needs of the industry. He has helped focus attention on cargo as an integral part of the world trade process.

In November 2007, Mr Menen was adjudged Personality of the Year (Air Cargo industry) at the Second Annual Middle East Logistics Awards (MELA 2007). He was inducted into the Lloyd's FTB Asia Hall of Fame at the Asian Logistics Awards in October 2006 and into TIACA's Hall of Fame in April 2005, in recognition of his efforts and contributions to the air cargo industry and for his achievements as head of Emirates' cargo division.

In October 2003 he received the 2003 International Air Cargo Achievement Award from The World Trade Centre Miami for "Excellence in Promoting East-West Trade". In March 2000, Mr Menen was recognised for his efforts with a Special Achievement Award by the International Freighting Weekly (IFW).

Freight Forwarder: Qingdao Honortrans International Logistics Co., Ltd

2008-04-23T18:29:00.000-07:00

[via Freight Forwarder]

Qingdao Honortrans International Logistics Co., Ltd was founded in 2004, and now has already grown into a mature logistics company with a worldwide network. In the interview, Mr. Liu discusses the development and culture of his company, and shares with us his experience in the logistics industry.

Choosing the core of your business

As one of the most important cities in Shandong, which is the shipping center in northern China, Qingdao has its own unique characteristics. Its agriculture, seafood, chemical and textile products are famous throughout the country, and its trade with Japan and Korea is prospering. However, compared with other large cities in the south of China, such as Shanghai and Shenzhen, the operations and management of logistics companies in Qingdao are not as developed. Qingdao Honortrans started out as a branch of another logistics company, and after trading successfully for several years broke away from its parent company. This meant that it already had some human resources and capital when it was founded.

Mr. Liu decided the development direction of Honortrans according to these factors:

1. Develop a strong international network. Most of the exported cargo from China is nominated cargo, so by strengthening their international network Qingdao Honortrans will increase its chances of handling this cargo and improve its ability as an international supplier.

2. Launch special services. Its hazardous shipping service and second-hand container selling and leasing service are among the best in Qingdao. Their sale of containers and special container shipping services are now very reputable.

3. Select main shipping lines. When Qingdao Honortrans was founded, Mr. Liu chose the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Euro/Med shipping lines as its main routes, and devoted the company to developing them.

Honesty and quality come first

Mr. Liu always emphasizes one point to his staff: honesty. He thinks that honesty is even more important than the ability of the staff. In the culture of Qingdao Honortrans, the first is teamwork, the second is study, and the third is honesty. As a result, the company has gained an excellent reputation in Qingdao and throughout China.

Besides honesty, Mr. Liu also pays a lot of attentions to the quality of service. In order to keep long-term relationship with customers, he and his staff abide by three points:

1. Service is most important. Qingdao Honortrans asks its staff to optimize their services by improving their own ability and paying attention to detail in order to provide all-round services.

2. Build a strict service system. Every staff member has to offer standard services according to the company's system.

3. Customers come first. The staff of Qingdao Honortrans should treat their customers honestly, help them to avoid risks and help to solve any of their problems.

Freight Forwarder: Dalian Epoch International Freight Co., Ltd

2008-04-23T18:24:00.000-07:00

[via Freight Forwarder]

It has been said that Mr. Shang Xiao Yong CEO of Dalian Epoch International Freight Co., Ltd is a logistics expert ahead of his time, and it was our great pleasure to have the chance to interview him. He gave us a deep impression of his knowledge of the logistics industry, but remained humble at all times.

The pursue of development

Dalian Epoch International Freight Co., Ltd started out 10 years ago as a trading company with a team of only 10 people. Since then it has expanded and developed into a freight forwarding company based at the port in Dalian, China, with a strong integrated network. It can provide a fast and cost effective freight forwarding service due to its cooperation with many shipping companies. Mr. Shang said: "During our development phase, we never encountered a period of unbalance; we always remained stable, even when faced with difficulties like the rise in fuel prices, a fall in freight or fierce competition. In my opinion, our success is due to our strong management, development strategy and hard work from the whole team."

