NETWORKERS - dachser.sk

engines of industrialization for the whole of
Europe. Globalization was still largely unheard
of, although throughout the Empire
with its Commonwealth it had already become
a centuries-long reality. As a seafaring
nation, England developed a prospering
overseas market for British products and controlled
international trade. This was followed
in the 20th century by the long, slow decline
of heavy industry. Other nations had caught
up, the technological lead dwindled away.
Time for change. The cradle of industrialization
gradually became a nation of vendors.
The services sector enjoyed steady
growth and in the meantime accounts for
73% of the gross domestic product, compared
to just 12.4% for the manufacturing industry.
Today, more than three quarters of the working
population in the UK are employed in
the services sector.
This structural change has also impacted
the logistics industry, which has long been an
important sector of the British economy.
Every year, 2.3 million employees in 200,000
companies generate revenue in excess of
107.3 billion euros. “Competition in our
business is fierce“, confirms Nick Lowe,
managing director of Dachser Ltd. “Especially
in our core businesses, European
Logistics and distribution within the UK,
we are very well-positioned on the market.”
The field of contract logistics is also being
further developped. “Here we can offer considerably
more than others. This is where a
lot of potential for the future lies.”
In flux: the UK is
on the move
The Kempten-based logistics provider has
been active in the British market since
1975 and is a driver of continuous change.
In 1982, for example, a new facility was
opened on the Brackmills Industrial Estate
in Northampton. In 1999, the company responded
to growing demand for external
warehousing and value-added services by
opening a new warehouse on the same industrial
estate for contract logistics. This
was followed in 2005 by the new branch
in Dartford, just south of London, thus
paving the way for sustained success.
But, as in nearly every other branch of the
economy, this success suddenly slipped out
of sight at the end of 2008. With London
being one of the world’s key financial marketplaces,
the crisis on the financial markets
and in the economy hit the UK harder than
its European neighbours. Economic output
in 2009 plummeted by five percent. While
Dachser Ltd. cut costs during this lean spell,
it did not reduce warehousing capacities or
its staff count. “Our strategy was fully in
line with the entire Dachser group,” Lowe
says. “When the economy started to pick up
again this year, we were therefore in an
optimum position to implement our longterm
growth plans.”
Emerging from the crisis
with a record
Although the debt-ridden country is only
slowly recovering from the adverse consequences
of the crisis, Nick Lowe is already
anticipating a record year for Dachser Ltd.
“We are expecting shipments within Europe,
as well as to and from North Africa, to be up
by 22%. 140,000 tonnes and 305,000 shipments
– that’s our best performance yet.” And
that’s not even counting the assets from the
Leach acquisition. Dachser took over the
logistics and transport business of JA Leach
Transport Ltd., based in Rochdale near
Manchester, in April and is in the process
of integrating it into its own network. This
provides Dachser Ltd. with its own location
in the north-west of England, which optimally
complements the two branches in
Dartford and Northampton.
“The integration of the new location is fully
under way. By January 2011, we are also expecting
standardized IT systems to be up
and running.” For Dachser country manager
Lowe, the successful integration will have
fully occurred once the staff, business part-
NETWORK: UNITED KINGDOM
SHORTHAND
United Kingdom
Geography: Covering an area of
just under 245,000 square metres,
the island nation is a union of the
formerly independent countries
of England, Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland.
Government: The UK is a parliamentary
monarchy with
Queen Elizabeth II as its head
of state since 1952.
Population: With around 60 million
inhabitants, the UK is one of the top
three most highly populated countries
in the EU and is a founding member
of NATO and the United Nations.
Economy: In the crisis year 2009,
economic performance plummeted
by five percent. For 2010, moderate
growth of up to 1.5 percent is
forecast.
ners and customers are all fully accommodated
and comfortable within the Dachser
world. The integration process is the task of
a project team, with support from the head
office in Kempten as well as from other branches
in the Dachser network. The timing appears
to be auspicious. In the second quarter
of this year, the British economy recorded its
strongest growth in nine years. Between
April and June, the gross domestic product
increased by 1.2% compared to the previous
quarter. This awakens renewed sporting ambitions.
In the latest representative “Logistics
Strategy Survey”, 237 interviewed entrepreneurs
place “customer service” and the “search
for alternative markets” right at the top of the
to-do list. The signs of the times are pointing
to change – just like at Wembley. K. Fink
DACHSER magazine 11