Imperial 2/2001_englisch - Panopa

News2/2001 

Staff and Customer Magazine 

Imperial companies 

display their profile 

Panopa logistics provides 

relief to Volkswagen and 

steel suppliers 

CTS - a range of services for 

container handling 

Haniel push boats 

constantly on the move 

Brouwer Shipping sets 

standards for worldwide 

coke shipments 

In Asia customers can 

depend on J.H. Bachmann

At the „Transport Logistic“ 

in Munich 

from 15 to 19 May 

Imperial Logistics International 

GmbH & Co. KG 

will present itself to the 

public at the above stand 

2 � IMPERIAL NEWS 

Editorial 

Dear Employees, Dear Customers, 

in the third issue of our Imperial News we would 

again like to present examples illustrating how well 

Imperial Logistics International is equipped for the 

future with a broad range of services. Although our 

business year does not end until 31st May and the 

final figures are therefore not yet available, I can 

already report that the volume of business in the 

current business year has grown significantly, as 

expected. Given shifts between the operating companies, 

sales and profit for the corporate group as 

a whole will reach the ambitious targets. 

The operative companies have consistently 

continued to focus on their specific core competencies. 

Thanks to the strategic orientation of the companies 

of the Imperial Logistics International 

Group to holistic logistics systems, full service and 

worldwide logistics chains on the basis of an international 

presence in all parts of the globe, we are 

well positioned in the growing logistics market. 

Management and staff utilise all their experience 

and know-how to remain a competent service 

Imperial companies display their profile 

(model photo). Together 

with subsidiaries Brouwer, 

Haniel Reederei, J.H. Bachmann, 

neska, Schulte & 

Bruns and Panopa as well 

as the two affiliated companies, 

Imperial Logistics and 

partner in whose innovativeness, 

performance 

and quality our customers 

from industry 

and trade can trust one 

hundred percent. 

A key cornerstone for our success is the reinforcement 

of the quality offensive within the framework 

of Total Quality Management, in which the employees 

of all companies play an active role. 

Yours, 

Gerhard Riemann 

Executive Director of Imperial Holdings Ltd., 

Edenvale and Chief Executive Officer of Imperial 

Logistics International 

Imperial Specialised Freight, 

South Africa, Imperial will 

be an exhibitor in Hall B6, 

stand 109/208. Under the 

heading „Imperial Supply 

Chain“ the open stand with 

a modern design, measur- 

ing 210 square metres, 

communicates the knowhow 

that Imperial offers its 

customers for material 

and information flows 

under one roof. �

Cover photograph: 

CTS terminal 19 in Cologne. 

On 27 April 2001 a new 

terminal with the 5th crane 

bridge was officially opened 

at the CTS facility in Köln- 

Niehler-Hafen. 

2 Imperial companies display their profile 

19 Works councils establish working 

4 Panopa logistics provides relief for VW and steel suppliers 

7 Strong partner for European shipments 

10 dbt supplies the stainless steel industry „just-in-time“ 

12 CTS – a service centre for container handling 

14 Haniel push boats constantly on the move 

17 Wijgula Reederei expands with new tankers 

17 Takeover of Röhlig branch in Duisburg 

18 Brouwer sets new standards for worldwide coke shipments 

20 Represented at the hot spots of trade 

22 An expert hand for worldwide project business 

24 Donations instead of gifts 

24 Solidarity in aviation 

Table of Contents 

Imperial Logistics International 

Herausgeber: Imperial Logistics International GmbH & Co. KG, Duisburg 

Kasteelstraße 2 • D-47119 Duisburg 

Telefon: +49 (0) 203-8 00 52 30 • Telefax +49(0) 203-80 05-2 84 

e-mail: imperial@imperial-international.com 

Panopa 

neska 

Haniel Reederei 

Brouwer Shipping 

J. H. Bachmann 

IMPERIAL NEWS � 3

Strong, IT-controlled 

magnet lifting cranes 

handle loading and 

unloading of coils at 

Panopa steel logistics 

centre 

In the business field of logistic 

procurement and 

supply for the European 

automotive industry Panopa 

has already had experience 

with similar projects as this 

one in Wolfsburg. Opel, 

Daimler Chrysler and also 

Volkswagen employ Panopa 

as their logistics provider for 

services prior to final production 

at other German and 

European locations. 

Radio-controlled delivery 

to the plant 

The Panopa steel centre 

in Wolfsburg meets the highest 

requirements, sets standards 

and is unique in some 

ways: Volkswagen, for example, 

has linked its communication 

software to the 

data technology used in 

Panopa’s warehouse management 

system. The material 

flow to the logistics centre 

and delivery to the plant are 

carried out via rail. Every 

day around 60 railway cars 

are loaded and unloaded, a 

total of approx. 700,000 

tonnes of steel sheet coils a 

year. This new logistics concept 

thus makes a significant 

contribution to road traffic 

relief, providing for a reduction 

of 30,000 truck tours 

annually. 


Coils and other steel products supplied to the presses right o 

Panopa logistics provid 

for Volkswagen and ste 

A big day for Panopa and thus for Imperial as well: The official opening 

of the Panopa steel logistics centre in Wolfsburg was on 16 March 

2001. From here VW is supplied with coils of all kinds from steel plants 

Shortly prior to start-up customers, suppliers and the many other guests were impressed by the dim

n the dot 

es relief in Wolfsburg 

el suppliers 

throughout Europe all the way to the body presses and cutting machines 

according to need and just-in-time. Everything is transported by 

rail. This also ensures considerable relief for the environment. 

ensions.The next day the rooms were filled with coils. 

To ensure that the highquality 

products for VW are 

treated gently and arrive at 

the plant in flawless condition 

with any loss in quality, 

Panopa has installed an air 

conditioning system in the 

two large building sections 

that provides for constant 

humidity (under 55%) and 

thus prevents a rust film 

from forming on the steel 

sheet. 

Perfected material logistics 

strengthens Germany as 

a production location and in 

this way secures jobs. The 

head of VW Purchasing, 

PANOPA 

Karl-Peter Peters, got to the 

heart of the matter in his 

speech at the opening of the 

steel logistics centre: „In the 

present competitive environment 

our automobile future 

crucially depends on speed 

and flexibility, which are decisive 

for a successful partnership 

between supplier, logistics 

provider and manufacturer.“ 

This statement 

made by Karl-Peter Peters 

indicates VW’s high expectations 

of the Panopa organisation, 

which has already 

demonstrated its high level 

of performance and efficiency 

in this field in similar 

projects elsewhere. 

The fact that Volkswagen 

gave Panopa Logistik great 

responsibility for the entire 

production cycle was also 

sufficient reason for Imperial 

Holding Executive Chairman 

Bill Lynch to hasten 

from Johannesburg, South 

Imperial Holding Executive Chairman Bill Lynch came 

from Johannesburg. He acknowledged without reservation 

the investment made by Panopa for Volkswagen in his 

opening speech. 

Africa to Wolfsburg. He was 

obviously satisfied as he 

stepped up to the rostrum. 

Lynch thanked VW for the 

trust demonstrated by the 

placement of this logistics 

order and indicated his over- 

IMPERIAL NEWS � 5

Around 300 guest were welcomed to the official opening of the Panopa steel logistics 

centre in Wolfsburg by Gerhard Riemann, CEO of Imperial Logistics International. 

all satisfaction with the development 

of Panopa and 

the other companies under 

the roof of Imperial Logistics 

International in Germany. 

„We made a wise decision 

in purchasing these 

companies, which belonged 

to Thyssen Krupp until a 

year and a half ago,“ Bill 

Lynch summarised. 

