Tough times expected to continue into 2016

Tough times expected to continue into 2016

Cargologic managing director, Marco Gredig tells Air Cargo Week (ACW) business in Switzerland has proved difficult this year and he is not expecting any great improvement next year.

Gredig says: “Airfreight has been struggling in the whole of the Swiss market: minus seven per cent compared to 2014.”

As for the rest of the year and 2016, Gredig tells ACW: “The market will not pick up and we expect less turnover in kilogrammes and shipments until the end of 2015. For 2016 we are not too optimistic and are not expecting any change from the 2015 figures.”

Gredig says despite this, airfreight remains very important for Swiss business, as one franc in four of export volume leaves Switzerland by air. He tells ACW: “We handle pharma, high value goods, watches and parts in the machinery and electronics sectors.”

This year Cargologic has opened a new cold storage facility at Zurich Airport and moved into new premises at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg’s Cargo Terminal. Gredig says: “For Zurich we see a slight increase in pharma cargo, mainly in the transfer segment. For EuroAirport the volume handled by Cargologic is the same as last year.”

“But we think it will increase in the coming year as the industry is looking for such solutions and will reward suppliers who invested in the proper handling of pharma goods.”

In 2015, Cargologic received International Air Transport Association Center of Excellence for Independent Validators certification at Zurich and Good Distribution Practice at EuroAirport. Gredig tells ACW: “With these two certifications we are giving our customers and the air cargo industry a clear sign that our identities in Zurich and Basel are prepared to handle pharma cargo at a very high level.”

He believes this will help Cargologic increase its market share in the pharma business. Gredig says: “At these two stations we can offer our friends in the forwarding and airline business highly sophisticated pharma handling that they can rely on. Again this is a clear sign to the pharma industry that it can ship its goods via Zurich or Basel.”

In January this year, Cargologic signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Swiss WorldCargo and SATS to improve collaboration on: “Quality, e-initiatives, temperature controlled transport management and specialised handling solutions.”

Nine months on, Gredig explains to ACW: “We have already generated some benefits for all customers.

“I’m confident we will continue and improve our services with our two partners and, if I could, I would sign more MoUs with independent handling agents. But – as in the case all over the world – staff allocation is the main problem.”

Gredig says Switzerland cannot compete on price because of high costs, so it has to show its quality is worth the premium. He notes: “Personally I think the very great process skills and competencies will help us to create a good future.”

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James Graham

James Graham is an award-winning transport media journalist with a long background in the commercial freight sector, including commercial aviation and the aviation supply chain. He was the initial Air Cargo Week journalist and retuned later for a stint as editor. He continues his association as editor of the monthly supplements. He has reported for the newspaper from global locations as well as the UK.

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