M&M Tajikistan: best of the year

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.

M&M Tajikistan: best of the year

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: growth in China

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!”

Militzer & Münch: growth in China

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!”

Highly motivated, ready for the future

‘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.

Highly motivated, ready for the future

‘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.

“Our team is the basis of our success”

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!

“Our team is the basis of our success”

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!

Militzer & Münch establishes new country unit in New Zealand

St. Gallen, October 27, 2022. On October 11th, 2022, the new country unit Militzer & Münch New Zealand Ltd. started operations. With the first branch office in Auckland City, the Militzer & Münch network grows into the Polynesian region.

Militzer & Münch has recently started to offer its customers in New Zealand high-quality services in the air and sea freight sector. Its focus is on the import and export of various industrial goods and agricultural products. The newly founded company is part of a growth strategy, in the course of which Militzer & Münch is developing promising markets for itself.

New Zealand with its prosperous economy fits perfectly into this strategy: Due to the favourable climate, the agricultural sector thrives all year round, and agricultural products such as dairy products, wool, or meat account for a large share of exports. New Zealand is the world’s largest exporter of dairy products, for example. The island nation is largely dependent on international trade; imports include almost every industrial good.

 

Growing together

Shakir Samsudeen, 38, will head the company based in Auckland City. He is an experienced freight forwarder and knows the industry very well. The new country unit will start with three employees. it is planned to be expanded soon, however.

“The new country unit will serve many different industries, both with import and export”, says Andreas Löwenstein, Regional Managing Director Asia / Far East at Militzer & Münch. “The industrial and logistics sector in New Zealand has grown strongly in recent years and we expect this trend to continue.”

Militzer & Münch establishes new country unit in New Zealand

On October 11th, 2022, the new country unit Militzer & Münch New Zealand Ltd. started operations. With the first branch office in Auckland City, the Militzer & Münch network grows into the Polynesian region.

Militzer & Münch has recently started to offer its customers in New Zealand high-quality services in the air and sea freight sector. Its focus is on the import and export of various industrial goods and agricultural products. The newly founded company is part of a growth strategy, in the course of which Militzer & Münch is developing promising markets for itself.

New Zealand with its prosperous economy fits perfectly into this strategy: Due to the favourable climate, the agricultural sector thrives all year round, and agricultural products such as dairy products, wool, or meat account for a large share of exports. New Zealand is the world’s largest exporter of dairy products, for example. The island nation is largely dependent on international trade; imports include almost every industrial good.

 

Growing together

Shakir Samsudeen, 38, will head the company based in Auckland City. He is an experienced freight forwarder and knows the industry. The new country unit will start with three employees. it is planned to be expanded soon, however.

“The new country unit will serve many different industries, both with import and export”, says Andreas Löwenstein, Regional Managing Director Asia / Far East at Militzer & Münch. “The industrial and logistics sector in New Zealand has grown strongly in recent years and we expect this trend to continue.”

A new office in Wuhan

Beijing, October 25, 2022. M&M China now has an official branch office in Wuhan (population 14 million), one of the most important transportation hubs of China in terms of air and rail. It is also a connection point to different cities and seaports through inland waterways and roads.

The Wuhan branch started operating on September 1, 2022, and offers the full range of M&M services. Jacky Zhu has been appointed branch manager. Having worked in sales for M&M China for five years in Wuhan, he has built a stable customer base and is familiar with the local market.

A new office in Wuhan

Beijing, October 25, 2022. M&M China now has an official branch office in Wuhan (population 14 million), one of the most important transportation hubs of China in terms of air and rail. It is also a connection point to different cities and seaports through inland waterways and roads.

The Wuhan branch started operating on September 1, 2022, and offers the full range of M&M services. Jacky Zhu has been appointed branch manager. Having worked in sales for M&M China for five years in Wuhan, he has built a stable customer base and is familiar with the local market.

Market study participation

How do shippers cope with the fluctuating freight rates in logistics? The University of St. Gallen tackled this question with a diverse research consortium from the logistics industry. The result is a 132-page study that addresses challenges, practices, and instruments. Militzer & Münch participated in the study.

