Strong in Sea Freight

Just over a year ago, the Sri Lankan organization of Militzer & Münch took up operations at the port of Colombo. Despite the country’s difficult internal situation, the company keeps growing, with especially sea freight developing very well. In order to offer even better service to their customers, the team optimized the company’s IT. What’s more, Militzer & Münch Sri Lanka is now a member of FFSI, the global transportation network.

Militzer & Münch has been operating in the island nation in the Indian Ocean since 2015 – initially via a delegation office. The growing importance of Sri Lanka as a logistics hub on the Maritime Silk Road in South Asia and the expansion of the port of Colombo led to Militzer & Münch founding its own logistics company there in June 2018.

Successful in The Sea Freight Segment

Operating from the office at the port of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, the team works for a wide range of industry sectors. “Beside tea and coconut fibers, also air plane tires, raw material for textiles, electronic devices and laboratory equipment are among the goods we mainly transport”, says Dilum Stembo, Managing Director M&M Militzer & Münch (Pvt) Ltd. “In 2018, sea freight accounted for far more than half our transports.”

First Multimodal Transport

Most shipments are sent to Europe or the CIS countries. A CIS country was also the destination of Militzer & Münch Sri Lanka’s first multimodal transport. In July the team in Colombo handled a shipment from Thailand via the Russian port of Vostochny to Uzbekistan, in cooperation with sister company InterRail. The freight: about 23 tons of steam activated carbon, which Militzer & Münch transported in a 40’ high cube container. The transit time was 55 days. Additionally the team handled the transport of another two 40’ high cube containers with about 56 tons of coco fiber from Colombo to Tashkent – this could turn into a regular order for the Militzer & Münch team.

Part of The Network

In May 2019, Militzer & Münch Sri Lanka joined FFSI (Feta Freight Systems International), a transportation network within the Far East Transportation Association (FETA). “The FFSI membership offers us vast opportunities to cooperate with qualified transport companies”, says Dilum Stembo. “As part of the network, we hope to be able to further develop our business. Moreover, we and also our customers profit from a wider geographic coverage. Apart from the advantages that come with the membership, being part of FFSI also constitutes a high distinction for us, as the network only accepts the best transport companies as members.”

Customers Benefit From New IT

Continuous improvement of processes is part of the growth strategy of Militzer & Münch Sri Lanka. “It motivates us to always define new potential for optimization”, Dilum Stembo says. Recently, the team replaced the TA (transport administration) system. “The new system is much better adapted to Sri Lankan standards – it allows us to work in a more efficient way, to offer our customers even better service, and to continue growing in the market”, Dilum Stembo explains.

 

M&M Poland Now Regulated Agent

With the new status as Regulated Agent, Militzer & Münch Poland can offer its customers faster, cheaper and more secure transport of cargo by air.

Airfreight is subject to comprehensive and complex security regulations, from which shipments forwarded by a Regulated Agent are exempt. To acquire this status, companies need to undergo an accreditation audit with the responsible aviation authority and to train their staff accordingly.

The Regulated Agent status comes with advantages for logistics companies and their customers:

• Exemption from cargo security control;

• Reduction of operating costs
(no additional cargo security control at the airport needed);

• Acceleration of the cargo handling process;

• Increased credibility on the air freight market.


The New Status Motivates The Team

In late February 2019, M&M air sea cargo S.A., the air and sea freight segment of Militzer & Münch in Poland, was accorded Regulated Agent status. This is another step forward on the company’s path to further optimize and expand its customer service.

“We are happy to be able to act as Regulated Agent in line with the EU regulation for our customers”, says Artur Wojtczak, Director Sales M&M air sea cargo S.A. “This holds a big advantage for our customers, yet at the same time for us as a company it means big responsibility.” Thus, the Regulated Agent has to declare shipments as secure or not secure, among others; he has to guarantee that no prohibited items get on board with airfreight shipments, and issue the necessary accompanying documents.

Paweł Iwaniuk, Manager of the Export Department at Militzer & Münch Poland: “In view of the good development of airfreight exports – especially in the foodstuff and cosmetics sector – the Regulated Agent status is of great support to us in our everyday jobs. We can now handle export orders smoothly and much faster than before. Working within a secure supply chain will also help us win as new customers such companies that want to grow with us.”

Faster Processes and Greater Security

Smooth processes and wide geographic coverage are decisive factors for the success of an international logistics services provider. Militzer & Münch Morocco’s AEO certification helps the company to further strengthen its market position – also to the benefit of the customers.

Continuous development is part of everyday business for the Moroccan organization of Militzer & Münch; the logistics company under Managing Director Olivier Antoniotti keeps expanding at regular intervals. Among the expansions are the opening of the country’s first bonded customs warehouse in 2000, the founding of subsidiary Spedimex in 2001, and the construction of new locations in Casablanca (2003), Tangiers (2008 and 2016) and Sapino Nouaceur (2012).

Improving The Supply Chain

The foundation of this growth is the smooth supply chain, which is continuously optimized by Militzer & Münch Morocco. Since May for instance, the company has been acting as an Authorized Economic Operator (AEO, Full certificate) – which means the company was granted AEO status in Morocco. ‘Authorized Economic Operator’ is an internationally recognized certificate that simplifies customs processes and guarantees appropriate safety and security standards along the supply chain.

Headed by Olivier Antoniotti and his deputy Ahmed Zouhair, the Militzer & Münch Morocco team worked for two years to upgrade the organization to the requirements of AEO Full certificate standards. In order to receive the full certificate of Security and Safety (AEO S), the company had to meet all applicable customs and tax regulations and provide appropriate security measures and proper accounting. It was well worth the effort, and in May, Olivier Antoniotti signed the contract.

“The AEO status allows us to speed up international goods transports”, says Olivier Antoniotti. “That way, we can offer our customers simplified and more efficient transport services. We are especially proud to be the first company to have been granted AEO Full certificate status in Morocco.”

As a next step, the company is working on a full EDI connection (Electronic Data Interchange) with the Moroccan customs. This data interchange allows paperless transfer of customs declaration delivery notes and other business documents from system to system without manual intervention. As a result, processes run even faster and more effectively.

 

Ever watchful

New services, increasing export activities, and challenging projects in sight – Militzer & Münch Uzbekistan is growing rapidly and has many big plans. Khurshid Kasimdzhanov, since 2006 Managing Director of the Uzbek M&M organization, gives an insight into the current developments.

