New logistics concept for Husqvarna CEE network ... - Geis Group
New logistics concept for Husqvarna CEE network ... - Geis Group
New logistics concept for Husqvarna CEE network ... - Geis Group
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The cusTomer and sTaff magazine of The geis group July 2010 www.geis-group.com<br />
<strong>New</strong> <strong>logistics</strong> <strong>concept</strong><br />
<strong>for</strong> <strong>Husqvarna</strong><br />
<strong>CEE</strong> <strong>network</strong>:<br />
eastwards expansion continues<br />
Solar <strong>logistics</strong>:<br />
still sunny!<br />
Photo: Fotolia / heli42
2 | editorial<br />
Dear readers,<br />
„The <strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong> handled the economic crisis in<br />
2009 very well“ – this is how our business per<strong>for</strong>mance<br />
in 2009 could essentially be summarized.<br />
Although the net turnover of the <strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong> declined<br />
by 13.2 percent to 528.9 million euros, our<br />
high quality, strong service orientation and strict<br />
We used both the past year and the first months of<br />
this year to develop our company and strategically<br />
prepare ourselves <strong>for</strong> the emergent economic recovery.<br />
Our aim in 2010 is to achieve a significant increase<br />
in turnover and profit.<br />
There<strong>for</strong>e we are focusing on promising new<br />
sectors such as the solar industry. Hardly any sector<br />
has grown as strongly over the past years as the<br />
photovoltaics sector, with turnover expected to increase<br />
by more than 20 percent this year in Germany<br />
alone. Due to the sensitive nature of solar<br />
modules and the urgency by which they are usually<br />
required, the sector needs experienced and reliable<br />
service providers that are able to deliver them quickly<br />
and securely to customers. We, together with our<br />
Logistics World Alliance contract <strong>logistics</strong> partners,<br />
have already been doing precisely this <strong>for</strong> one<br />
of the leading suppliers <strong>for</strong> the past two years. You<br />
can read more about our handling of the solar supply<br />
chain <strong>for</strong> SunPower and the solar sector from page 4<br />
onwards.<br />
In this edition we will also be shedding light on another<br />
of the <strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong>‘s focus areas: The ongoing<br />
expansion of our <strong>network</strong> and strategy in Central and<br />
Eastern Europe. We manage the <strong>logistics</strong> of some of<br />
the world‘s leading companies in the region, including<br />
the Schaeffler <strong>Group</strong> and the <strong>Husqvarna</strong> <strong>Group</strong><br />
– learn more on pages 8, 10 and 12.<br />
Focus on new and promising sectors<br />
cost controls, including short-time, meant that all<br />
our business areas remained in the black. In view of<br />
the unprecedented scale of the economic and financial<br />
crisis, this is a highly satisfactory result.<br />
The crisis has shown that having three business areas<br />
serves our company well. Our „Logistics Services“ division<br />
succeeded in going against the trend and in increasing<br />
turnover by two percent. This area includes<br />
contract <strong>logistics</strong> activities such as storage and picking,<br />
as well as complete outsourcing solutions, also<br />
<strong>for</strong> assembly and special packaging. „Road Services“,<br />
our Germany- and Europe-wide road services division,<br />
recorded a downturn in turnover of 12.7 percent,<br />
while „Air + Sea Services“ fell by 26 percent.<br />
At the end of 2009, around 3,300 people were employed<br />
at our 87 sites across Europe. Last year, they<br />
processed around 9.3 million transport and <strong>logistics</strong><br />
orders <strong>for</strong> our customers, i.e. around 20,000 more<br />
shipments than in 2008. The total number of parcel<br />
shipments was 5.43 million, almost a million more<br />
than in 2008.<br />
On 14 June we began constructing the first section of<br />
our new <strong>logistics</strong> and technology centre. By November,<br />
the 30,000 m 2 multi-user centre will be ready <strong>for</strong><br />
use. Later on we plan to build another two <strong>logistics</strong><br />
facilities on the site. Learn more on page 15 of this<br />
edition of Transfer.<br />
Our magazine has been given a new, more modern<br />
layout, and remains the best place to find out the latest<br />
news about the <strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong>. We hope you enjoy<br />
reading it!<br />
Yours sincerely,<br />
Hans-Georg <strong>Geis</strong> and Wolfgang <strong>Geis</strong>,<br />
Managing Partners of the <strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong>
04<br />
08<br />
12<br />
16<br />
top StorY<br />
04 Still sunny<br />
06 Solar <strong>logistics</strong> with <strong>Geis</strong><br />
road ServiceS<br />
08 <strong>CEE</strong> <strong>network</strong>: eastwards expansion continues<br />
10 Working <strong>for</strong> Schaeffler on the west-east axis<br />
10 Quality ranking: TSG‘s success confirmed<br />
11 AEO status speeds up supply chain<br />
11 <strong>Geis</strong> uses hybrid truck<br />
11 Secure air freight in the IDS system<br />
logiSticS ServiceS<br />
12 <strong>Husqvarna</strong>: <strong>logistics</strong> reorganized<br />
coNteNtS |<br />
3<br />
14 „Automotive industry-level per<strong>for</strong>mance achieved“<br />
14 A logistical sales aid<br />
15 <strong>Geis</strong> builds a multi-user <strong>logistics</strong> and technology centre<br />
15 „Green“ packaging <strong>concept</strong><br />
air + Sea ServiceS<br />
16 Thousands of tonnes right across Pakistan<br />
17 Hamburg: Air and sea freight under one roof<br />
17 Aerospace Logistics bundles together skills<br />
17 A surprise in Africa<br />
geNeral NeWS<br />
18 „Making clear the difference...“<br />
18 <strong>New</strong> Sales and Marketing Manager at <strong>Geis</strong> SDV<br />
19 Artistic-bike world champion works <strong>for</strong> <strong>Geis</strong><br />
19 The Nuremberg Company Run: <strong>Geis</strong> took part<br />
19 Anniversaries<br />
Published by<br />
Hans <strong>Geis</strong> GmbH + Co Internationale Spedition<br />
Rudolf-Diesel-Ring 24, 97616 Bad Neustadt/Saale<br />
Tel.: +49 9771 603-0, Fax: +49 9771 603-109<br />
www.geis-group.com<br />
Responsible <strong>for</strong> the contents<br />
Geschäftsführung der <strong>Geis</strong>-Gruppe<br />
Editorial<br />
STROOMER PR | Concept GmbH<br />
Christian Stephan, Sonja Objartel.<br />
Kristine Wegner, Christoph Goldammer (Design)<br />
Rellinger Straße 64a, 20257 Hamburg<br />
Phone: +49 40 853133 0, Fax +49 40 853133 22<br />
E-Mail: mail@stroomer-pr.de
4<br />
Still Sunny<br />
The sun is set to shine <strong>for</strong> another four billion years, so the outlook is bright <strong>for</strong> the<br />
solar energy industry and its service providers.<br />
Photo: BSW-Solar / Langrock
Despite the economic crisis, increasing<br />
non-European competition and the lowering<br />
of state subsidies <strong>for</strong> solar energy,<br />
