EDITION 4/2012

GLOBALIZATION AS CROSS-CULTURAL TEAMWORK

WANTED:

DISCOVERERS

AIR FREIGHT NEW SAFETY RULES

FRANCE A MARKET IN FLUX

THE WORLD OF INTELLIGENT LOGISTICSmagazine

02 DACHSER magazine

NUMBERS THAT COUNT

WINTER-PROOFOff to the south? When temperatures in the northern hemisphere turn frosty, we can expect it to be warmer at the other end of the world, can’t we?

GERMANY

100,000 tonnes of

gritting salt were stored

in Germany in 2011

as a “national reserve”

for harsh winters.

BETHEL/MAINE/USA

The tallest snowman

ever built (in 2008)

measures 37.21 metres.

SAN ALFONSO/

SANTIAGO DE CHILE

The biggest (salt-water)

pool in the world holds

250 million litres of water.

At 29° C in December

it promises a divine bathing

experience.

NAGANO/JAPAN

Japan’s biggest skiing

resort, Shiga Kogen,

operates 70 lifts

and funiculars.

STRAHAN/TASMANIA

145 waterskiers in a row:

in January 2012

a new world record is set

“made in Australia”.

BOUVET ISLAND/

SOUTH ATLANTIC

93 percent glaciers,

0 inhabitants,

no need for gritting salt.

13° east, 5

2° north

3° east, 5

4° south

138° east, 3

6° north

145° east, 4

2° south

70° west, 3

3° south

70° west, 4

4° north

DACHSER magazine 03

CONTENTS

04

16

18

28

COVER STORY

Internationalization: Learning from one another in a globalized world 04

FORUM

People and markets: 10Sought-after EDI interface competence; subterranean goods flows and the high art of calligraphyCommunication: Earthly misunderstandings 14

COMPETENCE

Air & Sea Logistics: Countdown for a new era in air freight security 16Food Logistics: Sausage lore – contract logistics for Houdek 18Report: Keen noses in airport operations 21

NETWORK

Warehousing: Dangerous goods competence 22Dachser France: Repositioning for a new era. Interview with Frédéric Dumort 24Network competence: News from the world of Dachser 26Norway: Building bridges from Scandinavia to Europe 28

BUSINESS LOUNGE

Dachser face-to-face: Aiming high.Bernhard Simon meets Olympic high-jump champion Heike Henkel 32

GOOD NEWS

Aid project with terre des hommes 35

ImprintPublished by: Dachser GmbH & Co. KG, Memminger Str. 140, 87439 Kempten, Germany, Internet: www.dachser.com Overall responsibility: Dr Andreas Froschmayer Editor-

in-chief: Anne Huschka, Tel.: +49 831 5916-1423, Fax: +49 831 5916-8-1423, e-mail: anne.huschka@dachser.com Editors: Martin Neft, Christian Weber Publisher: Burda Creative

Group GmbH, Konrad-Zuse-Platz 11, 81829 Munich, Germany, Tel.: +49 89 30620-0, Fax: -100 Managing director: Gregor Vogelsang, Dr-Ing. Christian Fill Project manager Burda

Creative Group: Marcus Schick Design: Ralph Zimmermann Photos: all photos Dachser except iStockphoto (pp. 1, 2, 3, 4–6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 21, 27–29, 30, 31, 35),

fotolia.com: Senoldo, 1Gallery, Elwyn (p. 15), fotolia.com: fotowebbox (p. 21), Heike Rost (p. 12), fraport (p. 16), Illustration: Ralph Zimmermann (pp. 32–34) Printer: AZ Druck und

Datentechnik GmbH, 87437 Kempten, Germany Circulation: 38,000/53rd volume Publication: 4 x per year Languages: German, English, French. The DACHSER magazine is printed

on NovaTech paper certified in accordance with the FSC® mix for sustainable forestry.

F Our DACHSER

eLetter is packed with even

more information.

To find out more, visit:

www.dachser.com/news-en

COVER STORY

04 DACHSER magazine

Globalization is bringing people and markets closer together. By sending employees on assignmentsabroad Dachser builds bridges to a structured professional and cultural exchange. To the benefit of its customers.

WANTED:DISCOVERERS

hBeyond the horizon the road contin-

ues. At least for Irshad Muhammad.

At just 24 years old he already feels com-

pletely at home in the globalized world.

No wonder. After leaving school, the young

Pakistani left his home soil to learn languages

first in Italy and then in Berlin, where since

2010 he has been studying business adminis-

tration with a focus on logistics at the Berlin

School of Economics and Law (HWR). As

part of a dual course of studies, Irshad moves

in a 12-week rhythm between lecture theatre,

offices and warehouses at Dachser. “The

combination of theory and practice in Eng-

lish, the language of business, is very excit-

ing,” Irshad enthuses. He earned his first

spurs at the Neuss branch office. Then it was

back to school, followed from May to August

2012 by a stint in Johannesburg at Dachser’s

country organization in South Africa.

“Every student should have the opportunity

to get to know a Dachser country organi- ‡

DACHSER magazine 05

COVER STORY

COVER STORY

06 DACHSER magazine

zation from the inside,” says Bernhard

Simon, head of Dachser’s management

board. “Our company and our customers

have a growing demand for internationally

trained staff with individual personalities

who are not only familiar with the diversity

within the company, access to markets and

standardized processes in theory, but have

also experienced them hands on.” Dachser is

therefore now also promoting placements

abroad with its newly created “International

Assignments” coordination office attached

to the Corporate Human Resources division.

The new office is headed up by HR expert

Verena Bischofberger in close cooperation

with the branch offices and country organi-

zations. It addresses all employees from stu-

dents to executive staff. Although currently

international assignments are for the most

part organized from Germany, the aim for

the future is for more staff members involved

in training, for project assignments and

longer term placements to move at the mul-

tilateral level.

Johannesburg/South AfricaVerena Bischofberger also gave full support

to Irshad on his way to South Africa. „We

plan the placement, the assignment on the

ground and support by mentors and trainers

in consultation with the employees and

our local partners,” Bischofberger says. For

Irshad Muhammad this meant: “Everything

in the lead up and on site was perfectly

organized. Basically all I had to do was pack

my bags and get on the plane.” The adventure

could begin. “To begin with the internation-

al assignment was something of a challenge

for all of us – for our first dual-studies logis-

tics student in South Africa whom we

welcomed in Johannesburg, as well as for us,”

recalls country manager Detlev Duve.

Irshad’s study focus on warehousing suited

the up-and-coming country organization

very well. “Everything I‘d so far learned on

the topic during my studies and in Neuss was

met with great interest,” Irshad says. And you

can detect a degree of pride in his voice at

being accepted by his colleagues as a serious

dialogue partner. But it was a special sporting

passion that additionally helped his integra-

tion into the company: the game of cricket,

the national sport of Pakistan. “Dachser has

an indoor cricket team in Johannesburg that

regularly plays regional league fixtures,”

Irshad explains. No wonder the team would

be happy to welcome their young colleague

back to South Africa in the near future.

Such interested and flexible team players are

rated very highly at Dachser. “You can only

really get a good understanding of logistics

if you consider it from the global perspective,”

explains Uwe Ebling, head of HR Manage-

ment ASL Global. Dachser’s personnel

development therefore focuses on interna-

tionalization. “In order to achieve success in

globally integrated markets and inspire

customers each and every day,” Ebling says,

“our staff need international competence –

both on the professional and cultural plane.”

International experience is their gateway to

the world.

At the start there are many questions: who

are the most suitable candidates, what are

their learning goals, which company divisions

are involved, how can they reconcile the

assignment with their personal and family

life, what does the posting mean in terms

of social security contributions, how will they

be integrated on the ground and above all

reintegrated when they return home? Verena

Bischofberger provides one crucial answer

straight off: “An assignment abroad is no

holiday, neither is it sponsored free time.” For

the HR manager, professional requirements

are just as important as the respective lan-

guage skills when it comes to deciding where

the journey is headed. “Our focus is always

on content and future benefit – for indi -

vidual career planning as well as for the com-

pany as a whole,” Bischofberger says. Private,

local or locational wishes or preferences have

hhEvery student

should have

the opportunity to get

to know a Dachser country

organization from the inside

Bernhard Simon, head of Dachser’s

management board

DACHSER magazine 07

COVER STORY

ization really means will play a key role in

the future of our company. In a Europe with-

out borders international experience and

knowledge about regional differences are

an absolute must for any globally operating

company.” The company expects assignees

to be open-minded, internationally experi-

enced and multilingual, she adds. Country

manager van der Meer set a good example:

“I spent a few years gaining international

experience in Paris. That has stood me in

good stead for my own career development.”

He advises young people to get a sound train-

ing under their belts and gain work experi-

ence abroad, even if only for a few months.

“This will definitely have a positive effect

on their CV.”

Hong Kong/Greater ChinaIn Kempten Verena Bischofberger points to

an inscription at the entrance to Dachser’s

head office – “Openness and respect”: “This

is part of our corporate culture. Those who

embrace Dachser’s values will quickly find

their feet in the organization anywhere in the

world.” The biggest challenges of a foreign

assignment for students as well as staff

members, she believes, lie in overcoming

language barriers and social and cultural dif-

ferences. “Here all sides have to adjust to a

completely new situation in a very short

time,” Verena Bischofberger explains. “At

the same time this means the company and

the respective departments have to create

the necessary preconditions for this.”

