Lorna Davies, Manager Freight and Contract Logistics, and Priya Khushalani, Trade Lane Manager, are two of our experienced logistics experts at M&M Militzer & Münch UAE, based in Dubai. In our interview, they talk about their areas of responsibility, their thoughts on equality, and what advice they would give to women who want to work in the industry. 

 

What motivated you to join the logistics industry?

Lorna Davies: I entered the logistics industry because of the subject matter and the opportunity to work as a Customer Service Executive. I was attracted by the industry’s dynamism and the central role it plays in global supply chains. The opportunity to solve complex logistics challenges and contribute to efficient operations appealed to me. As I delved deeper into the subject matter, I discovered my passion for optimizing processes and ensuring the smooth transportation and distribution of goods.

Priya Khushalani: I come from the Indian state of Gujarat, which has two important ports – Kandla and Mundra. This is what motivated me to go into logistics. It is an industry with a global impact that allows me to build an international network. In the logistics industry, I have a wide range of responsibilities, and it never gets boring. There are many opportunities for professional development, and the demand for motivated professionals is high.

What are the main tasks and responsibilities of your positions?

Lorna Davies: My role as Manager Freight and Contract Logistics involves a wide range of tasks aimed at ensuring smooth and efficient operations in freight management and contract logistics. In summary, this means strategic planning, operational control, customer management, team leadership and a commitment to efficient, reliable and cost-effective logistics solutions that promote business success and customer satisfaction.

Priya Khushalani: As a Trade Lane Manager, I am responsible for developing various trade lanes, including India, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Taiwan and the United States. The term “trade lane” refers to the established transport routes along which goods are imported and exported. My responsibilities include promoting the growth of my trade lanes, developing strategies, services and products, and negotiating prices and contracts. My work is heavily influenced by trade agreements, the political climate, weather conditions and many other factors.

What has been your experience as women in leadership positions in an often male-dominated industry?

Priya Khushalani: Equality, diversity and inclusion should be the guiding principles of every leader and team. Creating progressive workplaces that are equitable and fostering a culture that encourages honest conversations about equality beyond the policy has positive ripple effects for everyone. This builds as teams evolve and leaders move on. It is incumbent upon us to support and represent women in leadership positions to create a good platform and more opportunities for subsequent female colleagues.

Lorna Davies: My experiences have been shaped by both challenges and opportunities. Initially, navigating gender dynamics required a blend of assertiveness and diplomacy to build credibility and gain the respect of peers and industry officials. Being part of a minority often meant having to deal with stereotypes and prejudices. I am passionate about gender diversity and inclusion. Fostering open dialogue, mentoring emerging professionals and actively supporting diversity initiatives have been instrumental in creating a more balanced environment within our organization. Overcoming challenges and achieving milestones as a woman in a leadership position has been incredibly rewarding for me. Celebrating these achievements not only strengthens personal growth, but also inspires other women to take on leadership roles in the industry.

What advice would you give to young women pursuing a career in logistics?

Lorna Davies: Have faith in your abilities and believe that you have the skills and potential to succeed in the logistics industry. Seize opportunities for learning and continuous improvement because logistics is a dynamic field that is constantly evolving. Try to build a strong network, seek out mentors and role models. The logistics industry can be challenging with its fast-paced environment and unexpected obstacles. That’s why you need to develop resilience and stand up for yourself. Don’t hesitate to advocate for your ideas, skills and professional advancement.

Priya Khushalani: Lifelong learning is a continuous process of self-improvement. My mother had two degrees at a time when education for girls was still a taboo where I come from. This is the legacy I have inherited and would like to pass on to young women. We are often underestimated and have to work much harder to be recognized. But we also possess qualities such as generosity, kindness, empathy and inclusiveness that enable us to excel in areas such as conflict management. Women have always created opportunities to make a difference on a global scale. These include promoting trade relations and advancing sustainability. My favorite example is Indra Nooyi, the former CEO of PepsiCo. Thanks to her leadership, PepsiCo’s annual net profit rose from USD 2.7 billion to USD 6.5 billion. In 2007 and 2008, she was named by the Wall Street Journal as one of the 50 women to watch. In 2007 and 2008, Time Magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Forbes named her the third most powerful woman worldwide in 2008. Here is what she had to say on the subject: “The next decades are the decades of women. Women should dream big. They should have full confidence in themselves. Because if you have self-confidence, you can overcome anything.”

What makes Militzer & Münch stand out as an employer?

Priya Khushalani: Militzer & Münch provides the best transportation solutions in demanding markets. Our goal is to offer only products and services that meet or exceed our customers’ requirements – we are committed to our promises. Personally, I like our well-designed office and our corporate colors. Blue stands for stability and reliability.

