Logistics flowing like water
Not everyone takes it for granted to open the tap and let fresh water flow. The inhabitants of the state of Nuevo Léon in Mexico also have to struggle with water shortages. In the summer of 2022, the region was hit by a severe drought. Some of the dams that supply water to the region of 5.3 million people had reached less than 1% capacity. Water consumption by private households was severely limited and water trucks drove to the hardest-hit areas to distribute water to residents, but civil unrest was already developing over the distribution of the precious wet.
You can watch on this project on the YouTube channel of Lufthansa Cargo: https://youtu.be/0FVh6MgnBsE
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The government had to find a solution to this existential challenge. In July 2022, the government of Nuevo Leon announced the start of the "El Cuchillo II" construction project. To be completed in a record time of less than a year, the project will then bring 5,000 liters of water per second over 110 kilometers from the small Mexican town of China to the metropolis of Monterrey. |
The ten construction companies involved, three piping companies, the steel companies and also the pump manufacturer "Ruhrpumpen" all come from the state of Nuevo Leon.
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"Ruhrpumpen" with its headquarters in Monterrey does not sound very Mexican at first. But it conceals an impressive history of Mexican entrepreneurship. In 1997, Ruhrpumpen from Witten was bought by Cesar A. Elizondo Villarreal, who was the first Mexican entrepreneur ever to invest in a German industrial company.
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Today, the pump manufacturer has production facilities in ten countries around the globe. The close cooperation between Mexico and Germany still exists. Jose Luis Martinez Gonzalez, Global Logistics Director at Ruhrpumpen, also appreciates the close cooperation: "We come from Monterrey, the industrial heart of Mexico, with a well-known strong work ethic. |
Our colleagues in Germany have first-class technical experience. Side by side, we join forces and have been able to create a strong conglomerate that allows us to grow together, learn from each other and build a strong partnership to spread in different countries, with one mission: to be the supplier of choice for our customers."
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"The ease of doing business with us is what defines our company. We're a family-owned and -run business that makes decisions quickly and always puts our customers' needs first."
Jose Luis Martinez Gonzalez, Global Logistics Director, Ruhrpumpen
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Martinez Gonzalez knows that Ruhrpumpen was not only chosen for its proximity: "Time is of the essence in this project. The biggest challenge is planning and allocating all resources to the day in order to complete such an important project in record time. Our corporate culture is also an advantage here: we make decisions within days, while others take months. We have plants in the same locations as our competitors and similar products and manufacturing costs, but what differentiates us is our flexibility and the speed with which we work." The valves of the required pumps for the construction of the dam are manufactured in Germany. The pump manufacturer Ruhrpumpen chose the German forwarder H.J. Schryver & Co for the transport services, which they already knew from other projects. The logistics manager of Ruhrpumpen sums up the selection process: "We were looking for motivated and expert partners who understand the meaning of this project and who would enable us to transport the required components from the other side of the world within a few days. |
A delay on our side could have an impact on several tasks during construction and a very sophisticated plan would be thrown into disarray." Hamburg-based logistics company Schryver also has a close relationship with South America. "We are represented in nine countries in Latin America with the Schryver brand," says Carsten Schryver, Managing Partner of the company. "Hamburg was and is a gateway to the world. And Hamburg's connection with Latin America has brought together tradesmen and women and companies for centuries. This has given rise to business opportunities, then small outposts of Schryver, and now independent organizations with a total of more than 300 employees." Schryver serves very diverse markets in this region. In Brazil and Mexico, they operate in industrially developed countries. In Ecuador and Peru, they often work with large suppliers of mining products or food manufacturers.
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"We are very broadly positioned and, of course, particularly enjoy large logistics projects with producer’s goods. The more complicated the better. And that doesn't necessarily always have to be a large volume," says Carsten Schryver, Managing Partner of H.J. Schryver & Co. Schryver loves the challenge of logistics projects. His heart's project was the construction of a CO₂ -neutral thermo-solar power plant on the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific, which Schryver was able to support logistically.
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The construction of the dam in Nuevo Léon is primarily about the time factor. Reloading the shipment is out of the question in view of the urgency. Added to this were other uncertainties such as the move from freighters from the capital's MEX airport to the NLU airport requested by the Mexican government. "We need planning capability and personal accessibility of contact persons in case of problems. |
This is given for us both here in Germany and in Mexico with Lufthansa Cargo. Due to the size of the shipments, only the transport by freighters is an option. With the direct freighter flight from Frankfurt to Mexico six times a week, both the capacities and the conditions are right," reports Schryver.
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"In total, we have transported 175 tons in 14 shipments for the project so far. The largest shipment was 23 tons," says Gunnar Strauß, Key Account Manager for Schryver on the Lufthansa Cargo side. Even though the pumps are very large at 4.50 x 2.20 x 2.70m and the corresponding valves, the size is not a challenge for our freighters in this case.
