Interviews Archives - Page 3 of 4

Interview with CQR Amsterdam and Rotterdam

Posted on 30 January, 2015 | by admin

Interview with CQR Amsterdam/Rotterdam

Our CQR member in Amsterdam / Rotterdam is one of our newer members, representing the network in both Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Last week, we sat down with Inver Gase, Managing Director/Co-Owner at the NBK Amsterdam office, to find out more about this century old company and its 21st century operations.

Q. When and how did you get into the freight forwarding industry?

A. I started my career in the airfreight forwarding industry, about 30 years ago. After graduating in Construction Engineering, (BEng) I became fed up with this industry and took an opportunity to launch a new career in the logistics industry, as a freight forwarder entrepreneur running my own show. After 20 years of operation, I sold this company.

Q. Can you tell us a little about the history of NBK AIR AND OCEAN and when you joined?

A. After selling my company I worked on the pay-roll for various companies at management level, but it didn’t give me the same satisfaction as when I was running my own business.

In 2012, I teamed-up with the NBK Group and shortly after that I decided to start-up NBK Air & Ocean BV at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol as a part-owner of this company. The brand NBK was established almost 100 years ago (1919) near the biggest port in Europe with a specialization in transportation of wood products. Through the Years, we have gained a lot of knowledge and experience which have enabled us to become a reliable 4PL service provider. This regards transport by road, sea, air, rail or a combination of these. We coordinate the logistics from the origin to the place of destination.

Q. Does your company specialise in any particular kind of shipment or service?

A. We are specialized in several fields of logistics, the Group NBK consists of several divisions, with 30000m2 warehousing, our own fleet of container trucks, hazardous cargo specialist, IATA and AEO licensed. Our no nonsense attitude combined with perseverance and clear, open communication makes the difference. We will always give our best service to each agent or client, no matter the size of the shipment.

Q. What would be the most significant shipment your company has handled?

A. The one that sticks most in my mind occurred on Christmas Day, 2012. A vessel belonging to one of our customers (a ship-owner) became stuck in Cartagena port, Colombia needing spare parts from The Netherlands. It was absolutely mandatory that these spares arrived within 24 hours at Cartagena airport, with no transhipping in Bogota. With much of the world shutdown for the holiday season, we knew it was going to be a challenge.

Thanks to trust we have built with our agent partners over the years, we were able to provide a seamless service. Our team managed to book all cargo on a KLM flight into Curacao on Christmas day and there our agent chartered a small aircraft for the short journey onto Cartagena. Despite the odds being stacked against us, we managed to make the delivery on time with the spare parts arriving on board the vessel on Christmas day evening.

Q. What are the challenges facing the freight forwarding industry in The Netherlands and/or the world at the moment?

A. Big challenges; well the industry is changing fast and competition is tough. In the Airfreight industry, we are seeing a large decrease in freighter/maindeck capacity. With new aircrafts, we are gaining tremendous belly capacity which is sold into the market at low cost. Our challenge is to find a match in cargo for a pure freighter service at high yield and substantial turnover on the larger belly capacity with lower yield.

In the end, we just keep doing what we do, providing the best service possible. With the capacity of the group and several different kinds of products, our continuity is secured.

Q. You are registered to attend our annual meeting in May this year. Why in your opinion is attending a network’s annual meeting so important?

A. Logistics remains a people’s business, making new friends and getting to know each other is the basis of long lasting relationships. Two members of the NBK team, Rini Verhoef and Bud Klein, are attending the annual meeting. It is always great to meet so many agents, partners, friends in one place without travelling across the globe constantly.

Q. What are your goals for the meeting?

A. Work hard, party hard! Our aims are to meet our partners and introduce them to NBK and vice-versa. The knowledge we will gain from the meeting, will ensure we can provide our clients with a higher level of service and cooperation of our agencies around the globe.

NBK Air & Ocean BV is a perfect example of the type of members we want in our network. A team committed to growing their business through mutual cooperation.

Interview with CQR Geneva

Posted on 17 October, 2014 | by admin

4 years since opening its doors, our member in Geneva has secured its position not only in the regular freight market but also in the time-sensitive and event shipping markets

Managing Director, Thierry Moreno recently spoke with us about these niche areas and what prompted him to start the company in the beginning.

Q. Can you tell us how you got into the FF industry and what prompted you to start NV Log?

A. I began my freight forwarding career in 1989 as a young 18 year old apprentice. Switzerland has a culture of freight forwarding and such a profession is not as rare as elsewhere. I worked for medium and large forwarders in their operations departments, as a sales representative and then Director of the seafreight & crosstrade department at the former leading company DANZAS, acquired by Deutsche Poste / DHL in 1999.

After 10 years with DHL Global Forwarding as a sales representative and Director of seafreight/crosstrade department I decided to start my own business. I was tired of passing the time issuing internal reports and fighting to implement new ideas. I wanted to go back to the heart of logistics and created NV Logistics in 2010.

Q. Can you tell us about the ‘VITAL LOGISTICS’ branch of NV Log?

A. Vital Logistics is one of our most promising niche markets. In 2011, I recognized the biotechnology and medical industry as a way to develop my business. For any freight forwarder wanting to start in this area, I would warn them that they should not underestimate how costly in both time and money it is.

After developing and implementing our own quality system to comply with the European GDP’s, in late 2012 we obtained the Swissmedic (Swiss FDA) authorization to store therapeutic goods in early 2013.

Since spring 2014, we have started gaining new clients from this very demanding industry. It took almost 3 years to achieve this and the only way to recoup the large investment (cold room, freezers, temperature controlled vehicles, thermo loggers, passive packaging etc.) is to have regular existing business. Our ultimate aim is to compete and if possible surpass the high quality standards of the two actual leaders in this niche market, Worldcourier and Marken.

Q. With terrorism in the forefront of every government’s minds, how does NV Log ensure complete security when shipping hazardous and biopharmaceutical materials?

A. Failure is not an option! When a patients’ life is in your hands for example, we must ensure the highest quality which means anticipating more than just reacting to issues. We monitor not only the position of every single vehicle from our fleet with GPS systems but also inside temperature, humidity and conditions. For the most critical transport of category A virus or bacteria, we also monitor the exact routing of the vehicle and any deviations are immediately identified in real time 24/24 and 7/7. Also staff selection and training is a huge key to success!

Q. Another niche area which NV Log operates in is Events Logistics, when did this begin?

A. Events Logistics is our baby. It began life as one of our other niche areas at the request of one of our clients, the Geneva Opera. We organized their Mexican tour in 2013 with 2 x 40′ for their Monterrey and Mexico shows. Thanks to the success of this project, we decided to promote this service to other clients in this industry as well.

Q. What is the key to success in Events Logistics?

A. With each project, we gain valuable experience and experience is the key. This is experience which allows us to anticipate issues. Despite all the preparation and forethought, issues still pop up and this is again our experience that will permit us to properly manage them. Here again, failure is not an option!

Although only 4 years old, NV Log has certainly had a meteoric rise and we can’t wait to see where they will be in another 4.

Interview with CQR Kuala Lumpur

Posted on 12 September, 2014 | by admin

CQR Kuala Lumpur covers 5 cities across Malaysia on behalf of Conqueror and Director-MTO Sapee Ismail and his team are highly thought of by both Conqueror head office and fellow members. With attendance at every meeting to date, Subalipack consistently proves that cooperation is the key to success. We recently spoke with Sapee about the company, its operations and its future plans.

Q. Could you tell us a little about the history of Subalipack and when you joined?

A. Subalipack Malaysia was founded in May 1981 as a humble transport distribution and relocation company. In mid-2009, it was awarded the Multimodal Transport Operators (MTO) license by the Ministry of Finance, Malaysia allowing it to participate in the government procurement and project logistics business.

Thus in August of the same year, the company began its operations in setting up the MTO Division and promoting business development, especially in the freight forwarding tendering and service presentation. In order to be competitive and result orientated, we needed a good and reliable freight network of partners worldwide for the EXWork and FOB terms for origin support services. And we are proud to have been a member of CONQUEROR FREIGHT NETWORK since 2011.

