In the course of 2009, the transport logistics division of the Hermes Logistik Gruppe (HLG) will be unveiled on the market under the name of Hermes Transport Logistics to take up the competition for new customers on the European market. Besides the swap bodies the company has deployed to date, up to 2,500 trailers will also be used for international FTL transport. The integration of Otto International Logistics into the company enables it to add sea and freight to its FTL business in 2009.
"Hermes is exploiting is in-depth experience in national and European distance selling and its undoubted expertise in FTL business to secure the success of the new brand," says Frank Rausch, executive board member responsible for transport logistics. "Otto International Logistics is making a major contribution with its competence and decades of experience as an import freight forwarder – even overseas. With such a backbone, we can provide national and international customers with a full-range service offering of logistics services all from under one roof."
In paving the way for the planned European expansion, Hermes is converting its traditional swap body operations to trailer-based FTL business to comply with international demand. In the medium term, up to 2,500 semi-trailers will be used to operate FTL traffic in the key European markets of the UK, France, Italy, Austria, Benelux and increasingly in Germany. Talks have already been held with various high-volume shippers on networking transportation services that can be economically and ecologically better distributed through the Hermes network. Effective 1 March 2009, Frank Rausch will lead Hermes into the sea and air freight business. In doing so, he will draw on the experience of Otto International Logistics which is to be integrated into the new company. In an initial step, transport logistics will manage the freight volumes of the Otto Group and other clients that import goods particularly from Asia. Eckhardt Fechtner, currently responsible for the air and sea freight business for the Otto Group at OIL, will be joining the executive board at Hermes Transport Logistics.
"We are aiming to turn the Transport Logistics brand into a technological leader with a significant share of the German and European market by 2013," explains Eckhardt Fechtner. "Our new full-service offer opens up exciting opportunities for profitable growth particularly through the acquisition of new clients who are looking to take advantage of appealing product innovations and service – as well as favourable freight costs."