Grace Lo from Dachser Far East came

from Hong Kong to central Europe,

for example, in order to better get to

know the company and the opportu-

nities it offers: “In addition to my own,

the possibility to familiarize myself

with the daily routine of colleagues

with a different cultural background

has been hugely valuable for my work

as a project manager in a multicultural

Air & Sea Logistics team.” In the

three months spent in Germany and

Switzerland she has not only gained

Dachser-specific expertise, she

says. “We have also grown to-

gether as a team. For me as a

project manager and a media-

tor between cultures this is of

existential importance.”

At Dachser Far East as many

as 17 staff members are ‡

to take a back seat. The coordinators from

Kempten see themselves as partners; they

support HR managers and staff members in

making the experience abroad as trouble-free

and transparent as possible.

“We want to integrate experiences proactive-

ly into the organization, develop and pro-

mote the best talents and help them plan

their career choices,” Bischofberger says, ex-

plaining the concept. “The overriding ques-

tion is always: How can we better leverage

our potential?” Foreign assignments are al-

ways teamwork, she adds, involving HR

managers as well as specialists from the fields

of labour law, payroll accounting and travel

management.

Waddinxveen/NetherlandsThe branch offices welcome their temporary

members of staff with open arms. They may,

after all, one day be sought-after colleagues.

Aat van der Meer, Dachser Netherlands’

country manager, shares this view: “Precisely

because we come from a small country the

exchange benefits us enormously in our in-

ternational business. Working together on a

day-to-day basis with colleagues from our

partner countries helps us to learn from one

another and ultimately better support our

customers.” Marcel Gorski is one such young

cosmopolitan. He is studying business ad-

ministration with a focus on forwarding and

logistics in his third semester at the HWR.

The internationally-focused dual course of

studies is just the ticket for the 21-year-old

from Berlin, whose family roots extend to

Poland and the Netherlands and who there-

fore speaks fluent Dutch. Marcel gained his

first hands-on experience with the funda-

mentals of logistics at Dachser’s branch office

in Rheine. He was then thrilled at the op-

portunity to take the next practical step in

Waddinxveen near Rotterdam. “Every day is

a new, exciting experience,” says the young

Rotterdam fan, drawing a positive balance.

His tasks included actively supporting and

controlling logistics processes in the branch

office as well as working in key account cus-

tomer service. “I particularly enjoyed having

direct contact to customers.”

For Ivonne Buijk, who as HR manager at

Dachser Netherlands accompanied Marcel’s

placement, such foreign assignments are

an important element of personnel develop-

ment in her country organization: “Good

young talents who know what international-

“International Assign-ments” addresses allemployees at Dachser,from students to executive staff. Theprogramme includes a wide range of foreignassignments; withinthe scope of a studycourse, as a trainee or as a member of aproject team, for instance in the contextof software rollouts or system integrations.

Moving between two worlds: Irshad Muhammad gains experience in Berlin, Neuss and Johannesburg

hhWe want to integrate experiences proactively

into the organization, develop and promote the best

talents and help them plan their career choices

Verena Bischofberger, Corporate Human Resources

International Assignments & Health Care

COVER STORY

08 DACHSER magazine

DACHSER magazine 09

COVER STORY

currently employed at various locations

outside their own country. These include

young people as well as long-serving mem-

bers of staff who have been with the com -

pany over 13 years. In the past four years

an additional 11 interns or trainees mostly

from Germany have come to Hong Kong

to learn more about topics such as sales,

controlling, marketing and communication

or tender management in a new environment.

“Integration is relatively easy because the sys-

tems are standardized and therefore familiar,”

notes Carol Lee, head of Human Resources

Dachser Far East in Hong Kong.

In a totally unfamiliar cultural setting,

small crises are sometimes unavoidable.

These may be triggered by communication

problems, cultural misunderstandings and

pitfalls or quite simply homesickness. “This

is perfectly normal and part of life,” Verena

Bischofberger points out. “In such cases we

encourage our staff members and students

at an individual appraisal meeting not to

throw in the towel and offer help wherever

we can.” Verena Bischofberger draws a posi-

tive balance of structured work placements:

“It’s not the quantity but the quality that

counts. In international assignments, spot-

ting and promoting talents goes hand in

hand. No matter where in the world.” In

South Africa at any rate country manager

Detlev Duve intends to keep in touch with

Irshad Muhammad. “We are looking for -

ward to having him back. He’s still got two

more internships to go on his course, but

soon we can start to think in earnest about

a future position for the student.” Beyond

the horizon the road continues. M. Schick

Better together Gabriele Fehr, Marketing & Sales Support manager, and Tracy Merry,

Human Resources manager Dachser USA in Atlanta, on the challenges and

opportunities of international assignments.

Where do you see the biggest challenges of a foreign assignment?

Tracy Merry: It is essential that those sent on foreign assignments take personal

initiative to succeed and demonstrate willingness to integrate into a foreign

culture and environment.

Gabriele Fehr: The destination should fit with the professional focus. Local staff

also should understand the goals of the assignment to strike a balance between

daily tasks and other specific learning objectives of their temporary foreign

colleagues.

How do you go about integrating the new colleagues?

Gabriele Fehr: That’s not so hard because I find that people around the world

aren’t so very different. Everyone contributes their own experiences and we all

share the same Dachser ideals and values.

Tracy Merry: We all work together, using an attitude of openness and in the end,

we all learn from one another.

Gabriele Fehr: Personally, I have had very good experiences with this.

Following my dual course of studies, I worked in European Logistics at Dachser

in Kempten. I then completed a training course in Air & Sea Logistics, before

moving to Atlanta in 2007.

What prospects do you associate with international assignments?

Tracy Merry: International assignments are a wonderful opportunity for personal

growth and provide key development for individuals, as well as for our company.

Gabriele Fehr: My advice to everyone is to make the most of the opportunities

in front of you and go abroad. It is good for your personality development and

for the company. Because of this, Dachser already is seeing the next generation

of globally-aware logistics managers.

IN DIALOGUE

Gabriele Fehr (left) has been working in Atlanta for several years; Tracy Merry supports staff on assignments inNorth America

FORUM: PEOPLE & MARKETS

10 DACHSER magazine

Electronic Data Interchange, EDI in short,

is the formula for a modern, deeply integrat-

ed customer relationship in logistics. This

autumn, with Rudolf Wild GmbH in Berlin,

Dachser registered the 10,000th EDI user.

In cooperation with the producer of ingredi-

ents and intermediate products for the food

industry, the logistics provider has now

established a complex link of both ware -

house and transport information via EDI.

Just like Rudolf Wild GmbH, more and

more customers are utilizing the benefits of

EDI to transmit their data electronically

to the Dachser EDI centre, the central com-

munication platform between the logistics

provider, its customers and partners. On this

basis, all processes can be comprehensively

controlled and made transparent at all times.

For the most part in paperless form.

In the past EDI was integrated into

Dachser’s Software Systems department, but

as of the beginning of December all EDI

topics are now consolidated at a new central-

ized point of contact, the “Business Integra-

tion” department. “EDI allows participating

companies to significantly increase their

efficiency because they both save time and

avoid errors,” says Petra Bögle, head of the

new department. The logistics provider

currently exchanges over 40 million EDI

messages a year with its EDI partners. And

a further increase is to be expected.

Communication

EVERYBODY DOES ITElectronic data interchange is the key to successful logistics.

Dachser has just welcomed the ten thousandth EDI user.

DACHSER magazine 11

FORUM: PEOPLE & MARKETS

1985 2003 2006 2007 2009 2012

Dachser EDI: a success story

Start

1,000users

2,000users

3,000users

5,000users

10,000usersThe growing number of EDI users reflects

the increasing demand for deeply integratedcustomer relationships.

Avoiding mountains of paper

If all EDI processes in 2012 had been submitted to Dachser or its customers on paper, the pile of forms, at over 5,000 metres,would have been higher than Mount Blanc.

What are the benefits of EDI?

Cost savings through automated and speedy processing

Avoidance of repeated data entries and changes of data format

Higher data quality and transmission reliability

Time flexibility

INFO

INTE

RFA

CE

S

12 DACHSER magazine

FORUM: PEOPLE & MARKETS

THE FORESTWARDEN’S INSPIRED REVOLUTIONHe described himself as a “forest

warden without a forest“. But really

all Josef Ressel (1793 – 1857) was

lacking was fortune. The son of a

Bohemian tax collector was both

district forest warden and an in-

spired inventor. 200 years ago he

revolutionized the nautical world –

but received no recognition during

his lifetime. While studying technol-

ogy in Vienna in 1812, Ressel con-

structed the world’s first propeller,

which he demonstrated on a trial

off the coast of Triest in 1829. The

propeller principle worked a treat,

which unfortunately could not be

said of the steam engine. The ship

owners felt confirmed in their scep-

ticism and for the time being con -

tinued to rely on sails and paddle-

wheel. However, there was no stop-

ping the progress of Ressel’s idea.