the solar module market will continue to<br />
grow. The German photovoltaics industry alone expects<br />
turnover to increase by more than 20 percent<br />
this year. In addition, it expects increased levels of<br />
investment and another increase in the number of<br />
people employed in the industry (see in<strong>for</strong>mation<br />
graphic).<br />
All the signs are pointing to growth in our sunblessed<br />
neighbouring European countries too. Italy<br />
is considered the market with the greatest potential,<br />
with alternative energy <strong>for</strong>ms being supported by<br />
legislation and state subsidies. France is currently<br />
way behind Germany in the use of solar energy. But<br />
there too state subsidies are being used to promote<br />
the industry.<br />
sunny energy. There are a number of reasons <strong>for</strong><br />
the positive <strong>for</strong>ecasts. First of all, there is a growing<br />
widespread consensus that solar energy is vital to the<br />
future of the world as an alternative to fossil fuels<br />
and nuclear energy. In just a few decades time, the<br />
earth‘s oil and uranium reserves will have been exhausted.<br />
The sun however will remain with us as an<br />
energy source until time indefinite, and won‘t cause<br />
any oil catastrophes or generate nuclear waste.<br />
Not least because of this, solar energy has an unbeatable<br />
image as clean and regenerative energy.<br />
This coupled with financial incentives by the state<br />
also means an increased willingness among private<br />
individuals to use the technology. Last year in Germany<br />
alone, home owners spent more than six billion<br />
euros on solar modules. This is more than the<br />
large German energy producers invested together in<br />
the construction and expansion of new and existing<br />
power plants. Although lower state subsidies will<br />
temporarily slow down the rate of expansion, there<br />
is no possibility of it coming to a halt.<br />
Solar energy is also becoming increasingly interesting<br />
<strong>for</strong> those with limited financial resources and no<br />
property of their own. The solar sector reckons that<br />
in just a few years‘ time end-users will be able to obtain<br />
solar energy <strong>for</strong> the price of conventional electricity.<br />
This will become possible through technical<br />
progress and the accelerated expansion of the photovoltaics<br />
market. Solar energy will then no longer lag<br />
behind other <strong>for</strong>ms of energy in terms of cost.<br />
pictUre leFt: the thermal solar energy system<br />
on the roof of the Federal government‘s press<br />
and in<strong>for</strong>mation office in Berlin helps power<br />
the building‘s air-conditioning system<br />
sunny logisTics. These developments in the solar<br />
energy sector open up a large number of opportunities<br />
<strong>for</strong> the <strong>logistics</strong> industry. Solar <strong>logistics</strong> is still<br />
a very new area, and those who react quickly and<br />
flexibly to the needs of this dynamic sector will profit<br />
from its continuous growth in the future. Since<br />
2008, the <strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong> has been handling solar supply<br />
chains and has developed solutions that are tailored<br />
to the needs of the industry.<br />
Alongside procurement <strong>logistics</strong> and appropriate<br />
storage solutions, <strong>Geis</strong> also guarantees on-time delivery<br />
of the sensitive solar products to end customers.<br />
„The particular challenge when it comes to solar<br />
<strong>logistics</strong> is to be able to cope with the extreme fluctuations<br />
in shipping quantities“, says <strong>Geis</strong> Managing<br />
Director Dr. Johannes Söllner. „We guarantee this<br />
flexibility through specially-developed logistical<br />
processes that we adhere to strictly with the help of<br />
various IT solutions.“ —<br />
Solar energy companies create jobs in Germany<br />
Number of jobs<br />
Solar heating and solar electricity<br />
top StorY |<br />
5<br />
the <strong>logistics</strong><br />
industry is also<br />
benefitting from<br />
the continuous<br />
growth of the<br />
solar industry.
6 | top StorY<br />
Solar logiSticS<br />
with geiS<br />
International solar technology group SunPower relies on <strong>Geis</strong>‘ concentrated logistical energy<br />
<strong>for</strong> its solar <strong>logistics</strong> within Germany.<br />
SunPower is considered the world-leader in the<br />
development of high-efficiency solar modules,<br />
and distributes its products all around the<br />
world (see info box). Such a high-flying company<br />
naturally requires a reliable and flexible <strong>logistics</strong><br />
partner in Europe. Consequently, the NASDAQlisted<br />
company opted <strong>for</strong> the European contract <strong>logistics</strong><br />
cooperation Logistics World Alliance (LWA)<br />
in August 2008. It includes seven powerful European<br />
<strong>logistics</strong> service providers and combines under<br />
one roof comprehensive sector expertise, knowledge<br />
of regional markets, and flexible warehousing<br />
and transport solutions (see info box, page 7). „We<br />
were looking <strong>for</strong> a European <strong>logistics</strong> partner with<br />
precisely this type of profile“, says Nicholas Hyner,<br />
SunPower RLC EU Operations Manager.<br />
The LWA partner <strong>for</strong> Germany, the Czech Republic<br />
and Slovakia is <strong>Geis</strong>. Thanks to the close integration<br />
of its Road Services and Logistics Services divisions,<br />
the <strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong> is able to provide top-notch <strong>logistics</strong><br />
services <strong>for</strong> the high-tech products of SunPower<br />
within Germany.<br />
sophisTicaTed TransporT logisTics. From Rotterdam,<br />
LWA partners convey the goods to their<br />
European distribution centres, located in Milan,<br />
Lyon, Nuremberg, and elsewhere. Transporting<br />
solar components is no easy task because the solar<br />
modules are very fragile and highly sensitive. The<br />
goods conveyed also include articles <strong>for</strong> final assembly<br />
such as cables and spare parts. „Transporting the<br />
sensitive and in some cases bulky freight safely calls<br />
<strong>for</strong> knowledge, circumspection, sensitive handling<br />
and special equipment“, says Hans-Peter Schneider,<br />
Managing Director of the Logistics World Alliance.<br />
SunPower<br />
Photo: Istock / LL28<br />
The US group, according to<br />
its own statement, has been<br />
designing, manufacturing and<br />
delivering the planet’s most<br />
powerful solar technology<br />
broadly available today <strong>for</strong><br />
the past 25 years. SunPower<br />
is considered the worldleader<br />
in the development of<br />
high-efficiency solar solutions,<br />
with SunPower solar modules<br />
supplying up to 50 percent<br />
more energy than conventional<br />
modules. Today SunPower<br />
calls four continents home,<br />
serving utilities, commercial,<br />
and residential customers<br />
across the globe.