Q. Does Subalipack specialise in any particular kind of shipment/service?

A. Throughout the challenging years, Subalipack Malaysia has become the largest and the preferred local company, actively engaged in the business of transportation of household goods and commercial logistics. Other services include office and industrial relocation, freight forwarding and customs brokerage, storage and distribution, records management and the latest Multimodal Transport Operation (MTO).

Q. What is the most challenging relocation project your team has handled?

A. Well, in our case, it’s more the type of shipments, rather than any individual one, which are challenging. One of these would be the industrial relocation of plants and machineries for the Malaysian German Institute of Engineering which includes the dismantling and installation in just 14 days. Others are the FOB importation of 6 set trains (6 units per set) from Masan Port to Port Klang and then the final delivery to site. And finally, the multiple shipments of steel pipes, beams and plates on FOB from Antwerp and Japan Mill ports to Port Klang and barging onward to the sites private jetty at Lumut Port for Newfield Peninsula Malaysia (Oil and Gas Project).

Q. How does the team deal with these challenges and ensure a successful result?

A. With dedication and commitment, hands-on project coordination through every stage of the operation with detailed technical planning to the modus operandi.

Q. What sets Subalipack apart from other Freight Forwarders in Malaysia?

A. Excellent cooperation with customers, partners and staff, ongoing improvement in performance, system and strategy and customers satisfaction. Put simply; we care, we dare, we deliver.

Q. What are your plans for Subalipack over the next few years?

A. The future is definitely bright! As a result of our consistently high quality performance in the industry, Subalipack Malaysia has had its appointment as the exclusive relocation company for PETRONAS CARIGALI personnel transfer worldwide extended for another 3 years, until 2017. In addition, as a license holder, we have also been invited to participate in the project logistics of PETRONAS wholly owned company and subsidiary and joint ventures partners in production sharing activities. So, all in all, we have a busy few years ahead.

Interview with CQR Riga

Posted on 26 June, 2014 | by admin

Our member in Riga joined Conqueror in February this year as the network’s exclusive member in Riga, Latvia.

Andrey Sherstobitov, Rinosta’s Liner Manager, recently spoke with us about the company and the changes and advances it has undertaken over the 20 years since it began.

Q. When and how did you get into the freight forwarding industry?

A. My life in the shipping industry started 2 decades ago when I was a young graduate straight out of Riga Aviation University. My first job was in a company where I was appointed the Riga agent for the container line – Sea Land.

Q. When and why did you join Rinosta?

A. At the end of ’90’s, when Sea Land was acquired by Maersk there was a merger of staff from both agencies in Riga. I took this as an opportunity to get out of a big organization. This was when I then joined Rinosta.

Q. On the 8th August 2013, SIA “RINOSTA SHIPPING AGENCY” joined forces with the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) on a project which became called “The External marketing activity of SIA “Rinosta Shipping Agency” in 2013″. Could you tell us a little more about this?

A. The objective of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) is to promote business development by facilitating more foreign investment, in parallel increasing the competitiveness of Latvian entrepreneurs in both domestic and foreign markets. In Rinosta’s case, we received EU funds through the LIAA in order to further our advertising and also our participation in international transport fairs like TransRussia which was held in Moscow last year. As a result, we have been able to take Rinosta to the next level in terms of trading internationally and attracting overseas partners.

Q. What would be the most significant shipment your company has handled? What challenges did it pose and how did your team overcome them and successfully complete the shipment?

A. In reply to such a question, people in shipping often recall an exceptional OOG, heavy or ultra-fast cargo delivery; mentioning meters, tons, hours, minutes etc. The truth is that this doesn’t impress everyone.

At Rinosta Shipping, we work with these aforementioned cargo types on a regular basis, and when tasks are defined in advance, normally, processes run smoothly and on time. Difficulties may arise with unexpected shipments even if it’s in standard containers; such as when a client requests a last minute delivery of a substantial volume of cargo to a far off land, for example.

Two months ago, we received an urgent request from one of our clients to ship fertilizers from Latvia to Beira (Mozambique) in some 166×20′ in one shipment. We had just 1 week to find and choose a carrier, reserve space and equipment and fix the booking and trucks for pre-carriage from loading place to the port. Despite the loading place being in Latvia, Klaipeda port (Lithuania) was considered as POL due to inland route optimization..