This was underlined with 

figures by the CEO of Imperial 

Logistics International, 

Gerhard Riemann, who is 

also a member of the Board 

of Management of Imperial 

Holdings in South Africa: at 

the end of the business year 

Panopa Managing Director Heinz-Gerd Sprenger (centre) 

talking to members of the Board of Management of DB Cargo 

AG, Dr. Dieter Lindenblatt (right) and Dr. Karl-Heinz Jesberg. 


on 31st May Gerhard Riemann 

expects a doubling of 

the sales of the German Imperial 

organisation to 1.5 

thousand million DM as 

compared to the previous 

business year. A nine-figure 

sum has been invested in the 

current business year alone. 

Among other things, in further 

distribution centres for 

the automotive industry and 

related sectors. The number 

of employees, which has 

risen to around 3000 in the 

meantime, is also an indication 

of the dynamics at work 

in the corporate group. Particularly 

at Panopa, all ef- 

forts are being made to remain 

an indispensable future 

logistics partner for the automotive 

and steel industries. 

Panopa General Director 

Heinz-Gerd Sprenger had 

the task of welcoming the 

over 300 guests who came to 

the opening and who had all 

contributed to the rapid implementation 

of this project 

in their own way. They included 

government president 

Dr. Axel Saipa from Braunschweig, 

representatives of 

the City Council and administration 

of the city of Wolfsburg 

as well as Dr. Dieter 

Lindenblatt, member of the 

Board of Management and 

representative of DB Cargo 

AG, in addition to other persons 

and those already mentioned 

above. 

Heinz-Gerd Sprenger 

found the short time required 

for implementation extremely 

remarkable: it took all of 

six months from the 1st cut 

of the spade to operational 

acceptance of the two 220metre-long 

and 38-metrewide 

halls with all their technical 

equipment, such as the 

four powerful magnet lifting 

cranes. In this period 1,224 

metres of track and seven 

points were laid within the 

facility as well, in addition to 

the siding tracks connected to 

the DB (German Railway) 

and VW rail network. 

Sprenger emphasised 

again: supply and disposal 

for the steel logistics centre 

will be carried out exclusively 

via rail transport. This 

meant, he added, the most 

environmentally sound and, 

in this case, the most competitive 

means of transport 

had been selected, making 

the undertaking unique in 

Europe. Everything had to 

be done meticulously, he 

stated, since the steel freight 

trains have to cross the highly 

frequented ICE section of 

the German Railway between 

Hannover and Berlin 

several times a day. 

35 trained staff members 

have been managing the 

steel centre since 19 March. 

Three from the Board of the parent company, Imperial 

Holdings Ltd.: Carol Scott, Executive Chairman Bill Lynch 

(right) and Gerhard Riemann.

Besides all the new conventional 

technology, their efforts 

are aided by the use of 

state-of-the-art IT systems 

for material and warehousing 

control. 

Each coil, each sheet bar 

that enters Panopa’s steel 

centre in Wolfsburg is given 

a bar code. This enables 

clear immediate identification 

by the staff. „In this way 

we always know exactly 

where which coil made of 

what material is stored for 

VW production and thanks 

to communicative networking 

with the customer, we 

also know when it has to be 

delivered to the presses and 

cutting machines,“ explains 

Heinz-Gerd Sprenger. 

VW expects higher service 

quality from the outsourcing 

of logistics and 

order placement with 

Panopa. For example, an upstream 

material check and 

more flexibility for the press 

equipment departments 

since the material is available 

for different parts more 

quickly with the help of 

Panopa’s control tools. 

While the previous coil 

stores on the VW plant 

grounds covered average 

needs for approximately four 

work days, material of varying 

dimensions can now be 

obtained immediately from 

the Panopa steel logistics 

centre, located eight kilometres 

away, for four to five 

weeks. This means, according 

to all those involved, 

steel supply for the VW 

press departments has been 

fundamentally reorganised 

through Panopa and has now 

also been made more inexpensive. 

� 

This committed Panopa team ensured that the official 

opening was a successful ceremony and event. 

On the afternoon of the opening the first trains rolled into 

the Panopa facility in Wolfsburg for demonstration purposes 

with several loaded cars equipped with sliding sides. 

PANOPA 

Truck freight transport 

Strong partner or 

European shipments 

„The year 2000 was good and the new year 

will be even better,“ emphasises Wolfgang 

Müller, responsible for truck freight transport 

at Panopa Logistik GmbH & Co. KG. 

His optimism is based on a constantly 

expanding clientele. 

Panopa’s Central Operations 

Planning in Duisburg 

alone moves an average 

of 29,000 tonnes of 

goods a month as cargo, 

partial loads and general 

cargo. In the truck freight 

transport department at 

Panopa the total monthly 

volume is around 170,000 

tonnes. 

„At present the international 

freight business is expanding 

very substantially 

for us. The expansion to 

‘new markets’ is the result 

of an acquisition offensive 

that has brought about many 

new customer contacts and 

orders,“ reports Müller. 

The right trucks always 

at the right place 

Müller’s staff is naturally 

proud of its skilful and expert 

handling of the cargo 

entrusted to it. „We are tops 

in that department,“ feels 

Ulf Wiechmann, too, the responsible 

department manager 

for Panopa’s entire 

transport organisation. „Our 

know-how covers the whole 

freight transport spectrum. 

Our customers profit from 

that.“ 

Steel coils with piece 

weights of up to 36 tonnes, 

long material measuring up 

to 24 metres, large-volume 

and very heavy goods are no 

problem for Panopa’s truck 

freight transport staff. „We 

transport whatever our customers 

wish and take care of 

all organisational work for 

them,“ emphasises Ulf 

Wiechmann. „To do this, we 

work on a partnership basis 

with around 250 truck carriers 

and additionally employ 

25 subcontractors in Duisburg 

in continuous operation,“ 

adds Wolfgang 

Müller. 

With these partners 

Panopa can always provide 

its customers with the ap- 

Department Manager Wolfgang 

Müller: „The penetration 

of new markets has 

given an additional boost.“ 

propriate vehicles. Trained 

drivers, cargo safety and the 

necessary approvals are a 

matter of course. 

Reliability, punctuality 

and on-schedule delivery 

are top priority for all 

IMPERIAL NEWS � 7

Routine for Panopa’s freight department: the right vehicles always transport steel 

products of all kinds to the production and storage facilities of the customers. 

Panopa employees. „This is 

the only way we can secure 

customer loyalty. To achieve 

this, our companies are 

regularly evaluated on the 

basis of selected criteria. 

This system has proven 

effective,“ reports Müller. 

Müller describes the cooperation 

within Panopa’s 


network of branches as 

good. In Germany alone the 

company is represented by 

20 branch offices. This 

makes it possible to set up 

truck routes in cooperation 

with colleagues at other locations 

such that empty runs 

are extensively avoided. 

„This is a very important as- 

pect with regard to pricing 

with the truck carriers,“ 

notes Wiechmann. 

The enormous rise in 

costs recently (so-called 

eco-tax in Germany, diesel 

price, wage costs) has called 

economic efficiency into 

question for many companies. 

The consequence has 

been transport price increases 

that were able to be 

passed on to the customers 

in most cases, however. 

Provider for industrial relocations 

Transport is the basis for 

all freight business at 

Panopa, but it is by no 

means all that it has to offer 

in the way of services. The 

organisation of entire chains 

of transport as well as normal 

individual shipments 

are also carried out for the 

clients. Wolfgang Müller 

and his staff have geared 

their operations to this and 

gone a step further: „We 

also have the capacity and 

manpower to handle complete 

industrial relocations.“ 

Meticulous planning is followed 

by dismantling, packing, 

loading, transport, unloading 

and reinstallation. 