Staff is the key factor of a successful freight forwarding company

Mr. Shang kept a smile throughout the interview, even when faced with some difficult questions.

The logistics industry is continuing to develop but a lack of experts in the industry is causing a problem. This problem is manly due to the increased use of e-business and the logistics industry is not the only one affected by this new development. Currently, many of the experts in the logistics sector are not adapting quickly enough to be able to keep up with the use of this new technology, and many staff that have been brought into the logistics field with a background in software engineering are not yet familiar with the logistics industry. This means that the logistics industry is well in need of trained staff with integrated skills.

Mr. Shang said: "The experience and ability of our staff is very important because staff are the foundation of any company. Employing personnel who already have experience in the industry is always our first choice, but not always possible. In order to train members of staff without adequate work experience we have developed relationships with some market leading logistics companies. We have established a procedure to send members of staff to these companies to learn not only about their management system and how they use software to effectively manage their business, but also to learn about methods being utilized at the forefront of the logistics industry. At present, our employees only spend a short period of time training in these companies, but with continued cooperation and communication we are hoping to extend this period."

Information and modern logistics

Modern logistics is focused on improving efficiency, reducing cost, and satisfying the customers' demands. Information handling has become a vital part of modern logistics, and one of the main goals of logistics companies to establish effective information systems.

Mr. Shang said that the traditional sales procedures in the logistics industry are either by selling over the phone or by talking face to face, but the development of e-business has brought along online logistics, which is more effective and costs efficient. Currently, he is upgrading the company's website so it can be viewed in English and Japanese as well as Chinese (the address of the website is www.dlepoch.com ). Although it is expensive to upgrade their website, Mr. Shang believes that it is worth the money and will help the company to establish their brand name in the future.

Freight Forwarding Company: Trans-world International Freight Forwarding Co., Ltd

2008-04-21T19:08:00.000-07:00

In recent years the Chinese freight forwarding industry has been growing at a fast rate due to new policies introduced by the government. The freight forwarding industry in Tianjin, a coastal city with the largest artificial harbor in China, contributes a lot to the development of international trade. Trans-world International Freight Forwarding Co., Ltd is one of the most influential freight forwarding companies in Tianjin, which has a firm belief in "Honesty is the foundation; providing effective services is the key to success". In the interview, Mrs. Jin Ying, CEO of Trans-world International Freight Forwarding Co., Ltd, introduced her company and the logistics industry in Tianjin.

Freight forwarding companies are affected deeply by the environment around them. It can provide them with many opportunities, assist in the growth of their networks and produce more specialized service providers. But on the other hand, it can also present them with challenges, such as the increased transparency of the market, which is leading to fierce competition between companies. As a professional international transportation company, Trans-world has developed a good company culture and operational management structure, in order to establish its brand and provide effective door-to-door services for its customers. Mrs. Jin also revealed that she has always opposed the cutthroat competition in the industry, which continues to cause many difficulties for freight forwarding companies.

In the logistics industry of today, the market in Tianjin has its own advantages and disadvantages. Tianjin is a costal city on the Bohai Sea, and is only a 2-hour bus journey from Beijing. This has contributed to its importance in both politics and the economy. The government in Tianjin strongly encourages foreign trade, and this has been to the great benefit of local freight forwarding companies. However, the logistics industry in Tianjin is still in its development phase, and the competition is really fierce. In addition the rules and regulations relating to the logistics field are insufficient to keep it running smoothly, and Mrs. Jin hopes that the government can act quickly to resolve this situation.

Mrs. Jin also said that the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing will provide a valuable opportunity for the logistics industry in Tianjin and throughout China. During the Olympics, lots of equipment, supplies and commodities will need transporting to Beijing, which will require high quality services and development of the current logistics industry. This is a great opportunity and challenge for freight forwarding companies in Beijing, Tianjin and other cities within China. Trans-world has to seize this opportunity and develop itself in the process.