Excellent cooperation between the staff at our two offices in Riga and Klaipeda, their good communication with the carrier line and the trucking companies meant for a successful shipping process.

Q. Next year Rinosta will be celebrating its 20th Anniversary? How different is Rinosta now to 1995?

A. In short, Rinosta has changed A LOT. It is almost unrecognizable. The company has gone from focusing on dedicated single break bulk cargo flow in Riga port to a multipurpose entity which handles FCL, LCL, FTL, LTL, AF and warehousing activities within the Baltic States.

Interview with CQR Tema/Accra

Posted on 20 June, 2014 | by admin

We recently sat down with the Business Development Executive, Ama Agyewaa Agyei, of CQR Tema/Accra to find out the history behind the company and the challenges facing freight forwarders in Ghana.

Q. SevenLog is a fairly new player in the industry being just 2 years old and yet is a big name in Ghana, what has been the secret to its overnight success?

A. I wouldn’t call it overnight success really. It is a success story still being written even after two years. All the members of the Seven Log family had prior experience in different fields of the industry before being carefully handpicked to make a difference in Ghana’s maritime and logistics industry. From inception, we all bought into the dream and worked tirelessly to deliver only the best in quality service for the customer (sometimes even at our expense).

Q.Can you tell us the significance of the name SevenLog?

A. Well first, we specialize in seven areas in shipping and logistics. Also, a look at the African map shows it is shaped like the figure seven. On our rendition (logo) which includes the number 7, the seven is drawn from Ghana, our location, across the map and downward. It is our dream to cover the African continent with time. We also coined the 7rs of logistics to cater to the needs of the customers- Delivering the Right product to the Right Customer at the Right time at the Right place in the Right condition in the Right quantity and at the Right cost.

Q. Does SevenLog specialise in any particular services?

A. Yes we do, we specialize in Shipping agency, Customs clearance, Warehousing, Trucking, Shore Handling, Stevedoring and Material Logistics. Thankfully we continue to prove that Jack can be a master of his many trades.

Q. What would be SevenLog’s most memorable/significant shipment?

A. That would be chartering an airplane to move some containers of army material that were wrongly discharged in Tema, to Yaounde. We had barely 24 hours to pull that off due to the sensitivity of the cargo, but we did. It wasn’t easy, but we did.

Q. What are the biggest challenges facing freight forwarding in Ghana at the moment?

A. At the moment, port congestion is the primary concern. The port requires serious expansion to cope with the increasing demand with regards to sea freight. The port authority is well advised and we believe measures are being put in place in that regard. Undeniably, there are also bottlenecks here and there with regards to customs clearance procedures and delays in cargo inspection due to the increased traffic through the scanner.

Q. How does your team manage and meet these challenges?

A. We are a gold member with Customs and the Destination Inspection Companies. This translates to reduced turnaround time for vessels we cater to, and facilitation of shipments through the otherwise lengthy process. As shipping agents, we have built good relationships with the port authorities, regulatory bodies, as well as with our competitors. In Ghana and other African countries, importance is placed on socio-cultural practices and traditional values which come in very handy when you have a job to do.

Q. What are SevenLog’s medium to long-term goals?

A. It is SevenLog’s aim to be the most reliable logistics partner locally and internationally. We hope to start our global expansion with West Africa and provide quality industry specific solutions to all our clients worldwide. At the moment, we have offices and facilities spread across all Ghana’s major trade ports. That’s a good start I guess.

Interview with CQR Prague

Posted on 21 March, 2014 | by admin

Conqueror’s exclusive agent in Prague, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and we sat down with founder and owner Jan Mádl to get the inside story on the company and why they believe education in this industry is so important.

Q. How did you get into the freight forwarding industry?

A. It was actually a continuation of my university studies. One of the departments at the University of Economics in Prague is ‘Logistics’ and they were and still are able to provide a joint course of theory and practical experience.

Q. Having yourself studied and trained in logistics, what is your feeling on education in the freight forwarding industry?

A. In all honestly, there are very few people who can be considered to be really knowledgeable in our industry. For example, everyone can recite the Incoterms, they are on a poster on the wall of every company’s office, but those with a detailed knowledge of what these terms mean are rare; and Incoterms is just one example.

