CQR Manama/Bahrain ships mobile firearms range of 20 tons/174 cbm

CQR Manama/Bahrain has used its extensive experience in freights to ship a mobile firearms training range from Bahrein to Poland

CQR member in Manama/Bahrain, TAKHLEES SHIPPING AGENCIES, accomplished the task of transporting a mobile firearms training range from Bahrain to Gdansk, via Damam, in January this year.

international logistics service provider
international logistics service provider

 

An extremely professional and competent team was required for transporting the heavy range which weighed around 20,865.000 KGM/ 174 CBM. Takhlees Shipping successfully shipped the range from Bahrain to Damman by road from where a Bahri Shipping Line Vessel moved it to Poland.

Congratulations to the team!

CQR Stuttgart achieves a remarkable feat by moving oversized shred press

CQR Stuttgart ships three heavy lift pieces of more than 230 tons from Germany to Scotland

Emons Air & Sea, CQR member in Stuttgart, moved a dismantled shred press from Germany to Scotland at the end of August. The shred press consisted of three oversized heavy lift pieces of 92, 82.5 and 58 tons that had to be transported. Since the 3.90 m wide truck was carrying a total weight of 143.8 tons, a special road survey was required for the entire journey whose final destination was near Edinburgh.

logistics companies
logistics companies

Ever since the company was set up in 1928, Emons Air & Sea has stood for dependable and flexible services in the transport and logistics sector. Their professional team and their technological know-how has allowed them to accomplish this challenging shipment with ease

We congratulate CQR Stuttgart for completing the transport with utmost customer satisfaction and wish them the best to accomplish many more similar achievements in the future.

Another feather in the cap for CQR Douala

 CQR Douala triumphs a laborious charter to UN Office, Bria

CQR Douala, recently successfully managed a laborious transport of a charter vessel from Douala to the UN office in Bria, Central African Republic (CAR). This was a tremendous feat since Bria is known for rebel controlled areas near the Kotto river.

Agora Shipping basically took to themselves to first remove the charter from the ship and then load the truck at Douala port. There, they had to go through customs clearance and road procedures BGFT / Barc to endure a long road transport from Douala to Bria. When at CAR, they again had to go customs clearance at Bangui and finally offload at the UN office at Bria. This was a laborious and difficult transport as seen in the pictures but Agora accomplished the task at hand easily.

international logistics service provider
international logistics service provider

Agora Shipping & Logistics is a company of Agora group specializing in transport to difficult areas due to their extensive experience. They cater to the supply of integrated solutions in the field of logistics, shipping, customs, relocations, national and international transport, etc. both by sea and by air.

Conqueror takes immense pride in having Agora Shipping & Logistics in our network, as one of our members and congratulates them on their big achievement.

CQR Callao/Lima transports a 126 tons-machine from Peru to Chile

CQR Callao/Lima has successfully delivered a heavy machine via RORO to Valparaíso, San Antonio 

International Freight Shipping S.A.C. has successfully transported a very heavy machine from Peru to Chile. The shipment, which weighted 126,480 kg, departed from Callao’s port (Peru) and was shipped to Valparaíso, San Antonio (Chile) by using a RORO vessel.

logistics companies and suppliers
logistics companies and suppliers

Thanks to its highly committed and professional team and its specialization in maritime transport and national- international cargos, IFS has been able to accomplish this complex task efficaciously and meeting their quality standards.

“Our service philosophy is based on Quality, Efficiency, Innovation and Passion for what we do, enabling us together, to be the first choice for our customers and strategic partners. Our customers’ success is our success”, states Reynir Gislason, Executive President

Well done to IFS team!

The September Edition of the Conqueror Newsletter is now ready!

The September Edition of the Conqueror Newsletter has just been released

In it, it is possible to find all the information regarding Conqueror’s 7th Annual Meeting, as well as very interesting news and interviews from fellow members or cities needing coverage. Additionally, the article about Conqueror’s establishment as the largest freight forwarding network worldwide can be read. Check it out here!

freight agents network
freight agents network

 

Interview with CQR Constanta

An Eastern European Success Story is by far the best way to describe Europrim Shipping, Conqueror’s exclusive agent in Constanta, Romania. Recently, we sat down with Augustin Muller, Europrim’s Manager, to find out more about their journey to success and how it plans to sustain it.

freight forwarder

Q. Europrim was started in 2005, can you tell me a little about the logistics situation in Romania at that time?
A. When the company was started in 2005 as the shipping arm of the Europrim Group, the logistics market situation was so promising and optimistic; development plans were pouring in from all over the business world, direct foreign investments were literally marching into the country! It saw the start of a 7+ year period when business was booming in every sector of the economy.
Q. So, at a guess I would say things changed in 2008 when the global financial crisis hit. How did this effect freight forwarders in Romania?
A. The global crisis brought the economy to a stand still and people were in a state of shock; the good days were over. Factories were cutting costs, companies were lacking the hugely needed cash for development and people were being laid off. It was a gloomy outlook much like the rest of Europe at that time. Now, after almost 5 years, many small and medium sized logistics companies have closed down and many are still struggling to find their position in a more crowded than ever competitive market.
Q. But Europrim is still here, how has it kept going in such a gloomy financial climate?
A. It is said that “If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies”. At Europrim Shipping, we all know this saying to be true. But what kept Europrim Shipping alive and kicking hard, we, a small sized company, when even some of the big players were brought down to their knees? The answer is simple: the power to embrace change, to reinvent ourselves and to think outside-the-box.
Q. Can you give me some examples of these changes?
A. We have changed the way we do business by putting the emphasis on the new challenges of the market and trying to understand the ways in which the customers are looking for improvements in their logistics chain. We are constantly looking to optimize stock management and for ways to make the supply chain more flexible and more efficient. Because a new, flexible and innovative organisation was the answer to our customers needs, we fully rebranded the company.
·         Received the ISO 9001:2008 certificate
·         Joined several global organisations as IATA and FIATA
·         Hired industry specialists who are keen to start something new in an independent company

·         Followed the market trend of LCL as opposed to FCL

Q. Tell us about your LCL services and why the change from FCL was necessary?
A. Change from FCL to LCL was starting to be the standard in the business comMunity. In order to adapt to these times, we started an awarness and free consultancy campaign targeting customers who were still reluctant to change their FCL to LCL. We are now operating our 2500 sqm bonded warehouse right near the container yard in Constanta Agigea South Terminal and recently we became licensed for customs operations.  All our cargo is cleared in the shortest time possible, for further oncarriage to final destination. For more and more importers who are looking to manage a healthy company cash flow and consequently searching for more cost-effective ways of transporting their cargo, the LCL services from Shanghai and Hong Kong hub to Constanta port developed in 2010 by us have proven to be a good option. The results of the LCL service were beyond our expectations: from a mere 56 cbm co-loaded in 2009, our LCL cargo traffic grew on our consols to 567 cbm in 2010 and 2388 cbm in 2011, reaching the 5497 cbm record in 2012 helped by the opening of the new Ningbo and Shenzhen direct services. Probably for bigger ports and players these figures are not representing much, but for us, they are placing Europrim in the top 3 Romanian LCL operators in Constanta port.
Q. Can you tell us a little about what Europrim has up its sleeve for this year?
A. We have recently opened a new operational office in the port of Varna, in the friendly neighbouring country of Bulgaria and another one in Chisinau, Moldova’s capital. With these two new points pinned on the map, our sales force has become regional and we can now say that “thinking big” is far from being a simple cliche. But we don’t plan on stopping there. For us, this is just the beginning, we believe welcoming change is welcoming the future.
It is clear that Europrim Shipping is operated by a highly motivated and innovative team who, far from being complacent in these dreary economic times, are actually moving forward and growing their business successfully and at a rate previously unimaginable in Eastern Europe.
We welcome all members with shipments in Constanta to get in touch with the Europrim Shipping team.
Augustin Muller / Manager
freight forwarder

Independent freight forwarders find network links with other logistics groups pays off: Handy Shipping Guide

freight forwarders networkTHAILAND – SRI LANKA – WORLDWIDE – Considering our recent piece regarding the way shipping and logistics conferences are returning to fashion with many in the freight community thoughts turn to the growth of industry networks which many freight forwarders in particular use to commence and develop trusted partnerships with counterparts overseas.

Most independent agents cannot possibly consider having offices anywhere but in the countries which form their principal markets and, as those are dependent upon the needs of each individual customer and can, quite literally, extend right across the globe, the need for an agent with at least a degree of recommendation is essential.

The network system, if properly supervised, can grant credibility to an agent who must adhere to sound principals or find themselves forsaken by their peers and effectively blacklisted. The same management can also act as arbiters in the case of a dispute and effectively act as a crucial hub for all its members. This month saw the second annual meeting for an embryonic network which claims to be the only one of its type as it is ‘city exclusive’.

One hundred and fifteen members of the Conqueror Network gathered in Bangkok between May 8-10 to hold hundreds of one to one meetings and see a new marketing strategy launched. With representatives hailing from over fifty countries the target for the group is to work co-operatively to serve customers globally and overcome client perceptions that independent forwarders are not equipped to provide a truly worldwide service. The latest campaign aims to assist members to self-promote using tools such as a brochure personalised for each member company.

As one delegate explained, ‘With the multinationals gaining ground daily, I can’t afford for my company to become stagnant. This brochure will aid our team in our promotion to potential clients.’ Conqueror’s Managing Director, Antonio Torres commented:

“Co-operation is one important element in our strategy for boosting the business volume of our members; another is our city-exclusivity, like the multinationals, and the third and most important is our annual meeting. Our second meeting has seen an increase of 33% in attendance, 25% in countries represented and 40% in one-to-one meetings available. The numbers speak for themselves.”

To read more; click here.