Lorna Davies: Through my work at Militzer & Münch, I have access to a global network and a wide range of logistics services. This global presence offers me the opportunity to develop professionally, to work internationally and to come into contact with different cultures and markets. Militzer & Münch invests in training programs, workshops and certifications to improve our skills and knowledge in various areas of logistics and supply chain management. Teamwork, mutual respect and open communication are encouraged so that employees feel valued and motivated to give their best. Our employees are proud to work for a company that is committed to corporate responsibility and environmental protection.

 

 

Innovative technologies play a decisive role for a modern service provider like Militzer & Münch. At the moment, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) is an issue that is causing a stir in the logistics industry. In order to explore the individual needs and potential applications of this technology, Thies Spannagel has been appointed Group Project Manager AI. His task is to evaluate processes where AI can be used to reduce the workload on employees and increase the service level and efficiency of the logistics service provider. Thies Spannagel has been with Militzer & Münch for over six years and has more than 20 years of professional experience in the logistics industry.

 Mr. Spannagel, what is your task in the AI project?
As Group Project Manager AI, I am like a hub. I receive input from the country units telling me what challenges they have to overcome on a daily basis, and where major expenses arise that could be reduced using AI. The focus is always on improving the quality of service for our customers. I then check whether there are any suitable AI modules that we can integrate into our IT infrastructure. I’m very interested in AI because I’m very process-oriented and want to achieve my goals fast and efficiently. If we process the orders in a clean and orderly manner, we achieve a high level of customer satisfaction.

 

When was the project launched, and what is the objective?
We started the project on 1 March. Of course, I had already been looking into the topic of AI before then. In November 2023, M&M air sea cargo GmbH took a new transport management system into operation, our central software that we use to process all orders. The task now is to further develop this system – including with AI. The aim is to continuously reduce for our colleagues the number of manual data entries in order to increase productivity. However, we are also looking at other areas where AI can support us.

 

Where do you see the biggest challenges?
The Militzer & Münch Group’s country units are relatively heterogeneous. Each country has its own transport management system and its own IT infrastructure. This is a challenge when we purchase new modules, as we have to ensure that they can be used by as many country units as possible. Evaluating the modules is also demanding. Service providers often present demo versions in their showcases. The scenarios shown in these demos are often perfectly tailored to the tool’s capabilities. However, the problems we face in reality often have completely different parameters, for which the AI must first be trained over a lengthy period of time before we can use it – a new AI module is never ‘plug and play’.

A good example is something we saw with one of our partners in Canada. They wanted to implement a module that uses AI to process customer enquiries quickly and efficiently. When I looked at this with my colleagues, I was initially really impressed. After a few months, when we asked if our partner was happy with the tool, they said it wasn’t being actively used yet. There were still too many early problems and the tool was not even suitable for many areas in the company. Manual intervention was required so often that it was more efficient for employees to process enquiries manually.

When we select providers, they often ask in advance for examples from our company that they can use to demonstrate their tool. However, we also always bring along a few cases that the provider is not yet familiar with. That way we can better assess whether we can actually use the tool or whether the provider has only customised the demo to our specific case. Risk management is also my task when selecting these tools. That’s why for such meetings I take up to three experts with me who deal with the issues under review on a daily basis, so that we don’t conclude contracts lightly.

 

What characteristics do AI modules need to have in order to be considered for Militzer & Münch?
At the moment, we are primarily interested in using AI for repetitive tasks in order to free up resources in other areas. We can thus optimize processes and become more efficient.

A good tool has to fit in well with our IT infrastructure, which is of course difficult due to the different systems we have in the individual countries. When I talk to the provider of an AI module, I naturally always ask what interfaces are available. The API standard, which has the advantage that the code does not have to be rewritten from scratch during implementation, is already widely used. We have to check which providers are available on the market and for which areas they are suitable. One example is customs clearance. The aim is to automate the process so that the documents we receive from the customer are already prepared to such an extent that our colleagues only have to look over them again and add small details – but don’t have to search for and enter all the information themselves.

With technologies such as AI, it’s important to be involved right from the start and follow the development of promising modules so as not to be left behind later on. My job is to play a leading role in supporting my colleagues in the other countries in implementing the modules. However, the respective country unit must provide sufficient resources – in particular a temporary implementation team of local experts who are familiar with the regulations of the respective country. Teamwork is absolutely called for here.

AI systems rely on data, and the data must be prepared in such a way that the AI can process it. Last year, for example, the colleagues at the German Road (M&M Militzer & Münch GmbH) began using an AI module that extracts orders from major customers’ emails and automatically creates an order in our transport management system, largely eliminating the need for manual input. However, it took a year to train the system so that it works for us, which tied up a lot of resources.

 

Which institutions or service providers are supporting Militzer & Münch in the project?
 We cooperate with the University of St. Gallen. In this context, we also exchange ideas with a student consultancy that also collaborates with the university. The consultancy has already supported AI projects. Their experience is very valuable to me, because we don’t want to make mistakes that we only notice years later. There is a lot of potential for mistakes, especially in the field of innovative technologies. That’s why it’s important to get input from different areas. We need to find out which technologies are on the market, which areas they cover and what potential they have. The price-performance ratio and the options for implementation in our IT infrastructure also play an important role. Only once we have gathered information about all of this can we decide whether an AI tool or module is of interest to us.

 

Lauriane Boyer joined Militzer & Münch France eleven years ago. As Air & Sea Director for Militzer & Münch France, she is constantly tackling new challenges in the sea and air freight industry. We asked her how the company copes with the challenges, what opportunities are opening for the industry, and what makes Militzer & Münch a good employer in times such as these.

 

How is the sea freight business in France doing at the moment?

The French sea freight market cannot escape global problems. We too are seeing a decline in global volumes, particularly on the Asia-Europe trade lane, due to consumer restraint and inflation. I also expect the current attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea to have a major impact on our industry in the coming weeks and months. We at Militzer & Münch however expect positive business development in the sea freight sector, albeit in a difficult business environment. Competition is tough, but this difficult environment also holds opportunities for our company.

 

What are the main goods Militzer & Münch France (Air & Sea)  transports?

The Militzer & Münch France teams mainly transport general cargo and dry freight, such as mechanical equipment, electrical goods, textiles, and various materials for local production. On a spot basis, we mainly transport pharmaceutical products, hazardous goods or dry foodstuffs. This is also where I see growth potential for the future.

Militzer & Münch France currently counts some 1,000 customers. Most of them are medium-sized companies, which allows us to spread our business risk. Our most important customers come from the humanitarian sector, from label and adhesive film production and from the freight forwarding industry.

 

What were the most important milestones for Militzer & Münch France (Air & Sea)?

For almost ten years, we at Militzer & Münch France have been pursuing an investment plan. Over the past few years, we have implemented a number of measures to strengthen our global organization as well as sales and marketing, to expand our team and, above all, to improve our results. We put a lot of effort into promoting the Air & Sea product internally so as to make sure everyone within the Militzer & Münch France organization is familiar with it and to convince our existing and potential customers to place their orders with us. We can be proud of this achievement, which will help us to continue growing in the future.

 

What plans does Militzer & Münch France have for the future?

In the context of Militzer & Münch France’s diversification strategy, we expect Air & Sea to become one of our main products in the coming years. This is why we are building our Air & Sea development plan around several themes. They include the development of intra-group partnerships between Militzer & Münch and TransInvest to strengthen our own network, as well as the acquisition of agents in countries where the Militzer & Münch Group is not yet active. We are also planning to develop pure Air & Sea consolidation products (Air & Sea LCL). The Southwest Europe & Maghreb region is to be promoted with combined solutions between the Maghreb and the rest of the world via France, and our sales activities in France are to be strengthened. All these measures will help us navigate through these challenging times.

 

Are there any important projects in the pipeline for Militzer & Münch France?

There will be numerous challenges for our company in the area of digitalization and data management. To give an example, we need to embrace artificial intelligence as an opportunity and a serious tool that will help us to improve and speed up our decision-making processes.

 

What is your career background and what are your tasks at Militzer & Münch?

I have 15 years of experience in our industry. I started my career as a customs agent at a renowned company in France that focused exclusively on air and sea transportation. I later became a forwarding agent and team leader there. The start of my career coincided with the global financial crisis of 2007-2008, and I quickly learned that I had to constantly adapt and reinvent myself in this profession.

In April 2024, I will celebrate my 11th anniversary at Militzer & Münch France, and I can say that I have never been bored. Today, as Air & Sea Director, I am responsible for the organization and development of our product. I work from our office in Pusignan, Lyon, and head my own team there. I regularly visit all our offices in France so that I am always where the action is. Militzer & Münch France Air & Sea employs 30 colleagues in eight offices. We operate from ten customs airports and six ports in France. I also regularly support our subsidiaries ACTE International and ITPL with Air & Sea issues.

 

What do you like about your job? What makes Militzer & Münch a good employer?

In our industry, we are all driven by passion. This motivates us in our daily work, which is all about solving problems and mastering unexpected situations. What I like best is that there are always surprises. Routine is just not my thing! I enjoy spending time with our teams. I truly value the trustful and transparent cooperation with committed managers. At Militzer & Münch, teamwork and flexibility are very important, and we cultivate a real pioneering and family spirit. We promote innovation, and decisions are made in a fast and direct manner.

Most of our competitors are paralyzed by their large and cumbersome organizations. With us, this is not the case. Militzer & Münch’s global structure is dynamic and offers lots of opportunities for career development and mobility. When I participated in our Talent Management Programme, I noticed that this attitude is shared by many within the Group. No matter which country we come from, we all have the same values. This makes Militzer & Münch a successful company – and a great employer.

 

 

Hristo Marinov, 46, started at Militzer & Münch in Bulgaria in 1996. Today, he is Deputy CEO of M&M Militzer & Münch BG Co. Ltd. and knows the company and the Bulgarian logistics market like the back of his hand. In this interview, he tells us how he made it from courier to the top of the company, what distinguishes Militzer & Münch in Bulgaria, and how the company is preparing for the future.

  

Mr. Marinov, you have been with Militzer & Münch for 27 years. What was your start in the company like?

I joined Militzer & Münch in 1996, right after graduating from school. As a courier, I took documents from our warehouse to the customs office. At that time, they were at different locations. But I only had this job for five months, because then I did my one-year military service. After that, I went straight back to Militzer & Münch, and I’ve been happy to stay until today.

 

From then on, it was a steep career path for you. What were the most important stations?

Parallel to my re-entry at Militzer & Münch, I started studying at university. First, I did my bachelor’s degree in accounting, then my master’s degree in international economics. At the same time, I worked in the warehouse at Militzer & Münch. At that time, a large supermarket chain opened its first stores in Bulgaria, and we stored the entire non-food product range for them. In that project, I was more or less the team leader. So, I knew how logistics worked in practice – and that was not always the way it was taught in theory at university.

Later, I switched to our road department. It was divided into three segments at the time, and I became head of the groupage export department. Later, we split the road department by country rather than by service, and I was in charge of Central Europe with Germany and Scandinavia. Again a few years later, we decided to combine all the Road segments into a joint Road Transport Division. I took over responsibility for this division and became Deputy CEO.

 

What are your main tasks at the moment?

Today, among other things, I am responsible for many operational areas of our business, for example for our automotive customers. I also oversee the IT department here in Bulgaria and take care of our partner network – especially CargoLine. As an official partner of the LTL cooperation, we carry out groupage transports with all 72 companies in the network as well as the main hub in Germany.

Although we are a small partner in the network, we offer very high quality services. Thus, over the past few years, we were awarded the CargoLine Quality Award three times in a row for our excellent and reliable service. These are achievements of which our entire team is very proud and which spur us on to continue giving our best to our customers every day.

 

What’s the secret of Militzer & Münch Bulgaria’s success?

I think there are a number of factors that have a very positive impact. On the one hand, we are very well-established in terms of performance, and offer the entire range of logistics solutions from a single source: road and rail transports, contract logistics, as well as airfreight via our subsidiary M&M Air Cargo Service BG Co. Ltd. On the other hand, we have a very experienced and stable team, which, together with our air cargo company, counts about 150 employees. They are our company’s greatest asset. Many of them have been serving our customers for 15, 20 or more years. This testifies to our very good working atmosphere and to a management that genuinely cares about its employees. And last but not least, we are ready to break new ground, find innovative solutions and grow together with our customers.

 

What does that look like in concrete terms, can you give us an example?

In recent years, for instance, we have significantly expanded our portfolio in the area of 3PL logistics solutions in collaboration with a major automotive customer, and are increasingly offering value-added services. We acquired the tier 1 supplier from Germany with a large plant in Bulgaria as a customer two years ago. We operate an integrated bonded warehouse for imported goods from China for this company. We receive and store the goods, pick them, take care of customs management, and deliver them to their destination. The level of service and quality is extremely high, and the KPIs are constantly being developed. Which makes the project very demanding, but also very interesting. Because the know-how we acquire here we can also use in other projects.

 

What are Militzer & Münch Bulgaria’s plans for the future?

As I said, we want to further expand our value-added services. Having recently put a completely new cross-dock terminal into operation, we are planning to modernize our existing terminal in Sofia for this purpose. Our CEO Sacho Todorov is driving the project together with me. We are planning state-of-the-art equipment, including a narrow-aisle storage system, to make the most efficient use of the available space. We will probably start modernization work before the end of the year.

 

You have many tasks and carry a lot of responsibility. What do you do in your free time to compensate?

I naturally spend a lot of time with my family. My wife, who by the way I met at Militzer & Münch, our two boys and I do a lot of sports. Together, we go in for outdoor activities, such as mountain biking. I also discovered CrossFit for myself.

Workouts are constantly varied and incorporate weightlifting, gymnastics, running and more. It improves my strength, stamina, and mobility skills.

 

Thank you very much for the interview, Mr. Marinov!

There is probably no other sector that imposes such high demands on the handling of goods as the pharmaceutical sector. Drugs and other medical products are particularly sensitive; even the smallest temperature fluctuation can impair their effectiveness and shelf life. The highest levels of quality, hygiene and safety are therefore crucial when handling pharmaceutical products – and logistics service providers who want to operate in the pharmaceutical sector have to prove that they meet the required EU standards as part of their GDP (Good Distribution Practices) certification.

Militzer & Münch Germany committed to achieving GDP certification in 2021 – with success: Last year, the country organization attained the certificate, with Charlotte Dürr, Group Project Manager Pharmaceuticals at Militzer & Münch, the leading force. We talked to her about the importance of the certification for the logistics provider, what opportunities it opens up, and about her personal passion for and further plans in the field of pharmaceutical logistics.

