Transfer magazine - November 2012

The customer and staff magazine of the geis group I November 2012 I www.geis-group.com
Well-prepared
for more volume
Anniversary:
10 years of SDV Geis
experts
for special services
2 | editorial
sis, and training the experts of tomorrow ourselves has
always been a high priority for us. Each year we enable young people to enter the world of logistics with a
whole range of different apprenticeships. Although the
number of qualified applicants is decreasing annually
because of demographic change, once again in 2012 we
have been able to fill all our vacancies in accordance
with our requirements. In total, more than 80 young
men and women have opted for an apprenticeship at
the Geis Group.
The working environment at Geis is characterized by
teamwork and personal guidance. Occupational safety
as well as health and safety are also a high priority, and
two sites in Hesse were recently awarded “ASCA Safety
Management 2012” by the Hessian Ministry of Social
Affairs.
Dear readers,
Quick solutions bring only short-term success. For
this reason, we always base our activities on long-term
concepts. We firmly believe that only in this way we
can ensure stability and reliability – and our experience
to date confirms this. Once again this year, therefore,
An important anniversary. This year we have another reason to celebrate because it marks the tenth
anniversary of the SDV Geis joint venture. We are currently celebrating the anniversary with clients, business
partners and employees, and look forward to continuing our successful cooperation over the next ten years
and beyond!
Paths to sustainable growth
we have systematically pursued our strategy of sustainable business growth. This requires that we establish
sustainable partnerships with our customers alongside
shared growth. Many customers have for years relied
on our high quality, our expertise and our flexibility.
Recently we have acquired a number of new and exciting projects. For example, we are now active on behalf
of our new customer AREVA, in the summer took over
the complex logistics for JELD-WEN doors, and in the
Czech Republic recently started working for electronics retailer OKAY (see pages 7 to 9).
Investments in real estate. To fulfil every order
to the complete satisfaction of our customers we invest heavily in new and existing facilities. This has also
been the case during the past few months: In ErlangenFrauenaurach the second phase of our multi-user logistics and technology centre is currently being built, in
Ohrdruf the expanded freight terminal was recently
opened, and in Slovakia we now have increased capacity
with a combined central hub for cargo and parcels (see
pages 6, 10 and 11). All these new and expanded facilities are contributing to our long-term growth.
Our strong basis. Highly-skilled teams at all our national and international sites guarantee smooth processing and top results. Our employees are our strong ba-
Long-term client relationships, top logistics facilities,
qualified staff, optimal working conditions – four critical factors for achieving sustainable success. Information on our business strategy and developments within
the Geis Group can be found in the current issue of
Transfer. We hope you enjoy reading it!
Yours sincerely,
Hans-Georg Geis and Wolfgang Geis,
Managing Partners of the Geis Group
contents | 3
04
Top story
04The experts for special services
06 Logistics centre – second phase
LOGISTICS SERVICES
07Geis opens its doors to JELD-WEN doors
08Fresh wind for AREVA - mail, parcels and more
08Award for occupational safety
09OKAY: Logistics in the cross-docking procedure
07
ROAD SERVICES
10New hub in Slovakia
11 Ohrdruf: Well-prepared for more volume
11Focus on Turkey
Air + Sea Services
11
12SDV Geis drives forward eFreight
12X-ray machines combat freight congestion
12SDV is Global Freight Forwarder 2012
13Joint-venture celebrates its 10th anniversary
GENERAL NEWS
14New apprentices arrive at Geis
14Sporty and athletic
15New Divisional Manager Personnel Management
15New in Nuremberg
15Anniversaries
13
Published by
Hans Geis GmbH + Co Internationale Spedition
Rudolf-Diesel-Ring 24, 97616 Bad Neustadt/Saale
Phone: +49 9771 603-0, Fax: +49 9771 603-109
www.geis-group.com
Responsible for the contents
Management of the Geis Group
Editorial
STROOMER PR | Concept GmbH
Christian Stephan, Katharina Segl
Wiebke Petersen, Sandro Saretz (Design)
Rellinger Straße 64a, 20257 Hamburg
Phone: +49 40 853133-0, Fax +49 40 853133-22
E-mail: mail@stroomer-pr.de
4 | top story
experts
The
for special services
Whether it is specialty packaging for high-tech goods, the installation of telephone and computer systems, or
call centres for customer enquiries, professional logistics service providers nowadays take over entire areas for
their clients. The Geis Group is a real expert when it comes to such special services.