Mr. Kasimdzhanov, in how far have the logistics services Militzer & Münch Uzbekistan offers changed in the course of the past few years?

Khurshid Kasimdzhanov: As Militzer & Münch has a strong presence in Europe, in the past, we mainly offered import services from Europe. Two years ago, we entered new terrain by opening our own export department. We are very successful in this field. We have regular truck transports to CIS countries and to Europe. This step was of major importance for the development of our business.

 

Khurshid Kasimdzhanov, Managing Director, Militzer & Münch Usbekistan

 

Where do you see the challenges and opportunities for Militzer & Münch Uzbekistan at this time?

Khurshid Kasimdzhanov: Lately, many foreign logistics companies have appeared on the Uzbek market, and many new Uzbek companies have been founded. This leads to stronger competition in the logistics sector. On the other hand, there are many positive changes at this time in Uzbekistan, changes that we benefit from. Developments like the growth of e-commerce require fast and professional transport and logistics solutions. For us, this is a great opportunity, and we grow with these challenges. With the support of the Militzer & Münch Regional Management, we are continuously expanding our business. We recently moved to a big new office and took on additional staff – currently, there are twenty experts on my team.

Which change is the most advantageous for you?

Khurshid Kasimdzhanov: The main business of Militzer & Münch Uzbekistan is the import of equipment and machinery for textile production. Increasingly, the Uzbek government is selling cotton to local manufacturers for further processing, instead of just exporting raw cotton abroad as in the past. Thus, many new textile factories are taking up operations in Uzbekistan, and export their products. For our customer Uztex , we are at this time transporting 50 containers from India to the customer’s production plant in Uchkurgan, Uzbekistan.

Are you registering any future trends that might be interesting for Militzer & Münch Uzbekistan?

Khurshid Kasimdzhanov: Yes indeed; the construction sector is showing rapid growth at the moment. New hotels, office buildings and sports centers are being built everywhere. It is our strength to always be alert and keep a watchful eye on such developments. We are currently preparing for new customers from this sector, and expanding our service portfolio specifically for this industry.

Everything under one roof

In late 2018, Militzer & Münch moved to a new distribution center in Greece. At the new, spacious location in Aspropyrgos near Athens, Militzer & Münch combines different warehouses. The modern technologies and efficient usability of the new premises optimally support logistics activities and contribute to the growth of the company.

Militzer & Münch Greece has moved to a new location. The new construction at Aspropyrgos, an Athens suburb, is situated close the old warehouse near the Athens-Patras Motorway. In addition to Aspropyrgos, Militzer & Münch Greece continues operating at the second location, in Thessaloniki, the western port city.

As private consumption, the main indicator of Greek economy, remains at a low level, and the manufacturing industry is all but non-existent, Militzer & Münch has shifted its focus to value added services. Being the leading provider of these services in Greece, Militzer & Münch early on recognized the opportunity. “The move to the new logistics facility allows offering such services as labeling, picking and packing, warehousing and customs management at a very high level”, says Panagiotis Manolopoulos, Managing Director M&M Militzer & Münch S.A.

Bundling activities at one location 

With a storage area of 13,605 square meters and a 500 square meter zone for offices and staff rooms, the new complex lets the Militzer & Münch Greece team combine all the activities handled at Aspropyrgos under one roof. Until autumn 2018, warehousing and office areas were spread over four buildings at different addresses.

Not only does the building offer lots of space, it also comes with optimal ceiling height. Thanks to the space-saving sprinkler system under the roof, the employees can make efficient use of the space available: the shelves go up to almost ten meters in height.

In terms of technological and ecological aspects, the warehouse offers enormous added value, too. “We have here a very modern, energy-efficient new building equipped with state-of-the-art technology”, Panagiotis Manolopoulos says. “The warehouse features 14 electronically controlled ramps. Transparent overhead light strips allow working by daylight almost full-time and reduce energy consumption.” With high speed Internet and innovative warehouse management software laying the technological base, the company can now offer the entire service spectrum of a 3PL and 4PL provider.

The move, and the growth it enables, were duly celebrated. “On January 21, we festively inaugurated the new building”, says Panagiotis Manolopoulos. “Apart from our main customers, the directors of the German-Greek Chamber of Commerce and the Greek Forwarders’ Association attended.”

In Istanbul: a 6,000 square meter logistics area

On 1st October, the Militzer & Münch Turkey team moved to a new office and a new warehouse in Istanbul. The location, optimally situated in vicinity of Istanbul’s Muratbey customs office, lends itself for cross docking and also allows a wide range of logistics services; it also simplifies overland transports between Europe and Turkey.

Militzer & Münch Turkey has been operating the new warehouse and office at Hadımköy, Istanbul, since October 1st, 2018. From this location, the team offers mainly road transports going to Europe, but also to other destinations such as the Balkans and CIS countries.

Despite the economic situation of the country, Militzer & Münch Turkey managed to develop successfully. “We succeeded in winning new customers and increasing our turnover; and in the past months, we were able to dedicate more time to such services as intermodal solutions”, says Cem Ulusoy, Managing Director of Militzer & Münch Turkey. The future looks very bright to the Turkish M&M organization. “Increasing our market share, developing our transports volumes, and also concentrating on combined traffics and the project business still are and remain our targets.”

At a total area of 5,700 square meters, of which 350 square meters office space, the facility has more capacity than the former warehouse and also provides the possibility to offer additional logistic services. “3,000 square meters of the facility alone are dedicated for bonded storage”, says Cem Ulusoy. “Other sectors we use for cross docking for export shipments and as storage and distribution center for domestic goods.”

The sales team at Militzer & Münch Turkey profits from the facility’s optimal situation in Istanbul. “The new location is near the Muratbey customs office, which seals all export trucks. Moreover, many big corporations with import and export business are domiciled around us within a 20-kilometer radius”, Cem Ulusoy says. “The close proximity lets us reach existing customers and potential new ones much better.”

The Lapis Lazuli Route reopened

In earlier times on camelback, today via truck: since the end of 2018, the famous trade corridor between Afghanistan and Europe has been reopened. The transport route, named for the blue semi-precious stone, dates back more than 5,000 years and comprises the shortest overland and sea routes between Central Asia and Europe.

At the Afghanistan Regional Economic Cooperation Conference in November 2017, the foreign ministers of the countries involved – Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey – signed the transport and transit agreement concerning the Lapis Lazuli Route. The roads, railway tracks and waterways connect Europe and Turkey, via the shortest routes, with Afghanistan and Central Asia, and via the New Silk Road also with China.