Ms. Dürr, the GDP certification is an important milestone for Militzer & Münch Germany. Would you please describe what this means for the national subsidiary and also for you personally?

First of all, one has to state that the certification process is very demanding and extensive. The hardest part was to create a basic framework of documentation and standards that covers all areas of the EU GDP directive. In addition, our carriers need to be thoroughly checked and assessed for their quality and compliance with the guidelines on their part.

With our quality system, we can ensure the responsible and competent handling of the sensitive goods – be it from Munich to Nairobi or from Berlin to Ulaanbaatar. This helps us now to continuously certify further locations of the group, as with the successful GDP certification of Militzer & Münch Germany, we have also aroused interest in other country units. As a result, we have a great working group of local GDP managers, sales experts, and quality managers. In Poland, we successfully passed the certification audit in March; in Georgia, we are currently planning the first audit.

Many country organizations already have experience in the various product categories and see great growth potential, especially in Southeastern Europe and Central Asia. The healthcare sector is of great importance for the entire Militzer & Münch Group, and developing this product opens up a whole range of new opportunities for us.

 

What exactly are the new opportunities for Militzer & Münch Germany that result from the certification?

Worldwide, the healthcare market is booming, and Germany is one of the market leaders. As a GDP-certified logistics service provider, we can now participate in this sector to a wholly different extent, open up new markets, and address a larger clientele.

The first sales initiatives we launched after successful certification showed quick results: We received many requests for quotations both for full truck loads by road, including numerous shipments to Central Asia and as far as Mongolia, and by sea and air to various destinations in Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, as well as for imports from America. Within the Militzer & Münch Group, M&M air sea cargo GmbH is responsible for GDP compliant transports by air and sea freight, as well as by rail.

Moreover, we can support the medical supply of many war and crisis areas while maintaining quality standards. There is also great interest in refrigerated transports by rail. Here, we benefit above all from an increased interest in reducing emissions.

 

Can you give us some examples of projects that Militzer & Münch Germany is already handling in the pharmaceutical sector?

At this time, we are handling transports of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment to Africa, Asia, and Europe, as well as shipments within Europe. In addition, we have imports of raw materials, accessories and medical cannabis. The high level of customer demand indicates that certification was exactly the right step to take. We are convinced that it will enable us to significantly expand our activities in the field of pharmaceutical logistics, and we are looking forward to intensifying our cooperation with other Militzer & Münch country units in cross-border transports of pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

 

With your dedication and commitment, you have been instrumental in driving the pharma project forward. Where does your enthusiasm for this area in particular come from?

After my qualification as a forwarding specialist and subsequent studies in International Transport Management and Marketing, I started at Militzer & Münch in 2018, initially as Sales Coordinator, but then took over product responsibility for Aviation Logistics. With the onset of the pandemic, I was looking for a new task and started to develop the Pharma Logistics division – a decision I have not regretted to this day! The products with their specific requirements and transport conditions are certainly a challenge, but the market is absolutely viable, and working in this field is a journey of discovery for me every day, due to the wide variety of products and customers. And by the way, I have probably always had a penchant for special products: in my bachelor thesis, I devised a strategic market analysis for the transport of horses by air.

 

What are your plans for the future?

We want to further expand our pharmaceutical logistics network so we can offer our customers worldwide the best possible service and products. Where this is not feasible via our own Militzer & Münch network, we cooperate with local partners who, of course, have to meet our requirements and also the GDP standards. The search for such partners, which is not easy in every country, is currently one of our most important tasks.

We want to further expand our pharmaceutical logistics network so we can offer our customers worldwide the best possible service and products. Where this is not feasible via our own Militzer & Münch network, we cooperate with local partners who, of course, have to meet our requirements and GDP standards as well. The search for such partners, which is not easy in every country, is currently one of our most important tasks.

We generally see great potential in pharmaceutical shipments to Central Asia, as well as to Southeastern Europe and Africa. In Central Asia and Southeastern Europe, we are already operating our own organization in almost every country. And in East and West Africa, for example, we have just successfully found reliable partners. For our activities in the region, I benefit from participating in the Militzer & Münch Talent Development Programme in 2022: As an international team, we had the opportunity to analyze new markets – and with Africa, the focus was on a market that is now emerging as one of our core markets for pharmaceutical transports.

 

 

Thank you very much für your time!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

As the Christmas holidays are drawing near, we wish you joyful, restful days among family and friends.
We would like to take the occasion to express our thanks to you for the good cooperation in 2022.
For the challenges of the upcoming year, we wish you good luck, success, health and personal contentment.

Dushanbe. First prize for M&M Tajikistan: the team under Managing Director (MD) Aziz Sharipov won the official competition for best exporter of the year 2021 in the logistics segment. The competition is held every year by the Government’s Export Agency; the award ceremony for the country’s best exporting companies took place at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Dushanbe on November 28.