T
he complexity of our tasks is growing in
line with the wishes of our customers,”
explains Geis Managing Director Dr.
Johannes Söllner. “They need one-stop solutions
for different areas and we offer these solutions.” In
addition to the usual distribution and plant supply
depot activities, Geis now also offers a range of special value-added services. Two examples show how
projects initially involving logistics have evolved
into highly complex all-round solutions.
A full-range service provider. The Geis Group
has managed the central distribution centre for Europe, the Middle East and Africa for AVAYA, a leading global communications company, in Dietzenbach for the past 10 years. “The name ‘Distribution
Centre’ no longer fits, however,” says Walter Schott,
Project Manager at Geis Industrie-Service. “In recent years we have taken over so many technical,
operational and administrative activities for AVAYA
that we now manage a combined logistics, technology and service centre for them.”
Geis processes spare parts deliveries for AVAYA 365
days a year. Geis employees are available around the
clock, seven days a week at the call centre to answer
queries about orders and goods. Geis also takes care
of returns processing, organizing free-of-charge return transportation of new and defective products for
AVAYA customers, returning goods to the warehouses
or repair centres, and disposing of used appliances.
For a number of years Geis has also been successfully
processing complex production orders for AVAYA as
a value-added service.
Flexible production. Geis has developed a solution
for products that are made up of different individual
components. The “kitting and bundling” service has
been directly integrated into shipping area, with employees labelling and packing the items that make
up each set. For special orders Geis even assembles
and tests individual parts at a dedicated workstation.
We are
continuing our
successful strategy in
the Special Services
area and building
more new logistics
and technology
centres.
At an additional manufacturing site CDs and DVDs
are created or updated, and then included with the
AVAYA products.
“By taking care of assembly or software updates we
eliminate the need for intermediate transport between
the logistics centre and the production site. This saves
the customer time and money,” says Walter Schott. In
addition to operational services, Geis now also provides administrative services to AVAYA. Import and
export shipments are reported monthly to the Federal
Statistical Office, and a special customs team creates
and manages the export documents, obtains proof of
export and archives it.
Geis has created the best-possible spatial conditions. AVAYA warehouses have been incorporated
into the Dietzenbach site and inventories reduced, so
that the existing warehouse with just a few additionally let areas provides sufficient space. The latest project is vendor-managed inventory (VMI), which Geis
has set up together with an open customs warehouse
in D
­ ietzenbach. “The advantage of VMI for AVAYA
is that no inventory costs are incurred because inven­
tories are the responsibility of the suppliers. Articles
are only invoiced when delivery is made ​​to the AVAYA
customer,” says Walter Schott.
Geis takes care of software
updates for telecommunications
equipment, servers and terminals
for AVAYA
top story | 5
Bundled service for telephone systems. Geis
has been working for Siemens Enterprise Communications (SEN) in Erlangen-Frauenaurach for the
past year and a half. In a state-of-the-art multi-user
logistics and technology centre specially constructed
for SEN the team not only takes care of all goods and
returns logistics, it also assembles telephone systems
using the components stored on site. A separate configuration centre has been set up, which is air conditioned and equipped with a special floor coating that
prevents electrostatic charges. Here employees assemble, configure and test the telephone systems according to SEN assembly and test plans. Since the start of
the project, nearly 6,000 systems have been produced.
Geis is benefitting from the experience gained from
this project when it comes to follow-up orders: For the
past year at the customer’s request, the team has also
been assembling PCs. Geis has created optimal conditions for this work too at the logistics centre in Frauenaurach, encompassing everything from the electrical
systems to the ideal temperature and humidity. Up to
50 computers are assembled there each day.
“We are continuing our successful strategy in the Special Services area and building more new logistics and
technology centres, including in Frauenaurach, where
the second construction phase is currently underway,”
says Dr. Johannes Söllner. —
For more information on the expansion in Frauenaurach see the next page.
Expert at work: A Geis
e­ mployee assembles a
telephone system for Siemens
Enterprise Communications
from individual components
6 | top story
Logistics centre – second phase
In early July, work began on the second phase of a multi-user logistics and technology centre in the Industrial Park Erlangen-­
Frauenaurach. Almost one and a half years ago the Geis Group opened a state-of-the-art building on a 155,000 square metres site.