flexible sTorage and disTribuTion. Storage of the<br />
goods also calls <strong>for</strong> sensitivity and a high degree of<br />
flexibility. All new warehouse locations are initially<br />
operated using the cross-docking system. Later on,<br />
when the market has stabilized, flexible warehouses<br />
are set up. One example of a flexible warehouse is<br />
<strong>Geis</strong>‘ warehouse in Nuremberg, where SunPower‘<br />
solar modules and accessories and, as of late, marketing<br />
material too are stored. The entire warehouse is<br />
completely turned over twice a month. At the end of<br />
each cycle, demanding handling peaks are encountered,<br />
with <strong>Geis</strong> employees having to deal with a<br />
high volume of goods, both inbound and outbound.<br />
During these times, everything needs to run like<br />
clockwork. Each product has a serial number, which<br />
is recorded during entry scanning, and picking is<br />
voucherless using local IT systems.<br />
As soon as the solar components leave the warehouse,<br />
the Nuremberg warehouse‘s outgoing-goods<br />
processing system in<strong>for</strong>ms SunPower of the serial<br />
numbers that are on their way to each customer. Sun-<br />
Power‘s customer service department then passes on<br />
this in<strong>for</strong>mation to its customers‘ upstream dealers,<br />
so that they can start with the preparations. „Providing<br />
this advance notice is especially important, as<br />
the modules have to be installed in series <strong>for</strong> optimal<br />
electricity generation“, says Werner Dettenthaler,<br />
<strong>Geis</strong> Site Manager in Nuremberg.<br />
Once out of the warehouse, <strong>Geis</strong> also takes care of<br />
delivery within Germany - including right up to the<br />
doorstep if necessary. „Some of SunPower‘s customers<br />
live in very remote places. Despite this, <strong>Geis</strong> always<br />
delivers on time. <strong>Geis</strong> drivers also always call<br />
customers in advance as part of our standard service“,<br />
explains <strong>Geis</strong> Managing Director Dr. Johannes Söllner.<br />
„As soon as the solar products have been handed<br />
over, a message is sent to SunPower on the same day<br />
confirming delivery.“<br />
clever added-value services. Without reliable<br />
IT systems, international procurement, intermediate<br />
storage at partner sites and Europe-wide distribution<br />
would be next-to-impossible tasks. For this reason, the<br />
IT systems used by the LWA partners are linked to<br />
each other and to SunPower‘s system. „For SunPower<br />
and its customers this means maximum transparency<br />
and exact preparation because we display all status in<strong>for</strong>mation<br />
in real time“, explains Dr. Johannes Söllner.<br />
„The system can also be flexibly expanded.“<br />
<strong>Geis</strong>‘ added-value services to SunPower don‘t end<br />
there, however. Alongside clever IT solutions, our<br />
service portfolio also includes preassembly of solar<br />
modules out of more than 80 individual components,<br />
and if a solar module needs to be replaced following<br />
a complaint, <strong>Geis</strong> implements its so-called „Swap<br />
Service“, with the faulty components exchanged <strong>for</strong><br />
new components, and the original components returned<br />
to the supplier.<br />
<strong>Geis</strong> also stands out on account of its expertise in the<br />
area of packing services. The group has developed a<br />
new kind of packaging that enables individual solar<br />
panels too to be sent securely. „We consider it important<br />
that we not only fulfil SunPower‘s requests<br />
and requirements, but also that we continually expand<br />
the range of services offered to them. We are<br />
there<strong>for</strong>e also planning to significantly increase the<br />
size of our Nuremberg warehouse in the near future,<br />
specifically <strong>for</strong> SunPower“, says Dr. Johannes<br />
Söllner. „Together with our LWA partners, we want<br />
to provide SunPower with the best-possible service,<br />
and thereby provide a place in the sun <strong>for</strong> as many<br />
solar modules as possible.“ —<br />
www.sunpower.com<br />
Photo: BSW-Solar<br />
top StorY | 7<br />
Logistics<br />
World Alliance<br />
the <strong>logistics</strong> World alliance<br />
(lWa), which is based in<br />
luxembourg, was founded<br />
in March 2006 and offers<br />
customers europe-wide<br />
contract <strong>logistics</strong> services.<br />
its cooperation partners<br />
include aditro <strong>logistics</strong>,<br />
Bibby distribution, the<br />
geis group, log Service<br />
europe, MgF logistique,<br />
p&o Ferrymasters and redur.<br />
the cooperation partners<br />
operate more than 300 sites<br />
across europe and have<br />
access to almost two million<br />
square metres of storage<br />
space. together they<br />
employ around 18,000<br />
people and generate an<br />
annual turnover of more<br />
than 2.1 billion euros.<br />
the latest technology:<br />
solar-cell manufacture is<br />
highly-specialized
oad ServiceS |<br />
9<br />
Eastwards expansion continues<br />
The <strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong> is continuing to gradually expand its East-West traffic, with customers being<br />
the main beneficiaries. Below is an interview with <strong>Geis</strong> Managing Director Klaus Stäblein about the<br />
<strong>network</strong> in Central and Eastern Europe (<strong>CEE</strong>) and the strategy of the <strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong>.<br />
Klaus Stäblein,<br />
Managing director<br />
Hans geis gmbH + co<br />
mr stäblein, the geis group claims<br />
to provide also full-coverage transport <strong>logistics</strong><br />
in cee countries. how do you manage to<br />
do this?<br />
Klaus Stäblein: It‘s all in the mix. First of all, the<br />
<strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong> has its own full-coverage <strong>network</strong>s in<br />
the Czech Republic and Slovakia. With 13 sites<br />
in the Czech Republic, <strong>Geis</strong> CZ covers the entire<br />
country, while Slovakia is covered by the 7 sites of<br />
our local subsidiary TEN Expres. Secondly, we use<br />
strong local partners. Thanks to this setup, we can<br />
choose the best partner <strong>for</strong> each country - to the benefit<br />
of <strong>Geis</strong> customers.<br />
Which benefits and services are offered<br />
to <strong>Geis</strong> customers with respect to traffic to<br />
central and eastern europe<br />
Klaus Stäblein: We offer daily services to all the<br />
countries of Central and Eastern Europe, with defined<br />
delivery times directly from our German sites<br />
and via our <strong>CEE</strong> gateway in Nuremberg. This applies<br />
in relation to both cargo and groupage freight,<br />
as well <strong>for</strong> direct journeys, express journeys and parcel<br />
shipments. In total, there are 75 regular services<br />
each week from Nuremberg to the <strong>CEE</strong> countries.<br />
The important thing <strong>for</strong> many customers is to be<br />
kept constantly in<strong>for</strong>med about the current status of<br />
their shipment. In Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Czech<br />
Republic, Bulgaria, and the Baltic countries we offer<br />
systematic Tracking & Tracing. IT integration on<br />
the basis of EDIFACT/IFTMIN is also possible.<br />
are these services available in the opposite<br />
direction as well?<br />
Klaus Stäblein: Yes they are. We not only distribute<br />
goods in these countries but also organize the procurement<br />
<strong>logistics</strong> <strong>for</strong> goods being sent to Western<br />
Europe. As a result, the customer has just one service<br />
provider and one central contact <strong>for</strong> incoming<br />
and outgoing goods. Combining procurement and<br />
distribution is sound practice – we, <strong>for</strong> example, take<br />
care of all the transport <strong>logistics</strong> <strong>for</strong> the Schaeffler<br />
<strong>Group</strong> on the west-east axis route (see article on<br />
page 10).<br />
what role do the geis companies<br />
in the czech republic and slovakia play in this?<br />
Klaus Stäblein: They enable us to offer our customers<br />
more extensive <strong>logistics</strong> services.<br />
what does that mean exactly?<br />
Klaus Stäblein: It means that we can offer customers<br />
the full range of services we offer them in Germany,<br />
including contract <strong>logistics</strong> projects <strong>for</strong> local<br />
customers as well as national and international procurement<br />
and distribution. One example is the new<br />
Eastern Europe Central Warehouse <strong>for</strong> <strong>Husqvarna</strong><br />
in the east of the Czech Republic (see page 12). This<br />
is where we warehouse and distribute <strong>Husqvarna</strong><br />
goods throughout the Czech Republic and Slovakia.<br />
are there also customers who use the<br />
geis group <strong>for</strong> their transport <strong>logistics</strong> from<br />
eastern europe to germany?<br />
Klaus Stäblein: Yes, and their numbers are in-<br />
creasing. For example, at the beginning of the year<br />
we took on a project <strong>for</strong> fittings manufacturer VAG,<br />
which is based in Mannheim. The Czech company<br />
JMA, based in Hodonin, is a subsidiary of the VAG<br />
<strong>Group</strong>. JMA manufactures fittings <strong>for</strong> water management,<br />
e.g. hydrants, sliders and valves. <strong>Geis</strong> CZ<br />
is now responsible <strong>for</strong> distributing their products<br />
across Europe. The most important market <strong>for</strong> the<br />
company is Germany, and accordingly, just <strong>for</strong> this<br />
customer we have established a new daily service<br />
between our Rajhrad <strong>logistics</strong> centre near Brno and<br />
Nuremberg, enabling us to offer a 48-hour delivery<br />
service throughout Germany, and a 24-hour service<br />
in Austria. The project also makes full use of our<br />
direct services via our Czech <strong>network</strong> to Slovakia,<br />
Poland, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland.<br />
Thank you very much <strong>for</strong> your time!