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However, the project coincided exactly with the changeover from Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México (MEX) to the new Felipe Ángeles International Airport (NLU). The team in Mexico led by Frank Nozinsky, Head of Sales & Handling Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Central America and Caribbean at Lufthansa Cargo, has achieved an incredible accomplishment. In less than three months, they were able to open a new station at an airport that was basically not in operation at all, including opening a branch, introducing station and handling processes, starting ramp services, fueling and all the related organization and communication. |
On July 7, the last Lufthansa Cargo freighter flight landed in MEX, and on July 8, the first B777F of the cargo crane, with flight number LH8220, landed in NLU. On board both aircraft was equipment for the El Cuchillo II Dam pumps.
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"This project is a particularly fine example of how to support local companies and yet promote global cooperation," sums up Frank Nozinsky, Head of Sales & Handling Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Central America and Caribbean at Lufthansa Cargo.
Arrived and installed in Mexico, the pumps deliver top performance. Many years of experience go into the design and manufacture of the pumps, which operate under continuous load. One of the "ZW Horizontal Split Case Pumps" can reach up to 9000 cubic meters per hour and a head of 340m with 14mt. A total of 30 pumps of this type are planned in the construction project.
"We have already installed more than 60,000 pumping solutions in more than 90 countries and always give our best. Providing millions of families in our hometown with water in the long term until 2050 fills us with special pride this time!" tells family man Jose Luis Martinez Gonzalez. "And I can say that the logistics are a resounding success. The cooperation with Schryver and Lufthansa Cargo is an absolute win. Now, all of us can hardly wait for the first water to flow through the dam to the families in Monterrey."
Time travel with Lufthansa Cargo: A gullwing flies into adventure
With the Mercedes 300 SL at the Carrera Panamericana 2022
A hand-painted poster, a silver racing car on a dust track, a huge cactus in the background. Just two words as a headline: "Triumphant double victory" and then two names: 1. Karl Kling, 2. Hermann Lang. That's all it takes for the birth of a legend: The Mercedes 300 SL and the road-going version derived from it will write automotive history - as the Mercedes "Gullwing." A story that begins on the racetrack of the Carrera Panamericana in 1952. And which 70 years later is still not over.
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2022, Veracruz, Mexico. The almost unmuffled sound of classic racing engines roars in our ears. We see historic Porsches, a Ferrari, a Jaguar. But the crowd only has eyes for the silver car with the starting number 220: a Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing. The legend is back. 70 years after its great triumph, it is on the grid for the 35th edition of the race. This was made possible by a man who is standing next to the car, tired but smiling, getting ready for the start. He has run from pillar to post to find sponsors for his dream. He didn't know an hour ago whether his dream would come true or fall apart. And who was lucky enough to find a partner in Lufthansa Cargo who can make time travel possible and win races against time. It is the story of Kurt Richter, the dreamer, the doer and the racer. And of Lufthansa Cargo, which as a facilitator has shown what "just in time" can sometimes also mean ... |
Flashback. Kurt Richter, a Mexican hobby racer with German roots, has had a close relationship with Mercedes gullwing cars for years. He has already looked after the cars as a mechanic at previous editions of the Carrera Panamericana, knows their strengths, their (few) quirks, and of course their history, which is perhaps even more present in Mexico than in Germany. And in 2021, as a visitor to the Panamericana, which has since been revived, a plan matures in him: When the great success of 1952 is celebrated for the 70th time, there must actually be a gullwing on the starting line. To take the very track under its tires that finally put the Mercedes racing division back on the winning track after the Second World War ...
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"I wanted to bring this car back to the people of Mexico - badly!"
Potholes, dusty roads. Heat. Mexico, November 1952. The first year in which Mercedes took part in racing again after the war was drawing to a close, and there had already been some successes with the new racing sports car, the 300 SL: Double victory at Le Mans, the three first places at the Eifel race at the Nürburgring. But those had been real racetracks, courses you knew or at least could quickly memorize. But this is something completely different: thousands of kilometers on public roads, poor surface, plus enormous differences in altitude and temperature. Whoever starts here for the first time is an outsider. Come here to learn. For this reason alone, the Germans have the sympathy of the Mexicans. And also because the Alemanos have a few strange idiosyncrasies: They drive the day's routes beforehand and write down each passage, each curve, each eye of a needle neatly in a book. The competition laughs at them.
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But what no one knows at the time is that this Panamericana is probably also the birth of the so-called "prayer book" - from which the co-driver tells the driver exactly what is coming next. "300 meters, 60 degrees left, 50, second gear, then straight, fourth gear, 180, ..." Today, every rally is driven like this. In 1952, this idea saved the Mercedes team valuable time and was one of the very important cornerstones of victory ... Kurt Richter's prayer book initially contains something quite different - namely, an enormous sum of money that is needed to actually get the car started. Richter quickly overcomes the other hurdle, namely finding a 300 SL approved for racing: He has close ties to HK Engineering in Polling, Bavaria, and thus has access to a 300 SL that has been successfully competing in historic races for 15 years. But racing is an expensive business, even more so on the other side of the world - and even more so when the market value of the vehicle is a conservative estimate of 1.5 million. And so Kurt Richter embarks on a stage race of a very different kind, one that is less about speed and more about patience: the search for sponsors. |
And all those who come into question wave them off. Put off. They don't want to get involved until it's clear that the car will actually find its way to Mexico. "First bring a gullwing here, then we'll see." Meanwhile, the clock is ticking, time is passing. The year 2022 is dawning. It will be spring. It will be summer. Kurt Richter is simply not making any progress. And then he writes an e-mail. The content: The history of the race. The anniversary. The idea. And the info that the car is not the problem. The recipient: Frank Nozinsky. Director of Lufthansa Cargo for the Central American region. Headquarters: Mexico City. It is now August 25, a Thursday. Richter knows that Cargo is fast. But he is surprised just how fast: On Monday, he receives the answer: "Time for a team call? I'll invite the head office right away." "I saw Kurt's request and immediately thought, if this isn't Enabling Global Business - what is?"