At the end of the interview, Mrs. Jin said that the recent development of the Binhai New District gave her the enthusiasm to start her own business, and that Tianjin has already given Trans-world many opportunities, and. Although the logistics industry in Tianjin is still in a process of development, Trans-world will remain a trustworthy freight forwarding company offering professional services.

[via Freight forwarding]

Freight Forwarding Company: C.T. Freight Sidney

2008-04-21T18:55:00.000-07:00

Company Profile

C.T. Freight was established in 1981 by Clive Thomas, who is owner and CEO of the company. They are the largest independent freight forwarder in Australia and have branch offices across Australia in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Cairns, as well as branches in New Zealand, Singapore, and Los Angeles. They offer all facets of International Forwarding and Logistics, for both import and export, as well as 3PL services, Warehousing and Distribution. They own freezers and coolroom facilities at each office and operate freight terminals at Sidney and Melbourne, which can provide all-round services to sea and air freight forwarders. C.T. Freight is a top five airfreight IATA agent in Australia, was ranked third in the 2006 year result and spent over $34 million US with IATA in 2007 alone.

C.T. Freight and the Australia Air Industry

Air transport accounts for around 50% of C.T. Freight's total income and they are number one with airlines such as Emirates and British Airways. The majority of the air cargo they deal with is perishable goods, but they also handle every other kind of freight including hazardous and project cargoes. At present they are involved in forwarding project air cargo from Australia to Zambia in Africa, and Louisiana in the USA. Their business is very diverse and they can handle any air cargo to and from Australia.

The Australian & Chinese Freight Forwarding Market

The Australian freight forwarding market is more mature than the Chinese market, as it has developed over the last 100 years, whereas the Chinese freight forwarding market realistically began to develop only 20 years ago. The volume of cargo being shipped from china to the rest of the world is much greater than that from Australia, but this is to do with the difference in population. Even though Australian is about 85% of the size of China, there are only around 21 million people living there. In other words, the population of the whole of Australia is about the same as the population in Shenzhen or Shanghai.

The cooperation between China and Australia is very strong and it's getting stronger every year. The resent meeting between the Australian Prime Minister and the Chinese President can only strengthen this relationship. China has been very important to the Australian economy and despite the large difference in population, and Australia is ranked the seventh largest trading partner with China. The Australian economy is growing at a faster rate than any other western country, and this is directly attributed to the business relationship between the two countries. Mr. Wood's reason for coming to China was to meet his agents and partners face to face, in order to find out each others needs, learn from each other, and come up with solutions on how to create even more business.

How GCP membership has helped C.T Freight

Mr. Wood was in contact with Alfred Hao, from the Overseas Department at JCtrans, for several months before becoming a GCP (Global Credit Pass) member. The vast number of members in the JCtrans network was what first attracted him and his company. JCtrans gave his company an invaluable way to stand out above other international freight forwarders due to GCP status, and reassured potential partners that his company is creditworthy due to the third party publication of a credit report. His company is already doing business with several Chinese freight forwarders and the fact that C. T. Freight is a GCP member has improved communications with these members and made their business run much more smoothly.

Communication is Important

Mr. Wood said that the language barrier is the biggest problem for him when conducting business in China and he wishes that he could speak Chinese. However he told us that all of his partners in China have been very helpful. Communication is the most important factor in this business and it is essential that both parties are upfront and honest about their needs and requirements. In return for the assistance he has received from his partners, he is also happy to help them in any way possible to strengthen their relationship. A recent example of this was when a JCtrans member from Qingdao contacted him who required an agent in Poland. Mr. Wood then contacted his partner in Poland and was able to put them both in contact and they were able to secure a deal. Mr. Wood said that companies need to help each other, if he can make other people's business easier, they can make his business easier, and this creates mutual benefits for both companies.