10 | road ServiceS<br />
Working <strong>for</strong> Schaeffler on the west-east axis<br />
Almost everyone who drives a car uses them: INA engine parts, FAG roller bearings or LuK clutches.<br />
But these three Schaeffler <strong>Group</strong> brand products are used in other industrial sectors too, <strong>for</strong> example the aerospace sector.<br />
Since February of this year, the <strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong> has been responsible <strong>for</strong> transporting them along the west-east axis.<br />
Photos: Schaeffler <strong>Group</strong><br />
The Schaeffler <strong>Group</strong> with its brands INA, FAG<br />
and LuK has 180 sites in more than 50 countries.<br />
Although its main markets have traditionally been<br />
Central and Western Europe, North America and<br />
the growing markets of Asia and Eastern Europe are<br />
becoming increasingly important.<br />
a dense neTwork and sTrong parTners: In<br />
order to optimize its transport <strong>logistics</strong> to and from<br />
Eastern Europe even further, Schaeffler last year<br />
put the contract out to tender. Its aims in doing so<br />
were to reduce the number of service providers, to<br />
optimize processes and costs and to improve the<br />
integration of the service provider. In addition,<br />
Schaeffler Technologies wanted a dense <strong>network</strong>,<br />
a strong partnership structure and a <strong>network</strong>ed IT<br />
infrastructure. „We won the tender because of our<br />
close-knit <strong>network</strong> in Eastern and Western Europe<br />
and our clear <strong>concept</strong>“, says Werner Dettenthaler,<br />
<strong>Geis</strong> Eurocargo‘s Site Manager at Nuremberg.<br />
„Since February we have been operating a strongly<br />
consolidated service <strong>for</strong> Schaeffler via Nuremberg<br />
with daily departures to Eastern Europe.“<br />
<strong>Geis</strong> operates services in the opposite direction as<br />
well, also via Nuremberg. For example, if a supplier<br />
in Romania has a consignment ready <strong>for</strong> a German<br />
Schaeffler plant, he places a shipping order via the<br />
Schaeffler internet portal. <strong>Geis</strong> receives the in<strong>for</strong>mation<br />
and arranges collection. The goods are<br />
transported on the daily Romania-Nuremberg ser-<br />
vice, consolidated in Nuremberg, and delivered to<br />
the relevant plants.<br />
35,000 Tonnes per year. „Within Germany we<br />
use the <strong>network</strong> of the general cargo cooperation<br />
IDS to collect and deliver goods, while in Eastern<br />
Europe and <strong>for</strong> further distribution in Western Europe<br />
we use our direct services to and from Nuremberg“,<br />
explains Werner Dettenthaler. „Using this<br />
<strong>concept</strong> we now process a total of around 35,000<br />
tonnes per year <strong>for</strong> the Schaeffler <strong>Group</strong>, and everything<br />
is running smoothly.“ —<br />
iNa‘s headquarters in Herzogenaurach<br />
IDS Quality Ranking: TSG‘s success confirmed<br />
<strong>Geis</strong> company Thüringer Speditionsgesellschaft mbH<br />
(TSG), based in Ohrdruf, is top of the list in the latest<br />
Quality Ranking of the general cargo cooperation<br />
IDS, confirming its success during the past year.<br />
Each year the IDS Quality Control Department assesses<br />
the entire range of services provided by all 44<br />
IDS sites in Germany. Procedures, status notifications,<br />
quality records and market appearance are all assessed.<br />
TSG was number one in the Quality Ranking in 2008<br />
too. „The fact that we have once again been successful<br />
shows that we continue to provide our customers<br />
with a top-quality service“, says TSG Site Manager<br />
Marc <strong>Geis</strong>. „And we plan to continue doing so in the<br />
future as well.“ —
Photo: Mercedes-Benz<br />
<strong>Geis</strong> uses hybrid truck<br />
An important step <strong>for</strong>ward <strong>for</strong> the environment: From 2011 the <strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong> will be using a Mercedes<br />
Atego BlueTec Hybrid truck.<br />
This makes <strong>Geis</strong> one of the first <strong>logistics</strong> companies<br />
in Germany to test the groundbreaking hybrid technology<br />
on a daily basis. The Hybrid truck is part of<br />
a 50-vehicle „Innovation Fleet“ which will be used<br />
to test the suitability <strong>for</strong> daily use and environmental<br />
potential of the technology. The Atego 1222 L<br />
has been designed <strong>for</strong> distribution transport, and the<br />
Hybrid version combines a compact and light fourcylinder<br />
diesel engine with a 44-kW electric motor.<br />
The e-motor primarily supports the diesel engine in<br />
the low and medium speed ranges. Start-up is mostly<br />
emission-free thanks to the electric motor.<br />
mercedes-benz claims that the innovative technology<br />
will reduce consumption by between 10 to<br />
15 percent. CO 2 emissions are reduced by the same<br />
extent – an especially strong argument in <strong>Geis</strong>‘ view.<br />
„Resource conservation and environmental protection<br />
have been among our corporate aims <strong>for</strong> many<br />
years. By using hybrid technology, we will be a step<br />
closer to achieving these aims. We look <strong>for</strong>ward to<br />
being a pioneer in this area“, says <strong>Geis</strong> Managing<br />
Director Klaus Stäblein. —<br />
<strong>New</strong>: Secure air freight in the IDS system<br />
The German Air Safety Law requires that air-freight<br />
goods be transported within a secure supply chain.<br />
<strong>Geis</strong>‘ Bad Neustadt and Nuremberg sites now offer<br />
such a secure supply chain to customers who send<br />
their goods to the airport via the IDS system. The<br />
new, straight<strong>for</strong>ward and low-cost service is called<br />
Luftfracht Secured.<br />
The enhanced security level begins when a consignment<br />
is picked up by specially-trained drivers who<br />
ensure that their vehicles are locked at all times.<br />
Luftfracht Secured goods are then handled in an area<br />
of the warehouse that is comprehensively monitored<br />
and to which only authorized personnel have access.<br />
Specially trained staff are also used to transport<br />
freight to Frankfurt and Nuremberg Airport and to<br />
deliver it to consignees. <strong>Geis</strong> in collaboration with<br />
IDS has there<strong>for</strong>e created a secure supply chain. —<br />
www.ids-logistik.de<br />
<strong>New</strong> label <strong>for</strong><br />
maximum security<br />
road ServiceS | 11<br />
AEO status speeds up<br />
supply chain<br />
The German customs<br />
authorities have awarded<br />
„Authorized Economic<br />
Operator“ (AEO) status<br />
to the <strong>Geis</strong> companies<br />
TSG Thüringer Speditionsgesellschaft<br />
in Ohrdruf,<br />
Bischoff International<br />
in Naila, <strong>Geis</strong> Eurocargo<br />
GmbH in Nuremberg<br />
and Satteldorf and to<br />
<strong>Geis</strong> Industrie-Service<br />
with its 20 sites.<br />
The exact status awarded<br />
to the <strong>Geis</strong> companies<br />
is AEO-F, and thereby<br />
encompasses customs<br />
simplification and safety<br />