Proud of this honor is Aziz Sharipov: “It is a great reward for all the work the team has done this year, and it further strengthens the M&M brand name.” The picture shows the M&M Tajikistan team with MD Sharipov (third from left) with the trophy.

Militzer & Münch is stepping up activities in China – with more employees and new branches. Local sales are being strengthened, and services are being expanded, which offers more opportunities for customers.

After strong growth in China, Militzer & Münch is now adjusting its organization in the country: “We are internally splitting our activities into North and South China from now on”, explains Andreas Löwenstein, Regional Managing Director Asia / Far East. “At the helm of both, we have very experienced managers, to whom the North and South Chinese branches will report in the future.”

Regional Director for China South is Carl Gao, the former branch manager in Shanghai. Jeffery Guo, 45, took over as head of China North in October. He has been at home in the logistics industry for over 20 years, including more than ten years as branch manager with a renowned international logistics service provider. With his expertise, he will support the northern Chinese branches with immediate effect, and further expand business in the region.

A greater footprint in North China

“The new management appointment for North China is just one element in Militzer & Münch’s general growth strategy in the region,” says Elyar Sherkati, Managing Director of Militzer & Münch China. “This year, we are strengthening our presence also by taking on additional employees, for instance at our branch offices in Tianjin as well as in Qingdao, one of China’s most important logistics locations.” Moreover, the Qingdao team was recently able to move into new office premises, and in Zhengzhou and Changchun in the northeast, Militzer & Münch opened two new sales offices.

In Shenyang, also in northeastern China, the company recently began operating a new branch office. Branch manager Colon Sun, who has already been working in the international freight forwarding industry for several years and has a very good knowledge of the market in northeastern China in particular, is in charge of developing and running the new location.

“Shenyang is a major transportation hub in the north of the country. We are glad to be able to further expand our presence at this location and in North China in general, to win experienced specialists, and thus to offer high-quality logistics services to our customers,” says Andreas Löwenstein.

The network of locations is expanding

Another new branch office expands Militzer & Münch’s network of locations in Central China: in September, an office was opened in Wuhan, capital of the Central Chinese province of Hubei and an important transport hub in China for air, rail, road and sea transport. The aim: to offer customers the full range of transport and logistics services, and to boost local sales. Branch manager in Wuhan is Jacky Zhu, who previously worked as sales manager at Militzer & Münch China in Wuhan for almost five years, and is thus very familiar with the local market and customers. He still reports to Carl Gao as before.

With the two new branches in Shenyang and Wuhan, the Militzer & Münch China network now comprises a total of 13 locations: Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Shenyang, Urumqi, Shanghai, Ningbo, Wuhan, Chongqing, Shenzhen, as well as the two sales offices in Zhengzhou and Changchun.

“Strengthening our activities in China is part of our growth strategy,” says Andreas Löwenstein. “We look forward to further driving this positive development with the new offices and employees on board!”

‘New Markets’, ‘Industry 4.0 along the New Silk Road’, ‘New Risk Management’ – on October 10, online presentations on these diverse topics marked the end of the Talent Management Programme 2022, designed by TransInvest in cooperation with the Institute of Supply Chain Management at the University of St. Gallen.

In early summer, 21 young talents from various TransInvest companies had already convened in St. Gallen for the first teaching module of the in-service training course. In terms of topics, the three days focused on Strategy & Controlling, Supply Chain Resilience & Sustainability and Process Management. At the beginning of September, the participants met in Istanbul for the second, three-day module. In challenging, interactive teaching units, they gained in-depth insight into the areas of Leadership, Digitalization & Business Innovation, and Marketing & Sales, among others.

Alongside these tangible teaching contents, the Talent Management Programme also focuses on soft skills: thus, teamwork and the strengthening of the group spirit for example are decisive factors for living the TransInvest culture.

“In addition, the modules give the young talents the opportunity to expand their international network and experience the TransInvest culture first-hand by working closely with participants from other countries,” says Ralph Stadler, Head of Group Human Resources. “That way, our experienced experts and guest lecturers not only train our junior employees professionally, but also promote their personal development.”

 

A tried-and-tested, new support concept

Exclusive, science-based, practice-oriented: the Talent Management Programme was launched eleven years ago to provide precisely this kind of support for future managers from TransInvest ranks. The aim of the Talent Management Programme is not only to equip participants with logistics and management skills, but also to retain them in the company in the long run.

“Employee retention is extremely important for companies; it is a big challenge,” says Alexei Kovalenko, Chief Financial Officer, TransInvest and Militzer & Münch, and Speaker of M&M Group Management. “We are glad that we have been able to successfully meet this challenge with the Talent Management Programme for many years now. The young talents receive intensive training in all relevant areas and are offered the opportunity to develop individually – and we can fill top positions in the TransInvest Group with highly qualified and motivated junior staff from our own ranks. A win-win situation.”

In 2022, the Talent Management Programme met expectations in every respect – both on the part of the participants and those responsible around Ralph Stadler. With the impulses from the final teamwork presented, the participants are now creating a Personal Development Plan (PDP) with their superiors, a plan which will guide their development in the company over the next few years.