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It's not just the quick response that gives Kurt Richter new hope - he also knows that, with Lufthansa Cargo, he's relying on real professionals when it comes to car transport. Hardly anyone transports as many valuable cars or important spare parts through the air as Lufthansa Cargo. And hardly anyone has as much experience with automotive rarities, has such well-trained personnel on site and has established special and particularly prudent processes for goods of this kind - Valuable Goods. The first call takes place the same week. The message to Kurt Richter is as clear as it is encouraging: "We'll help you. We'll take care of the transport.
The ice is broken. Now suddenly others want to join in, too. They accept. Promise financial support. But until Richter receives the money, more valuable time passes. The Carrera Panamericana starts on October 14. And it is not until September 23 that Kurt Richter actually has the money from all the sponsors at his disposal. Gives the go to HK Engineering: Get the car ready. The race before the race begins. Because the car has to be raised. Needs a different brake system. Because in Mexico there are still different road conditions than on European race tracks ...
Somewhere between Tuxtla and Oaxaca in southern Mexico. The first day of racing. The silver-colored lightweight races along the narrow track at almost 200 kilometers per hour. The man at the wheel listens to the announcements from the prayer book. With a steering wheel that is huge by today's standards, he steers the car around the bends with millimeter precision. Reacts precisely to every swerve, every bump. But then he doesn't stand a chance: a huge vulture crashes into the windshield with full force. Glass shatters. The driver struggles to keep the car on the track. He looks to the side. His passenger is covered in blood. Unconscious. It takes what feels like an eternity before he regains consciousness - and insists on continuing the journey immediately. It all happened on the morning of November 19, 1952, and it was the stuff of legend. On this first day, despite the accident, it was still enough for third place. And six days later, on November 25, the damaged Mercedes 300 SL reaches the finish line of the race. As the winner. Karl Kling at the wheel and Hans Klenk as co-driver lay the foundation for further racing successes for the Silver Arrows from Stuttgart. And show that the will to win is sometimes the most important thing ...
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Time jump. September 2022 in Polling. The schedule until the launch in Veracruz is tight, but feasible. The car is scheduled to take off in Frankfurt on October 4. No problem - if the injection system didn't suddenly start acting up. Anyone who has ever had to wait for a spare part in a modern car knows what that means. But with a historic racer? Although HK Engineering does nothing but service Mercedes 300 SLs, the repair turns out to be difficult. And time-consuming. Until, at some point, it becomes clear to everyone involved that it's not going to work. The car can't take off on the 4th. Off? Over? All for nothing? |
One milestone has already been reached: the Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing is on Mexican soil. But there is neither time nor reason to breathe a sigh of relief. The car still has to be cleared through customs. And it is precisely at this point that there are suddenly new problems, everything seems to have conspired against Kurt Richter: The car is stuck in customs. The clock keeps ticking. Relentlessly. Unstoppable. It is October 13, 11 p.m., when customs finally releases the car. Now the gullwing has to be taken to Veracruz. Only now? No, because that's another 400 kilometers - by truck. And in Veracruz? Technical inspection. Testing for race fitness. The start would then be at 7:30 in the morning. In theory. Because in practice, that's actually no longer possible.
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Via the México 150, we drive east in a wild chase. Fortunately, there is not much traffic at this hour. Kurt Richter tries to sleep, but it's no use. Too many thoughts run through his head, and above all the anxious question: Will it be enough? Will they make it in time against all odds? Or was it really all in vain? What if they get stuck in a traffic jam somewhere? What if there's no way through because of the race in Veracruz? What if the race commissioners don't play ball?
But now Richter has the luck of the fittest: They get through well and reach the starting location at 6:30 a.m. - an hour before the race is supposed to start. And it turns out that someone else has been waiting eagerly for the 300 SL Gullwing: the race organizers. For them, the legend's comeback on its 70th anniversary is also a real matter of the heart. In no time at all, the car is checked and given the go-ahead to start.
Veracruz, October 14, 2022, 7:29 am. At walking pace, a silver Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing rolls up to the starting line of the 35th Carrera Panamericana. 70 years after the legendary double victory. Tens of thousands of enthusiastic visitors point their cameras at the car. Kurt Richter keeps the engine revving with a light tap of the gas pedal. The hoarse rumble of the six-cylinder engine barely muffles his ears through the sliding side windows. On the passenger seat, Ricardo Galindo has the prayer book on his knees. A hand pushes in front of the windshield from the left, counting down the last seconds. Four. Three. Two. One. Go. The hand jumps to 7:30. The engine howls. The 300 SL shoots off as if unleashed. The legend is back.
"People saw the gullwing - and they had tears in their eyes."
The man
Kurt Richter, born 1977
Born in Mexico; the family emigrated to Mexico after the First World War. His father was an importer of BMW and Porsche in Mexico and passed the car virus on to his son. Originally a trained car mechanic, Kurt Richter now works as an event consultant and motorsport promoter. He regularly competes in races and rallies, preferably with historic vehicles. By taking part in the Carrera Panamericana in a 300 SL Gullwing, Richter has fulfilled a lifelong dream. He finished the 35th edition of the race to mark the 70th anniversary of the historic double success of 1952 in third place in his racing class.
The machine
Mercedes 300 SL (W198) Coupé (Gullwing); road version, converted to racing car.
In-line six-cylinder, 3 L displacement, 245 hp
Weight (in racing trim) 1,300 kilos
Owner: Hans Kleissl (HK Engineering)
The vehicle looks back on a long and successful racing career and is a regular guest at the Festival of Speed in Goodwood, among other events. In the past, it has been driven by several former Formula 1 drivers, including David Coulthard and Jochen Mass. HK Engineering is the only company in the world that specializes exclusively in the maintenance, care and repair of Mercedes 300 SL.
The logistics
Lufthansa Cargo td.flash from Frankfurt to Mexico City
Three logistical challenges come together in this project - deadline pressure, the fact that cars are Dangerous Goods, and the high value, which also makes the gullwing a "Valuable Good". In practice, this means that td.flash is the product of choice, and for everything else it means paying special attention to the last detail. In terms of safety, special attention is paid to the lubricants and operating fluids, the battery and also the tire pressure. Outside the aircraft, cars are always kept in protected areas so that damage from normal storage operations can be ruled out.
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In addition, classic cars are always accompanied by a supervisor. On the pallet itself, the same applies as on the race track: The perfect balance between ground adhesion and dynamics is the trump card, so that on the one hand the car does not become self-sufficient in case of air holes, but on the other hand the strong forces during the flight do not cause any damage to the vehicle structure. |
And as in many other professional areas, it is evident that nothing is more valuable than years of experience mixed with passion for one hundred percent performance.
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Always state of the art - our ARTcube Frankfurt
In June, 2022 we opened our new Fine Arts warehouse facility at the Frankfurt Hub. With 155 square meters, the ARTcube in the Lufthansa Cargo Center now offers our customers twice as much space for safe and professional storage of high-value Fine Arts of all kinds.
"The modern ARTcube combines optimal handling processes with the highest security features. This allows us to meet the special requirements of sensitive art objects and offer customized solutions for the storage of Fine Arts in our Hub," explains Thomas Rohrmeier, Head of Handling Frankfurt. "With the new building, we have further sharpened our qualitative focus on this special product and thus curators and art collectors experience the best storage conditions for their Fine Arts shipments with us."
Fine Arts shipments will in future benefit from a special warehouse with modern technical equipment, in which a ventilation system with heating and cooling functions enables targeted temperature control. Vertical window strips on the facade allow natural lighting, which is optimized by a supporting lighting system. Specially trained handling personnel guarantee optimally coordinated processes. Access to the special warehouse is controlled and monitored by sensitive security technology. As an Add-on Service, it is possible to book an individual attendant for Fine Arts shipments, especially on the ground.
Lufthansa Cargo regularly flies high-value and famous Fine Arts by important artists to renowned exhibitions around the world. With its "Vulnerables" product range, the airline has therefore tailored a special transport solution to the needs of this particular industry, thus guaranteeing security, professional handling and seamless monitoring for Fine Arts logistics.
The new construction of this special warehouse is part of the modularly planned infrastructure program "LCCevolution" at the Frankfurt home Hub, the core of which includes, among other things, the new construction of the central high-rack storage system in the Lufthansa Cargo Center and a gradual core refurbishment of the logistics infrastructure. The complete modernization of the Lufthansa Cargo Center is scheduled for completion in 2029.
Zero defect tolerance
“All of our shipments are very time-sensitive and require zero defect tolerance in the handling of Dangerous Goods throughout the entire supply chain. Therefore, we need a strong partner and trust in Lufthansa Cargo.“
Anna Hutter, Deputy Commercial Director, Institute of Isotopes Co., Hungary.
The Institute of Isotopes Co. Ltd. plays an important role on the frontline of radioisotope technology. Their experience dates back to 1971 when they took their first steps in radiopharmaceutical production. Since then, the company has evolved as an expert in manufacturing radiopharmaceutical products for nuclear medicine professionals to help recover patients worldwide.
"Not only do we ship our life-saving medicines all over the world, but we also use dangerous goods airfreight services to transport our organic composites used for pharmacological bioactive compounds. These substances are very time-critical and require optimal reliability under the strictest safety requirements throughout the supply chain. Lufthansa Cargo offers exactly that. We are very happy to have such a strong and trustworthy partner," says Anna Hutter, Deputy Commercial Director of the Institute of Isotopes Co. Ltd. in Hungary.
Lufthansa Cargo is pleased about the cooperation and looks forward to helping to bring these life-saving shipments to the world.