Today the biggest propeller ever

cast weighs in at 130 tonnes with a

diameter of 9.6 metres. This behe-

moth drives the world’s biggest con-

tainer vessel, the “Emma Mærsk”.

Calligraphy

THINK BIGBig ideas should be written large.

Friederike Straub has turned this

into an art.

When Friederike Straub commits her

ideas to paper, she needs space. And the

“genius loci”, a very special place. For

example the collection of casts of classical

works of art in Munich or the Capitoline

Museums in Rome. In these excellent

surroundings, the Munich-based calligra-

pher and graphic designer has transcribed

large-scale text fragments in Japanese

ink onto lengths of paper measuring 1.50

metres wide and up to 50 metres long

as part of her “genius loci” art project.

Contrary to the general trend: according

to a UK study, one in three adults have

not written anything by hand in the past

six months. Those interviewed had not

put pen to paper for an average 41 days.

Almost all communication nowadays

takes place either via text messaging or

e-mail. Friederike Straub on the other

hand continues to draw her XXL charac-

ters on paper “letter perfect” with giant

bamboo quills. As her next

“genius loci” she has her sights

on Hamburg. At a tradition-

rich shipyard she is seeking a

geographical reference to New

York City, where she intends

to spectacularly complete her

calligraphy cycle.

Friederike Straub at the “genius loci”

Calligraphy as an art form

IN BRIEF

509 young employees have started

training with Dachser in Germany

this year. At 78 locations, they are being

trained in three commercial, two IT,

two industrial and three technical

occupations or as goods vehicle drivers.

A further 62 students have enrolled

on dual Bachelor courses of study.

DACHSER magazine 13

FORUM: PEOPLE & MARKETS

MEGA-PROJECT WITH A DEEP IMPACT In Wilhelmshaven the “JadeWeserPort”, Germany’s first and only

deep-water container port has opened for operations. It is located

directly on the shipping channel and has a depth of 18 metres, which

means that ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs) can call at the

port at all times, independently of tide levels. “The JadeWeserPort

is a once-in-a-century kind of project,” said Lower Saxony’s premier,

David McAllister, at the inauguration ceremony. “The port will make

Wilhelmshaven a key hub for international container traffic. Containers from around the world – above all from Asia and

South America – will be loaded and unloaded here in future. The entire North German coast stands to benefit.” An even deeper

draught can soon be anticipated in China where Shanghai currently comes first in the world with a handling volume of

13 million standard containers (2011). In the east of the country the world’s biggest port is under construction in Qingdao;

with an annual handling volume of up to 30 million standard containers after completion in 2020 it will be around ten times

the size of JadeWeserPort, where 2.7 million standard containers can be transshipped annually. Even ships with a draught of

20 metres will be able to call at the XXL terminal.

AWARD-WINNING WORK International agricultural machinery manufacturer AG-

CO/Fendt has awarded Dachser the “Supplier of the

Year” prize in the category “Best Service Provider 2012”.

Bernhard Simon, head of Dachser’s management board,

accepted the prize on behalf of all participating Dachser

branch offices. AGCO/Fendt and Dachser have been

partners for over 70 years. At the award ceremony the

chairman of AGCO/Fendt’s management board, Peter-

Josef Paffen, emphasized that Dachser had built up a very

high level of trust over decades as a successful service

provider. The commendation Best Service Provider means

going the extra mile and surpassing customers’ expecta-

tions by offering outstanding products and processes.

Criteria for the award were the reliable connection via

Dachser’s IT system for efficient order processing, high

visibility of goods flows via Tracking & Tracing, the

management of all inbound consignments from German

suppliers and the implementation of just-in-time deliveries.

Peter-Josef Paffen, management chairman of AGCO/Fendt, (r.) presenting the award to Bernhard Simon

Large-scale investment: the new JadeWeserPort inWilhelmshaven

BELOW INSTEAD OF ABOVE GROUNDCongested traffic! Inner-city goods transport is becoming

less and less fun. This fires up the innovation drive of

traffic planners. One of these is Dr Werner Marnette, for-

mer economics minister of Schleswig-Holstein. According

to a report in the trade journal Logistik Heute, he wants to

get a “pneumatic container delivery” system up and

running in Hamburg. What form this might take is demon-

strated by “Cargocap”, a project that is being promoted

with the support of the Chair of Machine Parts and Ma -

terials Handling at the Ruhr University in Bochum. The

system foresees a series of underground pipelines through

which transport vehicles – the Caps – each with a transport

capacity of two europallets, convey goods either direct

to the consignee or to stations with corresponding logis-

tics links to the surrounding area. Marnette views this

or similar “pneumatic container delivery” systems as a

win-win situation for Hamburg and the metropolitan region,

forwarders, ship owners and the port terminals. He puts

the investment sum at around 1.7 billion euros.

“Pneumatic container delivery” for Hamburg

hThe Voyager probes have been

whirring through space since 1977

transmitting data and image material from

distant planets. By the same token, one day

these scouts may become ambassadors for

humanity. Be that as it may, just to be on

the safe side, NASA has installed golden

discs on board. They contain 27 pieces of

music, 35 sounds and 115 images.

These data media are associated with an

astonishing assumption: that somehow aliens

will manage to understand us humans. That

they will be able to make sense of croaking

frogs, piano sounds and anatomic drawings.

While these strange messages are waiting

to be discovered, their senders grapple with

very earthly communication problems. Mod-

ern logistics makes it possible to transport

goods to the other end of the world in next

to no time. Telecommunications networks

transmit words and data virtually in real time.

And yet time and again we are forced into

realizing that even on one and the same

planet, understanding and making ourselves

understood are fraught with difficulties.

Momentary language Amusing misunderstandings can occur even

between Brits and Americans: An English-

man says that he nearly had a heart attack

on a flight in the United States when the

American pilot announced that the plane

would be airborne “momentarily”. In British

English, “momentarily” means “for a mo-

ment”, and he thought the pilot was suggest-

ing an imminent crash soon after takeoff.

In American English, however, “momentari-

ly” means “in a moment”, and the pilot was

merely appeasing the impatient passengers.

Confusing? Certainly is. Irrelevant in business

life? Certainly not. As numerous car manu-

facturers (or should we say automakers?) can

testify: no other industry has fallen foul of

so many expensive past linguistic faux pas.

Mitsubishi, for example, inadvertently

named one SUV model “Pajero” – which in

South America is a swearword. And Toyota‘s

“MR2” does not sound very flattering when

pronounced the French way. In Finland,

Fiat’s “Uno” model met with an amused re-

ception: in Finnish the name means “dopey”.

Operating system of valuesMisunderstandings of this nature should

actually be avoidable. But even with experi-

enced interpreters people still regularly get

their wires crossed. When back in the 1970s

cultural scientist Geert Hofstede asked IBM

employees in over 60 countries about their

understanding of values, he discovered that

people function with different “operating

systems”, that they follow different cultur -

ally conditioned algorithms of the “software

of the mind”.

Seasoned business travellers not only learn

that Latin Americans welcome physical

contact, while their Japanese counterparts

may even shy away from a handshake. They

also learn something about values. In China,

for example, gifts are often quickly put

aside, which In Europe would at first be

considered a sign of ingratitude. Closer con-

The interstellar spaceprobes Pioneer 10 and11 have been whirringthrough space since1972. On a gold-platedplaque images of aman and a womangreet possible aliens.

Product samples from China, video conference with the US: modern logistics and telecommunicationsmean that once far-off goods and words are now always within easy reach. People are more closely networked than ever before – and neverthelessoften talk at cross purposes. It is the “software” in our minds that is to blame.

FORUM: ESSAY

EARTHLYMISUNDERSTANDINGS

14 DACHSER magazine

sideration, however, shows this to be a noble

gesture, since it implies that for the host the

person giving the gift is more important than

the gift itself.

International experience is of course no

guarantee for greater mutual understanding.

Not everyone is equally willing to take

different cultural values into account. While

one person may be upset by the apparently

unappreciative Chinese, the next tries to

understand the rationale behind the gesture.

Technologically speaking, the conditions for

cross-cultural understanding have never been

more favourable: thanks to the Internet

we can discover the world from in front of

our home computer.

On the Voyager mission, too, technology

shouldn’t be the stumbling block: in case

the aliens don’t know what to do with the

golden discs, they’ll also find instructions

for building a record player. S. Ermisch

Understanding andbody language differfrom place to place.While in one culture a handshake conveysintimacy, in another it may be awkward.

hhEven on one and

the same planet,

understanding and making

ourselves understood

are fraught with difficulties

DACHSER magazine 15

FORUM: ESSAY

16 DACHSER magazine

COMPETENCE: AIR & SEA LOGISTICS

From March 2013, all air freight consignments must either originate from certified “known consignors” or be checked before being loaded onto the aircraft. In future, only if these requirements are complied with may goods be transported by air without incurring massive delays.

STOP!SECURITY CHECK!!

h In air freight speed is of the essence.

