Diplomatic World_69

HEINRICH KERSTGENS
RHENUS LOGISTICS
COULD YOU BRIEFLY TELL US THE STORY OF
RHENUS LOGISTICS? WHAT LOGISTICS SERVICES
DO YOU OFFER ALONG THE SUPPLY CHAIN?
Rhenus offers a service portfolio for all aspects of logistics
worldwide, combining customer-specific material flow solutions
with a network of logistics centres. Services include integrated
logistics solutions in the areas of procurement, production, and
The historical roots of the Rhenus Group can be traced back to
distribution logistics. The Group’s industry specialisations include
Rhenus Transport-Gesellschaft m.b.H., which was founded in
automotive, the media and book trade, consumer and industrial
1912. The business concentrated on shipping services as well as
goods, office systems, pharmaceuticals, and health care sectors,
freight forwarding and warehousing. When the Rethmann Group
among others.
acquired the company from Stinnes in 1998, turbulent developments
had impacted the Rhenus Group: the corporate strategy
As a global logistics provider, the Group also offers specialised
had changed repeatedly due to various mergers and reorgani-
freight services as well as many value-added services including
sations. The incorporation into the family business marked the
external warehouse operational support, delivery networks and
beginning of a stable development and growth for Rhenus.
full operational support of specialised teams in the automotive
Today, the Rhenus Group is a global logistics service company
sector. Tracking in real time, digital data exchange as well as
with an annual turnover of EUR 7 billion. Even though the Group
web-based booking portals are technological solutions that set
has grown exponentially, it still recognises the strengths of its
the Group apart.
roots and provides a diverse range of key services. The Rhenus
business areas offer solutions for a wide range of industries
along the entire supply chain, including warehousing, customs
clearance and multimodal transport, as well as numerous innovative
value-added services.
LOGISTICS SERVICES
RHENUS HAS TRADITIONALLY HAD A STRONG
FOCUS ON AIR AND SEA LOGISTICS, AND
RECENTLY ALSO ON RAIL SERVICES. WHAT
ARE SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES OF RAIL
TRANSPORT, COMPARED TO SEA CARGO AND
AIR FREIGHT?
Rhenus entered the rail segment as early as 1998 with the acquisition
of Bahngesellschaft Waldhof (BGW). Since then, the com-
the ‘modal shift’. With it the traditional image of the railway as an
inadequate supplement to marine transport in the global supply
chain has changed. By the end of 2021, the volume of railway
container transportation between the two largest world economies
– the EU and China – approached 1.5 million standard
The Rhenus Group develops transport solutions for all modes
pany has developed various rail activities with varying degrees
containers (TEU). This was made possible not least by subsidies
of transport, whether by road or rail, sea or air. In addition to
of success. However, that does not deter Rhenus from seizing
from the Chinese side, which have massively pushed transport
organising and performing transports, Rhenus also takes care
opportunities in the rail segment where they arise. Today, the
by rail on the New Silk Road since 2013.
of customs formalities and develops individual supply chain
group is on the move in many countries by rail and this segment
solutions for its customers. As a full-service provider, the Group
is just as much a part of the portfolio as air freight, trucking, and
One of the main competitive advantages of the railway in com-
offers the entire range of transport services, from groupage to
inland waterway transport.
parison to other modes of transport is the ability to remain stable
partial and full truck as well as container loads, from standard
even in challenging times. The pandemic highlighted the main
to oversized, from line to express, from domestic transport to
transnational procurement and distribution – all with end-to-end
shipment tracking.
DISRUPTION OF SUPPLY CHAINS AND THE
IMPORTANCE OF THE NEW SILK ROAD
benefits of rail freight: reliability, speed of delivery, and environmental
friendliness.
As a fast and highly reliable transport mode, rail freight has the
Additionally, the Group provides services in the areas of trans-
In the last two years, global supply chains between Europe and
decisive advantage of shorter lead times, especially compared
port, transhipment and storage of bulk goods, bulk general car-
Asia have been under almost constant threat of disruption due
to sea freight. The usual transport time (pre-pandemic) of four to
go, heavy cargo, and plant. Rhenus has its own capacities at the
to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as unpredictable shipping
five weeks for ocean freight transports from China to northern
North German seaports as well as at all the major inland ports
accidents, as witnessed by the Suez Canal incident. With various
Europe emphasises the relative speed of rail freight: the same
in Germany, including interfaces with the railways. The Rhenus
lockdowns also affecting Chinese ports, the ripples of the delays
transport can be achieved in about half the time, which reduces
European network links all the major seaports with the most
caused by waiting container ships were felt, and can still be felt,
lead time considerably. As the risk of sudden delays is low, rail
important waterways in Europe. Apart from its intra-European
in ports around the world. As ocean freight durations became
freight is very punctual and reliable, unlike sea or road freight,
activities, Rhenus designs and implements efficient, interconti-
longer and increasingly unpredictable, the attractiveness of the
which are affected by sudden weather changes and unpredicta-
nental supply chains.
Heinrich kerstgens
railway grew and marked a change in the perception of
ble congestion.
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