„We last performed such an 

operation for a renowned 

manufacturer of automobile 

lock systems,“ reports 

Müller. 

Another brand-new project, 

which Panopa is carrying 

out on behalf of a large 

automobile producer, involves 

loading, transport 

and unloading of a complete 

car body production facility 

from Wolfsburg to the future 

production location in Brussels. 

„The successful completion 

of this and other orders 

strengthens our self-confidence 

and our optimism for 

the future,“ explains Wolfgang 

Müller. � 

They advise customers and control a large number of 

Marta Birken Uwe Bobsien Ralf Botzek 

Jan Burhans 

Carmen Buß

PANOPA 

Extremely bulky shipments as well as cargo exceeding the dimensions and permissible total weight are not rare for 

Panopa’s truck freight department.The company is often called for plant transport business.The challenges are mastered 

by Panopa on the basis of its great experience and skill. 

Panopa’s road shipments 

Thorsten Domke Andreas Müller Jürgen Schelling Steffen Schulz 

Michael Zumpro 

IMPERIAL NEWS � 9

Additional benefits for stainless steel producers 

dbt supplies the stainless steel 

industry with additives „just-in-time“ 

neska’s diverse business fields make a significant contribution to the 

capability of Imperial companies to offer their customers a great 

deal of additional logistic value added beyond traditional freight 

forwarding services. For special and stainless steel producers, for 

example. 

Without stainless steel 

our everyday life 

would be lacking in 

many respects. Whether it be 

cutlery, pots, the washing 

machine drum, dishwasher 

or thermos bottle: increasing 

use is made of stainless and 

resistant material in the 

manufacture of various uten- 


sils and consumer articles. 

For the production of stainless 

steel industry requires 

iron alloys, such as ferrosilicon, 

ferrochromium, ferromanganese 

and silicide, etc. 

These additives are procured 

from all over the world. „Primarily 

Scandinavia, South 

Africa and Kazhachstan pro- 

duce the alloys in large 

quantities. But also Brazil, 

Venezuela, India and Indonesia 

are among the suppliers,“ 

says Mario Battistiol, 

Managing Director of dbt 

Duisburger Bulk Terminal 

GmbH, of which neska owns 

the majority share. 

Jointly with dbt sub- 

Wheel loaders and compact loaders ensure rapid movement of ferroalloys in dbt’s 

Duisburg sheds. 

sidiary luva GmbH (luva 

stands for storage and packaging) 

as well as the recently 

acquired cargo handling 

company, Keutmann & Hennemann 

in Krefeld Harbour, 

the company offers a wide 

variety of ways of storing 

and handling sensitive alloys 

and minerals in 19 warehouses 

on a basic area of 

around 90,000 square metres. 

„We have a total of 

60,000 square metres of covered 

area at our disposal,“ 

explains Mario Battistiol. 

Altogether about 800,000 

tonnes of ferroalloys are 

handled for the stainless 

steel industry, processed according 

to customer demands 

and delivered to the 

plants just-in-time. 

On the grounds at the 

outer harbour alone dbt has 

13 sheds. Some of them are 

equipped with sliding roofs 

so the bulk goods can be unloaded 

from the vessels directly 

into the shed without 

going the roundabout way 

via wheel loader. The entire 

quay length at the outer harbour 

is around 1.1 kilometres 

long and provides space 

for up to four motor coasters. 

Extensive know-how 

Three cranes with capacities 

of between ten and 12.5 

tonnes ensure rapid cargo 

handling from inland waterway 

or coastal vessels to the 

sheds or directly onto trucks. 

At the new dbt branch in 

Krefeld cargo is transhipped 

directly from ship to truck 

and then taken as quickly as 

possible to the plants. 

The business of handling 

weather-sensitive bulk goods

not only requires extensive 

storage and handling space, 

but above all considerable 

know-how. „Experience is 

an important factor in our 

business,“ says Battistiol. As 

a professional forwarding 

agent, he has a lot of it. Battistiol 

has been working with 

alloys for nearly three 

decades and can determine 

the origin of the material and 

the areas of industrial use on 

the basis of its grain size and 

colour alone. More than 50 

different additives as well as 

a number of minerals make 

up dbt’s main business. 

Around 100 different grain 

sizes are constantly stored in 

dbt’s facilities. 

Storage is carried out in 

lots. For this reason the 

sheds are divided into compartments. 

The compartment 

sizes are variable. „We can 

store lots of 100 tonnes as 

well as 4,000-tonne lots separately,“ 

adds Battistiol. He 

specifies the daily cargo 

handling capacity from vessel 

to store or truck as approximately 

5,000 tonnes. 

dbt can store a total of 

around 130,000 tonnes in all 

its sheds. This makes the 

company, in its own view, 

number one in Europe in this 

market segment. 

Handling and processing 

of alloys require care and 

know-how as well as special 

equipment. Thus, dbt has 

crushing, grinding, screening 

and sorting facilities and 

can also dry the materials if 

necessary and requested. As 

a rule, the additives are delivered 

free to the industrial 

customers. Transport from 

the store in the outer harbour 

to the production plant 

therefore also falls within 

the scope of responsibility of 

Duisburg Bulk Terminal 

GmbH, which maintains a 

substantial truck fleet. 

While primarily motor 

coasters deliver the materials 

from Scandinavia directly to 

the dbt quay, alloys and minerals 

from overseas are 

transported to Europe via the 

ARA ports (Antwerp/Rotterdam/Amsterdam). 

There the 

bulk goods are taken over by 

inland waterway vessels. 

Kazhachstan, in turn, is 

linked to ports in the Baltic 

states via rail. From there the 

alloys are brought to Duisburg 

Bulk Terminal GmbH 

at the outer harbour in Duisburg 

via Rotterdam. 

Speciality is material 

treatment 

Technically luva 

Lagerungs- und Verpackungs-GmbH, 

also located in 

Duisburg, is even better 

geared to special customer 

demands. Here again ferroalloys 

and minerals are handled 

and stored in close cooperation 

with dbt. Complementing 

dbt’s facilities, it 

provides another 40,000 

square metres of space. 

However, luva’s speciality is 

material treatment. 

With its extensive technical 

equipment luva can 

crush, screen, dry and pack 

the extremely difficult-toprocess 

materials (such as 

ferrochromium) to diameters 

down to 0.1 millimetre. By 

means of, in some cases, 

fully automatic and computer-controlled 

processes 

using conveyor belts, the 

material is crushed, screened 

and packed in big bags con- 

taining up to 1.5 tonnes or in 

paper sacks for 10 to 15 

kilos. Open customs warehouses 

round off the range 

of services offered to customers 

by luva as well as 

dbt. 

The most important customers 

for dbt are the Krupp 

Thyssen stainless steel 

plants in Bochum, Krefeld 

neska 

dbt Managing Director Mario Battistiol: „We ensure a 

continuous supply of ferroalloys and other products to 

stainless steel producers.“ 

and Siegen. „Around 60 percent 

of the materials go to 

these plants,“ says neska 

Managing Director Heinz 

Bartels. The remaining 40 

percent are exported in part 

and supplied to other plants. 

The relations between dbt 

and the Krupp Thyssen 

stainless steel production 

plants have been embedded 

At this approximately one kilometer long quay in the outer harbour Duisburg Bulk Terminal 

GmbH (dbt) provides sufficient space for several inland waterway and coastal vessels. 

