“You are what you wear”: the world of fashion is constantly reinventing itself. Many stars and celebrities set new trends or introduce new cuts and collections. Exclusivity, quality and sustainability are the key elements nowadays and they are a priority at the long-standing German company, HUGO BOSS, too. The employees at Rodair support the clothing producer on a daily basis to ensure that the premium manufacturer’s clothes can be presented on the shelves of stores in Canada during the right season.

Process automation has long since become one of the well-established megatrends in Logistics 4.0. Artificial intelligence, which is becoming increasingly effective, is changing the working world – whether through autonomous vehicles, independently operating production arms or fork-lift trucks that raise pallets in warehouses by themselves. However, automation also causes concerns for employees who wonder whether they are still needed. Despite this, things are very different at Rhenus: employees are the major focus for the company – and how modern technologies can make their work easier so that logistics services are effective.

Is it possible to transport heavy items through a desert by truck? It is hard to imagine, but it was not a problem for the experts at Rhenus Project Logistics. The project team in Duisburg completed a transport project involving ten countries and three continents between June 2016 and the end of 2018 – with a final spurt through the Tunisian desert. Overall, Rhenus Project Logistics transported about 450 truckloads in 80 convoys for its customer GIE Streicher Bouchamaoui; they were linked to the construction of a processing plant for natural gas in the Nawara oil and gas field, which is situated in the Ghademes Basin in the extreme south of Tunisia.

China’s mega project, the New Silk Road including the sea route and land bridge, is designed to enhance international trade between Asia and Europe in the long term by providing more efficient infrastructure. Using its closely linked network along the Silk Road, Rhenus Air & Ocean has also specialised in these markets; this has taken place as a result of decades of experience and the development of its services in conjunction with its colleagues at Rhenus Intermodal Systems and Rhenus Road. Rhenus has particularly developed the relevant products for the new transport corridors along the land bridge and they combine the skills available at the different Rhenus business units, as Peter Cramm, Product Manager Landbridge Europe at Rhenus Air & Ocean N.V., and Carol Kong, Product Manager Landbridge Greater China at Rhenus Logistics China Ltd, explain.

TWO NEW GATEWAYS FOR THE RHENUS AIR & OCEAN NETWORK The Rhenus air and sea freight units have enjoyed considerable growth during the last few years. It is therefore not surprising to hear that the logistics specialist opened two new gateways in Germany for groupage freight at the same time in 2017. The sea freight gateway is located at the Hilden business site near Düsseldorf, while the air freight hub is based at “Cargo-City-Süd” at the international airport in Frankfurt. Goods for import and export are consolidated at both the gateways and new freight services are being developed and expanded.

Rhenus consolidates network of business sites in Asia. Growth in Asia at Rhenus needs to be viewed from two different angles: firstly, the company is expanding its involvement on the continent for the benefit of its customers; secondly, the logistics specialist offers its employees opportunities to advance their careers in this region.

There is nothing more valuable for a services provider that its customers. Their satisfaction determines whether the business is a success or failure. While many companies focus on short-term profits, stable and long-term partnerships are the key foundation for the Rhenus Group. To ensure that they prove successful, the logistics specialist is continually gearing its processes, services and products to its customers in a new way, checking them and adjusting them. Customer centricity is not an empty buzz-word for Rhenus, but its practical corporate culture.

Continuity is one of the five central corporate values for the Rhenus Group. Logistics flows are changing continually and at an even faster pace. Technical innovations create new underlying conditions and options for solutions. The supreme standard for Rhenus not only involves just keeping pace with change, but pressing ahead and helping shape the process. In doing so, the logistics specialist with global operations maintains an important balance between tradition and future viability.

Berth 4, which covers an area measuring 8.5 hectares, was officially opened at the Cuxport Multi-Purpose Terminal in September 2018. The berth, which has 290 metres of quay wall and is capable of handling heavy-cargo items, offers space for vessels with a maximum draught of 14.30 metres. The area is suitable for handling rolling cargo, containers as well as heavy-duty items like offshore segments.

Michael Brockhaus and Michael Viefers are two of the most experienced Members of the Management Board in the Rhenus world. One of them is a third-party logistics specialist, the other one an expert in port logistics and trimodal bulk commodity transport operations. In an interview with Astrid Unverricht, they talk about the way that Rhenus is developing, the process of change, an innovative spirit and the significance of sustainability.

Successful companies are often characterised by their “spirit”. This is demonstrated in many different ways, such as a high degree of innovative capacity and the ability to make rapid decisions, a readiness to take responsibility for its own actions or even taking calculable risks – and, not least, by being able to accept mistakes so that it can learn from them for the future.

“Provide evidence of your creativity and entrepreneurship” – that was the invitation issued to all Rhenus employees during the spring to take part in the Rhevo innovation project. 260 workers from 28 different countries did not need to be told twice and developed ingenious ideas and solutions in order to enable the Rhenus world to move forward with the help of digital technologies. The best projects presented to a jury in July are now set to be implemented. The project was also introduced at the first digital summit organised by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology.