Page 56: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (Q4 2016)

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SUPPLY CHAIN LOGISTICS of our customers, and proactive corrective solutions must be

H OW HAS YOUR ORGANIZATION CHANGED IN THE RECENT readily available and planned in advance. Customers demand

PAST TO ADAPT TO THE CHANGING DEMANDS OF THE LOGIS - a holistic service from a single source with a central contact

TICS MARKET ?

Our organization in the United States has been on a path of person, constantly monitoring the supply chain, and ensuring strong growth over the last few years. For most countries, the high quality standards. Close cooperation with the customer

U.S. is the number one or number two trading partner, and is vital to successfully manage the logistics and supply chain therefore we need a strong network in the U.S. to support our solutions proactively.

growth worldwide. Our plan is to have 25 of? ces nationwide

HAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS FORWARD OF YOU

W by 2020. In the meantime, we have also expanded our product

IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN OW ABOUT THOSE BEHIND YOU IN ? H offerings to complement and complete our service portfolio.

THE SUPPLY CHAIN ?

We now offer warehouse management services in the U.S. and have been building up our domestic freight forwarding. The ability to manage the complete supply chain require-

Ongoing development and investments into IT solutions are a ments for customers is becoming more and more important. requirement to successfully manage the intricate and detailed One can employ other service providers, but the overall co- solutions for our customer’s supply chain challenges. ordination of logistics needs to be handled by the provider to successfully execute solutions. Close interaction with the customer is essential for success and a quality operation.

F , -ROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST CHAL

LENGES IN THE WORLD MARKET FOR LOGISTICS THAT YOUR

HAT ARE SOME MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT MANAGING FOR

FIRM FACES ? W

SUCCESS IN THE GLOBAL LOGISTICS MARKET ?

The markets are becoming more and more volatile; overca- pacities and lower volumes, especially in ocean freight, are put- One misconception is that complex situations can be easily ting carriers under pressure. Availability of trucks and chassis simpli? ed, but we have to approach them with a complex set- across the U.S. to perform import door deliveries, and export up on our side. The world of logistics is highly interconnected door pickups, continue to be a major concern. The truck driver and complex. We don’t just rely on technology for supply chain shortage will also get worse over the next few years. This will design. Uniform IT systems are vital to ensure the global ? ow increase truckers’ costs; hence shippers’ rates will rise. Supply of data across all interfaces, but our people have to analyze and chain disruptions and delays have to be anticipated on behalf interpret the data and therefore are our most important asset.

They have to think outside of the box and be creative to ? nd the best solutions for our customers. Additionally, disruptive events such as port strikes, natural disasters or quickly chang- ing market conditions must be managed, but cannot always be immediately overcome 100 percent of the time.

D – O YOU FEEL REGULATIONS EITHER THOSE INSTITUTED BY U S , THE NITED TATES OR THOSE FROM WORLD ORGANIZATIONS

ARE OVERLY BURDENSOME OW DO YOU FEEL REGULATIONS ? H

GOVERNING SUPPLY CHAIN LOGISTICS COULD CHANGE ?

Worldwide regulations are necessary and we make sure that we – and our customers – fully comply with them. Over the next years more and more regulations will be added making it even more important for shippers to have a good partner who can help them navigate. Many of the regulations are focused on supply chain security and unfortunately necessary in to- day’s world. A detailed and accurate process design will help in dealing with such regulations smoothly.

W ? D ’ -

HAT ABOUT CYBER SECURITY O YOU THINK IT S SOME

THING THAT SHIPPERS AS WELL AS OTHER SUPPLY CHAIN FIRMS

NEED TO BE ENGAGED IN F SO WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPOR ? I , -

TANT STEPS TO BE SURE ARE TAKEN AHEAD OF TIME ?

Yes, cyber security is de? nitely a topic that shippers and 56 Maritime Logistics Professional 4Q 2016 | | 50-63 Q4 MP2016.indd 56 11/9/2016 11:38:07 AM