At PELMI, we believe that our staff should be well-versed in the matters of our industry and so we constantly ensure that they and ourselves are being educated and trained in the wider aspects of the logistics industry. As a company, we actually contribute to specialist periodicals and actively participate in working groups seeking to promote new logistics disciplines.

Q. Does PELMI specialize in any particular service?

A. Yes, we specialize in “High level” logistics so the transportation of things like live animals, hazardous goods (including classes 1 and 7), tank containers and flexi-tanks.

Q. What would be your most memorable shipment?

A. One that sticks in my mind was the shipping of an historical tank from Peru (EXW pedestal by local barracks to door) a couple of years ago. Due to its age and significance, it required a lot of prior planning and delicate handling.

Q. What attracted PELMI to Conqueror?

A. Conqueror has good coverage across the world so that was one attraction. In addition, we were impressed by the strict selection process and whilst of course PELMI had to pass, so has each member so we know that we are working with professional agents with are all financially healthy.

Q. Will you be attending the 3rd Annual Conqueror Meeting 9th-11th May in Kuala Lumpur?

A. Definitely! These meetings are very important for us; we know that we need to meet our partners face to face in order to build cooperation.

We would like to congratulate the team on their 10th anniversary and wish them well for the next decade. We are sure that with such a knowledgeable and experienced team, the world is their oyster..

Interview with CQR Adelaide

Posted on 12 February, 2014 | by admin

We recently spoke with Augustin Paul, our newest member in Australia, about the company and their membership in Conqueror

The brand, Lynair, has been around since 1988 and Lynair International (SA) Pty was established in South Australia by the main Shareholders, Augustin Paul and Cameron Galloway in 2002.

Q. How did you get into the freight forwarding?

A. I have been in this industry since 1983 and, prior to Lynair, worked for Global Airfreight/Singapore, Fritz Companies/UPS SCS Adelaide. My business partner, Cameron, has been in the industry since 1989 and has worked for TNT Australia, LEP International, Fritz Companies/UPS SCS Adelaide.

Q. Does Lynair specialise in any particular service?

A. In addition to international freight forwarding, we offer complete warehouse management services which includes 3PL, kitting services for intra-state and interstate distribution. Our 3500m2 warehouse facility is a multi-client purpose design and we can accommodate in access of 2000 pallets. Lynair has invested in a sophisticated WMS ERP that offers paperless and customized automation warehouse processes catered to our clients’ needs.

Q. What would be your most memorable shipment?

A. We have had quite a few memorable shipments and project cargo such as transporting a Solar Car, moving a satellite office to Male but probably the most memorable was moving an 80 ton airfreight shipment of Skin Care products to Beijing, which was successfully moved despite the challenge of an extremely short time frame.

Q. What makes Lynair different to other freight forwarders in Adelaide?

A. We believe in establishing good client relationships through confidence and trust in Lynair and offering a level of value added services that not many freight forwarders in Adelaide are set up to do. It is these strengths and many more, which make our team unique in the Adelaide market thus helping to grow our client base.

Q. You have been in the network for 6 months now, what drew you to Conqueror and how is your company benefitting from the membership?

A. Although we can represent wider Australian cities, we are however based in Adelaide and therefore we see it fit for Lynair to represent a network such as CQR that concentrates on locality and well-resourced memberships. Although, as a new member, we have not seen many correspondences from members yet, we have however established contact with members in locations that are of interest to us and have found most to be competitive in pricing and offer prompt responses.

Q. Both yourself and Sales Director Cameron Galloway are attending this year’s CQR annual meeting, what are you hoping to get out of the meeting?

A. We hope to meet as many members as possible at the meeting in order to expand and utilise services of other members in key areas we would like to focus on. Likewise, we hope to fly the Lynair flag for the rest of the network members who are keen in establishing a healthy reciprocal business and sales development.

Lynair is a perfect example of the companies we want in Conqueror, a company which understands the need for high-quality, locally based partners.

Lynair has its own corporate video and we invite members to check it out here.

Interview with CQR Kolkata

Posted on 13 December, 2013 | by admin

Capt. S.B. Mazumder is Executive Director of Conqueror’s exclusive agent in Kolkata. Recently he spoke with us about how this company has grown from its humble origins to a logistics powerhouse in all the major cities across India.