This year, Paata Kacharava celebrates a very special anniversary: 25 years ago in June, he started as Managing Director of M&M Militzer & Münch Georgia and has been driving the development of the country unit with heart and soul ever since. We talked about his time at Militzer & Münch so far, changes in the logistics industry, and the appeal the business holds for him.

Mr. Kacharava, first of all congratulations on 25 years with Militzer & Münch! That’s a long time; how would you describe it in retrospect?
In summary, I would say it was a very exciting and, in the beginning, also challenging time for me personally. When I joined Militzer & Münch Georgia in 1997, I was the first and only employee of the country unit. Today, our core team consists of six employees, who take care of all projects in the fields of road transport, air and sea freight, as well as of our courier and express services with our partners. The past three years in particular, with the global impact of the Corona pandemic and the political events in Ukraine, have had a major effect on the Georgian economy, and also put our business to the test.

What was your professional career like before you joined Militzer & Münch?
Before switching over to Militzer & Münch and the logistics industry, I had worked in Georgian government institutions for many years, holding various positions in the foreign trade sector; among others, I was responsible for the management of foreign trade relations.

What were the biggest changes you experienced in the subsequent 25 years at Militzer & Münch?
The trade lanes as we know them today and the possibilities they offer, did not exist at all at that time. When I started at Militzer & Münch Georgia, people were dreaming of a Euro-Asian transport corridor and the manifold opportunities it would create – in the course of my career, I was able to witness how this very dream became reality, step by step. Today, the Caucasus and Central Asia are important trading partners for European countries; transports via road, rail, sea, and air to these regions are part of the Militzer & Münch core business. And we are seeing that the demand for products from and connections to these regions continues to grow.

Which industries do your customers come from?
Currently, our most important customers come from the automotive industry, the retail sector, and the pharmaceutical industry. In addition, we work for many local manufacturers who wish to ship their products to the European market.

What is the attraction of the logistics industry for you?
It is clearly the people who work in this sector. Our employees drive our business forward every day with full commitment and know-how; they are the basis of our success. They have significantly contributed to the development we have been able to experience with Militzer & Münch Georgia in the past years, and I am very grateful to them for their commitment. I would also like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to the Militzer & Münch management, whose support my team and I have always been able to count on in the past. Cooperating with all these people is a great pleasure for me, and I am looking forward to the tasks and projects still lying ahead of us.

Mr. Kacharava, thank you very much for taking the time to talk to us!

Ashgabat, September 6, 2022. First, a delegation was opened in Ashgabat in 1994, and then in 1997, M&M Militzer & Münch Turkmenistan Ltd. was founded: the Central Asian M&M company now looks back on 25 years of forwarding and logistics services and has gained a good reputation among customers and partners. The company is headed by Djeyhun Hummedov as managing director.

Tashkent, August 30, 2022. Uzbekistan is the sixth largest cotton producer in the world, and when Militzer & Münch Uzbekistan was founded 25 years ago, cotton fiber transport was the main segment, a highly demanding special segment, as the cargo is self-heating unless packed and monitored correctly.

The 25 employees of M&M Uzbekistan nowadays handle all sorts and modes of national and international transports, and recently added customs clearance to the portfolio, too.

M&M Uzbekistan also has many years of experience in importing machinery and equipment for the cotton industry and has become a specialist in project transportation.

How is the market today, we ask Managing Director Khurshid Kasimdzhanov: “Customers appreciate our long presence in the country and our professional key staff, who have been with us for many year.”

Group Quality Manager Maximilian Kaiser is responsible for the quality management at Militzer & Münch sites all over the world. In this interview, he talks about current projects, the quality audit process, and what fascinates him about working in logistics.

 

Well, hello Mr. Kaiser, could you briefly describe what your activities for Militzer & Münch look like? What are your tasks?
The purpose of Quality Management is to ensure that consistently products and services are provided that meet customer requirements and comply with applicable laws and regulations. To this end, as Group Quality Manager, I oversee a wide variety of projects and processes. Our team consists of more than 20 Quality Managers, one for each country unit, all of which are coordinated through the holding company here in St. Gallen.
Our goals can be summarized in three key words: effectiveness, conformity and compliance. This means that, with a clear customer focus, we purposefully implement, maintain and continuously improve a quality management system, or introduce one where it does not yet exist. We solve our customers’ logistics problems effectively, comply with international standards, and meet regulatory and legal requirements. The values guiding us here are loyalty, integrity and respect.

 

What are the current projects or developments that keep you busy in Quality Management?

We passed our surveillance audit for 2022 this May. Not a single deviation from the standard was found during the external audits carried out by auditing company LRQA. At the beginning of 2023, we will then already be proceeding to the ISO 9001:2015 recertification, for which the most extensive audits ever will be carried out: our entire process landscape needs to be compliant with the standards.