Interview with CQR Bangkok

Trans Air Cargo, CQR Bangkok, was founded back in 1979 by Mr Keree Chaichanavong (Managing Director) and Mr Siri Vorapongsathorn (General Manager). Recently, TAC’s Overseas and Projects Manager, Kantorn Lertchirakarn, told us about the company’s success and some of the more unusual shipments that they regularly handle.

Q. TAC has been ranked in the top 5 freight forwarders in Thailand for the past 15 years, which is very impressive! How have you maintained this position so consistently?

A. We deal with all market sectors and handle all kinds of different products. Our team understands that every single shipment, regardless of size, is crucial to the company’s survival. It is as important for us to protect and keep our existing partners, as it is for us to find new ones.

Q. You used the word ‘partner’ there to describe your clients. What do you mean by that and how is the idea of them being ‘partners’ manifested in the approach you and your team take when dealing with customers?

A. It’s vital that we all bear in mind that each and every customer is a business partner. We want to build lasting relationships and create customer confidence, so we show a willingness to serve and assist in whatever way we can. The growth and success of their businesses are crucial to us because without them, we cannot grow and succeed.

Q. TAC specialises in the handling of some of the more unusual shipments out there. Could you tell us a little about those?

A. TAC specialises in handling live animals, perishables, frozen food and automobiles. We have also shipped filming equipment to the sets of some major blockbusters including James Bond, Rambo, Alexander, The Beach and Stealth.

Q. What would be your most memorable shipment?

A. Well, live animal shipments are always fairly memorable! Over the years we have shipped horses, elephants, white whales and crocodiles, to name but a few. The most memorable though would be the largest single ‘live animal’ shipment we have handled; 3,000 live crocodiles weighing 114 tons from BKK to Guangzhou on a chartered Cathay Pacific Airways 747 freighter.

Q. With such a variety of services the future must be bright! What do you see the next decade holding for TAC?

A. Having the reputation for providing outstanding tailor-made logistics solutions coupled with excellent customer service is one thing, but maintaining that reputation is vital as well. We are also working on a joint warehousing and logistics venture which once completed will extend the services TAC can offer.

With such a wide skills-set, TAC can only go from strength to strength. We welcome all members with shipments to/from Bangkok, to get in touch with the TAC team.

Interview with CQR Venice

Stante, which operates as CQR Venice, is one of the ‘big’ players in the international forwarding and logistics market and since its inception it has continually grown year on year; now employing in excess of 150 people.logistics companies Recently we sat down with Managing Director Riccardo Stocco to find out more about the company and the secret to its longevity.

Q. Could you tell us a little about Stante’s history and when you joined the company?

A. The business was founded almost 40 years ago by Robert Stante and it has stayed in the family with the next generation following in his footsteps. The Venice office opened a decade ago and I became involved 5 years later.

Q. What sets Stante apart from other Freight Forwarders?

A. Great customer service! At Stante we believe in being clear about exactly what that entails, so we came up with a 3 pronged customer service ‘value system’.

1. Constant improvements and innovation in the services we offer.

2.Constant quality control monitoring of internal and external systems.

3. Listening to the needs of our customers in order to build lasting relationships with them.

Q. How are these values translated into every day operations at the company?

A. I could give many examples so let me explain one which is more recent. It is the opening of a new ID office where we will implement new software and technology that will then be offered to our customers.

Q. As well as offering your clients ‘every-day’ forwarding services, does Stante specialise in handling certain shipments and what would be your most memorable?

A. We offer 360 degree services and solutions along with legal assistance and customs services in import and export. We readily handle shipments which require special equipment to load them and those which are oversize. Probably the most memorable was a break bulk shipment of 3500 ton, 4500 m3 from the North of Italy to Azerbaijan (via Mersin Port – Turkey). Although the actual goods didn’t have the ‘wow’ factor, the size certainly did!

Q. Stante has been a member of Conqueror since 2011 and has just renewed its membership for the coming year. Why did you choose to join Conqueror as opposed to other networks and what benefits does being part of this global network bring to your company?

A. The exclusivity was definitely an attraction as it has given us the opportunity to be on a level playing field with our competitors. Furthermore with a limited number of agents, we can strike the right balance between competition and opportunity, and the development of lasting relationships.

It is clear that with such a well-established position in the industry and customers at the core of all operations, Stante can only go from strength to strength.

 

Independent and logistics operators meet: New Trans

Freight and logistics is of course by definition the ultimate multinational business and as technology advances executives globally are becoming aware of the potential of international cooperation without the need for thousands of miles of air travel to formulate trade agreements. It was with this thought in mind that Antonio Torres first came up with the idea of what he calls a ‘Virtual Multinational’ paving the way for what he considers a new generation of networks which want to mobilize independent freight forwarders to work together as global ‘mega-forwarders.’ Last week however the members of this brainchild travelled to Thailand to meet their mutual partners in the flesh at the inaugural conference of Conqueror which Mr Torres says is the world’s first virtual freight network. Ninety members from forty different countries met in Phuket from the 23rd to 25th May as part of Conqueror’s target of setting up an exclusive ‘virtual branch’ in each of the 472 major cities in the 175 countries it has identified.