The first high-profile tenant for the second phase has already been found: Faber-Castell will open a distribution warehouse at the
site in early 2013.
Ideal
­location
All customers at
Industrial Park
Frauenaurach
benefit from its
convenient location
right next to the A3
and A73 highways,
with a dedicated
rail connection, and
even a pier on the
Main-Danube Canal
where ships can be
unloaded.
After its completion in spring 2013, the new building
will be almost indistinguishable from the one standing next to it. The hall and assembly area covers an
area of 27,500 square metres and is therefore almost
identical in size. With over 34 loading bays and four
access gates, goods can be collected and distributed
quickly. And with an interior height of 10.50 metres,
the facility offers the same comprehensive warehouse and assembly capabilities. When it is ready,
the logistics terminal will be divided into three hall
sections of 10,000, 9,000 and 8,500 square metres
respectively. Above the loading zone there will also
be nearly 2,500 square metres of office, production
and administration area.
Big demand. “At the end of the year, the first
14,000 square metres of the terminal will be ready to
go into full operation, and construction of the second half will be completed in the spring,” says Martin Vonderau, Head of Construction and Facilities
Management. Geis has already let this area to FaberCastell from Stein near Nuremberg, the world’s
largest manufacturer of wooden pencils, which will
house its distribution centre here. Geis will provide
the necessary equipment and technology. The remaining area of almost 14,000 square metres means
that there is still sufficient capacity available for other clients and projects.
Work is proceeding rapidly. In September
the topping-out ceremony took place on schedule. Among those present were Managing Partners
Hans-Georg Geis and Wolfgang Geis, Erlangen’s
Mayor Dr. Siegfried Balleis, Anton-Wolfgang Graf
von Faber-Castell and Dr. Thomas Knäble, Technology Director at Faber-Castell.
All good things come in threes: The current construction phase won’t be the final one in the development of the site in Frauenaurach Industrial Park.
Further expansion is possible: A third, 20,000 square
metres logistics and technology centre may be built
in the future on the remaining area totalling more
than 35,000 square metres. “We’re well equipped
for further growth, both in terms of space and the
services that we provide here,” says Dr. Johannes
Söllner. —
Photo: JELD-WEN
Logistics services | 7
Geis opens its doors
to JELD-WEN doors
Since this summer, the Geis Group has been implementing a new logistics concept for JELD-WEN Door Solutions.
The company belongs to the American JELD-WEN Group, the world’s largest supplier of doors and windows. In Erlangen-­
Eltersdorf, Geis runs the national distribution centre for the Do-It-Yourself market segment.
The American JELD-WEN Group
is the world leader in the production and distribution of doors and
windows. JELD-WEN employs
more than 30,000 people in 22
countries. In Europe too, the
company is the leading manufacturer and turnkey supplier of
doors and frames. Its product
portfolio includes interior doors
and frames, as well as front doors
and accessories, with the range
extending from standard doors,
through premium-quality trend
and design doors, to customized
door solutions for the highest
technical requirements. They are
manufactured at 20 production sites in 12 countries across
Europe. In Germany, JELD-WEN
employs over 800 people.
J
ELD-WEN’s 8,500 square metres large distribution centre is a hive of activity, with forklifts
with wide loads lifting goods onto shelves and
horizontal order pickers carefully picking the goods
for each delivery run. And no wonder, because doors
and frames for almost all the Do-It-Yourself stores in
Germany are packed and dispatched from here.
Doors and frames are delivered to Geis from the
JELD-WEN plants on so-called base boards.
These are chipboards that can hold up to 25
doors. Geis also uses them for storage purposes:
The shelves and block warehouses are fitted with
wooden planks so that the forklift and pallet trucks
can lift the boards together with the goods.
Optimal location. “We receive doors and
frames from JELD-WEN plants all over Europe
here,” says Operational Site Manager Carlos
Morata. “The international plants mostly send us
standard doors and frames. Most doors, including
special doors, are sent to us from the two JELDWEN plants in Mittweida, Saxony, and Oettingen,
Bavaria.” The distribution centre is located precisely on the line between the two plants. “The
location is ideal,” says Carlos Morata. “This is
because at Erlangen-Eltersdorf we don’t just pick
small orders for individual Do-It-Yourself stores
and cross-docking platforms, we also fit the doors
from Oettingen with the frames from Mittweida
and thereby reduce the number of inter-plant delivery runs to a minimum.”