For several years now, Militzer & Münch has been a member of the Association of the Institute of Supply Chain Management at the University of St.Gallen. The institute regards itself as an international platform for the dialogue between science and practice in the field of Supply Chain Management. Holger Seehusen, Managing Director of M&M air sea cargo GmbH, regularly participates in various activities. For him, involvement in the study was an opportunity to demonstrate what practices shippers, forwarders and brokers can adopt to counteract volatile freight rates in logistics markets.


Volatile freight rates and sustainability

The study, titled “Managing Volatility in Logistics Markets”, examines freight rate volatility across ocean, road, rail, and air transport modes, and highlights management practices from the perspective of shippers and logistics service providers. It also provides a classification and analysis of indices and digital business models in the freight sector, thus making a significant contribution to a better understanding of the tools available on the market and their individual value propositions for shippers, forwarders and carriers.  In addition to fluctuating freight rates, sustainability concerns are also becoming increasingly important. “I am convinced that in the near future, decision-makers or customers, respectively, will not care so much whether it costs x € per kilogram, but how high the carbon footprint is in the goods procurement process,” says Holger Seehusen.

 

Workshops and interviews

After the official start of the project in August 2021, workshops were held in the following three months; the final presentation took place in December 2021. Work then started on the study. Besides the University of St. Gallen and Militzer & Münch, other logistics service providers, shippers, IT providers, and a commercial law firm were involved.

In addition to the regular exchange within the consortium, 44 interviews were conducted with logistics experts between early September and the end of November, and used as source material for the compilation of the study.

“We defined relevant criteria to determine a suitable segmentation of logistics markets,” says Prof. Dr. Erik Hofmann from the University of St. Gallen. “Based on these criteria, e.g., geographic reach, mode of transport, and carrier, we examined four relevant logistics scenarios. Our goal was for the study to provide practitioners with a basis for implementing concrete solutions.”

Interested parties can access the study free of charge via the following link:

https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/266520/

 

Supply Chain Innovation Day

Participation in the study is only part of Militzer & Münch’s commitment to the Association of the Institute of Supply Chain Management at the University of St.Gallen. In order to get young people interested in the field of logistics and to draw their attention to Militzer & Münch as an employer, Holger Seehusen was a speaker at the Supply Chain Innovation Day initiated by the University of St. Gallen in Rorschach on Lake Constance last year. Militzer & Münch was also represented there with a small information booth. This year, Eva-Charlotte Dürr, Group Project Manager Pharmaceuticals, M&M Militzer & Münch International Holding AG, Switzerland, and Vignesh Pandi, Trade Lane Manager North America Airfreight, M&M air sea cargo GmbH, Germany, participated in the Supply Chain Innovation Day on September 27.

Market study participation

St. Gallen, October 6, 2022. How do shippers cope with the fluctuating freight rates in logistics? The University of St. Gallen tackled this question with a diverse research consortium from the logistics industry. The result is a 132-page study that addresses challenges, practices, and instruments. Militzer & Münch participated in the study.

For several years now, Militzer & Münch has been a member of the Association of the Institute of Supply Chain Management at the University of St.Gallen. The institute regards itself as an international platform for the dialogue between science and practice in the field of Supply Chain Management. Holger Seehusen, Managing Director of M&M air sea cargo GmbH, regularly participates in various activities. For him, involvement in the study was an opportunity to demonstrate what practices shippers, forwarders and brokers can adopt to counteract volatile freight rates in logistics markets.


Volatile freight rates and sustainability

The study, titled “Managing Volatility in Logistics Markets”, examines freight rate volatility across ocean, road, rail, and air transport modes, and highlights management practices from the perspective of shippers and logistics service providers. It also provides a classification and analysis of indices and digital business models in the freight sector, thus making a significant contribution to a better understanding of the tools available on the market and their individual value propositions for shippers, forwarders and carriers.  In addition to fluctuating freight rates, sustainability concerns are also becoming increasingly important. “I am convinced that in the near future, decision-makers or customers, respectively, will not care so much whether it costs x € per kilogram, but how high the carbon footprint is in the goods procurement process,” says Holger Seehusen.