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The Institute of Isotopes Co. Ltd. plays an important role on the frontline of radioisotope technology. Their experience dates back to 1971 when they took their first steps in radiopharmaceutical production. Since then, the company has evolved as an expert in manufacturing radiopharmaceutical products for nuclear medicine professionals to help recover patients worldwide. |
"Not only do we ship our life-saving medicines all over the world, but we also use dangerous goods airfreight services to transport our organic composites used for pharmacological bioactive compounds. These substances are very time-critical and require optimal reliability under the strictest safety requirements throughout the supply chain. Lufthansa Cargo offers exactly that. We are very happy to have such a strong and trustworthy partner," says Anna Hutter, Deputy Commercial Director of the Institute of Isotopes Co. Ltd. in Hungary. Lufthansa Cargo is pleased about the cooperation and looks forward to helping to bring these life-saving shipments to the world. |
Viet Nam - small country with big future
Vietnam not only has a lot to offer in terms of scenery. The Southeast Asian country is an emerging market with enormous potential. As a booming manufacturing hub, Vietnam showed its resilience and growth strength during the pandemic. Particularly in the manufacturing sector, Vietnam is becoming increasingly important globally and has seen the highest growth in this sector in recent years. Foreign investment has almost doubled in the last decade. The most important ones come from Asia and Europe.
The share of Vietnam's GDP in the world GDP has doubled within the last ten years (from : 0.2% in 2011 to 0.4% in 2021). In this context, foreign trade is one of the most important economic drivers. Of Vietnam's total exports, 29% go to the US and 12% to the EU. The most important export goods are electronics and textiles/fashion - goods for which air freight plays a major role. Sustained economic development is expected to promise significant air freight growth in the coming years, further increasing demand for air freight. The boom in e-commerce is also contributing to an increase in demand in Vietnam.
We at Lufthansa Cargo, we are well prepared to expand the supply of air cargo capacity in the Vietnamese market and to Asia.
On Asian routes alone, there are 38 weekly connections to attractive destinations to choose from. NEW to the schedule is the destination Hanoi (HAN). The capital will be served twice a week from Frankfurt from the beginning of November - with an eastbound stopover in Mumbai/India. We already flies twice weekly from Frankfurt via Bangkok (BKK) to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN), thus doubling our presence in Vietnam.
“Swiftly to destinations worldwide.”
One in four of the world’s beverage bottles are manufactured or filled using machinery from Krones. The Bavaria based company relies on td.Flash for the fast global transportation of the components and spare parts required for its equipment.
Bottles rush loudly and at full speed along the conveyor belts. Labels are attached one after the other in rapid succession.
The machines from Krones manage up to 80,000 bottles an hour – in Tibet at an altitude of 5,000 meters, in Mongolia, in the USA or during the World Cup in Brazil.
But when this high-precision process is brought to a standstill by an error message and no more beer bottles or soft drinks are able to leave to plant, that’s when the phone rings in Neutraubling, southeast of Regensburg. The facility in the Upper Palatinate is the headquarters of Krones AG. In addition to complete machines, the plant manufactures spare parts and retrofits, which keep the Krones machinery going at all times at beverages companies all over the world.
So it’s important that we invest in new freighters such as the Boeing 777F in order to be able to transport higher volumes,” says Karin Prasch, Krones’ contact person and Head of Sales, Nuremberg at Lufthansa Cargo. “In addition, our special td.Flash operation teams take care of express shipments in the transit zone,” she adds. “Of course, we also exchange ideas with our product developers on how to organize solutions such as td.Flash even more efficiently,” Prasch explains.
Apart from the capacity guarantee, Krones also benefits from the td.Flash policy of accepting shipments up until 90 minutes before scheduled take-off: “This gives us a little more time to produce the part required and to hand it over to the airline or to the forwarder on the same day,” says Raab. Being able to pick up the shipment just two hours after landing also accelerates the processes on the destination side.
Yet even the best express solution is worthless if the aircraft do not land where the material is required: “We have tested other airlines’ express services, but Lufthansa Cargo’s close-meshed destination network has proven to be the best for us,” says Raab. Krones’ six other Life Cycle Service (LCS) Centers alongside the one in Neutraubling are located in Brazil, the USA, China, South Africa, Thailand and Russia. The five main destinations over which the machinery manufacturer ships most of its cargo are Chicago, São Paulo, Bangkok and Lagos from Munich, and Shanghai from Frankfurt.
Even though it can never be predicted with absolute certainty in the special machinery manufacturing segment where the next shipment will be going, there are identifiable cycles in the global beverages industry: “The demand of our key-account customers very much depends on mega-trends such as economic growth and on mega-events such as the World Cup in Brazil or the Olympics. Let’s see what comes up next,” says Raab, looking ahead optimistically.
For no matter what challenges await Krones in future, the reliable express solution via td.Flash and Lufthansa Cargo is ready to handle it with perfection.
Direct Ramp.
Markus Rudolph actually just came to the Lufthansa Cargo Center in Frankfurt to get some photos taken of his newest truck in an airport setting. But then Ramona Pieper approached the air cargo trucking operator holding Lufthansa Cargo’s Quality Q, now so familiar throughout the industry.
Rudolph’s truck, an impressive black Mercedes-Benz Actros, was the perfect backdrop for putting her message in the picture. Following the suggestion of Pieper and her team, Lufthansa Cargo has been working on an IT-based ramp and slot management system for the control of landside customer and system transport since the beginning of 2013.
