Panalpina Annual Report 2006

Marketplace India
4 Panalpina Annual Report 2006
large sums are going to be invested in infrastructure,
residential construction and the service
sector.
Infectious enthusiasm
Panalpina in India
Panalpina has been operationally active
in India since 1999. The company employs
around 240 people and has branches in
Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Cochin, Coimbatore,
Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune
and Tirupur. Education and training programs
are provided for newly­appointed staff.
These do not simply convey technical knowledge,
but also aim to familiarize the recruits
with the Panalpina Group, its culture and
values.
Panalpina is excellently positioned in India
thanks to its status as a service company
with outstanding local market knowledge and
a global network. Its customer base comprises
Indian companies as well as globally
active key customers from the high­tech,
automotive, oil and gas and healthcare sectors.
About 60% of business is for global
accounts, mostly in the form of logistics
contracts with major suppliers to the mobile
This isn’t just a question of numbers. “The sense
of excitement is tangible practically everywhere,”
says Kurt Breinlinger, Managing Director of
Panalpina India. “People know that they are part
of this success story and can make their own
contribution to it.” Euphoria isn’t the right word to
describe the state of mind of many Indians, particularly
those who belong to the rapidly expanding
middle classes. Instead, their enthusiasm
is founded on self­confidence and a tremendous
belief in the future. Whereas 20 years ago many
Indians emigrated for reasons of economic ne­
cessity, they are now staying in their homeland
in order to benefit from its increasing affluence.
“There is still enormous potential,” says Sundaresan
Ramakrishnan, Procurement Manager at Wipro
Infotech, one of Panalpina’s key customers.
“India has a huge, well­educated workforce, and
the conditions for economic and social progress
have never been so good. Right now there’s nowhere
else in the world I’d rather be than in India,”
he emphasizes, his body language confirming every
word. He concedes that there is still much to be
done, particularly in the areas of transport infra­
phone industry. Panalpina also looks after
major customers in the retail and fashion
segment, particularly fashion and sports
clothing – a sector with enormous potential
in India, since there are plans to build some
400 large shopping centers. More and more
joint ventures are also being set up between
foreign and Indian companies in the consumer
goods market.
structure and bureaucracy. “But these problems
have been recognized, and the authorities are
working hard to correct the deficiencies. At the
same time, private­sector initiatives are ensuring
that improvements are implemented faster,” he
states with conviction. Like many other companies,
Wipro has set up its own foundation to
respond to social needs and provide extra education
and training.
Discerning customers
Wipro Infotech belongs to the Wipro group, which
is one of the most successful corporations in India.
Its headquarters are in Bangalore – the stronghold
of the IT industry. The firm has been working with
Panalpina for over seven years. Nevertheless, it
makes high demands on the forwarding and logistics
company. Wipro’s client list includes all the
big names in the high­tech and IT sector, including
the main mobile phone manufacturers, as well
as banks, insurance companies and many others.
“We offer our customers integrated solutions,
including systems maintenance. The hardware
comes from countries including the USA, Ireland,
Hong Kong and Malaysia. Our customers are
used to receiving first­class products and services.
That’s why we expect the same from partners
such as Panalpina. We cannot afford to compromise
on quality!” The high demands that Indian
Logistics has an immensely important role to
play in the Indian market. Poorly developed
transport infrastructure in many areas, together
with bureaucratic hurdles, present quite
a challenge in terms of expertise and flexibility,
particularly since the rapid availability of
products and low costs are decisive factors
in such a highly competitive market.