standards. The main<br />
beneficiaries will be <strong>Geis</strong>‘<br />
customers because simplified<br />
custom rules mean<br />
that goods can now be<br />
cleared more quickly,<br />
and consequently reach<br />
consignees faster.<br />
Moreover it proves that<br />
<strong>Geis</strong> operates high safety<br />
standards, because AEO<br />
status requires that<br />
stringent standards be<br />
met in terms of reliability,<br />
financial solvency and<br />
the fulfilment of certain<br />
safety regulations.<br />
<strong>Geis</strong> SDV and Hans <strong>Geis</strong><br />
GmbH were awarded<br />
the coveted AEO status<br />
last year. —
Photo: Fotolia / endostock
logiSticS<br />
reorganized<br />
T<br />
he <strong>Husqvarna</strong> brand and its subsidiary company<br />
Gardena have long been familiar to gardening<br />
enthusiasts and professional landscape<br />
designers. And no wonder: The Swedish manufacturer<br />
is the world‘s largest manufacturer of lawnmowers,<br />
chainsaws, portable petrol-driven gardening<br />
equipment, watering systems and gardening tools.<br />
since The end of lasT year <strong>Geis</strong> has been implementing<br />
a new central warehouse <strong>concept</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Husqvarna</strong><br />
in Czech Republic and Slovakia. Instead of<br />
having several small regional warehouses, <strong>Geis</strong> now<br />
concentrates <strong>Husqvarna</strong> product handling <strong>for</strong> the<br />
Czech Republic and Slovakia in Ostrava in the east of<br />
the Czech Republic.<br />
The two companies know each other well: „We have<br />
worked <strong>for</strong> <strong>Husqvarna</strong> at Bad Neustadt/Salz <strong>for</strong> many<br />
years. We also worked <strong>for</strong> <strong>Husqvarna</strong>‘ subsidiary Gardena<br />
in the Czech town of Rajhrad near Brno be<strong>for</strong>e<br />
the central warehouse <strong>concept</strong> was implemented“,<br />
says Erik Lassen, Managing Director of <strong>Geis</strong> Industrie-Service<br />
GmbH. „In the autumn of 2009, the<br />
Gardena products warehouse and the two <strong>Husqvarna</strong><br />
products warehouses in Prague and the Slovakian<br />
town of Liptovský Mikulás were closed and transferred<br />
to Ostrava.“<br />
<strong>Geis</strong> now offers <strong>Husqvarna</strong> a complete package of logistical<br />
services from a single source. It encompasses<br />
warehousing <strong>for</strong> finished goods and spare parts, as well<br />
as their entire distribution in the Czech Republic and<br />
Slovakia – including general and parcel shipments.“<br />
To implemenT its central warehouse solution, <strong>Geis</strong><br />
has leased part of a newly-constructed <strong>logistics</strong> park<br />
in Ostrava. „The warehouse <strong>logistics</strong> <strong>for</strong> the Czech<br />
Republic and Slovakia are currently managed on an<br />
area covering 7,000 square metres“, explains <strong>Geis</strong><br />
Project Manager Pavel Křížek. „We have 6,000 shelf<br />
pallet spaces in our shelf storage facility <strong>for</strong> storing<br />
smaller products, which can encompass everything<br />
from rose shears to chainsaws. Larger products<br />
such as garden tractors, lawnmowers and scythes in<br />
contrast are stored in blocks.“ These products take<br />
up a lot of space. We currently store around 800<br />
<strong>Husqvarna</strong> tractors alone in Ostrava, and during the<br />
course of the season, this number is set to increase<br />
even further.<br />
Did you know?<br />
The <strong>Husqvarna</strong> logo shows<br />
the barrel of a gun seen<br />
from the front. The reason:<br />
The company was established<br />
in Sweden in 1689 as a<br />
manufacturer of muskets.<br />
<strong>Husqvarna</strong> is accordingly one<br />
of the oldest industrial<br />
companies in the world.<br />
After manufacturing sewing<br />
machines, household<br />
appliances, bicycles and<br />
motorcycles, the company<br />
today is the world‘s largest<br />
producer of outdoor<br />
power products. With the<br />
Gardena brand, <strong>Husqvarna</strong><br />
is also Europe‘s number<br />
one company <strong>for</strong> watering<br />
systems.<br />
logiSticS ServiceS | 13<br />
Garden and <strong>for</strong>estry equipment manufacturer <strong>Husqvarna</strong> <strong>Group</strong> has reorganized its <strong>logistics</strong> in the<br />
Czech Republic and Slovakia. The company‘s <strong>logistics</strong> partner is now the <strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong>, which is<br />
successfully implementing a central warehouse <strong>concept</strong>.<br />
www.husqvarna.com<br />
Photos: <strong>Husqvarna</strong><br />
Close to where these large items of equipment are<br />
kept, <strong>Geis</strong> stores the spare parts <strong>for</strong> <strong>Husqvarna</strong> products.<br />
The warehouse holds up to 40,000 different<br />
parts, ranging from small screws to replacement motors<br />
<strong>for</strong> garden tractors. In order to make optimal<br />
use of and be able to manage these 40,000 different<br />
sections, <strong>Geis</strong> uses the LFS warehouse <strong>logistics</strong> system,<br />
which is linked via interfaces to <strong>Husqvarna</strong>’s<br />
software systems. Data exchange takes place entirely<br />
via EDI.<br />
more Than 35 geis employees currently work <strong>for</strong><br />
<strong>Husqvarna</strong> in Ostrava. Outside the season, they pick<br />
and pack around six truckloads each day. During<br />
the season, the daily volume increases severalfold to<br />
between 13 and 15 truckloads. The <strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong> also<br />
takes care of distribution <strong>logistics</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Husqvarna</strong><br />
in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, using its own<br />
nationwide parcel and cargo service <strong>network</strong>s <strong>Geis</strong><br />
CZ, <strong>Geis</strong> SK and General Parcel Čechy.<br />
Erik Lassen: „The project has started smoothly, with<br />
our experience with Gardena products naturally<br />
standing us in good stead. We are currently in the<br />
middle of the high season, and our extremely flexible<br />
employee <strong>concept</strong> is enabling us to easily handle<br />
these peaks too.“ —
14 | logiSticS ServiceS<br />
„Automotive industry-level achieved“<br />
Hand-in-hand with <strong>Geis</strong> Industrie-Service, Wincor Nixdorf has reorganized its production flow at its Ilmenau plant.<br />
It now runs on the basis of the principle of order-based picking of individual consignments.<br />
At its Thuringian plant, Wincor Nixdorf primarily<br />
produces retail empties collection systems. For<br />
the past four years, <strong>Geis</strong> has managed the entire<br />
warehousing, supply and disposal <strong>for</strong> the plant from<br />
its <strong>logistics</strong> centre in Ohrdruf. „In order to be able<br />
to react more flexibly to fluctuations in demand and<br />
in response to the growing number of models, we<br />
have reorganized our production flow“, explains Oliver<br />
Loske, Head of Operations at Wincor Nixdorf.<br />
„Instead of batch-producing a particular model type,<br />
we now produce different model types directly after<br />
each other on an assembly line.“<br />
As a result, changes had to be made in the logistical<br />
supply. „We now supply the parts on a just-in-sequence<br />
basis to the assembly line“, explains Jochen Creutzburg,<br />
Site Manager of the Ohrdruf Logistics Centre.<br />
„Moreover, we have set up a separate order picking<br />
Photo Barthelmess <strong>Group</strong><br />
A logistical sales aid<br />
picking and placing directly in<br />
the assembly frame<br />
Three times a year, Barthelmess‘ subsidiary decorado<br />
GmbH issues a catalogue containing around 6,000<br />
decorative, promotional items <strong>for</strong> shop windows,<br />
shops and shopping centres. Since June, the contract<br />
<strong>logistics</strong> <strong>for</strong> these has been outsourced to <strong>Geis</strong> Industrie-Service<br />
GmbH, with the work carried out at<br />
<strong>Geis</strong>‘ warehouse in Seubtendorf in Thuringia.<br />
Here <strong>Geis</strong> employees are not only responsible <strong>for</strong><br />
warehouse procedures but also <strong>for</strong> incoming and<br />
outgoing consignments. This is because <strong>Geis</strong>‘ subsidiary<br />
Bischoff International has also, since June,<br />
been responsible, together with a parcel service<br />
company, <strong>for</strong> procuring and distributing the decorative<br />
articles throughout Europe.<br />
area, called the assembly warehouse, where we store<br />
around 400 different articles which are directly picked<br />
and placed by our employees in specially-developed<br />
transport/assembly racks.“<br />
The challenge <strong>for</strong> <strong>Geis</strong> employees is twofold. First,<br />
just one picking error can result in Wincor Nixdorf‘s<br />
assembly line coming to a halt, and secondly the products<br />
in question are largely final-painted sheet metal<br />
parts that require careful handling. „We introduced<br />
a system of final checks years ago. These are carried<br />
out be<strong>for</strong>e the parts are transported by shuttle to the<br />
assembly plant. The system is proving to be especially<br />
valuable at the moment“, says Jochen Creutzburg.<br />
„The order-based individual picking system has<br />
been running smoothly right from the word go. This<br />
means that our per<strong>for</strong>mance is equal to the high-level<br />
of per<strong>for</strong>mance of the automotive industry.“ —<br />
„We help you sell“ – this is the Barthelmess <strong>Group</strong>‘s motto, and <strong>Geis</strong> now manages their <strong>logistics</strong>.<br />
Barthelmess‘ head office<br />
By outsourcing the <strong>logistics</strong>, Barthelmess is simultaneously<br />
realizing several aims: „First of all in relation<br />
to contract <strong>logistics</strong> we want to secure a significant<br />
acceleration in order processing speed and efficiency“,<br />
explains Wolfgang Bastert, CEO of the Barthelmess<br />
<strong>Group</strong>. „And by reorganizing our transport <strong>logistics</strong>,<br />
we can significantly shorten our delivery times in Europe.<br />
At the same time we‘re benefitting from a later<br />
cut-off time and thereby significantly extending the<br />
last-order deadline <strong>for</strong> order processing.“ —
<strong>Geis</strong> builds a multi-user<br />
<strong>logistics</strong> and technology centre<br />
Large-scale project begun: In the Franconian city of Erlangen, work has<br />
started on the construction of the <strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong>‘s new 30,000 m 2 multi-user<br />
<strong>logistics</strong> centre. The centre is set to go into operation in November.<br />
Situated right next to A3 autobahn, with a rail connection<br />
and its own harbour on the Main-Danube<br />
canal, the location of the new building couldn‘t be<br />
more convenient. The <strong>logistics</strong> centre is being built<br />
on a 15 hectare site in Erlangen‘s Industriepark Frauenaurach.<br />
It will encompass almost 30,000 square metres<br />
of <strong>logistics</strong> area and up to 3,000 square metres<br />
of office and administration area. „The Nuremberg/<br />
Erlangen metropolitan region has ideal connections<br />
<strong>for</strong> distribution to Eastern and Western Europe“, say<br />
Hans-Georg <strong>Geis</strong> and Wolfgang <strong>Geis</strong>.<br />
The new building is 165 x 175 metres large and is<br />
multi-user-compatible. It can be divided into up to<br />
six same-size sections with around 5,000 square metres<br />
of area in each. Every section has six loading bays<br />
and a ground-floor access gate. In total the hall has 36<br />
this is how the new <strong>logistics</strong> and technology centre will look<br />
Under construction next to the a3 and the Main-danube canal:<br />
the new <strong>logistics</strong> and technology centre (centre). above and right: optional extension buildings<br />
loading bays and six access gates. Inside the distance<br />
between the ground and the lower edge of the roof<br />
construction is 10.50 metres. It also includes a sprinkler<br />
system.<br />
„At the site we have bundled together expertise on<br />
plant supply, spare-parts and new-goods distribution,<br />
assembly and packing work - including <strong>for</strong> heavy<br />
goods“, explains Dr. Johannes Söllner, Managing<br />
Director <strong>for</strong> the Logistics Services area. „Once the<br />
centre is ready, it will be used <strong>for</strong> contract <strong>logistics</strong>,<br />
assembly work and packing <strong>for</strong> several clients. There<br />
will still be sufficient space <strong>for</strong> additional customers in<br />
the current building and in extensions.“ —<br />
facility.management@geis-group.de<br />
logiSticS ServiceS | 15<br />
„Green“<br />
packaging <strong>concept</strong><br />
How can ecology and economy<br />
be reconciled in packaging?<br />
Through recycling, <strong>for</strong> example.<br />
A team from Siemens Healthcare<br />
and <strong>Geis</strong> has now developed a<br />
<strong>concept</strong> that successfully<br />
combines both.<br />
Packaging <strong>for</strong> high-tech products<br />
is especially complex,<br />
as it has to provide optimal<br />
protection to sensitive devices<br />
and manufacturing costs<br />
are correspondingly high.<br />
To optimize efficiency and<br />
simultaneously improve the<br />
environmental-friendliness of<br />
packaging, <strong>Geis</strong>‘ and Siemens‘<br />
experts have developed a<br />
new packaging <strong>concept</strong> and<br />
are already using it successfully<br />
<strong>for</strong> Siemens‘ mammography<br />
systems.<br />
The packaging consists of<br />
a special pallet, a dust cover<br />
and plastic linings, and the<br />
modules are returned to the<br />
<strong>Geis</strong> Logistics Centre in<br />
Forchheim from all over Europe.<br />
„Once here, we examine<br />
the packaging systems <strong>for</strong><br />
completeness and damage“,<br />
says <strong>Geis</strong> Site Manager<br />
Gerhard Schindler.<br />
„In addition, we replace all<br />
the modules‘ standard parts<br />
prior to storage <strong>for</strong> safety<br />
reasons.“<br />
Each packaging module<br />
is accordingly used up to<br />
ten times. „In the past year<br />
alone we saved more than<br />
30,000 euros by having<br />
packaging returned“, says<br />
Hans-Joachim Schumm,<br />
Purchaser at Siemens<br />
Healthcare. „The <strong>concept</strong> is<br />
a winner <strong>for</strong> us and the<br />
environment!“ —
16 | air + Sea ServiceS<br />
thousands oF tonnes<br />
right across pakistan<br />
11 diesel engines weighing 320 tonnes each, 28 heavy components with an individual weight of between<br />
60 and 90 tonnes, and around 30,000 tonnes of freight – <strong>for</strong> MAN Diesel & Turbo SE Augsburg SDV<br />
Projects (a wholly-owned subsidiary of <strong>Geis</strong> SDV) delivered all these items destined <strong>for</strong> use in a future<br />
power plant safely and on time near Lahore/Pakistan.<br />
In March 2009, SDV Projects‘ team of experts set<br />
about organizing the large-scale order. The initial<br />
project phase involved transporting the heavy<br />
components to various European harbours, from<br />
where they were shipped to Port Qasim/Pakistan.<br />
The second phase and “real” work <strong>for</strong> the SDV<br />
Projects team began as soon as the shipments arrived<br />
in Qasim in Pakistan, however. The heavy cargo<br />
then had to be transported 1,500 kilometres across<br />
mountainous terrain. Prior to shipping the goods,<br />
SDV carefully had examined the route.<br />
„The roads were often in very bad condition. But<br />
thanks to our careful examinations, we were prepared<br />
<strong>for</strong> every eventuality and all the deliveries between<br />
Karachi/Port Qasim and Lahore - hundreds<br />
of them in total - went smoothly“, says Jens Fürstenau,<br />
SDV Projects Project Manager.<br />
follow-on work included: Once the consignments<br />
had reached their destination, specialists hired<br />
on behalf of SDV Projects unloaded the heavy items,<br />
positioned them on their respective foundations and<br />
aligned them precisely. After a total of ten months,<br />
the large-scale logistical order was completed in<br />
January 2010. „MAN Diesel & Turbo SE Augsburg<br />
are very happy with our work“, says Managing Director<br />
Heinz Niclas. „And we‘re delighted that everything<br />
went to plan.“ —<br />
carefully examined in advance:<br />
transporting goods along unpaved<br />
roads and through mountainous<br />
terrain represented a considerable<br />
challenge <strong>for</strong> the Sdv projects team.<br />
the 1,500-km-long journey across<br />
pakistan ultimately went precisely<br />
to plan, however.
Hamburg:<br />
Air and sea freight under<br />
one roof<br />
An increased local presence and the use of<br />
synergies - these are the two main reasons<br />
<strong>for</strong> bringing together the air and sea freight<br />
areas of <strong>Geis</strong> SDV in Hamburg.<br />
On 12 December 2009, the entire <strong>Geis</strong> SDV<br />
sea freight team, including the management,<br />
moved into the air freight office.<br />
The new joint address is:<br />
Obenhauptstr. 11, 22335 Hamburg<br />
„By having a common office, we‘re not only<br />
making optimal use of synergies but also promoting<br />
the uni<strong>for</strong>m image of <strong>Geis</strong> SDV to<br />
the outside world“, says Site Manager Claus<br />
Freydag.<br />
SDV Projects employees moved to Obenhauptstraße<br />
two weeks be<strong>for</strong>e the sea freight<br />
team. More than 100 employees now work<br />
here under one roof. —<br />
Aerospace Logistics<br />
bundles together skills<br />
<strong>Geis</strong> SDV is investing strongly in its Aerospace<br />
Logistics product area in order to bundle<br />
together skills and expertise. The main<br />
beneficiaries of the subsequent shorter decision<br />
paths and faster allocation of experienced<br />
advisors will be customers.<br />
Since January, Jan Kleine-Lasthues has<br />
worked as Director Aerospace Sales Germany<br />
and is responsible <strong>for</strong> German sales activities,<br />
while Jens Elsner, as Director Aerospace<br />
Operations Germany, is responsible<br />
<strong>for</strong> the operational side of the business. Jens<br />
Elsner, who on 1 February 2010 was conferred<br />
power of attorney <strong>for</strong> <strong>Geis</strong> SDV, manages<br />
the operational area as an independent<br />
profit centre. These changes have already<br />
been implemented at Hamburg and Frankfurt,<br />
with Munich to follow<br />
on 1 January 2011. —<br />
Jens elsner,<br />
director aerospace<br />
operations germany<br />
a surprise<br />
in aFrica<br />
air + Sea ServiceS | 17<br />
Shipping goods from Kenya to Zimbabwe is normally<br />
routine work <strong>for</strong> <strong>Geis</strong> SDV. However, when one shipment<br />
contained 21 tonnes of medical materials, things took<br />
an unexpected turn.<br />
Originally, around 1,200 packs of medicines and medical supplies were<br />
to be transported by road from Nairobi to Harare on behalf of the<br />
Tübingen-based Deutsches Institut für Ärztliche Mission e.V. (German<br />
Institute <strong>for</strong> Medical Mission). But then everything changed: At the end of November<br />
2009, just as the <strong>Geis</strong> SDV Stuttgart team and local colleagues were<br />
about to load the truck, the government of Zimbabwe closed its borders to medical<br />
shipments due to increased smuggling of counterfeit drugs.<br />
To ensure ThaT The urgenTly required medicines did reach their destination,<br />
<strong>Geis</strong> SDV and SDV‘s experts kept their cool and overnight drew up an alternative<br />
plan. They separated the medicines from the remainder of the shipment and flew<br />
them with the approval of the Medicine Control Authority Zimbabwe to Harare,<br />
while the remaining goods were sent as planned by road to Zimbabwe. „At the airport,<br />
the medicines went through customs without any problems and arrived on time<br />
with the customer - the Zimbabwe Association of Church Related Hospitals, as did<br />
the truck shipments“, says Joachim Wittner, head of <strong>Geis</strong> SDV‘s Stuttgart office,<br />
which oversaw the project. —<br />
Foto: Fotolia/Sabrina Gwerder
18 | geNeral NeWS<br />
„Making clear<br />
the difference...“<br />
Since 1 January 2010, Hans-Peter Schneider (51) has been responsible<br />
<strong>for</strong> <strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong> distribution activities outside the <strong>Geis</strong> core region.<br />
In the interview below, he discusses his work and targets.<br />
mr schneider, part of your<br />
work is to acquire new customers.<br />
how do you go about this?<br />
Hans-Peter Schneider: In future I plan to focus<br />
on potential customers in non-typical „<strong>Geis</strong> regions“.<br />
There are two basic reasons <strong>for</strong> this. First<br />
of all demand has changed. Logistics chains are<br />
now more specialized, international, and sectorspecific.<br />
It is more important than ever be<strong>for</strong>e<br />
<strong>for</strong> customers to find the right <strong>logistics</strong> partner,<br />
i.e. one that is capable of meeting their specific<br />
requirements. <strong>Geis</strong> has excellent references, and<br />
we see considerable potential <strong>for</strong> it to expand<br />
further, including outside its regional catchment<br />
area. The second reason is that, since studying<br />
business administration at university, I have always<br />
worked in the <strong>logistics</strong> sector, and <strong>for</strong> many<br />
years I have worked in the field of European sales<br />
activities. Over the course of time I have made<br />
many valuable contacts, which I can now use <strong>for</strong><br />
the benefit of <strong>Geis</strong>.<br />
Hans-peter Schneider<br />
in the interview<br />
why should customers choose<br />
the geis group?<br />
Hans-Peter Schneider: As Managing Director<br />
of the contract <strong>logistics</strong> cooperation Logistics<br />
World Alliance – a role I continue to occupy – I<br />
got to know <strong>Geis</strong> as an extremely reliable partner<br />
and a rock-solid, mid-size structured company<br />
with clear aims and innovative ideas. These<br />
characteristics combined with a very flexible<br />
management are what make <strong>Geis</strong> different from<br />
the other companies in the market. We have to<br />
make this difference clear to customers, and my<br />
colleagues and I will be pulling out all the stops<br />
in this respect.<br />
What do you personally find fascinating<br />
about geis?<br />
Hans-Peter Schneider: The <strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong> primarily<br />
stands out from the competition because<br />
of its high-quality service and outstanding customer<br />
references. By developing personal contacts<br />
and implementing suitable marketing<br />
measures, my colleagues and I want to communicate<br />
and promote these and other <strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong><br />
strongpoints even more strongly within Germany<br />
and Europe. These measures have already<br />
resulted in us acquiring new customers <strong>for</strong> <strong>Geis</strong><br />
Eurocargo and <strong>Geis</strong> CZ.<br />
Thank you very much <strong>for</strong> your time!<br />
<strong>New</strong> Sales and<br />
Marketing Manager<br />
at <strong>Geis</strong> SDV<br />
Since 1 October 2009,<br />
Jörn Schmersahl (48) has<br />
been the new Business<br />
Manager of <strong>Geis</strong> SDV‘s<br />
Sales and Marketing<br />
Germany division in<br />
Hamburg. A qualified<br />
shipping and chartering<br />
manager, he has longstanding<br />
operational and<br />
management experience<br />
in various areas of the<br />
international transport<br />
and <strong>logistics</strong> sector in<br />
Germany and abroad.<br />
Jörn Schmersahl was last<br />
employed as Sea Freight<br />
Manager at Agility Logistics,<br />
with responsibility <strong>for</strong><br />
Germany, the Netherlands,<br />
Belgium and Poland as<br />
well as <strong>for</strong> the development<br />
of various sales and<br />
marketing areas.<br />
„One of my main tasks<br />
at <strong>Geis</strong> SDV is to expand<br />
our core products area<br />
to include other products<br />
besides our successful<br />
healthcare and aerospace<br />
products“, says Jörn<br />
Schmersahl. „In addition,<br />
we have already<br />
started to strengthen our<br />
presence nationwide<br />
via key account management<br />
and trade lane<br />
management.“ —
The Nuremberg Company Run:<br />
<strong>Geis</strong> took part<br />
Artistic-bike world<br />
champion works <strong>for</strong> <strong>Geis</strong><br />
Whether it‘s jumping from the saddle onto<br />
the handlebars, or riding backwards on the<br />
rear wheel with no hands, no one in the world<br />
can currently hold a candle to <strong>Geis</strong> employee<br />
David Schnabel in the world of bicycle acrobatics.<br />
The 25-year-old proved this once<br />
again at the 54 th UCI Indoor Cycling World<br />
Championship, held at the end of 2009 in Tavira/Portugal,<br />
in which he beat competitors<br />
from 18 nations to become World Champion<br />
in the Men‘s Single artistic cycling competition.<br />
This is the fourth world championship<br />
title <strong>for</strong> the per<strong>for</strong>mance athlete, who trains<br />
<strong>for</strong> two hours three evenings a week.<br />
During the day, David Schnabel works as an<br />
administrator in <strong>Geis</strong>‘ distribution <strong>logistics</strong><br />
and warehousing area in Würzburg. „We<br />
are proud to have a world-class sportsman<br />
as part of our team“, says <strong>Geis</strong> Site Manager<br />
Marco Weißensel. David Schnabel is modest<br />
about his achievements: „I‘m happy that my<br />
sporting activities are viewed so positively at<br />
<strong>Geis</strong>.“ —<br />
On 6 May, almost 10,000 runners proved their sporting fitness by taking part in this year‘s Nuremberg<br />
Company Run. Among them were 30 runners from the <strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong>. The focus as always was on enjoyment<br />
rather than on running time. On the six-kilometre run, runners ran around the Dutzendteich lake.<br />
„This is the third time in a row that we have taken part in the Nuremberg Company Run. Despite the<br />
cold, wet weather, all the participants once again had a great deal of fun and once past the finishing line<br />
celebrated together in front of the Nuremberg Stone Grandstand“, says <strong>Geis</strong> Site Manager Werner<br />
Dettenthaler. „We definitely want to take part again next year.“ —<br />
geNeral NeWS |<br />
19<br />
Over the past few months, four <strong>Geis</strong><br />
employees have celebrated their<br />
25 th anniversary with the company.<br />
Renate Scharrer,<br />
who joined the<br />
<strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong> from<br />
Siemens Med in the<br />
course of a transfer,<br />
celebrated her<br />
25th anniversary at the Forchheim<br />
office on 7 January 2010. She retired<br />
in June 2010. We would like to thank<br />
her <strong>for</strong> her longstanding work in<br />
the small-parts warehouse.<br />
He first worked<br />
<strong>for</strong> Siemens Med,<br />
and then <strong>for</strong> <strong>Geis</strong>:<br />
Jürgen Petschl<br />
celebrated his 25th anniversary with<br />
the company on 21 January 2010.<br />
He works at Forchheim in goods<br />
receiving.<br />
Günther Wichert<br />
also joined <strong>Geis</strong><br />
from Siemens Med.<br />
He has worked in<br />
goods receiving at<br />
the Röthelheimpark<br />
site since 18 February 1985.<br />
Klaus Räder<br />
began his career<br />
on 1 April 1985<br />
at Hans <strong>Geis</strong> in<br />
Bad Neustadt as a<br />
<strong>for</strong>warding clerk.<br />
Here, he has been responsible <strong>for</strong> the<br />
company‘s fleet of vehicles since<br />
May 1998.<br />
The <strong>Geis</strong> <strong>Group</strong> would like to say<br />
a big thank you to all of them!
SucceSS<br />
in logiSticS<br />
iS eaSy...<br />
…if you have a strong partner at your side. <strong>Geis</strong> offers<br />
professional and flexible <strong>logistics</strong> services, including<br />
procurement, warehousing and distribution, as well as<br />
comprehensive value-added services.<br />
Success guaranteed!<br />
www.geis-group.com