Consignors are at risk of losing this

advantage from spring 2013 if consignments

get held up due to security checks. The

reason for this is new security regulations

that are likely to lead to significant delays

in air freight in the coming year. By 25

March 2013, consignors must apply for

certification as a “known consignor” by the

Federal Office of Civil Aviation (LBA) and

be registered in an EU database if they

want to continue to dispatch cargo by air

quickly and without holdups. This is when

the transition period, which has up to now

allowed companies to produce a security

declaration identifying them as “known

On 19 August 1911, a single-engine Harlan on a flight to Frankfurt/Oder markedthe beginnings of air freight in Germany with a consignment of hot-off-the-presscopies of the “BerlinerMorgenpost” news -paper. 100 years later93.1 million tonnes of air freight is trans-ported worldwide.

consignors”, expires. The previous “known

consignor” status then loses its validity.

“This will change the world,” says Jan

Bender, head of the Foreign Trade Compli-

ance department at Dachser Air & Sea

Logistics. In future every consignment that

does not come from a certified “known

consignor” will be subject to extensive secu-

rity checks before being loaded. However,

Germany’s airports in many cases do not have

sufficient capacities to check all cargo that

originates from uncertified consignors and is

therefore automatically classified as unse-

cured. “Implementation of the regulations

would currently bring air freight operations

to a complete standstill,” fears Klaus-Dieter

DACHSER magazine 17

COMPETENCE: AIR & SEA LOGISTICS

Ruske, head of the Transport and Logistics

division at the consulting firm Pricewater-

houseCoopers (PwC). So far over 95 percent

of air freight in Germany has been loaded

onto aircraft without further security checks.

Own certificationThe best way to ensure consignments are

processed smoothly is to apply for certifica-

tion by the LBA. A “secured” consignment

can then be handled by companies with the

status of “regulated agent” without being

subject to further security checks. Regulated

agents are officially approved handlers such

as forwarders or airline companies.

However, obtaining approval could become

problematic as the hurdles are high. To be

eligible for certification consignors must

show that they have a comprehensive securi-

ty concept in place. This includes for exam-

ple designating a security officer for every

facility that ships goods by air. All staff with

access to air cargo must receive adequate

security training. Companies must ensure

that unauthorized persons have no access to

air cargo. In many cases this will require

them to create the necessary prerequisites, for

example by installing security interlocks.

The entire security concept must be detailed

in the application to the Federal Office of

Civil Aviation. Prior to issuing its final certi-

fication the LBA also inspects and evaluates

the facilities and the security programme.

Where companies operate internationally,

each foreign branch office must be individu-

ally certified in the respective country.

PwC is anticipating a considerable backlog in

the processing of applications as many com-

panies become aware over the next few

months that time is pressing. Currently there

are around 65,000 “known consignors” in

Germany. However, only roughly 5,000 of

them have so far submitted an application

that will permit them to retain their status.

Many consignors apparently seem to be

relying on their logistics provider. This is

because unsecured air freight consignments

can be turned into secured consignments by

a “regulated agent” who then performs the

hhFor air freight forwarders this means

adapting their processes completely in order

to meet air freight transit times

Jan Bender, head of the Foreign Trade Compliance

department at Dachser Air & Sea Logistics

freight checks – for example by screening

the consignments or using explosive detec-

tion devices. To meet this demand, Dachser

has already installed x-ray equipment at its

Frankfurt, Munich and Cologne airport of-

fices. It is planned to add more airports in

the next few months.

But sometimes even an x-ray machine is not

a universal tool. Packages too large for the

1.75 x 1.75 metre x-ray tubes have to be

opened and manually checked. This leads to

further delays. “For air freight forwarders this

means adapting their processes completely

in order to meet air freight transit times,”

Bender explains. Dachser therefore relies on

close cooperation with its customers, such as

that with Hamburg-based tesa SE. The com-

pany is currently being certified as a “known

consignor”. Dachser additionally operates a

“secured” distribution warehouse that meets

all regulatory requirements. A. Heintze

Source: Airports Council International 2011

Top 10 airports by freight volume

Hong Kong 3,968,397 t

3,916,535 t

3,103,030 t

2,625,201 t

2,539,222 t

2,269,768 t

2,215,181 t

2,187,766 t

2,095,773 t

1,945,110 t

Memphis

Shanghai

Anchorage

Incheon/Seoul

Dubai

Frankfurt/M.

Louisville

Paris

Narita/Tokio

Securely loaded

COMPETENCE: FOOD LOGISTICS

18 DACHSER magazine

A Bohemian family recipe for a spicy salami laid the foundations for a Bavarian success story. Dachser supports tradition-rich meat and sausage specialist Houdek along the entire supply chain: from transport of the raw ingredients, via finishing, to delivery to retailers’ shelves.

THE SPICEIS RIGHT

It’s all in the mix: logistics brings assorted cold cuts

to retailers’ chiller cabinets

DACHSER magazine 19

COMPETENCE: FOOD LOGISTICS

This service significantly simplifies Houdek’s

production flows. After scanning, Dachser

stores incoming goods either in its refriger-

ated warehouse or at 12 to 18 degrees Celsius

as required and notifies them to Houdek.

Daily inventory reconciliation enables

Houdek to continually keep track of its cur-

rent goods inventory. The warehouse data

can be accessed at all times via the Internet,

allowing goods to be scheduled and with-

drawn for production as and when needed.

Since 2009, Dachser has also operated a dry

goods warehouse for the customer that has

2,300 pallet spaces for packaging films, card-

board packaging and the seasoning mixes.

Five shuttle transports depart from Dachser’s

warehouse for Houdek’s production plant on

a daily basis. After unloading, each semi-

trailer truck is immediately reloaded with

finished products from production. Back at

the Dachser warehouse, temperature checks

are carried out before the finished products

are either forwarded on directly or temporar-

ily stored as buffer stocks. Dispatch orders –

as well as picking orders, notifications and

confirmation messages – are exchanged be-

tween Houdek and Dachser exclusively via

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).

At Dachser, every consignment is scanned at

the transit terminal on arrival and departure.

This ensures Houdek has complete trans-

parency in real time concerning the delivery

status of every consignment. Houdek is au-

tomatically notified of any irregularities in

the shipment process via Active Report,

enabling the company to respond before its

customers take action. “Meat and sausage

production is a sensitive area. Here it is

vital to be able to ensure high delivery relia-

bility and correct product handling, as well

as traceability back to the original batch of

raw ingredients,” says Robert Houdek.

“Dachser is a highly competent and reliable

partner. Over the years we have built up a

very close collaboration based on trust.”

hSome like it hot: the original Houdek

Kabanos, or cabanossi, meet the taste

of many customers who like a bit of a kick.

The family enterprise based in Starnberg

produces hot-smoked and air-cured raw

sausages and traditional Bavarian speciali -

ties. But the company made its name with

its spicy pure pork salami which is hot

smoked over beech wood. “The recipe was

developed back in 1926 by my great uncle at

his butcher’s shop in Bohemia,” explains

Robert Houdek, grandson of the company’s

founder and present-day managing director.

Today the company employs a staff of over

500 at its Bavarian production sites in

Glonn and Arzberg and the administrative

office in Starnberg. Over 500 food retailers

in Germany and a dozen other European

countries feature Houdek Leberkäse meat-

loaf, salami, debrecziner sausages and ris -

soles in their product range.

To the exact gramDachser has no small part to play in ensuring

that retailers’ shelves are always stocked with

plenty of fresh Kabanos & Co. “We support

Houdek along the entire supply chain from

collection of the raw ingredients through

to delivery to retailers,” says Stefan Hohm,

Dachser branch manager in Hof. Dachser

has provided services for the traditional

company for the past seven years. During

this time the cooperation has become closer.

Today Dachser collects some of the raw

ingredients from suppliers via its food lo -

gistics network. All incoming goods are

checked carefully for correctness, complete-

ness, undamaged condition and temperature

and then labelled to ensure everything can

be traced back to source.

Dachser’s staff check whether the allergens

contained in seasonings correspond to the

information on Houdek’s product packaging

and weigh individual samples as orders are

picked for production according to recipe.

hhWe support

Houdek along the

entire supply chain from

collection of the raw ingredients

through to delivery to retailersStefan Hohm, Dachserbranch manager in Hof

COMPETENCE: FOOD LOGISTICS

20 DACHSER magazine

Houdek groupMeat and sausage products Founded: 1926

Production: sausage specialities

such as Kabanos and salami,

as well as convenience products

Production sites: Arzberg, Glonn,

Starnberg

Staff: approx. 500

Revenue: EUR 146 million

SHORTHAND

hh In the production and sale of meat and sausage

products it is vital to be able to ensure high delivery

reliability and correct product handling, as well as traceability

back to the original batch of raw ingredients

Robert Houdek, managing director of the Houdek group

Intelligent schedulingThis collaboration was most recently ex -

tended in 2011 by customized value added

services. For a number of retailers Dachser

creates mixed boxes and display pallets.

“We recently had a presentation box for the

Munich Oktoberfest featuring a variety of

Bavarian sausage specialities,” Stefan Hohm

points out. From single-article boxes Dachser

staff create shelf-ready mixed boxes con -

taining a variety of products.