IMPERIAL NEWS � 11

on an even firmer foundation 

in the meantime. „We 

have concluded a long-term 

contract for work and services 

that lays down the 

specifications for prompt 

supply of all three plants 

with the additives required 

in each case,“ explains Bartels. 

Expansion beyond 

national borders 

dbt is responsible for 

prompt delivery of the desired 

material to the production 

facilities and also provides 

for sampling. „In this 

way we relieve the Krupp 

Thyssen Nirosta (KTN) Purchasing 

Division of a major 

burden,“ states Battistiol. 

Now this division of the 

stainless steel producer no 

longer has to worry about 

operations planning for the 

additives, but informs dbt at 

short notice. „We then ensure 

continuous supply of 

ferroalloys and other products 

to the production 

plants,“ emphasises dbt 

Managing Director Mario 

Battistiol. And all of this 

within a few hours. For very 

urgent cases dbt has even 

provided the KTN alloy specialists 

with mobile phones. 

„In this way we ensure constant 

accessibility.“ 

In the medium term dbt 

wants to position itself even 

better on the market. „We 

are convinced that we can 

master the increasing demands 

of the future,“ states 

Battistiol. For example, the 

company, which is certified 

in accordance with DIN EN 

ISO 9002, is already giving 

intensive thought to expansion 

of its logistics services 

to the international market. 

„In the medium term we 

plan on moving across borders,“ 

adds neska Managing 

Director Heinz Bartels. � 


A high level of cargo handling productivity is 

attained under these two gantry cranes at the 

CTS terminal in the Köln-Niehl Harbour. 

Serving industry along the Rhine 

CTS - a service centre for 

container handling 

It is by no means simply local patriotism when Hans-Peter Wieland 

claims that his company, CTS, has just the right location here in 

Köln-Niehl Harbour since there are a large number of enterprises 

that send and receive containers and are geared to import and 

export in this city and the surrounding region. 

The development of CTS 

(Container-Terminal 

GmbH Rhein-See- 

Land-Service), in which 

neska holds the requisite 

majority of the share capital, 

confirms this assessment by 

Managing Director Hans- 

Peter Wieland, who has been 

with the company since its 

establishment at the end of 

1983. It has constantly been 

following an upward course. 

The favourable location in 

an urban agglomerate and 

industrial centre on the 

Rhine accounts for this. Our 

trimodal approach, i.e. the 

operative linking of truck, 

train and ship at the cargo 

handling terminal, the performance 

of the CTS staff in 

the commercial and industrial 

sector and the technical 

equipment, offers customers 

an optimal transport platform. 

Five gantry cranes and 

eight reach stackers are now 

in operation around the 

clock on the grounds at the 

stacking quay that measure 

100,000 square metres. 

There is a breather only between 

9 pm on Saturday and 

10 pm on Sunday. 

CTS is a provider for 

shipping and freight forwarding 

companies with international 

operations. These 

are the customers whom we 

offer services that no one 

else at this location performs. 

Wieland addresses in 

particular the trimodal approach 

here: several daily arrivals 

and departures of inland 

waterway vessels operating 

between Cologne and 

the seaports of Rotterdam, 

Antwerp and Zeebrügge; 

container train connections 

(Albatros) with Hamburg 

and Bremerhaven as well as 

the western ports and, of

course, the indispensable deployment 

of trucks for short 

and long-distance shipments. 

We link these carriers 

and providers and take care 

of cargo handling and temporary 

storage. And that’s 

not all: handling container 

cargo involves additional 

tasks related to customs and 

safety and not every container 

goes through the terminal 

FCL, i.e. full and closed, but 

also LCL (less than container 

load). Outgoing containerisation 

is carried out 

here on behalf of the customers 

- this includes stuffing 

general cargo in the CTS 

terminal buildings. Conversely, 

incoming containers 

are opened and unloaded 

(stripped ) and individual 

lots are delivered to the recipients 

after freight for- 

warding processing. This 

business is increasing and 

we gear ourselves to this development 

through investments. 

Here again CTS does not 

see itself as a freight forwarder, 

but as a neutral 

provider whose services can 

be made use of by everyone 

in the sector. „The facilities 

we have at our disposal 

make us a valuable partner 

and we try to live up to this 

role every day,“ assures co- 

Managing Director Karl- 

Heinz Schoon. 

Wieland assesses the present 

and future positively. 

The sectors oriented to foreign 

trade that are primarily 

represented in the Cologne 

region, i.e. motor vehicle 

production, parts manufacturing, 

suppliers and the 

neska 

The CTS terminal in Köln-Diehl is served according to 

schedule by container trains of various companies. 

chemical industry, as well as 

prospering small and medium-sized 

enterprises and the 

importing retail and wholesale 

trade generate a rising 

cargo volume that is stowed 

in containers and finds its 

way to the buyers via CTS 

facilities. 

Everything is not a surefire 

success, of course. 

Wieland and his sales team 

are untiring in their efforts 

at making the CTS services 

known to shipping and 

freight forwarding companies. 

In many places local 

presence is shown so as to 

be able to meet customer demands 

quickly and consistently. 

The endeavours have 

been worthwhile: from 1999 

to 2000 container handling 

movements rose by 12 percent 

to 180,000. In the cur- 

rent year the 200,000 mark 

can be reached. The first 

weeks started off well. 

For a terminal in an inland 

port these are impressive 

figures that draw the attention 

of all providers of 

transport services, such as 

truckers, DB Cargo subsidiary 

Transfracht and inland 

waterway shipping 

companies, and thus lead to 

a high density of service. 

For example, several seaport-based 

night operations 

by rail, frequent inland waterway 

vessel runs and 

bustling freight forwarding 

Several CTS reach stackers ensure flexibility in the 

handling of containers and semitrailers. 

traffic by truck. „All of this 

is concentrated at CTS and 

spurs me and my staff to 

continue to expand business,“ 

reaffirms Hans-Peter 

Wieland. � 


A reliable partner of the steel industry 

Haniel push boats con 

In action around the clock and 365 days a 

year. Haniel push boats have been operating 

on the Rhine for nearly four decades. 

Primarily between the ports near Duisburg 

and Europoort Rotterdam. 

Schwelgern is one of two 

main receiving ports 

(the other is Walsum- 

Süd) belonging to Thyssen 

Krupp Stahl AG in Duisburg 

on the Lower Rhine that is 

called at by around 7,000 

push barges and inland waterway 

vessels every year. 

While Walsum-Süd is 

predominantly used for the 

transshipment of finished 

and semi-finished products, 

bulk goods, such as iron ore, 

coal, coke, slag and slag 

sand, are handled in Schwelgern, 

the larger of the two 

ports. Three quarter of the 

60,000 tonnes handled on 

average every day are accounted 

for by iron ore 

alone. 

The crews on the six 

Haniel multiple barge convoys 

perform a full-time job 

in alternating six-hour shifts 

for two weeks in turn. This 

form of continuous working 

hours with subsequent time 

off in lieu is called a continue 

system, explains Heinz 

Schmitz, one of the captains 

of „Franz Haniel 15“. 

Change on the fly 

This time the change of 

crew takes place near the 

small Dutch town of Rhoon, 

only a few kilometres away 

from Rotterdam Europoort. 

The multiple barge convoy, 

altogether 188 metres long 

and thus an impressive 

sight, maintains course, albeit 

slowly, along the edge 

of the river. In a dinghy the 

first members of the old 

crew are taken ashore and 


the new crew is brought on 

board. On the fly Heinz 

Schmitz takes over at the 

helm in the wheelhouse and 

resumes the voyage towards 

Duisburg. 

No stops 

An observer on board becomes 

aware of two things 

at this moment: there are no 

stops; and speed becomes a 

matter of perspective. Upstream 

the vessels require 

double the time needed to 

go downstream. Around 22 

hours and about 240 kilometres 

lie ahead of the crew before 

they reach the port of 

Schwelgern. 

There are a total of eight 

cabins on board, plus a guest 

cabin and several wash 

rooms. The mess is adjacent 

to the spacious galley. 

Everything is set up very 

practically. One can see that 

this is a working area. Cosiness 

can only be found within 

one’s own four walls. An 

aquarium with ornamental 

fish alone is enough to create 

the impression of a private 

sphere. 

The crew members eat or 

spend their free time in the 

mess. A stereo system and a 

television with video 

recorder help to pass the 

time. As a rule, however, 

they try to sleep. But with a 

six-hour rhythm this is possible 

only to a limited extent. 

Then there is the constant, 

though damped, noise 

level of the rumbling engines 

in the engine room. 

„The first day is always the 

Haniel multiple barge convoys predominantly carry iron ore and imported c 

worst.“ Everyone agrees 

with that. After the twoweek 

rest period the body 

has to adapt to the new con- 

ditions again. Three diesel 

engines with a total 4,800 

hp generate the power that 

drives the steel colossus. Of

HANIEL 

tantly on the move 

oal for the steel mill industry as they move between Rotterdam and the works ports along the Lower Rhine. 

that, the two sideboard engines 

each generate a power 

of 1,800 hp: in the ideal case 

the four barges contain near- 

ly 12,000 tonnes of bulk 

material. Furthermore, 

„Franz Haniel 15“ can also 

connect two additional 

barges. Then the convoy 

would have a cargo volume 

of 16,000 tonnes and a 

length of 265 metres. 

The course is held by 

means of a automatic pilot 

This time the barges have 

loaded three different types 

of ore. They orginate from 

South Africa and Africa. 

Sometimes they even come 

from Australia. The largest 

ore supplier is Brazil, where 

more than half of the Duisburg 

cargo volume originates. 

Just like the imported 

coal, the ore is transported 

by gigantic seagoing vessels 

to Rotterdam, where German 

steel corporations have 

enormous open storage facilities 

from which they request 

the various qualities 

needed. 

A small, hydraulically 

aided control lever is sufficient 

to move the over twometre-high 

rudder blades at 

the stern of the vessel. The 

specified course is maintained 

by means of an automatic 

pilot, even over long 

stretches. And besides the 

two radar screens, there are 

a large number of instrument 

displays that convey 

more the impression of an 

aircraft cockpit. 

The speeds of the individual 

engines and their current 

fuel consumption are 

displayed on a PC screen. 

Consumption plays a major 

role, especially in terms of 

economic efficiency. Even 

slight changes in engine 

power lead to significant 

fluctuations in fuel consumption. 

Absolutely fantastic 

consumption figures 

At an average upstream 

speed of 10 kilometres an 

hour the vessel requires less 

than a litre of diesel to move 

a tonne of cargo a hundred 

kilometres. Neither road 


carriers nor rail transport 

can compete with this level 

of consumption. 

Who actually cooks on 

board? „Whoever has time 

and can cook,“ explains 

helmsman Maik Mayer as 

he washes the lunch dishes. 

„There used to be a cook 

here,“ he adds. Presumably 

no one can afford such luxury 

any more today in view 

of the prices on the inland 

waterway shipping market. 

Thus, the crew presents itself 

to viewers as a smoothly 

functioning group of men 

sharing a household. 

While cows graze on the 

banks of the Rhine, bustling 

traffic prevails on the river. 

After all, „Franz Haniel 15“ 

operates on the most frequented 

waterway in the 

world. Motor vessels con- 


stantly pass by in both directions. 

In spite of their actual 

length, when viewed from 

above, these vessels appear 

like small cars from the 

point of view of a truck driver. 

Otherwise much is reminiscent 

of a highway, only 

on water. 

„The actual hazards are 

not above, but below the 

water surface,“ says Captain 

Schmitz. „At many places 

along the river there are 

shallows where the water 

ripples on the surface. 

Shallows demand 

precise navigation 

Despite the stipulated 

navigation channel, special 

care must be taken when 

navigating in shallow water. 

In certain sections the multiple 

barge convoy moves 

only half a metre above the 

bottom. Then you can see 

how the ship churns up the 

sand to the water surface.“ 

Schmitz and the other captains 

know this section like 

the back of their hand. 

The heart of „Franz 

Haniel 15“ is the engine 

room. The vessel has three 

engines, each a 16-cylinder 

turbo diesel as large as a 

VW van. During the last 

servicing the engines were 

given a general overhaul. 

Broken down into individual 

parts, they were examined 

thoroughly and all wearing 

parts replaced. Now they are 

to give the vessel new thrust 

for at least another 60,000 

operating hours. 

Punctually as planned, 

„Franz Haniel 15“ arrives at 

the port in Schwelgern. Just- 

in-time. The harbour basin 

extends, straight as a die, 

over a length of about one 

kilometre. As of here the 

harbourmaster in his lofty 

control station takes over 

command of the cargo. 

Brief instructions and boatsmen 

and heimsmen loosen 

the thick wire ropes that 

held the convoy together for 

24 hours. The four barges 

are cast off. Meanwhile in 

the river the empty pushed 

barges already await their 

downstream voyage to Rotterdam. 

● 

Three 16-cylinder turbo diesel engines generating a total power of up to 4,800 hp make Haniel multiple barge convoys 

powerful enough to be able to push six loaded barges upstream.

Safe transport service for the chemical industry 

Wijgula shipping company 

expands with new tankers 

Haniel Reederei subsidiary Wijgula in the 

Dutch city of Druten has put two additional 

new inland motor tankers into operation. 

This means Wijgula now has 32 tanker 

units, including five new additions with 

tanks made of stainless steel. 

In specialised tanker shipping 

Wijgula holds a top 

position in western Europe 

with its fleet of 32 tankers. 

The most recent new vessels 

include the tanker „Synthese 

4“, which was delivered 

by the De Gerlien Van 

Tiem B. V. shipyard in 

Druten on 20 December, 

and TMS „Synthese 10“, 

which was built at the Smits 

shipyard in Krimpen on the 

River Lek and set off on its 

maiden voyage on 2nd January. 

Both ships have been in 

operation from the first day 

onward. 

„Synthese 4“ is a doublehull 

tanker of the ADNR 

type „N closed“. It can be 

used to transport most liquid 

chemicals provided they are 

not highly explosive or 

highly toxic. The vessel can 

be loaded with 1,707 tonnes 

of cargo. The predecessor, 

„Synthese 3“, has the same 

design while the new vessels 

„Synthese 6“ and „Synthese 

2“, in turn, also have the 

same design. The entire 

„Synthese“ series has 

proven to be very successful 

thus far. 

„Synthese 4“ has two independent 

tank units with 

separate loading and discharging 

systems. It is primarily 

operated between the 

ARA ports on the Rhine and 

chemical plants along the 

river. 

TMS „Synthese 10“ is a 

motor tanker of the C type 

conforming to the ADNR 

regulations. C stands for 

chemical and means that all 

The new tanker „Synthese 10“ is 

approved for the transport of all 

liquid chemicals. 

liquid chemicals approved 

for transport on waterways 

can be conveyed with this 

type of vessel. This also includes 

all highly toxic and 

highly explosive liquids. 

Since this last vessel represents 

a new type of ship 

for Wijgula, the name „Synthese 

10“ was chosen to as 

to indicate that it is a new 

series. Deployment of this 

tanker with a cargo capacity 

of 2,001 tonnes, equipped 

with tanks and pipe systems 

made of stainless steel, supplements 

the existing transport 

activities of the shipping 

company, on the one 

hand, while opening up new 

potential in the transport 

market for hazardous goods, 

on the other. 

The crew on board has 

considerable experience in 

chemical shipping, enabling 

24-hour operation of this 

vessel. The crews are 

changed every week according 

to the principle: one 

week on board, one week 

off. � 

HANIEL 

Haniel 

strengthens 

its position 

Haniel Umschlag und Industrie-Logistik 

GmbH 

& Co. KG, Duisburg 

(HUIL), a 100% subsidiary 

of Haniel Reederei Holding 

GmbH, took over the business 

activities of Röhlig & 

Co., Duisburg branch, and 

Cargo-Spedition GmbH, 

Duisburg, in the ferroalloy 

sector as well as part of the 

operating facilities, effective 

as of 15 November 2000. 

The activities assumed 

round off the range of cargo 

handling, storage, processing 

and logistics services offered 

by HUIL and represent 

a sensible extension of 

the industrial logistics division 

of Haniel Reederei 

Holding. 

Continuity in customer 

relations and the related orders 

is ensured by virtue of 

the fact that HUIL has kept 

on 15 staff members. This 

means that HUIL now employs 

a total of over 90 employees. 

HUIL now has an area of 

140,000 m 2 at its disposal, 

including 50,000 m 2 of covered 

storage and around 

4,400 m 3 of silo capacity. 

The company will significantly 

expand its market position 

in future, supported 

by the logistics activities in 

the ferroalloy sector. � 


Between China and Europe 

Brouwer sets new standards 

for worldwide coke shipments 

As a provider of sea transport services, 

Brouwer is constantly building up a good 

reputation. The committed shipping business 

staff members of the „Brouwer crew“ discover 

and develop niche markets, thus provide 

benefits to the customers and have corporate 

success themselves. 

To be on the lookout 

worldwide for shipping 

opportunities that result 

in advantages for everyone. 

This is the basic principle 

with which Brouwer Shipping 

and Chartering GmbH, 

a member of the Imperial 

Group, pursues its business 

activities at its headquarters 

in Hamburg and at other locations 

around the globe. 

„We can best illustrate this 

endeavour on the basis of 

examples, such as a number 

of coke shipments from Tianjin 

region on the Yellow 

Sea in the northeastern area 

of the People’s Republic of 

China to Antwerp and Rotterdam 

via the port of Xingang 

and then further to the 

Lower Rhine,“ explains 

Brouwer Managing Director 

Holger Ranf. 

The German steel industry 

obtains part of its raw 

materials for the melting of 

ore from overseas. This includes 

coke from China. 

This coke, which is suitable 

for blast furnace processing, 

is offered at competitive 

prices according to the standards 

of the world coke 

market, but the freight costs 

for the long route to the 

buyers represent, nevertheless, 

a burden that must be 

minimized. Recently 

Brouwer Shipping has succeeded 

several times in reducing 

transport costs in 

close partnership with 


Krupp Energiehandel 

(KEH) and the responsible 

Chinese government offices. 

„We were able to combine 

things that were previously 

not possible in this 

constellation,“ reports Ranf. 

For example, it was determined 

at an early stage that 

after dredging work on its 

navigation channel the port 

of Xingang can now to accessible 

by vessels significantly 

larger than the Panmax 

category (the maximum 

deployable vessel size 

for the port up to then), i.e. 

ships with a capacity of 

75,000 tonnes. This means 

ships can be used that are 

classified in charter business 

as „cape size“ and 

carry dry cargo well in excess 

of 120,000 tonnes. 

Since coke is a lightweight 

commodity, only 

around 75% of the maximum 

carrying capacity is 

reached despite full cargo 

space utilisation. This, in 

turn, results in a lower 

draught, making it possible 

to take on a full load in Xingang 

and also pass through 

the Suez Canal by means of 

„cape size“ bulk carriers, 

which can currently be chartered 

at lower freights than 

Panmax vessels. 

„Although Xingang was 

not geared to „cape size“ up 

to now, the port employees 

managed to fill the ship’s 

belly with around 80,000 

tonnes of coke within approximately 

40 working 

hours with their grab crane 

facilities in cooperation with 

KEH’s Tianjin office, even 

during the most important 

Chinese holiday, the Chinese 

New Year/Spring Festival,“ 

notes Ranf appreciatively. 

All these factors together 

- speedy loading, larger vessels, 

lower freight rates and 

a shorter route through the 

161-kilometre Suez Canal 

instead of the long stretch 

around the Cape of Good 

Hope - produce additional 

sales for the Chinese coking 

plants and competitive marketing 

potential for Krupp 

Energiehandel. „We at 

„Cape size“ vessel sizes were previously unknown to the teams at the crane facilities in 

Xingang. Nevertheless, 80,000 tonnes of coke were loaded from the storage site into a 

ship’s belly in around forty working hours.

Brouwer Shipping and 

Chartering have contributed 

to this by linking all these 

elements, combined with 

outstanding cooperation between 

all those involved - 

management and staff of 

Krupp Energiehandel, its of- 

BROUWER SHIPPING 

It is cold in northeastern China.The „cape size“ bulk carrier chartered by Brouwer,Aghios Charalambos, was surrounded 

by drift ice in the port of Xingang while it took on 80,000 tonnes of coke for Krupp Energiehandel there in February. 

fice in Tianjin, the port authorities 

and the local authorities,“ 

points out Holger 

Ranf. 

„Actually it is a matter of 

course for us as a shipper 

and charterer of seagoing 

vessels,“ adds Ranf. Howev- 

er, one has to be extremely 

familiar with the markets 

and have worldwide contacts 

to be able to respond 

quickly. The flexibility of 

the company is of crucial 

importance. In this case 

Brouwer was once again the 

first company able to optimise 

coke business between 

market leader Krupp Energiehandel 

and the Chinese 

suppliers. � 

Works councils establish working 

Aworking group of the 

Imperial works 

council has been 

constituted since March 

of this year. The following 

Imperial subsidiaries are 

involved in this working 

group: J. H. Bachmann 

GmbH, Panopa Logistik 

GmbH + Co. KG, Haniel 

Transport & Schiffahrt 

GmbH & Co. KG, Haniel 

Schiffahrt GmbH, Haniel 

Reederei GmbH, Haniel 

Umschlag und Industrie- 

Logistik GmbH & Co. 

KG, dbt Duisburg Bulk 

Terminal GmbH and 

neska Schiffahrt und 

Speditionskontor GmbH. 

At the constituent assembly 

of the working group 

on 8 March the following 

office holders were selected 

at the Haniel 

Akademie in Duisburg: 

Chairman 

Hans-Jürgen Friedel 

(Panopa Logistik GmbH 

& Co. KG) 

Deputy Chairman 

Peter Jürgen Fink (Haniel 

Transport & Schiffahrt 

GmbH & Co. KG) 

Secretary 

Daniela Arens (Haniel 

Reederei GmbH) 

On the basis of the constant 

economic and staffrelated 

growth of Imperial 

Logistics International, 

the works councils, as 

representatives of around 

1,500 employees in Germany 

and 2,500 employees 

worldwide, would like 

to continue and expand 

the continuous cooperation 

based on trust over 

the past years with the 

Board of Management 

and the executive staff of 

the specific companies. 