Efficient pallet construction. Geis employees
pick doors and frames to order and place them on
the base boards. Before dispatch, bottom runners
are shot beneath the boards using nail guns at a specially-designed workplace. The result: Simple but
efficient pallets for distributing the doors domestically. “Only by placing the doors and frames on
these pallets we ensure that they will also be handled safely and securely on arrival by the receiver’s
forklift and pallet trucks,” says Carlos Morata. Each
day Geis employees prepare goods ready for dispatch to one of five different geographical areas. —
8 | Logistics services
Fresh wind for AREVA – mail, parcels and more
The Geis Group is taking over the mail and parcel rooms of high-tech group AREVA at its Erlangen and Offenbach
sites. The concept includes an external central receiving department, an own distribution fleet, and Geis employees directly
based at the AREVA sites.
Photo: AREVA
Around 5,900 people work at AREVA’s 15 sites
in Germany. The majority of them are employed
in the nuclear division, with the largest sites being Erlangen (3,500 employees) and Offenbach
(800 employees). AREVA also has 700 employees
working in its renewable energy division, with
this number set to increase in the future.
G
ters and internal consignments for AREVA. They
too are sorted and routed in Erlangen-Eltersdorf,
and then delivered by Geis employees based at the
AREVA sites. At the second AREVA site in Offenbach, which also serves as a hub for consignments
between AREVA’s Erlangen and Karlstein sites, the
Geis team is directly integrated into the AREVA
team and distributes mail and parcels internally as
well as to another building.
eis is naturally also deploying its IT expertise,
starting with central receiving department,
at Geis’s Erlangen-Eltersdorf site. There Geis
collates consignments weighing up to 2.5 tonnes,
including dangerous goods and customs consignments, for onwards distribution to five AREVA
locations in the Erlangen area. “After a security
check we enter the consignments into our IT system and assign them to optimized delivery runs,”
explains Site Manager Marco Weißensel.
“To offer AREVA an all-round service, in Erlangen we also take care of their outgoing consignments,” says Marco Weißensel. “AREVA sends us
the orders via a logistics portal and our dispatchers
transmit them directly to the smartphones of our
drivers.” Geis also takes care of the packing and
dispatch, including franking.
Geis operates several delivery runs each day with
its own fleet of vehicles, delivering more than 100
consignments. It also delivers around 3,000 let-
Recently the successful project has been expanded
even further, with Geis now also managing AREVA’s entire central archive. —
Award for occupational safety
says Managing Director Ralf Lammering. “You
need to be on the alert at all times.” For this reason,
Geis has established standards and processes that
encompass more than just stacking height and protective clothing. “Equally important is occupational
safety,” he explains.
A front-runner in security: Hesse’s Social Minister
Stefan Grüttner has awarded Geis Industrie-Service
GmbH, based in Dietzenbach, and Geis ErsatzteilService GmbH, based in Neu-Isenburg, for their
successful introduction of the Hessian ASCA occupational safety management system.
“A lot can happen at sites that are frequented by
trucks and where goods are unloaded and loaded,”
Social Minister Stefan Grüttner
(left) presents Ralf Lammering
with the ASCA certificate
Social Minister Stefan Grüttner has honoured the
commitment shown by Geis in this respect: “The
ASCA Occupational Safety Management 2012
Award is confirmation to Geis that it operates an effective system for ensuring enhanced safety and
health protection at work.” —
Logistics services | 9
Batteries, refrigerators, and more
in the cross-docking procedure
Extreme volume fluctuations, tight schedules and more than 200,000 items per month – these challenges are handled
by the Geis Group for Czech electronics retailer OKAY.
“OKAY was founded in 1994 and today is the largest supplier of electronic products in the Czech
Republic and Slovakia,” says Martin Zapletal, Logistics Manager at OKAY. The company currently
operates 90 stores in the Czech Republic and 40
in Slovakia. “We supply all the stores with the full
range of products – from the tiniest batteries to
the largest refrigerators,” says Vjačeslav Dobrynský, Logistics Manager at Geis CZ.
pliers. At the same time, Geis gets advance notice
of these orders. On day 2 Geis receives the goods
from the suppliers and packs them onto the pallets for distribution to the individual OKAY stores.
And on day 3 they are delivered by Geis CZ and
Geis SK using their own vehicles to the stores.