Outsourcing procurement, distribution, ware-

house management and supplementary logis-

tics services helps Houdek to optimize its

process costs and focus fully on its core busi-

ness. “All processes are IT-assisted, enabling

us to plan efficiently and schedule intelligent-

ly. By ensuring high capacity utilization of

our vehicles and avoiding empty runs we

reduce CO2 emissions to a minimum,” says

Stefan Hohm, summing up the advantages.

Indeed, environmental stewardship is anoth-

er Bavarian tradition, he adds. Guests as well

as locals should be able to continue to enjoy

long walks and excursions in the unique

Bavarian forests and mountains. And when

they stop for a rest or a glass of beer, a Houdek

Kabanos is the perfect snack. D. Kunde

Value added servicessuch as finishing of display pallets andassortment boxes orsleeving, combinedwith customized outsourcing solutions, are integral to modernfood logistics. Customers expectcompetent advice,from optimum choiceof location to implementation in day-to-day operations.

Contract logistics is also the recipe … … for reliable production

Sniffing for greater security: detector dogs at cargo airports areespecially good at nosing out suspiciousconsignments.

hThey turn up for work accompanied by

their handler. They react to short,

sharp orders. And they are deployed wher -

ever human senses are not refined enough

and robots and x-ray machines are unsuited.

At airports sniffer dogs are the new experts

for narcotics, explosives and toxic substances.

“K9 units” as they are known, which is a hom-

ophone of canine. After 12 weeks of training

and passing a test they are officially known in

a number of European countries as “scent

trace matching dogs”. However, they contin-

ue to learn throughout their whole doglife.

Training exploits the dogs’ natural playful

instincts. Here, ‘Officer Super Sleuth’ is

trained to sniff out toys – that have been

spiked with the scent of suspect substances.

Maximum sniffing range A dog possesses 250 million olfactory cells

compared to our mere five million. While

the most a human being can detect with a

freight consignment is the smell of the wood-

en pallet, a dog can recognize the slightest

traces of odours even through extremely

thick plastic wrap and cartons.

Even the most sensitive detection devices

are no match for these keen noses. When a

dog detects a suspect odour it sits or lies

down with its snout pointing at the source.

Extreme caution is called for because if

the dog were to start scratching at the sus -

picious object or rooting with its muzzle, it

could trigger an explosive detonator.

Dogs – accompanied by an explosives and

narcotics expert – are increasingly being

used at airport cargo centres. Jan Bender,

head of Dachser’s Foreign Trade Compliance

department: “Thanks to the dogs’ keen

sense of smell freight consignments with par-

ticularly complicated packaging no longer

have to be opened. So far the dogs – mostly

German and Belgian shepherds – are being

used in France, Belgium and the Nether-

lands. We hope they will soon be permitted

in Germany.” A dog’s life that comes with

a job guarantee. T. Schlosser

KEENNOSESON THE JOB

Better than some technical devices: sniffer dogs have finely honed senses for detecting hidden dangers

DACHSER magazine 21

COMPETENCE: AIR FREIGHT

COMPETENCE: DANGEROUS GOODS

22 DACHSER magazine

ON THE

SAFE SIDEDumitrescu says, satisfied. After all, no one

wants a real accident to happen, especially

because the warehouse stores dangerous

goods such as pesticides, paints and varnishes

or pressure gas units.

Sensitive goods Especially since the accidents that occurred

in Seveso in 1976 or in Bhopal, India, in

1984, industry, politics and society around

the world have been highly sensitized to the

need for responsible handling of dangerous

substances. After all, they occur in practical-

ly all areas of work and life, for example as

paints, varnishes, pesticides, industrial gases

or cleaning agents. As raw materials, con-

sumables and supplies they offer practical

assistance in our everyday lives. However,

accidents involving dangerous substances can

be devastating for the people and regions

affected and involve heavy costs for those

responsible.

Handling dangerous goods not only demands sophisticated technology. Above all it calls for competent staff.

The Globally Harmo-nized System for classifying chemicals(GHS) was adopted by a UN commission in2002. For the first timeit created a globallyuniform system for the classification of dangerous goods.

h It had flown off course. Just a little bird.

In Dachser’s dangerous goods ware-

house in Ploiesti, Romania, it made acquaint -

ance with some pretty sophisticated safety

technology. “That was enough to trigger the

alarm,” reports Traian Dumitrescu, Dachser

country manager in Romania. “It flew across

the laser beams that detect smoke fumes. The

safety system informed us immediately that

something was up.” The warehouse staff

quickly noticed the false alarm and caught

the bird. The chain of alarms that otherwise

alerts authorities, the fire brigade and the

management when an incident occurs

was not set off. “So far this is the only time

our technology has had to prove it works,”

DACHSER magazine 23

COMPETENCE: DANGEROUS GOODS

Legislators have responded to this situation

nationally and internationally by successive-

ly adopting ever more stringent rules. Two

reg ulations currently form the principal legal

framework for dangerous goods warehouses:

the Globally Harmonized System (GHS)

and the Seveso II Directive. The European

Union has also reached further harmoniza-

tion with Seveso III; the new directive, which

provides for further classifications and addi-

tional obligations concerning the provision

of information and public participation and

controls, must be incorporated into national

law by 31 May 2015.

“With our dangerous goods warehouses in

Hungary and Romania for example we are

pioneers when it comes to safety. We are

setting new standards on the market in

this field,” says Armin Blaschek, Contract

Lo gistics Projects team leader within the

Logistics Consulting division. The danger-

ous goods warehouse in Ploiesti near the

Romanian capital Bucharest is for example

the first in the country to meet the strict

Seveso II Directive requirements. What

does this imply for day-to-day operations

in the dangerous goods warehouse? Should

a sack unintentionally tear, a fork truck by

accident damage a canister or a fire break

out, the facility and, more importantly, the

staff are prepared. “Each of our 11,500

pallet spaces is for example equipped with a

fire extinguisher sprinkler system with foam

additives so that in the event of a fire the

flames can be smothered where they origi-

nate,” Dumitrescu explains. A sophisticated

piping system ensures that each and every

sprinkler is supplied with water at a pressure

of six bars – in winter, too: even at Arctic

temperatures of minus 20 degrees Celsius,

as recently experienced in February 2012,

a heating system ensures that the extin -

guishing water does not freeze. With two

times 2,000 cubic metres, Dachser stores

twice the amount of water ready for use as

is legally required. The retaining basins for

extinguishing water or escaping liquids are

large enough to collect any contaminated

water in the event of a fire. To ensure that

no toxic substances can seep into the ground

the floor of the warehouse has been addition -

al ly sealed with a special chemical-resistant

foil. Sensors measure dangerous concen -

trations, for example of solvents, in the air,

enabling an immediate response in the

event of an accident. For reasons of safety,

the warehouse is divided into six fire pro -

tection zones.

Know-how for everyoneBut even in the Ploiesti warehouse all this

technology is not just an end in itself.

“Our first priority is always the safety of our

staff,” explains Steve Heidner from Central

Dangerous Goods Management at Dachser.

“We therefore provide special training for

all staff members who come into contact

with dangerous goods. This not only goes

for staff directly in the warehouse itself,

but also for colleagues in administration and

sales. Everyone should have the knowledge

they need to be able to correctly assess the

risks associated with hazardous substances

and handle them accordingly.” In 2011 alone,

over 133 staff members received training at

the DACHSER Academy in the transport

and storage of dangerous goods. These

experts have in turn assumed the task of

passing on their knowledge to more than

9,500 colleagues in Dachser’s branch offices.

The effort is well worth it: as a result of

the good experiences already made in the

distribution of its products via the ware -

house in Pilisvörösvár in Hungary, chemicals

giant BASF is now also utilizing the facility

in Ploiesti. From here the company supplies

southeastern Europe. Chr. Merten

hhWe provide training

for all staff members

who come into contact with

dangerous goodsSteve Heidner,

Central Dangerous GoodsManagement at Dachser

Dangerous goods warehouse Ploiesti Pilisvörösvár

Investment EUR 10 million EUR 7 million

Inauguration 2012 2006

Warehouse area 6,500 square metres 7,000 square metres

Separate fireprotection zones 6 6

Pallet spaces 11,500 16,000

Sensors smoke, gas and smoke, gas and temperature sensors temperature sensors

Extinguishing water supply 2,000 cubic metres 2,000 cubic metres

Fire service Own plant Connection tofire service with municipal fire brigade six employees in Budapest

INFO

Integration of the French country organization into Dachser’sglobal network is completed. Frédéric Dumort, head of the management board of DachserFrance, talks to Dachser magazineabout markets in flux and the dynamics of a new culture.

Logistics is a growth market. Is this also

true for France?

Frédéric Dumort: No, generally speaking

the logistics market in France is not current-

ly on a path of growth! Over the past thirty

years and in the last decade especially, the

contribution of French industry to GDP

has fallen from 24 percent to 13.6 percent,

which is 50 percent lower than for Germany!

