The Team's Board Report - Mainfreight

13
United States
CaroTrans – Greg Howard
There has been no shortage of excitement at
CaroTrans this year and based on the mid-year
results, we’re well on our way to another record
breaking year. Sales revenue is up 23.4%, gross
margin is up 20.3% and EBITA is up 38.6%
compared to last year.
In August, we shifted our airfreight operations
from CaroTrans to Mainfreight International
USA. This places the airfreight services with
the business unit that’s better suited to develop
this increasingly important sector and allows
CaroTrans to focus on our core ocean freight
activities.
The low US dollar has helped spur on exports
from the USA but has also had a noticeable and
opposite effect on our import volume. As a result
of the increased export demand, a shortage of
ocean containers and limited space on outgoing
vessels have become everyday challenges for the
team to manage. It has been a long time since
we’ve needed to “pre-book” space on vessels
and we now have to secure space 4-6 weeks in
advance of sailing.
Despite these challenges, our export container
volume has grown by nearly 51% in the first six
months of this year compared to the same period
last year.
A snapshot of growth in our top 10 trade lanes is
as follows:
China up 44%
Australia up 21%
Singapore up 23%
Brazil up 12%
Germany up 27%
Japan up 16%
UK up 29%
Middle East up 11%
New Zealand up 49%
South Africa up 29%
We head into 2008 with a key objective of
transforming CaroTrans into a sales and marketing
organization. This will only be achievable through
consistent sales management and a commitment
to sales on every level. As well, we will need
effective training and development of our sales
force to become the best in the industry.
To help achieve this objective, we have
established a team of high level, elite sales
professionals based in key offices throughout
the country – Atlanta, Chicago, New York and
Los Angeles. They are our “Green Berets Delta
Force” sales team, reporting directly to our
Sales Vice-President. Acting in tandem with
the branch managers, they will ensure the local
sales development is congruent with the national
objectives and will be responsible for achieving
specific targets/goals for their region.
As seasoned sales professionals, they bring
experience to all of our product offerings and will
help derive benefits from:
• More concentrated focus on sales
• Ability to reach decision makers at higher levels
• Improved sales conduit for overseas agents
• Distribution of travel – both domestic and
international
• Concentrated training and development of our
sales people
• Ability to direct regional sales to specific
national targets
• Lift the professionalism / image of our sales
force.
We have a great story to tell about CaroTrans and
have the best team out there to back up what we
offer. It is all about getting out there and making
sure our story is heard. This move to strengthen
our commercial development will help to ensure
that our sales growth continues.