Goods arrive in the Czech Republic on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays, and in Slovakia on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Warehouse in an optimal location. For
Online shop orders. With the exception of the
the new project, Geis has leased a terminal in the
Pohořelice Logistics Park 28 kilometres south of
Brno. Brno is the second largest city in the Czech
Republic and its location in the southeast of the
country makes it ideal as a supply base for the Slovak Republic as well. The warehouse is approximately 9,000 square metres large and has been fitted with additional gates and offices. The complete
IT infrastructure, the shelving and the security
system including video surveillance has been installed by the Geis Group.
printed delivery note, the entire delivery process
is paperless as it passes through the Geis IT system. This also applies to OKAY’s online shop, for
which Geis takes care of order fulfilment. “Each
day we pick and pack hundreds of parcels that are
then distributed in the cross-docking system to the
OKAY stores, and also using express parcel services to end customers,” says Vjačeslav Dobrynský.
“This B2C sector is growing tremendously.” Geis
also organizes the delivery of all parcels itself, using Geis Parcel CZ and Geis Parcel SK to ensure
the fastest-possible delivery.
Efficient cross-docking. After extensive
preparations, the project started in mid-April of
this year. Since then Geis has processed between
5,000 to 30,000 items each day. In the high-season
prior to Christmas, this number is even higher.
For maximum efficiency Geis utilizes the crossdocking procedure. “We don’t require traditional
warehousing,” explains Vjačeslav Dobrynský. The
supply chain encompasses three steps: On day 1
OKAY sends the individual store orders to its sup-
“This project requires high flexibility,” says
Vjačeslav Dobrynský. “Our client OKAY is expanding rapidly and continuing to increase the size
of its portfolio. For this reason, over the coming
months we will work on optimizing processes, and
especially on more projects for the OKAY online
shop. I am sure that our experienced and highly
flexible team will continue to meet all future challenges in a professional manner.” —
The milestones in
the history of OKAY
1994 – Company foundation
2000 – 20th store opened in
the Czech Republic
2002 – Entry into the
Slovak market
2003 – Total sales area
exceeds 40,000 m2
2005 – 50th store opened in
the Czech Republic
2007 – 100th store opened in the
Czech Republic and in Slovakia
2008 – 35 new stores opened
in one year
2009 – Total sales area
exceeds 160,000 m2
2011 – 120 stores in the Czech
Republic and Slovakia
10 | Road services
A new heart for Slovakia
At the end of September, the Geis Group opened a new combined central hub for cargo and parcels in Slovakia.
The editorial team spoke with Marián Vaculčiak, Operations Manager at Geis SK and Geis Parcel SK, about the importance
and features of the hub.
city with the surrounding towns and cities, and
it is an important transportation hub between
the capital Bratislava in the west and the second
largest city, Košice, in the east. Sliač Airport is
also nearby. Zvolen is thus even better located
than Banská Bystrica and is an ideal location for
a central hub.
Mr Vaculčiak, the Geis Group already
had a strong network in Slovakia. Why
build a new hub?
In Slovakia in recent years we have experienced
strong growth and steadily increasing volumes.
In response we have continuously adapted our
existing domestically network, and expanded
and modernized individual sites. In some cases
we have also relocated sites to locations that are
logistically more convenient. But it was time that
we responded fully to our growth with an allnew “system heart” – a central hub.
The head office of Geis SK and Geis Parcel SK has also moved to Zvolen. What
has changed following this relocation?
The company’s headquarters was previously in
Banská Bystrica, in the centre of Slovakia. Zvolen is located just 20 kilometres south of Banská
Bystrica. The new hub will therefore continue to
benefit from the central location in the heart of
Slovakia. A dense network of roads connects the
Facts
about the new hub
Location:Zvolen
Site area:
Building area:
30,000 m²
7,700 m²
Employees:80
Investment amount: approx. 6 Mio €
Cargo handling
Area: 5,000 m²
Gates: 47
What precisely is the function of the
new building?
Marián Vaculčiak
is 50 years old
and has worked
for Geis in Slovakia since 2007 as
the Operations
Manager of Geis
SK s.r.o.
