Personal service with
GLOBAL STRENGTH
The launch of ITG Air & Sea as a joint venture between
Elanders and Dimerco came in a year when it was more
challenging than usual to get goods to the right place,
at the right time and at a reasonable cost. Vera Aurich
explains that a combination of personal service and
global networks enable us to help our customers.
Vera Aurich is Head of Vertical Sales at Elanders’ subsidiary ITG and responsible for key account and sales activities. She is also a member of the executive team of ITG Air & Sea GmbH, a joint venture started in January 2020, together with ITG’s longtime Asian partner Dimerco. Having joined the
company three years ago, Vera Aurich appreciates the organization’s agility, flexibility, spirit and teamwork.
“We offer our customers a wide range of services, yet we manage to work closely together to find the ideal solutions for every customer. Our markets are volatile and move fast, so our success really depends on the right mindset and an openness to change. I think we benefit from being a diverse organization with a very good mix of genders, ages, and different experiences. This makes us more creative when dealing with challenges”, she says.
AIR AND SEA A KEY COMPONENT
Many customers take advantage of Elanders’ end-to-end supply chain solutions including freight, logistics, and many additional value added services such as e-commerce. Worldwide air and sea freight are a key component in our offering. We also provide rail freight to and from China with connections to other Asian countries, cross-border trucking in Asia, and other combined freight services. ITG has offices in all the major cities of Germany and a global focus, especially on trade lanes to and from Asia-Pacific and the USA.
“Our customers can benefit from the very strong global networks with professional local teams we have built up over decades. Our new joint venture partnership allows us to focus even more on developing air and sea freight and strengthening partnerships with existing as well as potential customers. In addition to end-to-end solutions, we are very flexible and offer services on a modular basis to suit the customers’ needs”, explains Vera Aurich.
The joint venture enables Elanders to further diversify the customer base within international transportation services. With ITG Air & Sea focus continues to be on the fashion industry but it opens more doors to broadening the customer base, for example, in the electronics and automotive industries.
“A key point for us is that we still provide very personal service where our customers can turn to individuals who really know their business, not anonymous service centers. At the same time, we provide a strong global network.”
ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS
2020 was a challenging year with a more volatile market than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Air freight capacity decreased dramatically when the majority of passenger flights were cancelled, sometimes up to 90 percent. Market prices increased dramatically, and we often had to find alternative freight
solutions for our customers.
“We increased our rail freight services with additional terminals all over China to be able to provide flexibility. For long periods this year it was a real challenge everywhere in the market to deliver goods to the right place at the right time, using economically and environmentally right solutions”, says Vera Aurich.
The pandemic has also led to an additional push toward e-commerce. Elanders’ strategy to focus on this area has paid off. “We had already focused on e-commerce over the past few years and were offering great end-to-end solutions for brands going digital or for fast-growing e-commerce companies looking to enter new markets. Such companies need a strong partner to scale up their business, for instance, when it comes to import customs and
distribution in the USA. Here we can help”, she continues.
E-COMMERCE AND DIVERSIFICATION
Looking ahead, Vera Aurich sees a continued strategic focus on the e-commerce business, along with efforts to make sure that the company has a diversified customer base. “If things suddenly change in the global economy, you need a wide base. If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that our flexibility and wide range of services are key factors for success in the face of volatility and disruption. No matter what happens, our customers can trust us to find the best ways to handle their business successfully”, she concludes.
” We offer our customers a wide range of services, yet we manage to work closely together to find the ideal solutions for every customer. “
Article Source : ELANDERS’ ANNUAL REPORT 2020. Read more.