Innovation and process efficiency are the keys to the logistics of tomorrow. We are continuously working to improve both with our customers’ requirements in mind.

We maintain long-standing business relationships with many of our customers and collaborate with them in a spirit of trust on a wide variety of different assignments. We can play to our strengths in particular when it comes to realizing custom solutions or designing and subsequently operating entire logistics centers. Above and beyond this, we also provide extremely reliable and efficient logistics services 365 days a year. Irrespective of the nature and scope of the contract, it is essential that we understand our customers’ business and anticipate their needs in our planning and consulting as well as any changes within their industry or in the market. One of the ways in which we do this is through supporting the transition to electromobility – a key challenge for many of our customers – by continuously expanding our services and our own expertise in the field. Long-term contracts not only enable us to act with such foresight, but also open up scope for sustainability-related investments.

Our new C3 logistics center, which in all Hanseatic modesty admittedly sets benchmarks when it comes to sustainability, is a case in point. In 2022, we consolidated the production supply for the global assembly plants of a leading automotive manufacturer here. In addition to meeting the needs of our customers, C3 Bremen also places a focus on what our employees expect of a modern workplace. Furthermore, it sets a new environmental standard for logistics real estate – with the largest continuous roof-mounted PV system in Germany to date and CO₂-neutral operation. We are certain that our customers will benefit on many levels from the way we are helping to shape the sustainable logistics of the future, enabling us to secure a good long-term position in the market.

Structures and processes for dependable quality

We contractually assure our customers of the quality of our services and aim to convince them anew every day that we are the right choice of partner for their logistics challenges. In doing so, we focus on long-term cooperation and at the same time are pleased when companies decide in our favor for the first time – as was again the case in the reporting year. Thus, we not only became a logistics partner to Deutz AG, for which we manage an external warehouse for engine shipping at the Cologne site, but also opened a logistics center with an area of 63,000 square meters in Magdeburg for a new customer from the fashion industry.

To make sure we can perform at the top of our game at all times, we also critically review our own structures and processes on an ongoing basis. This resulted in restructuring on two levels in the reporting year – always with the goal of optimizing the way in which we meet the needs of the market and our customers. The two previously separate Board of Management functions AUTOMOBILE and CONTRACT were merged and in line with the “one face to the customer” principle placed under the management of Matthias Magnor, who after one year as Head of the CONTRACT Division has now been appointed to the newly created position of COO. There were also changes within the CONTRACT Division, which was restructured and now consists of the three areas Contract Operations, Customer & Business Development, and Performance Support. In addition, we have done away with the division into retail and industrial logistics and going forward will mainly serve the three market segments Consumer & Fashion, Industry & Energy and Mobility, i.e., everything to do with the automotive industry and mobility.

It goes without saying that the systematic reduction of loss ratios is another important indicator of the quality of our performance, which is why we are continuously looking for possibilities to achieve this. To this end, our central Quality departments are responsible for establishing, refining and overseeing certification of our quality management systems. They also drive forward the integration and operationalization of our environmental, occupational health and safety and energy management systems. The majority of our German and foreign locations – including all sites in the AUTOMOBILE Division – are certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001, the automotive locations additionally according to VDA 6.2. Our customers also regularly carry out their own audits at our car terminals. In the CONTRACT Division, we work alongside our customers’ production processes and in some cases our services are even closely dovetailed with theirs. Here we harness potential for improvement through regular exchanges at operational and management level. Focusing on optimizing value-creating activities is an important success factor. To help us continuously streamline individual processes, entire systems and consequently our overall performance, we organize our workflows according to lean management criteria and rely on the Six Sigma management system.