The reopening of the Lapis Lazuli Route is meant to promote regional cooperation and to strengthen the economic and cultural relations between Asia and Europe. In the long term, the initiative will also boost Afghanistan’s infrastructure and economy.

3,000 years before Christ 

The Lapis Lazuli Route is part of the old Silk Road. The name is inspired by the history of the trade routes used to export lapis lazuli (Latin for: blue stone) more than 2,000 years ago from Afghanistan to the Caucasus, to Russia, the Balkans, to Europe and North Africa.

More than 6,000 years ago, man began mining the valuable lapis lazuli deposits for export to far-away regions. Parts of the trade lanes that make today’s Lapis Lazuli Route between Afghanistan and countries to the west were established already in the third millennium before Christ. Using different routes, caravans of up to 4,000 animals covered distances of 3,000 and more kilometers to take lapis lazuli and other rocks mined in Afghanistan to Mesopotamia and Egypt.

The only suitable means of transport were donkeys and camels. While donkeys carried the goods safely across the eastern mountain ranges, the camels were able to cover the rest of the distance across the sandy desert, owing to the fat storage in their humps. On arrival in Mesopotamia, the traders exchanged the blue stone, among others, against wool and grains.

The Lapis Lazuli corridor in the 21st century

For a long time, owing to insufficient infrastructure along sections of the route and the economic and political instability of the countries involved, the route was impassable. Massive investments in connection with the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative), China’s program to push the development of the New Silk Road, contributed to the revival of the old trade routes. This also benefitted the projects of the Militzer & Münch group in Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey.

Today, the Lapis Lazuli Route is of interest for the transport of cotton, dried fruit and sesame products, which can now be delivered to Europe within the shortest time via the reopened sea and overland routes.

 

“Logistics is an essential part of a company’s success”

As Managing Director of the courier and express service provider EMEX Kazakhstan, Tatyana Vorobyeva is familiar with the challenges and opportunities of the logistics industry. Since 2003 EMEX, a Militzer & Münch company, has been offering KEP (courier, express and parcel) services for particularly urgent shipments. The company benefits from the philosophy and global network of FedEx.

Ms. Vorobyeva, what was your motivation to work in the logistics industry when you started your career?

Tatyana Vorobyeva: To me, logistics is not just a necessary business tool – it is a real business driver. It is an opportunity to show not only professional skill, but also creative abilities. From shipment to delivery, the collaboration of many people is involved.  This can be compared to a living organism, which must constantly, clearly and harmoniously function – without ever stopping. Movement and achieving the desired results are my main incentive and motivator.

What are your tasks and biggest challenges at the head of EMEX? 

Tatyana Vorobyeva: For me, the main task of a manager is centrally managing  the employees’ mindsets. I want to motivate each employee and direct their energy so we can achieve our common goals.

EMEX employees at the winter sports company event “EMEX Asiada 2018“

What were the most important milestones for EMEX? 

Tatyana Vorobyeva: The most significant achievement for EMEX was the opportunity to represent both the TNT and FedEx brands in the Kazakh market. In connection with the merger of FedEx and TNT, we implemented many important improvements for a successful transition at a crucial juncture and in a short span of time. We successfully increased our scope and revenue, and improved our business processes and operations. The whole procedure was complex and time-consuming – nevertheless, our team at EMEX fulfilled all necessary actions and requirements. We can call the project “merger FedEx / TNT in Kazakhstan” a true success. EMEX hired more than 45 new employees after the merger of FedEx and TNT. Today the total EMEX workforce exceeds 105 specialists. The company has doubled in size during the transition period, which took approximately three months.

Why has Militzer & Münch implemented the courier and express service EMEX?

Tatyana Vorobyeva: EMEX was founded in 1998. As business became increasingly global, competitive, and rapidly changing, everyone from entrepreneurs to large companies needed accelerated delivery. So they turned to us for flexible and innovative solutions. To offer these became priority number one when the M&M Militzer & Münch Group express delivery service was established.

What services does EMEX offer?

Tatyana Vorobyeva: By now, we have compiled a unique portfolio of services – from express delivery, forwarding and customs clearance of cargoes to complex solutions that completely cover the needs of our existing and potential partners. We deliver more than packages. We simplify international transport by helping customers manage their imports and exports by sea, air, or land. Also, EMEX pays special attention to developing the cooperation with the E-commerce segment. For the convenience of online stores, we introduced a universal product designer that allows our customers to select additional options beyond the basic package of express services – for example cash on delivery or partial redemption.

EMEX is very successful in Kazakhstan. What is the secret of its success?

Tatyana Vorobyeva: One of the main attributes of the success of EMEX is the introduction of the FedEx philosophy into people’s day-to-day business processes. The philosophy focuses on people’s commitment and business success. The people-service-profit philosophy is based on the confidence that by creating a favorable working environment for employees, the company motivates the staff to provide better customer service. This leads to consumer confidence and increases the demand for EMEX / FedEx / TNT products and services.

What are the future goals for EMEX? 

Tatyana Vorobyeva: EMEX supports policies that promote the interests of our customers, team members, owners and businesses. The goals from the point of view of shareholders and the company as a whole are growth and profitability.

In Hamburg, we benefit from short distances

The “Gateway to the World” – a self-confident label the port and trading city of Hamburg has been using for decades to present itself. The Federal Republic’s second biggest city is an important transportation hub, where vessels from all over the world load and unload their cargo. For Militzer & Münch in Germany, Hamburg is the gateway for sea freight shipments, too, in export as well as in import.

“In Hamburg, we benefit from short distances”, says Dirk Bukowski, Regional Manager North M&M Air Sea. “Theoretically, with digitization today, we can of course organize sea freight shipments from everywhere. But the operations part is much more target-oriented and productive owing to our local branch office at Hamburg sea port.”

The Militzer & Münch Hamburg team can offer their customers all services from one source; they include handling, receipt of the goods and customs clearance. To put the competences to the best possible use, the employees cooperate with all other Militzer & Münch branch offices, most of all in Germany. Thus, the Hamburg colleagues closely coordinate with the Dusseldorf team, which also has a strong sea freight department as it is located near Antwerp.