The establishment of the 

working group represents 

an initial organisational 

step on the part of the 

works councils towards a 

functioning representation 

of interests in our jointly 

experienced corporate 

culture (Haniel and 

Thyssen Krupp), and 

builds on the previous 

good experience with this 

body based on the 

Labour-Management Relations 

Act, points out 

Hans-Jürgen Friedel. 

The working group will 

not perform the work of 

the individual works 

council bodies and not be 

a „supra-works council“, 

but will merely provide 

assistance in solving 

problems as needed. Furthermore, 

it will be a contact 

for the individual Imperial 

subsidiaries and 

input its substantial experience 

in looking for possible 

solutions for Groupspecific 

concerns and 

problems. As a first step, 

dates for talks were 

arranged with the Board 

of Management and the 

individual management 

staff members for the year 

2001. � 


In Asia customers can depend on J.H.Bachmann 

Represented at the 

hot spots of trade 

The opening of the Chinese 

market in the 

1970s proved to be decisive 

for J. H. Bachmann’s 

commitment in the Far East, 

with Hong Kong serving as 

the gateway from China to 

the West. From there J. H. 

Bachmann took the first 

strategic steps towards further 

expansion. To strengthen 

its presence in the “Middle 

Kingdom”, a branch office 

was opened at first in 

Guangzhou, Canton, northwest 

of Hong Kong. This 

was then followed by further 

offices in Xiamen on the 

Formosa Strait across from 

Taiwan as well as in Shanghai 

and Beijing. J. H. Bachmann 

performed demanding 

freight forwarding services 

there. 

The head office was always 

in Hong Kong, ex- 


Asia has been a prominent region for the 

freight forwarding sector for over 20 years. 

This also applies for J. H. Bachmann. The 

branch in Hong Kong was established in 

1978. This was soon followed by further offices 

in the People’s Republic of China and in 

other places in the region. Additional investments 

are planned. 

plains Hans-Jörg Roost, 

who has worked for the 

Group in Hong Kong since 

1985. Hong Kong is one of 

the leading financial centres 

in the world and is considered 

to be the place where a 

provider must be present in 

order to conduct foreign 

trade business between East 

and West. Furthermore, 

Hong Kong is the largest 

container port in the world, 

where well over 18 million 

TEU are handled every year. 

J. H. Bachmann operates 

two warehouses in Hong 

Kong. One is used for consolidating 

air freight shipments, 

i.e. combining them 

into larger cargo units, and 

then flying them to, or 

receiving them from, all 

points around the globe. The 

other warehouse serves as a 

logistics and distribution 

centre. Ball bearings, computer 

parts, perfume and 

wine are some of the highquality 

products handled by 

Bachmann here. A section 

of the logistics centre has 

been equipped with an air 

conditioning system so as to 

maintain the quality of the 

goods, particularly wine and 

perfume. 

The Bachmann team in 

Xiaman focuses on outgoing 

sea freight and organises the 

necessary procedures. Xiaman 

plays a growing role as 

a major trade centre in 

South China. Hans-Jörg 

Roost is convinced that the 

Bachmann branch will certainly 

profit from this and 

also from the increasing 

business due to the recent 

development/discussion between 

Taiwan and China. 

Situated at the mouth of 

the Yangtze River on the 

east coast of China, Shanghai 

is also developing into a 

mega-location in every respect. 

Here again Bachmann 

constantly adapts its opera- 

Hans-Jörg Roost, Managing Director of J. H. Bachmann (Hong Kong) Ltd. and at the same time responsible for Asia, at a 

morning briefing.

Expansion of the logistic activities of the Bachmann 

organisation in Hong Kong is met with a positive response 

from customers.The pictures show (left) the second floor 

tion to the growing business 

volume. 

In China’s capital, Beijing, 

air freight shipment 

from all parts of the country 

account for a substantial 

volume of the total cargo. 

Loading and unloading, 

temporary storage and consolidation 

have always been 

and still are quite complex 

at this location. 

Growing use is made of 

Bachmann’s services for 

smooth and rapid cargo handling, 

including all customs 

information. The Beijing 

staff also organises precarriage 

and subsequent transport 

in northern China on 

behalf of its customers. 

Business is booming in 

Taiwan as well, where particular 

emphasis must be 

placed on the dramatic 

growth in foreign trade with 

several South American 

countries recently. 

Bangkok is, of course, 

the heart of the Thai market. 

There J. H. Bachmann additionally 

assumes coordination 

responsibility for shipments 

to and from the 

neighbouring countries of 

Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia 

and Myamar. The Bachmann 

branch there also has 

a high level of competence 

in handling project business. 

Despite still generally 

weak economic growth, the 

Bachmann activities in 

Bangkok had to be strengthened. 

The customs clearance 

department is well established, 

says Thailand Manager 

Rainer David. It has its 

own licences and works for a 

numerous local and international 

customers in Thailand. 

Indonesia is also a success 

story for Bachmann. 

The branch in Djakarta is 

now regarded and recognised 

as one of the best air 

freight forwarding companies 

in the country for shipments 

to Europe, states Vollrad 

Peter Hagen, head of the 

Indonesian organisation. 

The development of 

Bachmann’s branches in 

BACHMANN 

of a Bachmann warehouse, which can also be accessed by 

heavy trucks. On the right is one of several Bachmann 

distribution vehicles. 

Asia looks good in the near 

future in Roost’s estimation. 

Now being part of the Imperial 

Group, it is certain that 

J. H. Bachmann will continue 

to expand. 

In his responsibility as 

regional manager for Asia, 

Hans-Jörg Roost views his 

top priority as the consolidation 

and further development 

of his office’s own 

presence in the major countries 

of Asia. 

Trans-Pacific trade with 

North and South America is 

regarded as especially capable 

of expansion. Initial business 

transactions have already 

been concluded with new 

customers on these routes. 

Now branches are also to 

be opened in Malaysia and 

Taiwan, possibly even with 

local partners. Soon it will 

be Singapore’s turn as well. 

„In the difficult Japanese 

market,“ according to 

Roost, „we will establish a 

joint venture at the proper 

time in any case.“ However, 

it is also important that the 

company’s presence is extended 

significantly as 

planned in the USA in order 

to build up activities in this 

region, too. “It is only a 

matter of time until the 

name of JHB will appear on 

the map of many other 

countries in Asia“ says 

Roost. � 

In Hong Kong more than 50 Bachmann staff members ensure smooth operations 

planning and documentation of the incoming and outgoing shipments. 


Bachmann’s freight forwarding specialists are in overseas at home 

An expert hand for worldwid 

A worldwide freight forwarding organisation 

is necessary, of course, to be able to transport 

even the largest pieces from door to 

door without any problem. J. H. Bachmann 

demonstrates day in and day out that project 

Project freight forwarding 

of cargo with un- 

„ 

usual dimensions and 

weights for manufacturers, 

exporters and consignees 

can be handled and organ- 


ised most professionally 

when we as an experienced 

freight forwarding company 

are involved right from the 

planning phase“, states Jörn 

Evers, the general manager 

Finished! All parts of a tunnel drilling machine made by 

Wirth have been stowed in the cargo holds of the MS 

“Szymannowski” and are ready for sea transport to 

China. Shipment of the 15,000 freight tonnes of cargo was 

organised down to the last detail by J. H. Bachmann from 

the manufacturer’s plant to the final destination in the 

Chinese hinterland. 

freight forwarding business of this kind has 

nearly become routine. In Germany the 

Bachmann offices in Bremen and Hamburg 

in particular are the experienced specialists 

that hold the reins. 

of the Bachmann office in 

Hamburg. 