The facility has a dual role, because on the
one hand it is home to the distribution centre
for cargo consignments and on the other is the
transshipment hall for parcels. We are using the
synergies that arise as a result to the full benefit of our customers by processing parcel and
pallet consignments together at the customer’s
premises and only dividing them into parcel and
pallet consignments at our own premises using
our own system. This saves the customer both
time and storage and handling area, and he gets
two services from the same provider. In the cargo
area, pallet consignments are transported using a
fully automatic conveyor chain system. Around
50 gates with hydraulic bridges are available for
goods inbound and outbound. The parcel handling facility is equipped with a two-storey, twostrand sorting system that automatically directs
parcels into the right channels.
Are there any other special features?
We are planning to include an IP video surveillance system like the one successfully installed
in several Czech sites. The system records the
movements of all consignments. For parcels
it links entry directly with the consignment
number. This means we can quickly find out if
needed the exact whereabouts of a parcel. The
system also monitors the entire external area of
the hub. Another special feature is the service
station, which is located directly on-site, enabling our vehicles and the vehicles of our partners to be flexibly refuelled without long waiting
times.
Parcel handling
Area: Gates: 2.700 m²
93
Thank you very much for your time!
ROAD services | 11
Focus on
Turkey
The new section of
the terminal shortly
before it was opened
One country – many
possibilities: Geis
recently held an event
called “Turkey fascinates” at its Nuremberg and Naila sites
as a forum in which
to answer questions
about its Turkish transportation services.
Well-prepared for
more volume
A few weeks ago the Geis Eurocargo site Ohrdruf (formerly Thüringer Speditionsgesellschaft –
see info box) completed the expansion of its freight forwarding terminal.
W
e are delighted that we have been able to
construct the facility in just eight months
and that it has opened on time,” says Site Manager Marc Geis. “The expansion was urgently
needed, as groupage volume has increased significantly. With the expansion we are not only
expanding our capacities but also enabling ourselves to process orders more quickly and efficiently.”
New dimensions. The external area alone
has increased by 5,000 square metres to almost
15,000 square metres. This means there is now
sufficient space for the own fleet of 30 trucks and
50 additional swap bodies. The hall space has
almost doubled in size, and Geis Eurocargo in
Ohrdruf now has 6,600 square metres of transshipment space. And in addition to the current
48 gates, another 16 are now available for loading
and unloading vehicles. They can now not only
dock externally, they can also enter into the hall
via a truck entrance and once inside be unloaded
from the side. The entire site and the hall are
monitored using the latest video technology.
Yesterday and today. The Geis Group began cooperating in Thuringia in 1990. The volumes increased, and soon the transshipment hall
in Gotha was bursting at the seams. In 1993 a
60-strong team moved into the new forwarding facility in Ohrdruf, which initially had 2,000
square metres of transshipment space and 24
gates. By now the freight terminal is more than
triple its original size, and the team too has grown
with it. Around 126 employees currently work in
Ohrdruf, with twelve having joined following the
recent expansion.
Today, the Geis team in Ohrdruf can handle
around 2,000 consignments each day instead of
the previous 1,400, and so has space for new customers. “Following the expansion, we can offer
even more professional freight forwarding services and strengthen our market position in the
region,” says Marc Geis. —
GEC instead of TSG
In early September, Thüringer Speditionsgesellschaft (TSG) merged with Geis Eurocargo (GEC). Geis’s site in Thuringia now
operates as Geis Eurocargo GmbH –
Ohrdruf site. This means that the Geis
brand and logo are now present in Thuringia too.
In recent years Geis
has continuously
expanded its services
between Germany and
Turkey, and demand
is increasing steadily.
“’Turkey fascinates’
has allowed us to share
our expertise with interested customers and
to comprehensively
inform them about our
services to Turkey,”
says Şenol Koçdemir,
who as Route Manager
knows all about the
country and personally
conducted the event.
“Many also told us
about their personal
experiences, and this
kind of informal dialogue went down very
well!”
Among the things
discussed were suitable transport modes,
factors affecting transit
times, customs regulations and intercultural
differences. Turkish
specialties were served
as accompanying culinary treats.
“It is clear that there is
a great deal of interest in doing business
with Turkey. For this
reason, we will definitely repeat the event
next year,” says Şenol
Koçdemir. —
12 | Air + Sea Services
X-ray machines combat
freight congestion
Experts predict significantly more cargo inspections from spring 2013.
The reason: modified air freight security regulations. In order to still be
able to process consignments quickly and efficiently, SDV Geis is investing
in its own X-ray machines.