Not a niche player

Beside sea transport, Militzer & Münch also offers airfreight from Hamburg, without restricting itself to certain industries or goods. “In the literal sense of the word, we are an ‘allrounder’ for our customers”, Dirk Bukowski says. “Generally speaking, we can serve all industries and all the destinations we use for sea freight. we mainly use the magic triangle of Europe-Asia-North America.”

Among the export goods are machinery, components for the automotive sector and consumer goods such as foodstuffs. From overseas, mostly from Asia, Militzer & Münch imports a wide range of products from electric and household appliances to textiles, toys and tea.

North America business especially successful

In the past two years, the Hamburg Militzer & Münch team managed to increase the shipping volume by 10 to 15 percent. This successful development is also owed to the exports for a big German producer of confectionary: every week, several big refrigerated containers leave Hamburg, mainly for Japan, but also for other Asian regions.

Especially good growth is registered in the business in and with North America. Dirk Bukowski names three factors that account for the development:

In summer 2017, Militzer & Münch appointed a Route Development Manager who exclusively focusses on North America; he intensively nurtures the local partnerships.
With teams operating in Germany’s south east, in the west and in central Germany, Militzer & Münch can bank on lots of know-how and was thus able to further develop the sea freight segment.
In Hamburg, an operationally very experienced team is handling exports.

In cooperation with the Munich colleagues, the Hamburg team is handling big contracts with some hundred containers for two German customers exporting machinery, façade components and other construction parts to the North East and the South of the United States.

Targets and challenges

In terms of airfreight and sea freight, Germany is highly developed. The forwarding industry counts many big players. Thus, it is challenging for medium sized enterprises like Militzer & Münch to assert themselves in the market. “Over the past few years, we were able to do many great projects”, says Dirk Bukowski. “But nevertheless, we have to fight. We have to define exactly what Militzer & Münch stands for, and to set ourselves apart from the competition with our services.”

One of the characteristics for example is that Militzer & Münch in Hamburg assigns to each customer one designated contact person, who supports the customer during the entire project in all matters. “Our customers get to meet their contact persons personally, and our staffers know our customers inside out”, says Dirk Bukowski.

The Regional Manager also believes that the “fight for talents” is an essential factor. The Hamburg team wants to be known among young professionals and hire the right personnel. Yet young professionals often want to start their careers with the big logistics corporations. Therefore, the Hamburger Militzer & Münch team offers young talents clear career opportunities – for instance, employees at Militzer & Münch can take on responsibility at an early stage.

“Our target is to generate further growth in the coming years”, Dirk Bukowski says. “To this aim, we want to extend and strengthen our customer base in Hamburg.”

The New Silk Road – a threat to sea freight?

The Chinese Belt and Road Initiative ensures an ever-increasing development of the New Silk Road. Logisticians have since begun transporting more and more of their shipments between Europe and Asia via rail. The Militzer & Münch Hamburg team notices that many customers are already scheduling rail transportation for 10 to 15 percent of their total container volume.

Often, especially time-sensitive goods are transported via rail today, as this is the faster transport mode compared to sea freight. Yet, the continually increasing numbers of rail transports have no negative impact on sea freight transports. It is a fact that sea freight capacities are still by far bigger. As Dirk Bukowski explains, even if rail traffic grew a hundredfold, it would still not decrease the utilization of the vessels. A normal container block train carries 42 x 40’ containers, while nowadays a vessel transports on average 20,000 TEU, which equals 10,000 x 40’ containers.

Brexit – is your supply chain up to it?

Formal deal, no-deal departure, a delayed Brexit – the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union left room for every kind of speculation in the past few weeks and months. One thing is clear: the changes in the UK will impact supply chains.

Companies with activities in import or export to and from the UK have to re-asses their supply chains. They have to be ready to deal with the fact that comprehensive customs formalities require additional know-how on the side of their staff. In the future, customs controls can prolong delivery times. Another issue is in how far the company’s IT infrastructure is suited for the Brexit.

The Militzer & Münch customs experts have carried out intensive preparatory work on the topic, and consult companies in all matters pertaining to formalities and statutory regulations. Be it with transports from Scotland to Bulgaria or from Latvia to England – we assist our customers when it comes to clarifying in how far the changed trade regulations are impacting their supply chain.

Should you have any questions concerning transports to and from the UK, please feel free to contact us.

Across half the globe, in three days

In 2018, Militzer & Münch Poland started exporting freshly picked blueberries for the new customer Agro Trade. The Argentinian berries are very sensitive and stay fresh only for a few days after harvest. A single delay in the transport process can lead to the entire freight losing its value.

For many years already, Agro Trade, a Polish family company, has been specialized in cultivating and trading blueberries. In 2018, Agro Trade commissioned Militzer & Münch Poland to import the popular fruit from Argentina and to transport it to Western and Northern Europe.

In summer, when the Polish blueberries are ready for harvesting, Militzer & Münch Poland delivers them, via road, to Germany and the Netherlands among others. “Demand for blueberries has increased so much over the last few years that Agro Trade has long begun importing the fruit also from Argentina”, says Wlodzimierz Scibiorek, business development manager at Militzer & Münch Poland since 2007.

From the bush to the retailer

Most challenging in transporting sensitive, fresh goods are temperature fluctuations and the transit time. Exposed to frost or excessively high temperatures, the berries can lose their form and freshness. In order to guarantee the best possible quality, the blueberries have to reach the retailer and consumer as soon as possible after they are harvested. This requires strategic, quick procedures especially for the transports from Argentina.

“From South America, we ship the berries directly to the airports of Frankfurt and Amsterdam”, Wlodzimierz Scibiorek says. “From there, we take them to the sorting plant in Poland, where they are packed. Then, the blueberries are already dispatched to the European retailers. Thus, transit time is only two to three days.”

For every import shipment, Militzer & Münch Poland and Agro Trade set up the exact schedule for the shortest possible delivery time. The buyer has to provide the necessary documents, papers and certificates for everything to go fast. “Every error can be expensive”, says Wlodzimierz Scibiorek. “Unnecessary delays impair the fruit and lead to loss in value. With smooth processes, Militzer & Münch Poland guarantees that in the end, someone can enjoy the fresh, sweet fruit in their muesli or muffin.”

Agro Trade plans to tap into and supply new markets in Japan, China, Korea and the United Arab Emirates together with Militzer & Münch Poland – the versatile and healthy blueberries are also highly popular in Asia.