Trucking competence: truck forwarder Markus Rudolph in the outgoing allocation area in Frankfurt with one of his 35 road feeder service trucks.
It is one of the few airlines worldwide to do so. “Direct Ramp” provides customers with delivery or pick-up slots so that all processes can be perfectly prepared and the waiting times for the trucks at the ramps can be shortened. Forwarder Markus Rudolph is also pleased about this improvement in quality and immediately agreed to an interview with the planet film team for the magazine’s app edition on his experiences as an air cargo trucker.
Quality improvement: the team led by Ramona Pieper, shown here in the truck holding a Lufthansa Cargo Q, has launched a new IT-based ramp and slot management system. It improves the control of landside customer and system transport.
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Clear vote. “How important is air transport for your company?” 89,6 % Mechanical engineering 85,9 % Pharmaceutical industry 79,6 % Automobile production 4th Security Conference. |
cd.Solutions USA. Double distinction. Cargo world as app.
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Photos:
Matthias Aletsee
Cold start!
The pharma business is a growing industry that makes high quality demands on logistics service providers. In this segment, Dachser has built up know-how and intends to gain further shares of the market – also through collaboration with Lufthansa Cargo.
Christoph Honermann is responsible for the development of the life sciences segment at Dachser Air & Sea Logistics. “By 2015, pharmaceuticals patents with an estimated value of 150 billion U.S. dollars will have expired,” he says. When patent protection ends, these medicines will compete directly with the less expensive generic products. As there will be an ever greater demand for generics in newly industrializing countries in particular, the volume of transportation from the manufacturing countries will increase.
Generics are not the only reason why the pharmaceutical industry, whose high-value products are often transported as airfreight, is growing and why increasing transportation volumes are to be expected. Almost everywhere, per capita expenses for medicines are steadily rising, new therapies are constantly being developed and a growing number of people worldwide have access to health facilities.
“In the U.S., annual per capita pharmaceuticals spending is over 850 U.S. dollars. In India, on the other hand, the corresponding figure is less than ten U.S. dollars. This shows how much catching up some countries have to do,” explains Christopher Dehio, Senior Manager Global Key Accounts Temperature Control at Lufthansa Cargo. Dachser can already look back on several decades of experience with pharma transportation.
The decision to establish life sciences as one of the five specific vertical markets, however, was only taken two years ago. In the company’s global expansion strategy, the greater structuring of the business segments facilitates process standardizations and knowledge management, which is indispensable for complex logistics products. Furthermore, it also becomes clear for outsiders that Dachser is ready to meet the specific requirements of pharma transportation.
“For us as a logistics service provider, it is important that we adapt to the needs of our customers and offer high-quality solutions that are reliable and repeatable,” says Honermann. Under the umbrella of life sciences, Dachser differentiates five product groups: original pharmaceuticals, generics, biotech, medical technology and diagnostics. The various products often make very specific demands on transportation. Numerous active ingredients are more complex and more sensitive today than just a few years ago.
“For many medicines, temperature control is the most critical element. In addition, extensive security measures have to be taken in the case of narcotics or products with a very high value,” Honermann says. Dachser meticulously ensures that only absolutely reliable partners are entrusted with transportation and handling along the transport chain.
“Lufthansa Cargo has the knowledge and the experience. That enables highly productive collaboration,” says Honermann. Dachser Air & Sea Logistics is currently active in 30 countries. The life sciences segment is to be introduced with uniform quality standards in nine markets by the end of the year. Each of these markets has to undergo a roll-out procedure. The specific conditions and regulations of the respective country have to be taken into account.
Branch office and handling employees are given instruction and multipliers take part in Dachser Academy training. Finally, Envirotainer accredits that the logistics company is qualified to handle transportation in cool containers in compliance with Good Distribution Practice guidelines.
Professionally cooled in over 100 countries.
With its extensive network of stations, Lufthansa Cargo can handle temperature-sensitive shipments professionally all over the world. The products and services offered by the cargo airline in the field of refrigerated transportation are subsumed under the name Cool/td. Dachser and Lufthansa Cargo work together worldwide as global partners. A large part of the Dachser pharma shipments at Frankfurt Airport, for example, also pass through the Lufthansa Cargo Cool Center (LCCC). It has the necessary infrastructure as well as qualified staff. “Only part of what we need from a carrier in pharma logistics takes place in the air. Substantial sections of the door-to-door cool chain are handled on the ground,” explains Honermann.
The LCCC at Frankfurt Airport has storage rooms with varying controlled temperature ranges, from -40° to +25°. In addition, all the receptacles and packaging materials that are usually used for passive and actively cooled shipments are handled there.
Digital temperature gauges located throughout the LCCC monitor the temperature profile. Loaded pallets with silver insulating foil are made ready for transportation and forklift trucks bring the cool container types Unicooler and Opticooler for loading.
“The shipments all leave with sensors attached to them so as to prove compliance with the acceptable temperature range,” explains Christopher Dehio. Honermann and Dehio agree that the pressure of costs in the industry will increase. Sea freight will become more important for medicines that have a longer product life. The volume of transportation, however, is not expected to decline. “The pressure of the market strengthens our conviction that we must cooperate with partners with whom absolutely efficient collaboration is possible,” says Honermann.