[via Freight Forwarder in China]

Freight Forwarding Company: Shenzhen Senbang International Freight Co., Ltd

2008-04-20T22:45:00.000-07:00

Shenzhen Senbang International Freight Co., Ltd, which was established in 1999, is one of the first None Vessel Operating Common Carriers (NVOCC) in China granted by the ministry of Communications. After years of operation, Senbang has developed into a Third-party International Logistics Corporation. It has been awarded the titles of "Shenzhen Creditable Freight Forwarding Company", "Chinese Top 100 International Logistics Company and Top 50 Ocean Shipping Company" and "Shenzhen Key Logistics Company". During the interview, Mr. Su Dan analyzes the success of Senbang, and presents his opinions toward the 3PL industry and e-business.

Company strategy and staff make Senbang a success
Mr. Su said that the company strategy has played the most important role in the development of Senbang over the past 10 years. The Management Program is the guideline for all the staff, which is dedicated to justice, honesty, and equity. As a result, Senbang provides a secure working environment for its staff, who all follow the slogan on its website http://www.sbichina.com/; " Work hard and enjoy life".

In the heavily competitive logistics market in China, many freight forwarding companies pay too much attention to profit and ignore the working environment and growth of their staff. Mr. Su said that people in the freight forwarding industry face much more pressure than those in many other industries. In order to minimize this pressure, Senbang tries its best to provide a comfortable environment for them. Senbang has no strict principles, such as wearing formal clothes in the company, etc. Besides, it provides high salaries and standard welfare for its staff according to the laws in China, such as insurance, holidays, etc. Although this costs the company more, Mr. Song Gongyou, CEO of Senbang, said that Senbang not only targets on profit, but also pays much attention to offering opportunities to young people in order to sustain the growth of their business and showcase their ability. With the efforts of all the staff, Senbang is confident of realizing their dream to "Build a company with over 100-year history".

3PL is not only a fashion
Third party logistics has become the trend for the development of modern logistics. However, most of the traditional logistics companies do not recognize the signification of 3PL and its effect on the logistics industry when they are trying to enter this market. In traditional logistics, the registered capital, capital assets, number of employees, etc. are the standards used to estimate the strength of a logistics company. Mr. Su said that 3PL is the supply chain practice where one or more logistics functions of a firm are outsourced to a 3PL provider. As a result, logistics companies can provide all-round services effectively, including organization, management, adjustment, etc. and reduce the costs.

Senbang insists on 3PL and puts a lot of resources into training staff and establishing their information systems. In order to maximize their efficiency and profit, they have established nearly 20 branches and offices across China, and have developed a strong agency network covering many important international ports.

Master the market with the help of information
The forecast of the development of the logistics market contributes greatly to the success of Senbang. The sea-rail intermodal transportation system in developed countries is more advanced than that of China, which only began to develop around the turn of the century. Senbang has devoted itself to sea-rail intermodal transportation, and as a pioneer has received much support form the Shenzhen government and Bureau of Communications since 2001. Cooperating with Guangzhou Rail Group since 2004, Senbang established a rail network from Shenzhen to Chengdu, and began acting as the rail wagon operator in Shenzhen. Later, it took control of rail wagon operations all the way to Kunming and Changsha, and became the leader in the sea-rail intermodal transportation in Shenzhen.

In the domestic freight forwarding market, the majority of cargo is shipped under CIF payment terms and the export market is very prosperous. However, Senbang found that the revaluation of the Chinese Yuan has, and will continue to harm the export market, and there will not be enough business in the future for the increasing number of freight forwarding companies. In order to expand the business and avoid the vicious circle of competition in China, Senbang started to develop its overseas department earlier than others. It also utilizes e-business to keep ahead of the competition by making full use of the Internet, such as by regularly updating the company website and by becoming a GCP (Global Credit Pass) member on the JCtrans network. With the help of the creditable platform provide by JCtrans, Senbang has captured more business opportunities from the international market, and continues to keep ahead of the competition.

[via China Freight Forwarding Company]