In addition, we are rolling out our quality management system at other country units. We are currently seeking ISO 9001:2015 certification for our country units in Sri Lanka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Malaysia. A local quality manager is in charge of adapting the standards to the individual requirements of the companies and of ensuring compliance with them.
Closely linked to quality management is risk management, for which we are currently optimizing various processes throughout our country units. In cooperation with our Head of Group Controlling, I am also establishing an Environmental Management System in accordance with the international environmental management standard ISO 14001:2015. This will strengthen our ecological awareness and make it easier for our customers to take environmental factors into account in their transport operations. Our Quality, Risk and Environmental Management together will form an Integrated Management System, which we will launch in March 2023.

 

What is the procedure of a quality audit?

We select internal audits on the basis of what is known as the “risk-based approach”. With this risk-based approach, we decide on specific sites, taking into account time, success and risk factors. When were the sites last audited? How important is the site to the success of the company? By selecting which sites will the risk of quality loss be minimized? The local Quality Manager supports local management in the implementation, administration and improvement of the Quality Management System (QMS). At the same time, the team carries out audits at sites in other countries of the region. For example, a colleague from France goes to Morocco or vice versa – after all, no one should audit themselves.

Here at headquarters, we coordinate what is to be audited where and by whom. Depending on what exactly we want to check, the auditor examines various processes. Do they meet customer requirements? Are they compliant with ISO 9001:2015? The results then end up at my desk, and I analyze them in collaboration with the local Quality Manager.

 

Could you please briefly describe your professional background? Which functions did you go through at Militzer & Münch?

I majored in economics and business administration. My first point of contact with Militzer & Münch was my traineeship starting in June 2017. In Frankfurt, I was assigned to the airport, in Stockstadt, I became familiar with our road transport division, and finally, in St. Gallen, I got to know our holding company. From August 2018 to January 2022, I was Executive Assistant to the CEO and Executive Assistant to Group Management, respectively. Then, I was appointed Executive Assistant to the Board of Directors of TransInvest Holding AG. Since October 1, 2021, I have also been Group Quality Manager. In cooperation with the Institute of Supply Chain Management of the University of St. Gallen, Militzer & Münch organizes the Talent Management Program to promote our in-house prospective managers, and I am participating in this program this year. I am certified in the areas of project and environmental management, and I am also currently qualifying as a Chartered Financial Analyst.

 

What fascinates you about the logistics industry?

Our team consists of many generalists, who are also specialized. All forwarders need to be knowledgeable in a wide range of areas: They have to understand the market, know import and export flows, keep an eye on the infrastructure and the political climate of many countries. At the same time, they are specialists in their field – road transport, airfreight, sea freight or project logistics. Every day brings new challenges in an international context. The topics and tasks we deal with are always a new and exciting experience.

How to stand out from the huge number of companies in order to attract highly qualified young people and keep them in the company for the long term? A challenge that the TransInvest Group, parent company of Militzer & Münch, meets with its Talent Management Programme.

 

The TransInvest Group has provided for the future: eleven years ago, in 2011, it launched the group-wide Talent Management Programme (TMP) to promote its own young talents. This year, 21 promising young talents are taking part in the exclusive junior staff development program, which TransInvest organizes in cooperation with the University of St. Gallen Institute of Supply Chain Management.

“We are proud to offer this training opportunity to our young talents and thus to be able to fill vacant top positions with junior managers from our own ranks”, says Alexei Kovalenko, Chief Financial Officer, TransInvest and Militzer & Münch, and speaker of the Militzer & Münch Group Management.

The majority of the participants, 13 of the hopefuls, come from different Militzer & Münch country units. In late April, during the first part of the in-service module series, they were able to get to know the Swiss headquarters in St. Gallen in addition to the campus. Alexei Kovalenko and Ralph Stadler, Head HR TransInvest Holding AG, welcomed the participants and presented the course of events. During the three-day module, the participants focused on Controlling, Supply Chain Resilience and Process Management. Christoph Hollenstein, Head of Group Controlling Militzer & Münch, gave exemplary insights into controlling at TransInvest. Guest lecturers from renowned companies and university chairs provided the corresponding scientific background and addressed current challenges such as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and delays in global supply chains.

“The discourse that emerges from the input of our junior staff and the multifaceted experience of external managers is a very effective way of meeting today’s shift in values with the right answers, and maintaining innovative strength and competitiveness,” says Alexei Kovalenko.

In addition to interactive group tasks, the shared evening activities promoted cohesion, and encouraged not only strategic and business-related discussions but also personal exchanges.

The participants will complete two further modules over the course of the year, partly online and partly on site in Istanbul, and conclude their training with a group presentation. After that, the young talents will support management in various country organizations in identifying interesting opportunities and expanding business locally.

The M&M organizations in Bulgaria and Latvia were honored with the CargoLine Quality Award 2021 for their excellent and reliable service in the CargoLine groupage network.