Strong CargoFamily

In keeping with the reports of growth in the sector, the CargoFamily has also seen further significant expansion. The forecasted positive development of the VTL groupage freight network is confirmed in the latest figures. According to these, turnover in 2014 is set to exceed 60 million euros for the first time, making it the most successful year in the history of the co-operation.

The shipment volume has recorded growth of 5.2 percent over the previous year, with tonnage even increasing by as much as 6.4 percent. This result lies clearly above the expected average for the sector.

We have a large number of excellent partners in our network, who have applied for a PartnerAWARD on the basis of their extraordinary increase in performance and innovative ideas. It is therefore all the more difficult to identify the very best each year. As a consequence, this year there are two winners in the categories “Innovation” and “Quality”. You can read more about this in our newsletter.

These were good news for all those of us who attended the 9th system meeting in Bremen on 7 November, underscoring the strengths of the VTL system once again. With a current total of 127 network partners, VTL Vernetzte-Transport- Logistik is in a strong position to guide the future of the CargoFamily.

The entire VTL team and I hope that 2014 has also been a good year for you and your families. And we look forward to further success with our partnership, quality and innovative ideas in the coming year.

With best regards,

Andreas Jäschke,
Managing Director VTL Vernetzte-Transport-Logistik GmbH

“We have a large number of excellent partners in our network. It is therefore all the more difficult to identify the very best each year,” said VTL Managing Director Andreas Jäschke at the award ceremony held in the scope of this year’s VTL partner meeting in Bremen. As a consequence, this year there are two winners in the categories “Innovation” and “Quality”: Spedition Steinhart received the award for the idea of promoting the integration of Eastern European drivers via a company apartment building. The other prize winner in the “Innovation” category is Hintzen Logistik, which launched the first 22-tonne-electric-truck in North Rhine-Westphalia onto the streets in September. The prize for the best quality or best quality improvement went to the freight forwarders Huckschlag and Gemsjäger. A turnover increase of more than 145 percent at Zippel Logistik brought it the distinction in the “Strongest Growth” category, whilst Spedition Wüst received the PartnerAWARD for “Best Website”.

The “Success unites” stand concept of 2013 was highly effective, reinforcing the perception of the VTL network. We aim to continue this success at the tl 2015 from 05-08 May, where the stand design will aid recall and recognition.

The existing bridge motif with the motto “Building Bridges” stands for the successful connection of the over 125 small and medium-sized partners and the links to the successful VTL service network which unites the European countries and their economies on a daily basis – for the benefit of our customers.

The successful fair model is set to expand somewhat in 2015. Two further partners will be present on the stand, making a total of eight. The size of the stand is planned to be expanded accordingly, from 120 to 150 square metres.

Please contact Johanna Birkhan, johanna.birkhan@vtl.de for details.

Hintzen Logistik: Into the future with sustainability

Hintzen Logistik GmbH has expanded its modern fleet of 80 vehicles and invested in an electrically-powered 22-tonner. With this truck the logistics company plans to begin transporting goods in the urban region of Aachen – with low noise output and zero emissions.

150-88-150 – these are the most important figures for the new electric truck added to the fleet of the Eschweiler transport company Hintzen Logistik in early September. With its 150 kW engine the truck reaches a maximum speed of 88 km/h and covers a distance of approximately 150 km. In urban and regional traffic the batteries only require recharging after six to eight hours of operation.

“With this vehicle we aim to explore new paths to environmentally-friendly transport solutions,” explains Managing Director Heinz Hintzen. For him this is a natural progression, particularly in a sector like logistics. “Our core business, the transportation of goods and commodities, places a particular onus of environmental responsibility on us, which is why we are working to make the logistics of the future safer and more environmentally aware,” he reports. A glance at the figures shows that the approach is a successful one: since 2012 the company has introduced various measures to reduce CO2, lowering emissions by 73 tonnes a year. “And we do not want to stop here,” says Hintzen.

The electric truck represents a further step along this path. In the coming months Hintzen Logistik will be testing the suitability of this pioneering form of transport for practical use. The truck is part of a programme of the European Union to promote cross-border co-operation, in this case in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. In pursuit of this, the company E-Trucks Europe built the 22-tonne-truck, whilst the firm Triphase is responsible for battery management und Hintzen Logistik for the practical test phase. “One significant part of the research work is finding optimal charging and discharging phases in order to increase the lifetime of the batteries,” says Managing Director Heinz Hintzen.

For details and to swap experiences please contact Heinz Hintzen, Hintzen Logistik GmbH, hj.hintzen@hintzen.de.

Actively countering the chronic driver shortage

Spedition Steinhart has moved to actively tackle the problem of chronic driver shortages. For over a year now the freight forwarder has employed Bulgarian truck drivers, and wishes to bind these employees in the long term. To achieve this, the company is building a prefabricated house with four apartments. The building was delivered at the beginning of November.