“Our aim is to reduce the expected congestion at
airport X-ray scanners by screening consignments
ourselves,” says Uwe Schwandt, Product Manager
Air Germany. “This saves our customers a lot of
time.” SDV Geis’s first X-ray system has been in
use in Munich for almost two years, where a large
amount of goods are exported, and now X-ray systems have also been introduced in Hamburg and
Frankfurt. Also planned is the installation of a system in Dusseldorf and a second system in Munich.
Background: Until 2010 it was easy for air cargo
consigners to acquire “known consigner” status and to send their own goods without checks.
All they needed to do was to submit a declaration to the forwarder. This changed on 29 April
2010. Since then, anyone who wishes to become a
“known consigner” must be certified by the Federal Aviation Authority. The approximately 65,000
“known consigners” will retain their status during a three-year transition period, which will end
in April 2013. Their “unsecure” freight will then
need to be certified as “secure” by means of appropriate checks. It goes without saying that the initial
result will be freight congestion. —
Security in Southern
Germany: SDV Geis’s
first X-ray machine
in Munich
SDV is Global Freight Forwarder 2012
SDV, a shareholder of SDV Geis GmbH, was recently named “Global
Freight Forwarder of the Year 2012” by industry journal Air Cargo
News. Once again this year, readers chose their favourite companies
in a range of different categories. Air Cargo News handed over the
awards to the winners at the “Cargo Airline of the Year Awards”
ceremony in London.
SDV Geis drives forward eFreight
The International Air Transport Association
(IATA) accelerates the eFreight project. More
and more carriers are committing themselves
to this industry-wide initiative that aims to
banish paper from the air-cargo supply chain.
Among them is SDV Geis.
R
egardless of its size, each cargo shipment requires up to 30 documents to be printed –
enough to fill around 80 Boeing 747 freighters every
year. The aim of eFreight is to dispense with paper
altogether and use electronic Airway Bills (eAWB) instead. The advantages of eAWBs include the fact that
they are cheaper, faster and environmentally-friendly.
“For us these are reasons enough for supporting the
eFreight project. Moreover, standardized electronic
messages are far more accurate and reliable,” says
Managing Director Michael Schork. At IATA’s Aviation Day Europe in Frankfurt at the end of May, he
Michael Schork and
Uwe Schwandt (fifth
and fourth from the left)
with other participants
at Aviation Day Europe
organized by IATA in
Frankfurt
together with Uwe Schwandt, Product Manager Air
Germany, signed the corresponding agreements-inprinciple with Lufthansa Cargo. They will serve as the
legal basis for the exchange of electronic Airway Bills.
The eFreight initiative is a long-term initiative because the complex adaptation processes will take
time. Michael Schork: “eFreight is clearly the future –
and we like to keep up with progress. For this reason we’re systematically driving forward all electronic
data transmission activities.“ —
air + Sea services | 13
Anniversary:
10 years of SDV Geis
On 18 October, SDV Geis celebrated the 10th anniversary of its joint venture with a nocturnal boat trip through Berlin.
Transfer is also marking the anniversary by looking back at the past ten years.
2002 Launch: With effect from 1 January
2002, Geis Cargo JM International GmbH,
SDV Deutschland GmbH and the Hamburg office of Saga Germany GmbH merge
to form Geis SDV GmbH. This joint venture allows the Geis Group to offer its customers air and sea services as well as logistics services with a global orientation and
coverage. Geis also secures access to the
global network of the SDV Group and acquires additional project expertise.
2003 Joint appearance: Geis SDV reveals its new logo. Immediately recognizable are the following areas: international
logistics, air and sea freight, and project
management. An arch symbolizes unity and
a global orientation.
2004 Even stronger: On 1 August Geis
SDV takes over a competitor’s “Aerospace
Logistic Services Hamburg” division. This
represents a significant expansion in aircraft
spare-parts logistics for the joint venture.
2005 New service: Geis SDV introduces
the Healthcare Service – comprehensive in-
ternational transport solutions for timeand temperature-critical products, including radioactive materials, pharmaceuticals
and technical equipment.
2006 Combined offices: At the start of
the year Geis SDV moves into new offices
in CargoCity South at Frankfurt Airport.
The German headquarters and the Frankfurt office are combined here.