Airfreight to Indianapolis

Militzer & Münch Poland acquired a renowned new key account last year: the US American sawmill manufacturer Wood Mizer. Many of the customer’s machines weigh up to a ton and are considered dangerous goods. Dariusz Onisk, Key Account Manager at M&M air sea cargo S.A., and his colleagues organize airfreight shipments, among others to South Africa and the USA.

Over 25 years ago, Wood Mizer established a production plant at Kolo in central Poland. The saw mills of the company that was founded in 1990 are in use in over 100 countries. “In spring 2018, Wood Mizer contracted us for the first export shipments”, says Dariusz Onisk. “Since then, we have transported saw mills and other equipment via air to the USA, to Sri Lanka, South Africa and India among others. For LCL shipments with destinations in Africa and China, we occasionally offer our customer also sea freight solutions.”

Dangerous goods challenges

Wood Mizer’s saw mills and other timber processing machines weigh between 200 and 1,000 kilograms on average. Many also come with a combustion motor and are thus subject to the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR). “Every shipment is unique, and the challenges we as forwarders are confronted with vary from shipment to shipment” says Dariusz Onisk. “Transporting DGR goods is especially demanding. Depending on the size and weight, we load the big saw mills into special wooden boxes or strap them onto pallets.”

In late 2018, the Militzer & Münch Poland team transported an especially heavy shipment to the USA in the shortest time. “The saw mill was to reach the consignee in Indianapolis as fast as possible. We packed it in a 4.2 x 1.5 x 1.3 meter wooden box. The gross weight was almost 1.5 tons”, Dariusz Onisk says. “In cooperation with Wood Mizer and the airline in question, we met all security and safety requirements and got the cargo to its destination safely and on time.”

Good cooperation generates trust 

For every transport, the Militzer & Münch Poland team is in close contact with Wood Mizer. The saw mill manufacturer is kept informed during the entire process. “It is important to be fully responsive to the customer’s requirements during preparation and execution of the transport”, says Dariusz Onisk. “By now, I am perfectly familiar with the habits and needs of Wood Mizer. My team and I, we can offer the customer very individualized service.” The next destinations have long been defined. “Today, we pick up a saw mill in Poland for transport to Taipeh.”

Too big for rail freight

Militzer & Münch transported out-of-gauge wooden boxes, a total weight of circa 28,300 kilograms, from Shanghai, China, to Almaty in Kazakhstan. Much too big for rail transport – but Militzer & Münch offered the perfect solution to transport the huge blower systems for transformers.

For a renowned German technology corporation, Militzer & Münch China has been handling regular transports via rail from China to Germany since late summer last year. Which is why the customer also commissioned Militzer & Münch with the transport of transformer cabinet blowers and cell cabinets from China to Kazakhstan. As usual, this shipment was also meant to go by rail; yet owing to a change in regulations, rail freight was not possible. “We had to explain to the customer that the new Chinese railway regulations that became effective in January 2019 did not allow transporting out-of-gauge cargo via rail”, says Glenn Bai, Managing Director Militzer & Münch China. “So, our colleagues from different Militzer & Münch branch offices cooperated to offer the customer an alternative solution.”

Truck as an alternative means of transport

The result: Militzer & Münch delivered the freight as full truck load (FTL). The Militzer & Münch branch office in Urumqi in north western China made it possible. Located near the border to Kazakhstan, the branch office fulfilled the necessary conditions for the transport, as the cargo had to be transloaded by Militzer & Münch at Khorgos, Kazakhstan, at the border to China. The reason: Chinese trucks are not approved for transports in CIS countries. As they are near Khorgos, the colleagues at the Urumqi branch were able to take care of the transloading process on site.

The advantages of cooperation

To realize the entire transport, three Militzer & Münch colleagues worked closely together: Kaka Xu, M&M China’s Account Manager for the technology corporation, Anna Elcheva, Trade Lane Manager Russia and CIS at Militzer & Münch, and Guanghua Nie, Manager of the Urumqi branch. The three colleagues also contributed helpful local knowledge, such as for customs clearance. All in all, the transport took only 14 days.

“Our advantage at Militzer & Münch is that we operate numerous branch offices in many countries along the New Silk Road”, says Glenn Bai. “Without this, the transport of the over-dimensioned cargo via truck would not have been possible.”

Militzer & Münch customs agency in France

For companies, international trade comes with a number of challenges – one of them is customs management. In order to further simplify the processes for its customers, Militzer & Münch France has established its own customs agency, including an IT module specifically developed for this purpose.

Since January 1, 2018, the new customs agency of Militzer & Münch France has been filing the customs declarations of all ten Militzer & Münch France locations. The customs agency operates with declarants in six branch offices in Lille, Saint-Thibault-des-Vignes (Paris), Marseille, Lyon, Nantes and Bordeaux. Three of them are regional declaration centers: Lille, Marseille and Nantes. The teams have in-depth country-specific knowhow. They are specialists in customs management: be it the customs clearance procedure, customs regulations or the payment of fees and taxes. Each M&M branch reports its demand for customs declaration to its regional declaration center via an IT module that was specifically developed.

Militzer & Münch France does export as well as import customs clearance. “We offer our customers consultancy from A to Z”, says Régis Samain, Manager of Lille’s regional declaration center  and Head of the Customs Agency at Militzer & Münch France. “Our teams are always up to date with the latest developments concerning currently valid customs agreements and regulations as well as the certificates required.”

One customs agency, three regional declaration centers

The headquarters of the customs agency is at the Militzer & Münch Lille (Halluin) office.

  • Lille: In cooperation with the declarants at Saint-Thibault-des-Vignes (Paris) and Lyon, the regional declarations center Lille does the customs clearance for Militzer & Münch Lille, Paris, Roissy and Lyon.
  • Marseille: The Marseille team is exclusively in charge of the customs declarations of Militzer & Münch Marseille.
  • Nantes: The declarants from Nantes and Bordeaux work together with the regional declaration center Nantes – they are responsible for customs clearance of the Militzer & Münch branch offices in Nantes, Bordeaux, Mulhouse and, in part, also Lyon.

Wagons from Belarus on Hungarian railway tracks

For a leading Swiss manufacturer of rolling stock, Militzer & Münch Switzerland transports components to Belarus for the assembly of rail wagons, and to Hungary for interior fitting. The wagons are to be used for passenger transport on the Hungarian railway network.