 

Workshops and interviews

After the official start of the project in August 2021, workshops were held in the following three months; the final presentation took place in December 2021. Work then started on the study. Besides the University of St. Gallen and Militzer & Münch, other logistics service providers, shippers, IT providers, and a commercial law firm were involved.

In addition to the regular exchange within the consortium, 44 interviews were conducted with logistics experts between early September and the end of November, and used as source material for the compilation of the study.

“We defined relevant criteria to determine a suitable segmentation of logistics markets,” says Prof. Dr. Erik Hofmann from the University of St. Gallen. “Based on these criteria, e.g., geographic reach, mode of transport, and carrier, we examined four relevant logistics scenarios. Our goal was for the study to provide practitioners with a basis for implementing concrete solutions.”

Interested parties can access the study free of charge via the following link:

https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/266520/

 

Supply Chain Innovation Day

Participation in the study is only part of Militzer & Münch’s commitment to the Association of the Institute of Supply Chain Management at the University of St.Gallen. In order to get young people interested in the field of logistics and to draw their attention to Militzer & Münch as an employer, Holger Seehusen was a speaker at the Supply Chain Innovation Day initiated by the University of St. Gallen in Rorschach on Lake Constance last year. Militzer & Münch was also represented there with a small information booth. This year, Eva-Charlotte Dürr, Group Project Manager Pharmaceuticals, M&M Militzer & Münch International Holding AG, Switzerland, and Vignesh Pandi, Trade Lane Manager North America Airfreight, M&M air sea cargo GmbH, Germany, participated in the Supply Chain Innovation Day on September 27.

Militzer & Münch Turkmenistan – 25 years of reliable service

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.

Militzer & Münch Turkmenistan – 25 years of reliable service

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.

Militzer & Münch Uzbekistan – 25 years of textile knowhow

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.”

Multimodal via the Middle Corridor

The Middle Corridor is currently gaining ground as a promising alternative to the Northern Corridor of the New Silk Road. The route connects exporters from China or Kazakhstan in particular with Northeast, Southeast, and Central Europe.

For their customers, Militzer & Münch experts organize multimodal transports along the New Silk Road: by ship from Aktau and Kuryk in Kazakhstan via the Caspian Sea to the port of Baku in Azerbaijan, then by rail to Georgia, and from the ports of Batumi and Poti via the Black Sea to Europe. Already in 2017, an agreement was signed that regulates transport along the Trans-Caspian route. The route is used mainly to transport Chinese goods to European countries. From Kazakhstan, the time of transport is about 35 days.

As a rule, roughly 80 percent of Chinese goods reach Europe by sea. Currently, the Middle Corridor is becoming established as a reliable alternative to bypass container congestion that prevents on-time shipments at many major ports.

“Thanks to our efficient and competent global network, we were able to respond quickly to the increasing customer demand for this routing,” says Michael Spitzlei, Head of Business Segment Rail at M&M air sea cargo GmbH.

Our goals: effectiveness, conformity, and compliance

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.

Militzer & Münch China – now also in Ningbo

Ningbo, August 1, 2022. Ningbo, a major port and industrial hub in east China’s Zhejiang province, is the newest location for Militzer & Münch in China; the Ningbo branch office was opened on August 1. In line with the M&M growth strategy, M&M China is now also present in one of the economic centers southeast of the Yangtze River Delta.

The new location will help to improve the M&M network and presence in the area and aims to enhance local sales and to consistently provide diversified and high standard services to our clients.

Under branch manager Sherry Xie, the new location offers the full range of M&M services. Sherry Xie has 17 years of experience in the freight forwarding industry; she is regarded a specialist for the Middle East route, and will focus on developing the Middle Eastern, European and Southeast Asian market.

… and a new Director South China

Carl Gao, previously Branch Manager of the Shanghai office, has been appointed Regional Director South China to support business development in the region, which comprises the M&M offices in Shanghai, Ningbo, Chongqing and Shenzhen. The new function improves the management structure of the Chinese country unit.

A successor at the helm of the Shanghai branch will be appointed in the near future.