At the same time, the logistics sector is

facing a radical transformation: of the indus-

try top ten, in the past five years five com -

panies have disappeared altogether, or have

either been taken over or strategically reposi-

tioned. This has brought profound structur-

al changes and the process is still ongoing.

What strategy is Dachser France employ-

ing in response to this development?

In 2007 the decision was taken to fully inte-

grate the French subsidiary into the Dachser

network. This also encompassed expanding

our export groupage services, optimizing pro-

ductivity by aligning our national offering

with the freight structure of the network,

developing our warehousing activities and

finally consolidating our international exper -

tise with Cargoplus and Air & Sea Logistics.

What are your USP vis-à-vis customers?

First of all, being part of an international

group whose business model is based on a

solid and stable ownership structure allows us

to pursue a coherent and consistent corporate

policy independently of political influences

dictated by financial markets and public in-

vestors. This point is key with regard to oth-

er French industry players in ensuring the

company’s long-term continued existence.

Secondly, our highly integrated pan-Euro-

pean network enables us to offer our cus-

tomers a reliable and seamless service cou-

pled with established competence in such ar-

eas as warehousing or value added services.

Finally, our decentralized management mod-

el permits us to respond faster to market de-

velopments and offer our customers solutions

in line with their needs.

“ON THEMOVE”

NETWORK: DACHSER FRANCE

24 DACHSER magazine

Where do you currently see the focus of

Dachser France?

At the beginning of 2011 we brought our

French organization into line with Dachser’s

international transport and logistics services

network with the operational goal to place

the French subsidiary back on course for

growth. In other words, a concerted effort

went into utilizing and optimizing the new

tools to enable us to reap the benefits of

the investment and seize the opportunities

presented by the Dachser network. Today

we can say that we have achieved this objec-

tive: across the network we now work with

the same decentralized management models,

the same tools and to a great extent the same

standardized processes and services.

What role have colleagues from other

Dachser country organizations played in

this?

During the transition phase our branch man-

agers were supported in the optimization of

the new tools by their German colleagues

hhDachser France has in some ways experienced a big bang in the course of the past five

years. It wasn’t always easy, but we have come out of it stronger Frédéric Dumort

within the scope of a formal partnership.

The accompaniment of this process was in

my opinion a decisive factor, which is why

we have unanimously decided to prolong it

in 2013.

In 2011, you were appointed one of the

three members of the board of manage -

ment of Dachser France. Does this not

revert back to a centralized model of

leadership?

No, definitely not! The board of manage -

ment is very keen to encourage the active

participation of all players. Since 2011,

Dachser France has been managed by the

extended board, made up of heads of Finance

& Administration, Sales & Contract Logis-

tics, Network, HR and Cargoplus as well as

the branch managers represented by their

spokesman, Dominique Charbonnier. The

creation of branch manager circles in which

collectively initiated proposals and sugges-

tions are discussed speeds up decision-making

processes. This is a major step forward.

What, in your opinion, are the strengths

of Dachser France?

Dachser France has in some ways experi-

enced a big bang in the course of the past five

years. It wasn’t always easy, but we have come

out of it stronger. Now not only are we well

positioned, personally I am convinced we

even have a certain competitive edge in the

French market. Dachser has a coherent cor-

porate structure and range of services and in

the international sphere offers its customers

Europe’s most deeply integrated network. In

2011, we recorded growth of 10.7 percent

across all business fields. This year the growth

trend is set to continue at around six per -

cent in the groupage, contract logistics and

Cargoplus segments. These are impressive

figures given the current economic climate

and a sign that our offer corresponds to

market expectations.

The head office of the French country

organization is in La Verrie. What are

its tasks?

The staff at the head office in La Verrie play

a key role in the success of our undertaking.

They act in an advisory, coordinating and

controlling capacity. They provide advice by

placing their extensive expertise at the branch

offices’ disposal, use their global vision to

help the branch offices find the most effi -

cient solution for the Dachser network and,

because every decentralized system depends

on a certain degree of control, ensure the rules

are complied with and the strategy actively

pursued. It is this complementarity on the

one hand and unity on the other that makes

us so efficient.

What direction does Dachser France in-

tend to pursue in the future?

The European network occupies a central

place in our services offering. We now have

the instruments to enable us to efficiently

leverage this network to the benefit of our

customers. In groupage, our aim is to secure

our position as a market leader in France.

However, growth is not our only goal. One

of our highest priorities is quality. In my

view the greatest growth potential is to be

found in European groupage operations,

which already account for 21 percent of our

revenue – a figure we are aiming to double

over the next five years. We are also continu-

ing to develop our contract logistics activities,

which offer combined transport and ware-

housing solutions. With a capacity expansion

of 30,000 to 40,000 square metres a year we

have recorded growth rates in this field of

30 and 26 percent for 2011 and 2012 respec-

tively. In 2013, our total warehouse area is

expected to exceed 200,000 square metres.

This pace is likely to continue over the next

few years.

What goals are you pursuing over and

above Dachser’s European network?

In the field of Cargoplus we are reaffirming

our leadership in the Maghreb states on

a day-to-day basis and can also attest to

strong growth in freight services to and

from Turkey and the CIS states. Parallel to

our groupage services, we are also in the

process of building up a cost-effective pan-

European full truck load service. Finally,

despite the difficult global economic situa-

tion, we have also set ourselves ambitious

goals for our Air & Sea Logistics business

field. Only recently under the management

of Vincent Touya we expanded our Le

Havre location by 2,000 to a total of 6,000

square metres in order to meet the growing

demands of our customers.

DACHSER magazine 25

NETWORK: DACHSER FRANCE

Frédéric Dumort,

46, is head of the management

board of Dachser France. The

business administration graduate

and father of two has been with

Dachser since 2008 and was

appointed to the management

board in 2011.

PERSONAL FILE

From left to right: Philippe Hennetin, Jean-François Deflandre, Vincent Hahn, Frédéric Dumort, Dominique Charbonnier, Daniel Lucas, Frédéric Jurado

Successful integration of a company

without interrupting normal operations

requires a tour de force on the part of all

those concerned. You can read how this was

achieved in France in the full-length

interview at www.dachser.com/dumort

q

NETWORK COMPETENCE

26 DACHSER magazine

As of September, Dachser is also offering its Cargoplus services in Poland. “This

offering results from our Mobile 2015+ strategy and is our response to the demand

of many key account customers who expect their logistics provider to be able to fully

cover all their transportation needs,” says Grzegorz Lichocik, manager of Dachser’s

country organization in Poland. By focusing on the Cargoplus service segments

“pan-European full load freight services and specialized freight services to the CIS

countries, the Maghreb states and Turkey”, the Polish country organization is enhanc-

ing its attractiveness in these markets. From a geographical point of view, Poland is

an obvious choice as a platform for transport operations between the East and the

West. Close integration into Dachser’s European transport network opens up new pos-

sibilities for groupage shipments to Russia and other CIS regions. The new Cargoplus

office is located in Stryków, branch manager is Dorota Ruszkiewicz.

Around 12 kilometres north of the capital of Saxony, in Radeburg, Dachser’s new

Dresden logistics centre is under construction. Located close to the A13 motorway, the

13-hectare site has optimal accessibility. With a EUR 22.5 million investment, Dachser

is constructing a 3,500-square-metre administration building as well as a 7,500-square-

metre transit terminal for industrial goods and a 4,500-square-metre transit terminal

for foodstuffs. Over the next five years, Dachser intends to create over 100 new jobs

in the region. Dachser has been active in the region for 20 years. The logistics provider

currently employs a staff of around 170 in Radeburg and handles over

40,000 tonnes of industrial goods and foodstuffs per month.

RADEBURG TRANSPORT HUB

Dachser’s SWS Karlsruhe subsidiary is now re-

splendent in the colours yellow and blue. Fol-

lowing rebranding in Dachser’s corporate de-

sign, the facility is on course for continued

growth. The company is investing some EUR

25 million in the new operating site in Malsch,

to which the Karlsruhe branch office will relo-

cate at the end of 2012. In addition to the two existing warehouses, which together mea -

sure 36,000 square metres and provide 60,000 pallet spaces, Dachser is constructing a

10,000-square-metre transit terminal with 126 loading bays and a 4,100-square-metre

office building. Dachser Karlsruhe will bring all of the modes of transport under one

roof in Malsch, thus creating an optimal environment for the two business fields Dachser

European Logistics and Dachser Air & Sea Logistics to dovetail with comprehensive

contract logistics services.

SWS BECOMES DACHSER

Grzegorz Lichocik, Dachser country

manager in Poland

Dachser’s colours now also adorn the new building in Malsch

CARGOPLUS IN POLAND

+++ STRONG IN STYRIA +++

At the beginning of October, Dachser’s

Lannach branch office in Austria

moved to new premises. On the new

approximately 22,500-square-metre

site in Wundschuh near Graz, Dachser

operates a 4,100-square-metre transit

terminal at which up to 45 trucks can

be loaded and unloaded simultaneous-

ly. The facility also encompasses an

administration building with around

1,000 square metres and is certified

in compliance with HACCP (Hazard

Analysis and Critical Control Points).