Photos:
Ralf Kreuels
If in doubt, no compromises.
The book is a sizeable tome: 910 pages in DIN A4 format. In this one publication, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) lists what must be observed when transporting dangerous goods in aircraft. “This thing here,” says Rainer Gross, looking at the set of rules five centimeters thick, “is my bible.” The “Dangerous Goods Regulations” (DGR) meticulously specify which substances and chemicals are classified as dangerous for transportation by air and how they must be packaged, labeled and loaded. The DGR are subdivided into nine hazard classes. They include explosive, flammable, toxic and corrosive substances. That radioactive material is classified in the DGR was to be expected. But some people will be surprised to discover that hairspray, automobile airbags, towelettes, hydrogen peroxide, which is used to dye hair blond, and an ordinary fire extinguisher are also on the list of dangerous goods.
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What is viewed as dangerous sometimes varies from one country to the next. In the U.S., for example, lithium-metal batteries are only allowed to be transported in cargo aircraft and not in the cargo holds of passenger airliners. In Germany, on the other hand, the transportation of these button cells, which are often used in watches and cameras, is permitted on board passenger aircraft – providing the quantity does not exceed five kilograms per package. If it does, the stipulation here too is: cargo aircraft only! “We don’t accept any compromises” What is allowed to be transported in an aircraft and how this cargo has to be packaged is a science in itself. The IATA set of rules requires 144 pages alone on blue paper to list all relevant dangerous goods. The packaging regulations are even more extensive. It is outlined on yellow paper between pages 353 and 552 how which product must be packaged – whether in crates, barrels or canisters and which materials are to be used when doing so. The latter range from cardboard and wood to plastic and steel. Sometimes, composite packaging is required. Each substance is assigned “its” specific packaging. “We don’t accept any compromises,” emphasizes Rainer Gross, one of 18 specialists for dangerous goods at Lufthansa Cargo’s hub in Frankfurt: “Safety has top priority. That is in the interest of the manufacturers, the forwarders and, last but not least, the airlines.” In a separate depot for dangerous goods, Rainer Gross inspects each of the 85 barrels with printing inks, which are today scheduled to be flown from Frankfurt to Johannesburg. |
Do they have dents, are they damaged or are there any leaks? A few meters further along, he then checks cartons containing batteries for China: the boxes dance through his hands. For seconds his eyes are fixated on each of the six sides. The maxim of the dangerous goods specialist is: every carton has six sides and every side could be damaged. So every side is examined. “All shipments,” says Gross, “are checked physically and in a documentary form for completeness, intactness and proper labeling. The data in the air waybill and the shipper’s declaration for dangerous goods must also tally.” If the Lufthansa specialists discover security-relevant damage to the cargo or inconsistencies in the documentation and marking of the packages, there are no compromises. The consignor must rectify the situation. Otherwise, the cargo is not taken on board. “What may at first glance seem to be ‘red tape’ is in fact our uncompromising safety philosophy,” stresses Gross. This pays off. The DGR specialist cannot recall “when we have had any problems with dangerous goods on board a Lufthansa aircraft”. With globalization the business with dangerous goods is booming for Lufthansa Cargo. Last year, approximately 47,000 tons were flown. In the current year, this figure will probably be higher. Whether special chemicals, paints, fertilizer, radioactive isotopes for cancer therapy at university clinics or airbags and belt tensioners for the automobile industry – the list of shipments classified as dangerous goods is long. Nevertheless, says Rainer Gross, the risk remains manageable: “If the shipment has been properly declared, documented and packaged in accordance with IATA requirements, there are no problems.” He and his 17 colleagues make sure of that. |
Photos:
Stefan Wildhirt
The value of the rose.
Fairly traded flowers: Lufthansa Cargo flies them for the importer Omniflora from East Africa to Frankfurt – and thus over an enormous distance. The climate balance is astonishingly good.
The red Furiosa or preferably the Athena in white? Or both, and a whole lot of varieties more? Omniflora has hundreds of different premium roses in its range. The company from Neu-Isenburg near Frankfurt primarily supplies big chains, but also wholesalers. The flowers come from Kenya and Tanzania in East Africa. Almost all of them are Fairtrade products.
From Kenya’s capital Nairobi a substantial number of the roses are transported to Germany in MD-11 freighters from Lufthansa Cargo. “We prefer to load with Lufthansa Cargo,” says Omniflora Managing Director Klaus W. Voss.
“There are currently five flights per week from Nairobi to Frankfurt, and we have goods on board each one.” Last year, the company that was established in 1994 and now has 75 employees imported approximately 4,300 tons of flowers from East Africa.
With an upward trend:
The tonnage has increased by between 10 to 20 percent respectively over the past two years. The flight from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Frankfurt takes about eight hours. During this time – and also during truck transportation from the farms to Nairobi – the sensitive goods are stored in special airfreight boxes. “Precooled in an extensive process, they are thus well conditioned for transportation,” explains Voss.
The part of the supply chain that is organized on land is also optimized down to the last detail.
