In December 2020, M&M Militzer & Münch Malaysia was founded. You could say: at the worst possible time. But the challenges of the pandemic did not dissuade the country unit from its ambitious plans and goals. Gopal Krishnan helped to set up the company and fought relentlessly for its success right from the start. We talked to him about the difficult initial phase and the subsequent development of Militzer & Münch Malaysia, about current projects and plans, and his wishes for the future.
Mr. Krishnan, can you describe your organization in a few words?
Militzer & Münch Malaysia is small, but extremely customer-oriented and by now very successful. Although we specialize in projects in the oil and gas sector, we are basically the right partner for any kind of transport.
Due to corona, success was late in coming. How did you experience the start-up phase?
Everything turned out quite differently than we had imagined. The start of our national company fell at a time that you would never choose voluntarily. Normal procedures that are part and parcel of setting up a company, such as opening a bank account, turned out to be a major hurdle. Everything took much longer than planned and demanded lots of dedication and patience from us. That we were still unknown in the market additionally complicated the situation, of course. For many customers, it was simply not the right time to try out a new forwarder. It was only about half a year after the actual founding that we were able to start operations.
This difficult time, how did it shape Militzer & Münch Malaysia, how did it shape you?
Our difficult start has certainly made us who we are today. Even though it was a tour de force, we were able to benefit a lot from the experience. We worked in a very disciplined and determined way, consistently keeping our costs at the lowest possible level, and going to great lengths to win orders. Our perseverance ultimately paid off: we were able to expand our network one step at a time and achieved growth.
One thing that should definitely be emphasized positively here is the support we had from the Militzer & Münch management. There was always a willing ear and a lot of understanding for all our concerns. To us, this proved that we have a reliable partner at our side, even in difficult times.
How did matters develop for Militzer & Münch Malaysia after this very bumpy start?
After the country had almost come to a standstill due to corona, there was a strong upswing from 2022 on, both on the national and the international market. Economy flourished, investments were promoted also on the part of politics, and global demand increased. Thus, for instance, global demand for rubber grew, among other things for the production of rubber gloves. As natural rubber is one of Malaysia’s important natural resources, there was enormous demand on the export market.
Militzer & Münch Malaysia also registered significant growth at this time, we gained new customers, and were able to generate a very good result for 2022, among others, due to a significant order for international project transports in the oil and gas industry. The new year also started very well for us and we are confident that we will be able to continue expanding our business successfully in 2023.
What projects and plans are currently in the pipeline at Militzer & Münch Malaysia?
With some projects, it is too early to say, but what I can say is that we will continue to expand our customer relationships in the oil and gas sector. Our core competence is handling project shipments – we want to keep leveraging this strength and position ourselves as a specialist in the Malaysian market.
And what is your wish for the future of Militzer & Münch Malaysia?
Apart from these plans regarding our projects and orders, my personal goal is to establish Militzer & Münch Malaysia as a successful brand that is not only distinguished by high performance and reliability, but equally lives values such as loyalty, integrity, and respect. We want to be an attractive and reliable employer that promotes the careers of young employees and stands for team spirit. I believe that it is ultimately these qualities that make up the “DNA” of a company, leading to success and securing the company’s future in the long term.
Militzer & Münch Malaysia:
The corona pandemic initially thwarted the ambitious plans of the newly founded country unit M&M Militzer & Münch Malaysia, but the team showed perseverance and gained a strong position in the logistics market (see interview). The most important facts about Militzer & Münch Malaysia at a glance:
- 10 employees make up the Militzer & Münch Malaysia team around Managing Director Gopal Krishnan, who has been heading the country unit since its foundation in late 2020.
- The oil and gas sector is the most important industry for Militzer & Münch Yet there are also customers from the furniture, food, high-tech and industrial goods sectors, as well as from the health care industry.
- China is the most important trade partner, followed by Singapore, the USA, Japan and Taiwan.
- At 70 percent, Militzer & Münch Malaysia handles most of its regular imports and exports by sea. The goods reaching Malaysia come from South Africa, Australia, Italy, and Germany.
- International shipping companies call at three ports in Malaysia: at Port Kelang, Malaysia’s largest seaport southwest of Kuala Lumpur, and at the ports of Tanjung Pelepas and Pasir Gudang, both located in the south of the country near the border to Singapore.
- Transit times for Militzer & Münch Malaysia shipments range from 6 days (India, Sri Lanka), and 25 to 31 days (Australia/New Zealand), to 42 to 46 days (Europe). Transpacific goods take more than 50 days to arrive at their destination.
- Militzer & Münch Malaysia has a special relationship with Germany. The company is a member of the German-Malaysian Chamber of Commerce, and cooperates closely with M&M Germany on the local market to further intensify trade activities.
- Where Militzer & Münch does not have its own local subsidiaries, Militzer & Münch Malaysia relies on a network of partners to serve its local customers, for example in Australia, Singapore, or South Africa.