This ensures the safe handling of sen-

sitive foodstuffs by regularly trained

Dachser specialists and with the right

technical equipment. +++

NETWORK

DACHSER magazine 27

+++ NEW BRANCH OFFICE IN NANJING +++ Dachser

is extending its network of locations in China with a new

branch office in the Yangtze River Delta. “The cities along

the Yangtze River are experiencing enormous growth in

the manufacturing and processing industries, which is

also leading to a steep rise in demand for logistics

services,” says Thomas Reuter, managing director of

Dachser Air & Sea Logistics. From Nanjing air and sea

freights services will be provided for the entire region,

including the cities of Yangzhou, Zhenjinag, Wuhu,

Nantong, Zhangjiagang, Wuhan and Yichang. +++

+++ GROWTH IN VIETNAM +++ Dachser Vietnam Co.

Ltd., which opened its doors in Ho Chi Minh City in

October, is gaining momentum. The range of services in

one of the most dynamic growth markets in South-East

Asia extends from air and sea freight business to cus-

toms clearance and a variety of other logistics services.

In the short term the company, in which Dachser Far

East Ltd. has a controlling majority, plans to employ a

staff of 20. Additional branch offices in Vietnam are in

the pipeline. +++

+++ EXPANSION IN ZEVENAAR +++ Nine months after the start of

construction, Dachser moved into its new premises in Zevenaar in

September. The facility encompasses a three-storey office building

and a transit terminal with over 7,200 square metres and 82 bays.

“This new build leaves us ideally placed to accompany our customers’

growth over the next few years,” says Aat van der Meer, country man-

ager of Dachser Netherlands. The Zevenaar branch office is strategi-

cally located on the A12 motorway, which is the east-west route

across the Netherlands, becoming the A3 motorway in Germany. One

of the special features at the new facility is the drag-chain conveyor

system. “The drag-chain conveyor system plays a key role in our

transshipment logistics,” van der Meer explains. +++

Dynamic Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City

Network expansion in the Middle Kingdom

28 DACHSER magazine

NETWORK: NORWAY

FOCUS

THE NORTHOil and gas are fuelling growth in Norway. This also drives up demand for intelligent transport and logistics solutions in Scandinavia and Europe.

DACHSER magazine 29

NETWORK: NORWAY

h It is summer in Norway. The mercury

column on the thermometer indicates

25 degrees in the shade and Hans-Thomas

Andersen, branch manager of Dachser’s

Oslo branch office has hung his jacket over

the back of his chair. Despite the summery

temperatures, his mind is already focused on

the depths of winter. His desk is covered

in order lists and schedules of one of his

key accounts. For Antra, a Norwegian im-

porter and dealer of Kässbohrer PistenBully

snowgroomers and cross-country track-

setting machines, he is in the process of or-

ga nizing delivery of the new equipment and

related spare parts logistics.

He needs to do his homework in good time.

Because when it is dark from morning to

night, snowflakes dance on the windscreen

and the roads are covered in a sheet of ice,

mobility – like everywhere in Scandinavia –

becomes a huge challenge. Norway is not

only a land where distances are long; it is

also a land with comparatively few motor-

ways. According to Eurostat, in 2010 the

country could boast a mere 381 kilometres. ‡

On the same latitude as North Alaska: Tromsø

on Tromsø Sound

NETWORK: NORWAY

30 DACHSER magazine

way and the Oslofjordtunnelen accesses even

remote corners of the country. Within a

radius of 100 kilometres Dachser’s staff take

care of distribution themselves – for greater

distances the company contracts partners.

“The new site is a big step towards the

future,” says branch manager Hans-Thomas

Andersen. At the previous building in

the centre of Oslo trucks were continually

held up in traffic, resulting in a loss of

valuable time.

“The decision to set up a new location in the

region answers the increased demand for

intelligent transport and logistics solutions

and will hopefully continue to ensure the

consistently high level of quality in the area.”

And of the 90,000-plus kilometres of road

altogether, only 70,000 kilometres are tar -

macked. The equipment needs to be de liv-

ered on behalf of Antra before the peak

season for downhill and cross-country starts.

The next challenge is ensuring rapid delivery

of spare parts during the peak season from

November to March. Here, reliability is key

to making sure the slopes remain skiable.

Desirable locations In Norway, the region around the capital,

Oslo, has far and away the greatest relevance

for the logistics sector. Desirable locations

are in the motorway corridor formed by

the E6 to the north in the direction of

Gardermoen airport, the E6 to the south in

the direction of Oppegard and the E18 to

the west in the direction of Asker. Here,

on a newly established industrial zone to

the south of the Oslo metropolitan area,

is exactly where Dachser chose to locate

this summer. The 11,000-square-metre site

accommodates a 1,900-square-metre transit

terminal which handles incoming and

outgoing goods via 26 bays at precision-

timed intervals. This gives customers like

Antra and Medinor, one of Scandinavia’s

oldest and biggest providers and dis -

tributors of pharmaceuticals, value

added healthcare products and

services, parameters they can

rely on. The new facility in

Oslo is closely integrated into

Dachser’s European network and

with direct links to the Norwegian-

Swedish north-south E6 motor-

“For me, Norway is the legendary

fjords, the beautiful scenery and

unspoilt nature.”

Jeroen Wouters, Inside Sales, Willebroek, Dachser Belgium

“With Norway I associate nature,

wild salmon in the rivers and frosty

temperatures!”

Jane Wong, administration manager, Hong Kong

“When I think of Norway, four

things spring to mind: cod, Vikings,

snow and the polar lights.”

António Gamboa, IT manager, Alverca, Dachser Portugal

VOICESA logistics specialistthrough and through.In August 2012, Finn S. Pedersen celebrated 40 years in the transport and logistics business.Since 2005, the 57-year-old has con-tributed his knowledgeand experience as a director of DachserNordic A/S.

DACHSER magazine 31

NETWORK: NORWEGEN

Increasing flows of goodsAnd this is in high demand. Because thanks

to the Norwegians’ high purchasing power

flows of goods to Norway continue to grow.

In 2011, the Norwegian statistical office

reported record import levels the equivalent

of around EUR 67.5 billion.

Export revenue also rose by 13.3 percent

to EUR 118.4 billion, a scale that fifty

years ago not even notorious optimists could

have imagined. Since the country began

developing its oil and gas reserves at the

beginning of the 1970s, Norway has experi-

enced outstanding economic growth. What

was once one of the poorer western Euro -

pean nations that relied above all on shipping,

fishing, agriculture and forestry is today

the world’s seventh biggest oil exporter and

second biggest gas exporter. Nowadays

Norway has one of the highest per capita

incomes in the world and Oslo has become

one of the world’s most expensive capital

cities. Not only does Forbes list the head-

quarters of seven of the ten top Norwegian

companies here; the location is also ideal

for accessing Dachser’s branch offices in

Sweden, Denmark and Germany. “This

hhThe new location answers

the increased demand for intelligent

transport and logistics solutions

Hans-Thomas Andersen,Dachser Oslo

branch manager

Kingdom of NorwayArea: 323,458 km2

Capital: Oslo

Population: 5 million inhabitants

National language: Norwegian

Currency: Norwegian crown

Commodities: oil, gas, iron ore,

titanium ore, wood, cereals, meat,

fish, furs

Main exports: oil, oil products, gas,

fish, shellfish, chemicals, iron, steel

SHORTHANDconsiderably strengthens the northern part

of Dachser’s closely meshed European net-

work,” says Finn S. Pedersen, managing

director of Dachser Nordic A/S, explaining

the strategy.

“The new branch office in Oslo allows

Dachser to cope even better with the

continuing increase in shipment volumes,”

Michael Schilling, managing director Euro-

pean Network Management & Logistics

Systems at Dachser, points out. The logistics

provider has been present with its own

country organizations in Norway, Sweden

and Denmark since 2005, employing a staff

totalling 330 at seven branch offices. The

company has plans to establish additional

facilities. Bergen is interesting above all

because of its seaport and the shipbuilding

industry and is strongly impacted by

Norway’s oil production activities. Many

international oil companies are also based in

Stavanger: for example Norway’s biggest

company, StatoilHydro. Thanks to Værnes

airport and Norwegian State Railway links

to Oslo, Bodø and Sweden, Trondheim is

also an important traffic hub for the north

of Norway. K. Fink

In Norway, broad perspectives are everywhere

The Dachser branch office to the south of Oslo

BUSINESS LOUNGE: DACHSER FACE-TO-FACE

32 DACHSER magazine

BERNHARD SIMON MEETS...HEIKE HENKEL

Those who aim high need a plan. Bernhard Simon spoke with Olympic high jump champion Heike Henkel about exceptional achievements. In sports as well as corporate boardrooms.

Mr Simon, what does sport mean for you?Bernhard Simon: I’ve found there are

two ways to leave the stress of everyday

life behind me. Either by unwinding com-

pletely, which is often difficult on a day-

to-day basis, or by doing sports. Extensive

exercise and the right breathing technique

are an excellent way of letting go and find -

ing room for new, creative ideas. It helps me

to find the right balance even in stressful

situations.

Heike Henkel: This balance is crucial. As

a top performing athlete I combined sport

with studying graphic design. That forced

me to focus on other things and helped me

find my inner equilibrium. That’s the key to

success.