Q. Could you tell us a little about the history of the Seahorse Ship Agencies?

A. The company was founded in 1979 by two brothers Capt. Avinash C. Batra and Capt. Somesh C. Batra – both Master Mariners with a sea faring background. Initially, the business was started as a Cargo Surveyors and gradually it expanded into a shipping agency, empty container depot operator and also freight forwarding and logistics activities. Over the years, having expanded into various shipping activities, several companies were registered to “avoid conflict of interests among the various principals” and we call ourselves “THE SEAHORSE GROUP OF COMPANIES”. A few years prior to the global recession in 2008, we were also operating as NVOCC operators with leased containers. Fortunately, all containers were off hired just prior to the recession.

Over the years we have grown to a fairly large group of companies operating as the Indian Agent for several renowned Shipping Lines, namely Yang Ming Line, Korea Marine Transport Company Ltd., Ceylon Shipping Co. Ltd., Sanko Steamship Co. Ltd., BHP Billiton, and a few Chinese Tramp Ship Owners and Operators. Today, our group is considered to be one of the most professionally run shipping companies in India.

Q. When and how did you get into the industry and when did you join Seahorse?

A. I joined the company as Regional Manager on 1st June 1982 when the companies’ first branch office was opened in Kolkata Port. Gradually our offices expanded to the other metro cities of Chennai, New Delhi, Cochin, Tuticorin, Visakhapatnam, Bangalore, Ludhiana, Ahmedabad, Kandla etc. In view of my long association with this group, I was elevated to the all India position of Executive Director based in Kolkata.

Q. The company has been in operation for 34 years now, what have been its most significant achievements during those years?

A. Firstly, I would have to say the commencement and expansion from a single office in Mumbai to 16 across India with a work force of about 370. I can honestly say that our staff are our biggest asset. Our reputation as a professional company resulted in acquiring the all India agency of 8 internationally renowned container shipping lines, bulk & break bulk shipping lines & agencies of two of the world’s leading container leasing companies, namely Textainer and Triton. Most of our Container Shipping Principals after several years of operating with us, have opened their own offices in India which has become the fashion. However, two of our valued Principals namely Yang Ming Line and Sanko Steamship Co. Ltd have both opened joint venture companies with our group in India at all port locations.

We also operate another fairly large business i.e. One of our Group Companies is the largest empty container storage depot operator in India having our own depots at every Port and ICD in India. We are continuously named the ‘Best Depot’ by the world’s largest container leasing company Textainer.

Q. Does Seahorse specialise in any particular type of shipment?

A. Moving import projects in India has become one of our key areas. Even though we are not a particularly large operator, we enjoy the challenge and financial rewards they bring. One of our most memorable such shipments was the movement of a water treatment plant machinery which arrived in 60 x 40’ OT/FR cargo from the Port of Haldia to the plant about 650 Km away.

Q. What was it about CONQUEROR that initially attracted you?

A. As a freight forwarder, we had used ‘unknown companies’ in the past from all over the world as partners. As a result, we have faced a considerable loss of business due to poor service from several overseas agents and a lot of unnecessary charges were collected at some destinations. Hence, we were keen to become a member of a good worldwide freight network and thus we came across CQR and decided to join up.

Q. How does being in CONQUEROR help Seahorse Ship Agencies?

A. We have found the member companies to be generally pro-active, prompt in response and professionally sound. Business growth generally is slower at the moment due to the global recession but we are confident that as part of this network, we will see better days ahead.

Interview with CQR Dalian

Posted on 18 October, 2013 | by admin

Balance Wang, General Manager and owner of our member in Dalian, recently chatted with the CQR team about the company and how it has changed in the ten years since its foundation. He also let us in on his most memorable shipments and what the next 10 years hold for the company.

Q. Tell us a little about your company.

A. Dalian Uniline Shipping was founded 10 years ago and is approved and registered by China’s economic and trade commission NVOCC (MOC-NV05344). Our head office is in Dalian and this is the office we hold in Conqueror, but we also have branches in the main ports in China such as Tianjin, Shanghai, Qingdao, Haerbin. I am extremely fortunate to have a professional team who are capable of providing door to door services for DDP and DDU shipments including loading and customs.