The Bachmann team is 

well occupied. „We would 

be poor freight forwarders if 

this were not the case given 

the present export boom,” 

emphasizes Jürgen Rowold, 

who is responsible for ocean 

freight at Bachmann in 

Hamburg. 

„The most exciting business 

is export project freight 

forwarding when goods are 

sold ex works and/or free site 

and we organise and manage 

all deliveries, the cargo handling 

operations all the way 

to the destination on behalf 

of the shipper or consignee,” 

explains Jörn Evers. 

A job for pros 

The challenges begin 

right from initial transport 

from the inland plant to the 

vessel at the port of loading: 

all precarriage of cargo that 

exceeds the dimensions and 

weights specified in the 

road traffic regulations may 

only be transported with 

special permits and such approval 

must be obtained 

from each federal German 

state through which the 

cargo moves. 

This already is a job for 

the pros. Besides the export 

clearance procedure, the 

most important task is to 

find a suitable vessel that is 

able to take non containerisable 

parts in its cargo holds 

or on deck or load and discharge 

if necessary these 

over dimensional and heavy 

lift pieces with ship‘s own 

gear. 

Good starting position 

vis-à-vis the competition 

“Our clients naturally 

want to know all the costs 

and terms of transport from 

us beforehand,” explains 

Branch Manager Jürgen 

Rowold. Even with good 

contacts to the customers 

the negotiations are tough. 

But on the basis of its experience 

and contacts and supported 

by a worldwide network 

of branches, however, 

the Bachmann team has 

built up a good starting position 

vis-à-vis the competition. 

In the case of exports via 

Hamburg, information exchange 

between the parties 

concerned is carried out by 

means of Dakosy. This is the 

data communication system 

employed by the Elbe port 

which links all companies 

involved in foreign trade 

business via sea, such as terminal 

operators, stevedores, 

shipping companies, freight 

forwarding agents and customs 

offices. As preliminary 

information, for example, 

the customs insists not only 

on data on the precise net 

and gross weights, but also 

notification of the number of 

packages as well as the invoice 

value of the goods and 

the customs tariff number. 

Dimensions and weights 

are also part of the calculation 

basis for cargo handling 

operations in the port and 

during overseas transport. 

Every case and every 

package must be marked for 

identification. Furthermore, 

delivery papers and ship-

e project business 

ping notes must be prepared 

prior to loading and unloading. 

In addition, a freight 

contract specifying all details 

concerning shipment 

must be concluded between 

shipping companies and 

freight forwarding companies. 

Bachmann’s overseas offices 

staff and long-term 

partners ensure proper receipt 

in the ports of destination 

and further transport to 

the respective inland location. 

Here again there is a 

great deal to organise: 

Where are the goods set 

down on the pier? Who notifies 

the consignee and 

places the order for import 

customs clearance? How is 

on-carriage to the inland 

destination to be organised? 

“These are all responsibilities 

that can only be performed 

by a staff of trust 

and experts on site, who in 

turn assign reliable companies 

to perform the various 

tasks,” explains Evers. 

Often the advice of JHB 

is also required in connection 

with insuring the goods 

against loss and damage. 

“The entire overseas-oriented 

freight forwarding business 

must be learned and 

mastered starting from the 

bottom,” state Jürgen 

Rowold and Jörn Evers 

unanimously. Both have 

been involved in this business 

for over 30 years. 

These specialists are, of 

course, also among the staff 

at Bachmann’s headquarters 

in Bremen. For example, 

Jens Murken, Department 

Manager for North America, 

who has just returned from a 

trip to the US, where he organised 

and supervised the 

on-carriage of transformers 

(see picture above) on behalf 

of the customer. 

Precarriage to the seaports and subsequent transport to 

the receiving inland destinations place extremely high 

demands on the quality of the freight forwarding operations. 

Here again customers always find the right specialists 

at Bachmann. 

BACHMANN 

With a weight of 295 tonnes this is the heaviest transformer for which J. H. Bachmann set 

up the chain of transport from Austria to New Jersey for its project customer,VA TECH 

Elin Transformatoren GmbH,Vienna. 

The company holds an 

outstanding position in Bremen 

particularly for project 

shipments to North and 

South America. This is 

based on the personal qualifications 

of the staff as well 

as on many years of experience 

in this field of business. 

“The customers especially 

appreciate our personal 

commitment on site,” 

states Jens Murken, “since 

even with all the technology 

involved, the transport of 

projects and plant equipment 

is a matter of trust 

where the customers prefer 

to rely on their personal 

contacts.” 

In the next issue of Imperial 

News the project activities 

of J. H. Bachmann in the 

United States, where they 

are managed by Wilhelm 

Hoffmann, will be one of the 

special focal points. � 


A better future for “Carolina and her children” 

Donations instead of gifts 

Instead of a reception in honour 

of the company’s 

225th anniversary in the 

summer of 2000, Bachmann’s 

management decided 

to collect donations for the 

Brazilian orphanage “Carolina 

and her children”. With 

considerable support from 

Imperial the total donations 

amounted to over 100,000 

DM. 

On site in Embu, Bachmann 

Managing Director 

Wolfgang Kulenkampff, who 

also speaks Portuguese, organised 

what was to be done 

with this money together 

with the responsible parties. 


In Brazil a lot of good things 

can be done with 100,000 

DM. A house for teenage 

girls is being constructed and 

a covered area to play while 

it rains will be set up. Also a 

soccer field, not only for the 

boys, will be prepared. Finally 

a pickup truck was purchased 

for trips to the school, 

to the doctor or for transporting 

food. 

All these investments and 

purchases will make life 

easier for the children. 

Bachmann and Imperial will 

continue to support „Carolina 

and her children“ in the 

future. � 

The over ninety children at the orphanage near Embu in 

Brazil thank the many donators. 

Also in aviation cooperations 

are necessary and 

possible today. Bachmann 

is actively involved in 

the Challenge Group. Bernd 

Oberfeld, responsible Managing 

Director for J. H. Bachmann 

Air Cargo, comments 

on the motives. 

Who is Challenge? 

A group of air freight 

forwarders consisting of 

small and medium-sized 

enterprises joined together 

in 1998 to work on major 

routes jointly. 

What is the advantage of 

Challenge? 

Based on our size, we can 

Joint forces 

Bernd Oberfeld 

provide very individual service, 

but we did not always 

have the volume that very 

large freight forwarding 

companies have. Through 

joint purchasing we, too, are 

BACHMANN 

Built and purchased with Bachmann and Imperial 

donations: a covered playground (above), a pickup truck 

for transporting people and goods as well as sleeping 

quarters for the somewhat older girls. 

now in a position 

to acquire and 

handle such volumes. 

The Challenge 

Group currently 

serves over twenty international 

destinations on a 

weekly basis. 

How do you cooperate 

within Challenge? 

We operate a joint consolidation 

centre in Frankfurt 

where the general cargo 

shipments are collected, 

consolidated and flown to 

their destinations. 

What 

are the 

future prospects 

of Challenge? 

In a world in which 

prices play an increasingly 

important role, we have to 

have the same volume as the 

big players versus the airlines. 

At present this represents 

freight sales of around 

150 million DM. We at 

Challenge currently achieve 

a level of 90 million DM for 

Germany, i.e. our group 

must continue to grow. � 

group ®

Imperial 2/2001_englisch - Panopa

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