Over the last few years, the rolling stock industry has profited from a steadily increasing total market for new railway vehicles. While in 2012, the turnover was at 48 billion EUR, it reached 55 billion EUR in 2017. This global growth also benefits the Militzer & Münch customer, who manufactures customized railway vehicles for his clients, meeting their individual requirements in terms of interior design as well as in terms of technology.

The construction material Militzer & Münch transports for the customer comes from different countries and covers everything that is needed for the construction of railway wagons. The freight includes aluminum profiles, toilets, brakes, switches, cables, foamed plastics and textiles.

Militzer & Münch Basel serves as control tower

“Several Militzer & Münch teams cooperate on this project so we can offer the customer the best possible transport solution”, says Nikolaus Kohler, Regional Managing Director Middle East / Central Asia. “We use the Militzer & Münch Belarus truck fleet. Militzer & Münch Basel coordinates the entire project; the Basel team also does the customs clearance. We also use our Eichenzell location as a consolidation hub for goods from Europe.”

Since January 2018, the Militzer & Münch team has handled about four to five full truck loads (FTL) from Switzerland to Belarus per week. From Eichenzell, another two to three FTL transports are dispatched to Belarus per week.

There are plans to extend the weekly transport volume to 15 full truck loads destined for Belarus and Hungary. “We are pleased with the volume of this order, and with the complexity that comes with it”, says Nikolaus Kohler. The big project is scheduled to run through December 2019. The customer has already announced further transports, this time to Azerbaijan.

An individually tailored IT solution

One special feature characterizes the wide-ranging project: thanks to the in-house IT company ‘MMcom’, Militzer & Münch can offer the customer an IT solution that is optimally designed to meet his requirements. Via the IT platform, the goods flows from different countries of origin via two consolidation hubs to the destinations in Belarus and Hungary are registered and mapped. Per remote data transmission, the system indicates in real time which shipments have been received at the warehouses in Switzerland and Eichenzell, and collates them into packing orders.

New service to Algeria

One year after an affiliate company was opened in Algeria, Militzer & Münch France launches regular groupage transports to Oran. The new product meets the rising demand for connections to the country’s second biggest city. Over the past four years, Militzer & Münch France’s transports to Algeria have increased by 300 percent.

Oran is the commercial capital of western Algeria, a region where numerous renowned automobile manufactures have settled, among others. To further develop its activities in this highly promising market, Militzer & Münch started offering regular groupage shipments in mid-September. The new service provides two departures per month – with a direct connection from Marseilles to Oran. The transit time is only five days.

The service is also available for dangerous goods transports. Moreover, via the Marseilles branch, Militzer & Münch offers value-added services such as labeling, quality control, order picking and packaging for all Algeria transports.

Top performance every day

Since 1996, Olivier Antoniotti has been responsible for M&M Militzer & Münch Maroc S.A. as Managing Director. He has substantially contributed to the successful development of the company. In this interview, he talks about how he joined Militzer & Münch 25 years ago, and provides insight into the Moroccan logistics industry. 

What was your motivation to work in the logistics industry?

I did not specifically plan to work in the transport and logistics sector. But when I did my civilian service from 1993 to 1995 as part of a cooperation program at Militzer & Münch Morocco, I knew this job is my vocation.

Thanks to the support of some managers at Militzer & Münch France, I was able to evolve and grow in the company. Every day, I look forward to going to work. With joy and passion, I want to deliver excellent results every day.

Career start at Militzer & Münch

Olivier Antoniotti completed four years of studies at a business school in Lyon, with an exchange year in Barcelona. Then, instead of doing his military service, he served two years at a French company abroad – at M&M Morocco, where he worked in sales from December 1993 to April 1995. After that, he was offered permanent employment as a sales representative.

In 1996, the then Managing Director wanted to leave the company. So, the Board of Directors proposed appointing Olivier Antoniotti Managing Director of Militzer & Münch Morocco. “Of course, I was happy to take on this challenge, looking forward to the tasks ahead”, says Olivier Antoniotti. “It’s a decision I have not regretted to this day – especially when I look at all the hard work we´ve done, and the success of Militzer & Münch in Morocco.”

What are your tasks as Managing Director M&M Militzer & Münch Maroc S.A., what are the biggest challenges? 

I firmly believe that the position of Managing Director comes with a very important responsibility towards the group, but also towards all its employees, customers, partners and shareholders. Not only do I have to ensure that our development is in line with the standards of the Militzer & Münch Group, I also have to provide the strategic framework to ensure a successful future for Militzer & Münch.

I think the best examples are the many investments since 1996 that turned Militzer & Münch Morocco into a renowned logistics services provider in the Kingdom of Morocco.

What were the most important milestones for Militzer & Münch Morocco? 

Apart from the fact that we have a great team of highly qualified employees, the history of Militzer & Münch Morocco history can be summed up in some important events: The opening of the first bonded warehouse in Morocco in February 2000.

  • The creation of our Spedimex transit subsidiary in 2001.
  • The construction of our Casablanca platforms in 2003, Tangiers in 2008 and 2016, as well as Sapino Nouaceur in 2012.
  • Recognition of our work by the Moroccan Transport Federation of the IRU (International Road Transport Union) with the “Award for Road Transport Managers 2013 – Morocco”.
  • The creation of a network of 20 weekly groupage lines in collaboration with the Militzer & Münch network and its partners.
  • The creation of our Air & Sea and Logistics department.
  • And finally, our recent AEO / Safety & Security certification, which places us among the leading group of operators.

All these projects, implemented entirely by Militzer & Münch Morocco, were very extensive, and today make Militzer & Münch Morocco a key player in the market.

The team of M&M Militzer & Münch Maroc S.A.


Militzer & Münch Morocco voluntarily commits to environmental protection and sustainability. What does this commitment look like in everyday business?

In November 2016, Militzer & Münch Morocco was indeed among the cosignatories of the first Moroccan Charter in favor of green logistics. In concrete terms, we have already implemented this commitment by incorporating the new standards into the construction of our Tangiers customs terminal, for instance by installing a solar water heater and glazed roof panels to use natural light. Moreover, we use a system to recuperate all the water on the premises. We upgraded all our trucks to Euro 5 and Euro 6 standards, the forklifts in our warehouses are 100 percent electric. To summarize, I can state that we put our commitment to green logistics into practice every day.

What are Militzer & Münch Morocco’s goals?

Over the past few years, we enhanced our infrastructure. In order to develop strategically, we had to upgrade our IT system. This is important to face such challenges as digitalization – also in relation to our documentation chain in accordance with the new regulatory requirements – or tracking and tracing. We also have to meet the growing demand of our customers in these fields. By modernizing our tools, we will be able to lead Militzer & Münch into a profitable future.

Militzer & Münch opened a new customs terminal in Tangiers in 2016. How is business developing here?

We see a very strong development of our business in Tangiers. This corroborates our decision to settle there on a long-term basis so we can meet the growing demand for transport and logistics.

How do you assess the potential of the logistics sector in the Maghreb region?

Morocco is currently experiencing a very important economic development, especially thanks to such sectors as the automobile and aeronautics industries. As we have been present in Morocco since 1986, we appreciate this progress all the more greatly. Thanks to the current modernization of the economy, including the administration, we see the economic development in the Kingdom in a very optimistic light. Morocco is and will remain a country where the economic climate is favorable to the development of Militzer & Münch Morocco.

“We’ve come a pretty long way”

Wojciech Łyżwiński has been with Militzer & Münch Poland for more than a quarter-century. This year will be his last as Managing Director of M&M air sea cargo S.A. Afterwards he will continue as Chairman of the Supervisory Board. In this interview he speaks about his journey with Militzer & Münch: the challenges, the achievements, and the future. 

What was your motivation to work in the logistics industry? And what did you do before you joined Militzer & Münch in 1992?

I worked as administration director at Warsaw’s School of Economics, the biggest economic school in Poland. The political transformation in Poland in 1989 gave the Polish people many possibilities. A lot in our lives changed: both in politics and in economy. It was a huge chance for us to develop, to move on. I asked myself: `Am I ready to reposition my life?´

I think change always offers an opportunity to achieve new goals. So after getting a phone call from my colleague at the academy, who proposed starting a new company in the logistics area together, it didn’t take me long to make up my mind – and I said `yes´.

I had to learn a lot of things from scratch. Studying these new tasks was very exciting. After a few days of training in Germany, I began to hire new employees to join our organization. The first of them was Marek Ziemniewicz – a newly promoted graduate in transportation of the Warsaw School of Economics. He still works in our company as a board member and operational director.

What are your tasks as Managing Director M&M air sea cargo S.A.?

I am responsible for the company’s development and for strengthening its market position. Our management team consists of two persons, who are also members of the board: Marek Ziemniewicz supervises the operational side of the company as well as the sales of our freight services.

I manage everything else: our branch offices in Poland as well as finance and HR issues. I also represent M&M air sea cargo S.A. in Polish organizations like the Polish International Freight Forwarders Association. In this organization, for example, I was a member of the Management Board until June this year. Marek Ziemniewicz took my place in the new term.

Wojciech Łyżwiński

Managing Director M&M air sea cargo S.A.

What are the biggest challenges in your position?

We’ve come a pretty long way in our history. A successful way. We started as a small team doing customs clearances. Today, in 2018, we operate in all areas possible: air, sea, rail and road freight. My biggest challenge was to create a team of great specialists and to keep them for many years. Because the most important asset of our company are the people and their know-how.

You can compare it to a football team that plays for the cup. If the team wins, the best players often want to change club colors. I managed to keep the basic players. Many of them have been working in our company for up to 25 years. They play an important role in the growing volume of TEUs transported and in the increasing sales figures of Militzer & Münch Poland.

What were the most important milestones for Militzer & Münch Poland in the last 25 years?

We built up a customs agency first. The next steps were an air freight department and afterwards a sea freight department, and then FTL transports. We opened new offices in Wrocław, Kraków, Pruszków near Warsaw, and Rzeszów. Militzer & Münch Poland gained AEO status and is ISO certified.

In 2017 we decided to move forward, launching the very successful road division under the management of Radek Brejnak. We also created a strong sales team managed by our Sales Director Artur Wojtczak, who helped us to increase our sales by over 30 per cent.

The team of Militzer & Münch Poland.


What were the most important logistics projects that have been realized in 2018 so far? What are the main logistics projects for the second half of the year?

If you follow this and last year’s issues of `Compass´ and `Team & Motion´, our internal employee magazine, you will come to the conclusion that Militzer & Münch Poland has become a rising star in the holding. We are definitely one of the most active companies in the group. I truly appreciate it, and I am so proud of my team.

We handle a lot of interesting projects and follow the trends of the Polish market – which sometimes can be difficult due to a fierce competition between all the global players in the logistics sector that are present in Poland. But we never give up – quite the opposite.

The volume of goods exported from Poland has increased rapidly. We are part of that development by, for example, handling milk, fruit and beverage exports. On the other hand, the increase in exports necessitated some additional regulations and restrictions. We had to move on and implement some new solutions to take care of our clients’ goods: therefore we applied for Regulated Agent status. With this certification, we can guarantee the security of the supply chain for cargo that is transported on passenger aircraft.

Are there any strategic changes at M&M air sea cargo S.A. planned for this year?

After 26 years with Militzer & Münch, I am retiring at the end of this year. Until then, we will have to complete the composition of our Board. But I will stay close to the company as Chairman of the Supervisory Board. So I will keep on supporting my colleagues and especially Marek Ziemniewicz, who will take over my position. I trust in his success with all my heart.

Earlier changes like promoting some colleagues upgraded the quality of our everyday work and pushed us to another level of development and management. For example Artur Wojtczak, who is extremely active in promoting the cooperation between the Militzer & Münch offices worldwide and establishing B2B connections – he now is our new Sales Director. Our Business Development Manager Paweł Szelest acts as Head of Procurement and Tender Manager, and Beata Antolak was promoted to Financial Director. I am a lucky person to be able to attract the best people from the Polish market.

For which industries is Militzer & Münch Poland mainly active?

We are active in all areas: starting from food and beverages shipped out by air or in reefer containers to air shipments that are temperature controlled. Our team also handles complex heavy weight project cargo, for example repositioning factories or transporting huge machines abroad.

What is the potential of Poland as a logistics location?

Poland’s potential is huge: the country is centrally located in Europe and we continuously record excellent economic development. Our country is a hub for rail freight, sea shipments – with direct connections from China – and has many logistics centers used by global companies. I see the future in bright colors. Let our success story continue.

Militzer & Münch Poland

  • Founding year: 1991
  • Member of PIFFA ( Polish International Freight Forwarders Association)
  • IATA Cargo Agent
  • ISO 9001:2015 certified by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance
  • AEO (Authorized Economic Operator)
  • Employees: 65
  • 2 offices in Warsaw; branch offices in Wrocław, Rzeszów, Kraków, Pruszków
  • Products: air, sea, rail and road freight, customs service, project logistics
  • Among the main customers are companies from the automotive sector, from machine engineering, from the aviation, cosmetics and fashion industries, the electronics and food sectors

Militzer & Münch customs agency in France

For companies, international trade comes with a number of challenges – one of them is customs management. In order to further simplify the processes for its customers, Militzer & Münch France has established its own customs agency, including an IT module specifically developed for this purpose. 

Since January 1, 2018, the new customs agency of Militzer & Münch France has been filing the customs declarations of all ten Militzer & Münch France locations. The customs agency operates with declarants in six branch offices in Lille, Saint-Thibault-des-Vignes (Paris), Marseille, Lyon, Nantes and Bordeaux. Three of them are regional declaration centers: Lille, Marseille and Nantes. The teams have in-depth country-specific knowhow. They are specialists in customs management: be it the customs clearance procedure, customs regulations or the payment of fees and taxes. Each M&M branch reports its demand for customs declaration to its regional declaration center via an IT module that was specifically developed.

Militzer & Münch France does export as well as import customs clearance. “We offer our customers consultancy from A to Z”, says Régis Samain, Manager of Lille’s regional declaration center  and Head of the Customs Agency at Militzer & Münch France. “Our teams are always up to date with the latest developments concerning currently valid customs agreements and regulations as well as the certificates required.”

One customs agency, three regional declaration centers

The headquarters of the customs agency is at the Militzer & Münch Lille (Halluin) office.

  • Lille: In cooperation with the declarants at Saint-Thibault-des-Vignes (Paris) and Lyon, the regional declarations center Lille does the customs clearance for Militzer & Münch Lille, Paris, Roissy and Lyon.
  • Marseille: The Marseille team is exclusively in charge of the customs declarations of Militzer & Münch Marseille.
  • Nantes: The declarants from Nantes and Bordeaux work together with the regional declaration center Nantes – they are responsible for customs clearance of the Militzer & Münch branch offices in Nantes, Bordeaux, Mulhouse and, in part, also Lyon.

Towards a better understanding of the Chinese logistics market

For decades, Militzer & Münch has been operating in numerous countries along the New Silk Road, with mainly the logistics market in China posing a big challenge. For cultural reasons, decision processes follow a different pattern than in Europe. Militzer & Münch wanted to know more about these processes and commissioned the University of Applied Sciences in St. Gallen to draw up a logistics market study on the subject of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

 

 

 


Dr. Thoma, what are the biggest challenges for logisticians in China? 

Logisticians from abroad have to invest a lot of time and energy to prevail in the Chinese logistics market. We have been actively operating in China since 1981, starting with a representative office. Then, in 1994, we founded M&M Militzer & Münch Tianbao Int’l Forwarding Co. Ltd. in China, and were one of the first European companies to be granted the Forwarding (A) License. Our many years of experience have taught us that decision processes at Chinese top management levels are highly complex. Therefore, it is important for us to know as much as possible about the Chinese logistics market and the processes of decision making. The results are not only intended to allow us to make progress in China; they are also meant to help us continue operating successfully along the New Silk Road.

Why is the market study not only interesting for Militzer & Münch?

Thinking outside one’s own structures and networks helps. Which is why the results of this analysis are very interesting for us as well as for other logistics companies operating on the Europe-China trade lane. We find the decision processes easier to understand, and we can better assess the logistics market along the New Silk Road.

 


It is especially the New Silk Road that gains more and more importance for international logistics projects. Who are the decision makers in these global processes? 

Over the past few years, we have already noticed a shift in decision making in the global logistics market. Today, decisions on logistics are made mainly in Europe and the USA. In the future, these decisions will increasingly be made in China, as big Chinese enterprises are more and more forcefully conquering the world market and developing their own supply chains.

What did you learn about the decision processes in China? 

Our own experience was confirmed. 80 percent of the logistics orders in China in connection with the Belt and Road Initiative are awarded to Chinese firms. There is little chance for European logistics companies in China directly – opportunities present themselves mainly in those countries where China is not or just minimally active. Nevertheless, there is the possibility for logisticians to succeed in China, provided they are familiar with the specifics of the market.

What should logisticians pay attention to concerning logistics processes in China?

There are various aspects to be considered. For one, a performance bond in the amount of ten percent of the contract sum is to be issued when the contract is awarded. Moreover, contracting entities in China check the share capital and review the business reports of the logistician.

But perhaps the most important factor for a contract to be awarded in China is trust in the logistics service supplier, trust that has grown in long years of relationships and partnerships. To this aim, logistics companies should in particular develop partnerships with Chinese State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) or with Chinese companies that are closely networked with SOEs.

What are the conclusions logisticians can draw from this result?

For logistics service providers, it is helpful to operate their own local branch office. This is essential in order to successfully build relationships. Having a local management or local partners is especially useful here. It’s the best way for a company to familiarize itself with the cultural differences and to be able to understand them.

Did the market analysis generate any other central results? 

Apart from our objective to learn more about the decision-making processes in connection with logistics projects in China, we also wanted to know what share logistics services have in the Belt and Road Initiative. And on this, we got a wealth of detailed information.

 

Central results of the Militzer & Münch logistics market study on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

 

One central finding of the analysis for instance demonstrates that the Middle East is the region with the highest investments. This means that 43 percent of the BRI investments are flowing, among others, into the development of the infrastructure here. Yet large sums are not only invested in the Middle East, but in South East Asia and Russia, too. These are also the regions where the biggest number of projects is being executed – for instance for the development of transport and energy infrastructure.

All these findings confirm our strategy of increasingly operating in these regions via our own country units. That we commissioned the market study clearly pays off for us in more than one respect.

 

Cooperating with a student team

For the market study, a project team from the St. Gallen University of Applied Sciences and from Shanghai University set to work on behalf of Militzer & Münch. In charge of the analysis at Militzer & Münch is Christoph Hollenstein, Head of Group Controlling, M&M Militzer & Münch International Holding AG. Among others, the students conducted numerous personal interviews in Shanghai as well as phone interviews with decision makers from the logistics industry. The project team also collected significant data on highly promising investment regions along six BRI corridors, and the distribution of the BRI projects. The team based the market study on an alleged investment sum of 1.067 trillion USD and 420 BRI projects.