B. Simon: Sport helps you to switch off

and get an all-important different take on

things. But I can’t help wondering how you as

a top athlete manage to find sport relaxing?

H. Henkel: By constantly having a crack

at new things. For example I’ve recently

discovered running. For 20 years I’d stub-

bornly resisted; jogging just simply didn’t

appeal to me. But you live and learn. I took

up walking and slowly built up from there.

Then I got hooked and found I wanted to

do it regularly. I looked for like-minded

partners and now I go running three times

a week. And I really enjoy it.

Does professional life in fact offer enoughscope for this withdrawal into the inner self?B. Simon: To be successful in the world of

business you need to have enough energy

to be able to pass some on to others as well.

If you simply run like a hamster in a wheel

you’ll lose sight of the bigger picture and

won’t have the capacity to create new per-

spectives. A good manager therefore has to

maintain a healthy equilibrium between

body, mind and his own energy balance. It’s

never a question of not having the time,

but usually of not setting the right priori -

ties. That’s why doing sports and exercising

every day are just as essential fixtures on my

calendar as any important meeting.

H. Henkel: As an athlete I have learned that

I can’t achieve my goals unless I have a plan

and a structure. There are always plenty of ex-

cuses for not doing what’s actually necessary.

In order to consistently implement my own

plan I need to pursue both short-term and

long-term goals. They set the framework for

my inner structure.

Is “faster, higher, further” the leitmotif?H. Henkel: Nowadays performance often

has a negative touch because it is associated

with stress and is very time-consuming. But

striving after top performance isn’t every-

thing when it comes to achieving major goals.

Rather, we must continually find new ways to

exploit our own personal potential as opti-

mally as possible. When I first started out

I never in my wildest dreams imagined I

might one day win the Olympics. That’s

something you tend to grow into gradually.

And along the way new and often surprising

possibilities, and with them new potential,

continuously open up.

B. Simon: Performance also means taking

pleasure in achieving something out of the

ordinary. This is what helps me to push my

own boundaries and broaden my horizons.

And this also functions without excessive

ambition or competitive pressure, but simply

because it’s fun.

hhAs an athlete I have

learned that I can’t

achieve my goals unless I have

a plan and a structure

Heike Henkel

DACHSER magazine 33

Performing at your peak all the time: is that feasible?H. Henkel: If you look after yourself and

your body sensibly, then you can keep it up

for quite a long time. As an active athlete

I was able to compete at the top level for a

relatively long time. But I only managed it

because as well as sticking to my small and

bigger goals I also took care of myself and

didn’t try to run with the hare and hunt

with the hounds.

What is the difference between regenera-tion and laziness?H. Henkel: Regeneration is a must. By

contrast with being lazy and letting yourself

go, I always associate it with the desire to

hit the ground running again afterwards

with renewed energy.

B. Simon: Regeneration also implies that

I have actually “generated” something in

the first place. Thus it stands as a counter-

point to a previously achieved performance.

There is an active relationship between the

two. I associate laziness on the other hand

with an uninterrupted straight line with

no sig ni ficant peaks and therefore no need

for regeneration.

Is there room for regeneration in growth-oriented companies? B. Simon: If we want to accomplish and

achieve great things with people, then we

sometimes need to find ways to take a step

back from what we have achieved. This is

essential when identifying where we stand

today and where we are heading. It’s the

only way to keep track of where we are going

and to navigate successfully. Not only sports,

but also music, art or meditation, are good

ways to integrate other life situations into

your general advancement.

But what if there’s still no advancement?H. Henkel: When I am having trouble

clearing a certain height it’s important to

be able to detach myself from it. For this

I have to already set my sights on the next

level in order to break away from the previ-

ous one. If I’m aiming to clear two metres,

I need to focus on two metres five. In other

words, there’s not just the one mark, but

the already attained, the targeted and the

visionary goal.

B. Simon: It’s much the same in companies.

When a project becomes gridlocked, it may

become necessary for the stakeholders to

detach themselves from it, otherwise they

will just keep knocking down the bar. Often

enough the reason for the current stumbling

block is that the project stakeholders aren’t

sufficiently diversified, that work processes

are too entrenched, or aren’t clearly thought

through or too many unarticulated emotions

are hanging in the air. Letting go, reshuffling

and reorganizing ultimately provides the

decisive impetus. And experience has shown

that the team usually makes up more time

than it has purportedly lost.

Athletes usually have role models whomthey attempt to emulate when competing.Do companies need winning models for orientation? H. Henkel: Everyone needs role models.

Be they our parents or people from our social

or media environment. In the working world

it’s no different. Role models may be ‡

BUSINESS LOUNGE: DACHSER FACE-TO-FACE

Learning from sport: progressstarts with the first step

BUSINESS LOUNGE: DACHSER FACE-TO-FACE

34 DACHSER magazine

Heike Henkel

is a mother of three and married

to former decathlete Paul Meier.

For over a decade the Kiel-born

athlete was among the best

track and field athletes in the

world. In three successive years

she won the European champi-

onship, world championship

and in 1992 Olympic gold in

Barcelona. Today Heike Henkel

among other things advises

companies on topics such as

motivation, physical fitness and

positive stress management.

Bernhard Simon

is a passionate amateur sports-

man. The head of Dachser’s

management board is not so

much interested in competing

as in “continuing to broaden my

sporting horizons”. Preferably

in the company of friends.

Whether, as in the past, travers-

ing the Alps by bike or on

a coast-to-coast run across

Iceland. “I’m sure we’ll continue

to come up with new goals,”

he says, “that will enable us to

share new experiences with

one another that we will never

forget.”

PERSONAL FILE

work colleagues, your boss or someone who’s

achieved something very special.

B. Simon: Models for Dachser are those

who set their own personality aside and yet

continuously support the team effort in an

achievement-oriented way. And they do so

knowing that the energy they have put in

will flow back twice and three times over.

This requires good communication skills in

order to optimally foster the good potential

of the respective other side.

H. Henkel: For me personally Ulrike

Meyfarth is one such role model. I was there

when she became Olympic high jump cham-

pion at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

That was when it first became clear to me

that a German athlete can also win Olympic

gold. So why shouldn’t I have a stab at it as

well? That gave me a whole new horizon.

What do images inside our head mean interms of success or lack of success?H. Henkel: When competing, I always had

an exact image of the movement before my

mind’s eye. I could see myself as I leapt over

the bar. On the third attempt to clear 1.97

metres at the Olympic Games in Barcelona it

was either “pack up and go home or jump to

win”. So I played out precisely this film in

my head and it worked. Four years earlier in

Seoul these positive images that are key to

success had been missing. Before I even got

there everything seemed so alien. There was

no way the necessary inner confidence and

conviction could develop. I didn’t even make

it into the finals, although I was in great phys-

ical shape. I was in a totally different, negative

film. Even back then in Seoul I knew the same

thing wouldn’t happen to me in Barcelona.

I went there so full of determination and came

home with gold.

Is there actually any such thing as pleasur-able effort?H. Henkel: The idea sounds like a contra-

diction at first. I associate it with pride

at achieving something that initially only

seemed strenuous and hard work. My coach

Gerd Osenberg taught me at the time that

to be successful I had to do things I didn’t par-

ticularly enjoy. For me as an athlete my train-

ing partners and the members of the support

team were especially important. One example:

once my training group and I had to do a

cross-country run through the dunes on the

island of Sylt and I didn’t enjoy it at all. But

I took part in the run, overcame my reluctance

and today I am still reaping the benefits.

B. Simon: When I go jogging first thing in

the morning after perhaps not getting much

sleep, of course I sometimes think it might

be nicer to be enjoying a leisurely breakfast.

But once I have overcome that first strenuous

round it progressively gets easier and then

pleasure takes over from chore and the day

is saved.

What sporting event would you still like to compete in?H. Henkel: Definitely not a marathon. At

the moment I can manage over 30 minutes

with ease. 60 minutes would be good. That’s

a nice goal.

hhSport helps you

to switch off and

get an all-important

different take on things

Bernhard Simon

DACHSER magazine 35

GOOD NEWS

In the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Dachser

and the children’s relief organization terre des

hommes have been supporting a joint aid project

since 2005. The results for 2012 are impressive:

at three vocational training centres in Mahauli,

Kanduni and Rasulpur 124 girls and young

women have received vocational training, 86 are

in the meantime working as full-time seamstresses

and two have opened their own sewing schools.

In Varanasi 245 girls earned qualifications

in sewing, embroidery or computer tasks and

839 attended summer camps and were taught the

basics of sewing, cosmetics or toy production.

In Sitapur 68 young women have laid the

foundations for an independent future with their

own sewing machines.

MOVING FORWARD

THE CROWNING TOUCH FOR LOGISTICS GOURMETS.

DACHSER Food Logistics

Everything that’s good, from one provider: our contract logistics

specialists can put together a package of many different services

that are tailored to your needs. This intelligent combination of

transport, warehousing and value-added services will make your

logistics operations efficient and help reduce complexity, thus

allowing you to focus on your core business.

www.dachser.com