Q. Does your company specialise in any particular kind of shipment?

A. China ranks in the top 5 countries globally for food exports and so consequently a one-stop-shop export service for perishables is big business for us. In addition, we are also experienced in exporting large machines and minerals.

Q. What would be Dalian’s most memorable shipment to date?

A. Well there have been many over the past decade but if I have to choose, it would be a 5000ton end-end shipment of soybeans to Korea in just 7 days. We successfully completed the seeming impossible job and it certainly proved our team’s ability to liaise and cooperate well.

Q. Next year, the company will be celebrating its 10th anniversary. Over the past decade, what has been your proudest moment as manager?

A. I think my proudest moment is now, as I look back over the past decade and see the branches we have established, our quick but yet stable business expansion and the professional staff which have joined us to make Dalian even stronger. We have also gradually developed lasting business partnerships with overseas agents.

Q. Where do you see Dalian Uniline Shipping in another 10 years?

A. We should see a significant increase in the volume of business the company is handling and thanks to the strengthening of international cooperation, we should have even more partnerships worldwide. I also hope that over the next decade our company will be ranked in the top 10 international logistics companies in the industry.

Q. Both you and Coco attended this year’s annual meeting. How useful was it to meet members face to face in terms of building business relationships?

A. Let me take this opportunity to thank you for the conference. We met and got to know many agents which we now consider partners. It was a great opportunity to learn about the different services they can provide us with and how we can help each other in our mutual goal of expanding our businesses.

Q. Do you plan on attending the 3rd Annual Conqueror Meeting in Kuala Lumpur next year?

A. Yes, we will be there so that we can get to know more agents and increase our cooperation with other members.

We are thrilled to hear Balance and Coco will be attending next year’s annual meeting. They certainly understand the benefits it can bring their business.

Interview with CQR Kuwait

Posted on 27 September, 2013 | by admin

Founded in 2006, Greenways Logistics, Conqueror’s exclusive agent in Kuwait, may seem to some a mere infant in this industry. However, in just a few short years this company has cemented itself firmly as the ‘go-to’ forwarder in Kuwait for the oil industry and the military.

Founder Abdul Kadar recently dropped by and told us a little about his career, country and his thoughts on Conqueror.

Q. How and when did you get into the freight forwarding industry?

A. My career began over 10 years before Greenways was conceived in 1996 when I got a job as a clearing and forwarding agent representing various lines such as SCI, WAN HAI, CSCL, RCL, BAY Line and ARC.

Q. On your company website it says Greenways is a ’people driven company.’ Can you tell us what you mean by this and how your staff implements this on a daily basis?

A. ’People driven company’ means that our professional staff are in a class of their own in terms of expertise in this industry as well as in their knowledge of both the local and international markets. It also means that we ensure our clients get up-to-date information and solutions for all their enquiries in a timely manner.

Q. The world has been in an economic crisis since 2008, what has been the effect on freight forwarding in Kuwait?

A. Kuwait is a 99% import oriented country, we need to import everything from pins to aeroplanes; consequently, the economic crisis has not been felt much. Greenways in particular has mostly vendors in the oil sector and so we have, thank God, not felt the crisis really at all. Although Greenways has not been affected directly, we have chosen to closely follow-up with our clients and to reassure them at this difficult time and this seems to have been very much appreciated.

Q. Does Greenways specialise in any particular type of shipment?

A. Greenways is definitely an ‘all-rounder,’ that being said we do handle vast volumes of army shipments for Kuwait and Iraq as well as Afghanistan. As I said previously, a lot of our business is in the oil industry and there is not very much that they use which is not OOG so our team has become pretty adept at moving such cargo.

Q. How important is it for Greenways to be part of a global network?

A. For a while, we had been looking for long term business relationships with good agents globally and in reality only a network can give us this.

Q. What attracted you to Conqueror?

A. What initially drew us to Conqueror was its commitment to protecting its members. Now we are in the network, other positives include the close follow up of the head office team with their members. We are also continually updated with what’s happening with our fellow members through day to day emails, updates and news, like this one! We are sure that with the support of CQR and the members, we will one day be one of the leading freight forwarders in Kuwait.

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