The Omniflora sister company Skytrain is responsible on the African side. “The loading in Nairobi takes about four hours,” says Voss. At this point in time, the flowers are matured and already have the right color, but are still closed. Immediately after landing in Frankfurt the cargo is transported to Omniflora’s nearby Freshness Center.
The employees at this facility remove the flowers from the airfreight boxes, cut them and load them – in buckets with precooled water and special freshness retaining substances – on what are known as CC trolleys or in boxes on pallets. The goods are then ready for truck transportation. In addition to German buyers, the company delivers the flowers to customers in Austria, Switzerland and Scandinavia. “We have our own refrigerated trucks, but we also work together with a forwarder. The trips take 12 to 24 hours,” says the company founder.
A lot of time and effort to transport cut flowers that also grow in Germany.
Nevertheless, importing them over distances of several thousands kilometers does make ecological sense, as Voss explains: anyone who intends growing roses in Germany for trade on a large scale has to provide them with artificial heat and lighting in greenhouses. “That requires a lot of energy.”
In Kenya and Tanzania this is almost completely provided by the sun.
“That’s why the CO2 emissions when growing in East Africa are only one seventh of the amount that would be generated in Germany. And nota bene: the transportation has already been taken into account in this figure,” Voss points out. In many cases, the farmers carry out pest control in accordance with the guidelines of Integrated Pest Management: they let beneficial organisms do the work that would have otherwise required chemicals.
The flowers are grown by about 20 producers.
Roughly a quarter of these enterprises belong to James Finlay Limited, the parent company of Omniflora. Trade is carried out with the farms on the basis of the rules of the Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO). This gives the farmers the certainty that their products will be purchased at an appropriate, fixed price. “That price is always firmly agreed for one year,” says Voss.
“On the normal market, flowers are auctioned, the price fluctuations are enormous.”
Furthermore, in the framework of the Fairtrade agreement a premium is disbursed amounting to ten percent of the “free on board” value. “That is the value that the flower has when it leaves the farm.” The premium goes to projects, which are selected by the employee council of the farm. This way, local hospitals and schools can be supported, or money is channeled into small loans for farm workers.
“Through our flowers we generate Fairtrade premiums of 1.5 million euros per year,” says Voss. A fact that has definitely not gone unnoticed by the organization: in 2010, Omniflora won the “Fairtrade Award” in the “Commerce/Industry” category of the acknowledged organization “FairtradeDeutschland”.
Photos:
Kai Hartmann
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With an upward trend: The tonnage has increased by between 10 to 20 percent respectively over the past two years. The flight from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Frankfurt takes about eight hours. During this time – and also during truck transportation from the farms to Nairobi – the sensitive goods are stored in special airfreight boxes. “Precooled in an extensive process, they are thus well conditioned for transportation,” explains Voss. The part of the supply chain that is organized on land is also optimized down to the last detail. The Omniflora sister company Skytrain is responsible on the African side. “The loading in Nairobi takes about four hours,” says Voss. At this point in time, the flowers are matured and already have the right color, but are still closed. Immediately after landing in Frankfurt the cargo is transported to Omniflora’s nearby Freshness Center. The employees at this facility remove the flowers from the airfreight boxes, cut them and load them – in buckets with precooled water and special freshness retaining substances – on what are known as CC trolleys or in boxes on pallets. The goods are then ready for truck transportation. In addition to German buyers, the company delivers the flowers to customers in Austria, Switzerland and Scandinavia. “We have our own refrigerated trucks, but we also work together with a forwarder. The trips take 12 to 24 hours,” says the company founder. A lot of time and effort to transport cut flowers that also grow in Germany. Nevertheless, importing them over distances of several thousands kilometers does make ecological sense, as Voss explains: anyone who intends growing roses in Germany for trade on a large scale has to provide them with artificial heat and lighting in greenhouses. “That requires a lot of energy.” |
In Kenya and Tanzania this is almost completely provided by the sun. “That’s why the CO2 emissions when growing in East Africa are only one seventh of the amount that would be generated in Germany. And nota bene: the transportation has already been taken into account in this figure,” Voss points out. In many cases, the farmers carry out pest control in accordance with the guidelines of Integrated Pest Management: they let beneficial organisms do the work that would have otherwise required chemicals. The flowers are grown by about 20 producers. Roughly a quarter of these enterprises belong to James Finlay Limited, the parent company of Omniflora. Trade is carried out with the farms on the basis of the rules of the Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO). This gives the farmers the certainty that their products will be purchased at an appropriate, fixed price. “That price is always firmly agreed for one year,” says Voss. “On the normal market, flowers are auctioned, the price fluctuations are enormous.” Furthermore, in the framework of the Fairtrade agreement a premium is disbursed amounting to ten percent of the “free on board” value. “That is the value that the flower has when it leaves the farm.” The premium goes to projects, which are selected by the employee council of the farm. This way, local hospitals and schools can be supported, or money is channeled into small loans for farm workers. “Through our flowers we generate Fairtrade premiums of 1.5 million euros per year,” says Voss. A fact that has definitely not gone unnoticed by the organization: in 2010, Omniflora won the “Fairtrade Award” in the “Commerce/Industry” category of the acknowledged organization “FairtradeDeutschland”. |
Photos:
Kai Hartmann