“As everyone knows, well-trained drivers are almost impossible to find on the German market,” says Managing Director Manfred Steinhart. In contrast, a glance across the border to Bulgaria revealed drivers who also displayed the necessary degree of reliability and motivation. “However, we soon discovered how difficult it was for our new colleagues to make themselves at home in Germany. They have language difficulties and are not welcomed as tenants.” Prompt action was required to ensure that the new employees did not lose their motivation – and Steinhart its drivers. It was decided to build a house for them.

It is already apparent that the decision was a good one for both parties. The Bulgarian drivers can now bring their families to Germany and are not separated from them for months on end. In addition, they also receive support with bureaucratic issues and language training. They receive the same pay as their German colleagues and the construction of the house reiterates to them that they are not being exploited, but that there is serious and enduring interest in their employment. And Spedition Steinhart will also be able to perform its transport tasks reliably in the future. The colleagues contribute to minimising problems in night scheduled services in particular. “Since we have been using our Bulgarian drivers we have had far fewer sleepless nights,” says Steinhart.

For details and to swap experiences please contact Manfred Steinhart, Spedition Steinhart GmbH & Co. KG, manfred.steinhart@spedition-steinhart.de.

In the choice of its service providers VTL not only pays attention to the operational quality of its partners, but also to the fact that they take environmental protection just as seriously as VTL does.

For example at DTG Hannover, which delivers left-behind shipments for the entire network in special trips. DTG Hannover regularly compensates the emissions of its vehicles.

With DKV Euro Service the groupage freight co-operation has also chosen a partner that actively contributes to climate protection. The fuel cards partner promises that every user of the DKV Card Climate invests in certified climate protection projects with every litre purchased.

The two companies work with different projects and partners to achieve this compensation. DTG Hannover co-operates with greenmiles and supports an UN-registered climate protection project of the “generating electricity from renewable energies” type. The DKV climate protection projects are exclusively gold standard projects and are realised in collaboration with myclimate: wind energy in Turkey, biomass cookers in China and solar cookers in Madagascar.

Since September Spedition Bächle has been using two mega trailers in VTL system transport. This is both economical and protects the environment: the loading volume is increased significantly from 90 to 100 m³, whilst operating costs remain the same. This means that, with correct package distribution, in optimal cases around 12 additional packages can be transported per main leg. This reduces costs per package by around 13.9 percent and reduces CO2 emissions by around 40 tonnes per year.

In addition, the use of the two mega trailers saves the use of around 1.5 additional vehicles per week. Positive effects for the groupage freight network: significantly more shipments are supplied and additional vehicles avoided. And customers also benefit from the new XXL vehicles. Because standard shipments now arrive significantly faster.

For details and to swap experiences please contact Marius Neininger, Otto Bächle GmbH, mneininger@baechle-spedition.de.

New trainees begin their training

This year sees four new trainees begin their working life at VTL Vernetzte-Transport-Logistik GmbH. Noteworthy here is that the groupage freight co-operation is training an IT specialist in system integration for the first time.

“Companies that want to be successful in the future need to lay the foundations for tomorrow, today,” explains VTL Managing Director Andreas Jäschke. Systematic development of young employees plays a decisive role in this. “With this new training we are building to ensure that we will also be able to employ the qualified staff that we require in the future,” Jäschke adds.

The same also applies for the three new trainee Industrial Clerks for Freight Forwarding and Logistics Services, who also began at VTL in August. The groupage freight co-operation is now consequently training a total of nine young people in three years and in three different professions. In addition, a dual-track student is also undergoing training.

The trainees can also benefit from an international exchange programme, which VTL has offered since 2012. The trainees can choose themselves whether to participate in an exchange and if yes, whether it should be national or international. VTL releases the participants for the duration of the placement and pays the costs of travel and accommodation. Training allowance also continues to be paid. In addition, following the completion of their course, the trainees can also begin a dual-track course of studies to continue their qualification. “These are key investments in the future for us, which pay off in the long term,” says VTL Managing Director Jäschke. After all, VTL aims to bind committed trainees to the company and continue to employ them after the completion of their training. A glance at the statistics shows that this approach is working: in recent years 80 percent of trainees at VTL Vernetzte-Transport-Logistik have gone on to work for the company in permanent positions.

“After spending 15 years in the logistics sector in Slovenia and Croatia, I have been working for VTL in Key Accounts since 04 August 2014.

My tasks are contact with customers, drawing up offers, monitoring procurement logistics and clearance for Norway.

I enjoy spending my free time with my family.”

Depot 96101
Member since 01.08.2014
Delamode Macedonia dooel
Naum Naumovski Borce 50/2-17
MK-1000 Skopje
www.delamode-group.com

Depot 01341
Member since 01.09.2014
Transalliance
Eurohub Sud
ZI Riedgen
LU-3451 Dudelange
www.transalliance.fr
Our partner in France!