2007 Warehouse logistics: Geis SDV
s­ecures logistics capacity at the port of
Hamburg. The 10,000-m2 warehouse in
Hamburg-Altenwerder allows it to offer
comprehensive contract logistics solutions.
2008 Security: On 10 December Geis is
granted AEO-F status and is officially recognized as an “authorized economic operator”. For customers this means accelerated
customs clearance and certified security.
2009 Under one roof: At the end of the
year Geis SDV merges the separate Hamburg offices into joint offices. More than
100 employees from the air freight, sea
freight and project divisions now work under one roof.
2010 Screening: Geis SDV starts installing its first X-ray system. This allows it to
process packages sent by unknown consigners significantly faster at its Munich site.
2011 A new name: At the start of the year
the joint venture is renamed SDV Geis
GmbH. The name change comes in the
wake of the long-term extension of the collaboration between the Geis Group and
SDV.
2012 Course set for growth: Under the
leadership of Michael Schork and Henri Le
Gouis, SDV Geis is now active in the areas
of air freight, sea freight, projects and logistics. 320 employees at nine locations each
year process around 35,000 TEUs of sea
freight and 43,000 tonnes of air freight.
SDV Geis’s turnover in 2011 is 166 million
euros. This is the basis upon which the joint
venture will seek to continue to grow in its
second decade, with new customers, successful projects and pioneering solutions.
14 | GENERAL NEWS
New apprentices
arrive at Geis
In August and September more than 80
young people entered the world of logistics
by e­ mbarking on apprenticeships at Geis.
Overall, around 200 trainees are currently
employed by Geis.
O
nce again this year, forwarding and logistics
service specialists represent the largest single
category with more than 40 apprentices, followed
by warehouse logistics specialists and warehouse
specialists. Other apprenticeships initiated this
year include one as a system integration IT officer,
one as an office communication expert, two BA
degrees majoring in freight forwarding, transportation and logistics, and seven apprenticeships as
professional truck drivers – two for the first time at
Geis Eurocargo in Nuremberg.
“Our site offers ideal conditions for a sound apprenticeship. For this reason, we have decided to
train professional drivers ourselves this year,” says
Heike Rohmeyer, Training Manager at Geis Eurocargo. “We are delighted that we have been able
to offer a young man and a young woman the opportunity to enter this exciting profession.” During
their three-year apprenticeships, both will acquire
CE driving licences for trucks with trailers, will
learn how to transport and load goods, and how to
look after and maintain their vehicles. Scheduling,
cost accounting, and quality assurance will also be
part of their training.
“The demographic shift is also making itself evident to varying degrees at our sites through the
lack of qualified applicants,” says Bernhard Hofmann, Training Manager for Forwarding Professions in Bad Neustadt. “We are proactively countering this challenge by intensifying our activities
in the field of employee recruitment and offering
apprentices vocational training with the best-possible prospects. This year we have therefore once
again been able to fill all the positions according
to our requirements and maintain our usual high
quality level.” —
The new trainees at Geis’s
headquarters in Bad Neustadt
15 Geis employees participated in the “WÜ2RUN” company run in Würzburg …
Sporty and athletic
Four company runs and a football tournament – the Geis Group’s
sporting balance in 2012.
GEC vs. GIS
On 8 June Nuremberg was the scene of a very special football match: Geis
Eurocargo GmbH (GEC) played against Geis Industrie-Service GmbH
(GIS), with the GEC team winning 11:2. When it came to the celebrations
afterwards, however, it was most definitely a draw!
Largest run in the world
Precisely 68,586 participants took part in this year’s J.P. Morgan Corporate
Challenge Run in Frankfurt am Main, making it once again the world’s largest
running event. 25 participants from the Geis Group also ran the 5.6 kilometrelong route. The
Geis team not
only enjoyed the
sporting challenge
of the event, but
also the shared so…and 25 in the J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge Run.
cial experience.
Fun is important
On 21 June, more than 1,000 running enthusiasts took part in the 10-kilometre-long Nuremberg “FunRun”, including 18 from Geis Eurocargo. In preparation, the group met every Thursday to train together, and their efforts
paid off: The two fastest Geis runners reached the finishing line in just 45
minutes.
Running around Würzburg
A few days later a total of 15 runners from Hans Geis GmbH in Kürnach and
Geis Industrie-Service GmbH in Würzburg ran the Würzburg “WÜ2RUN”
company run for the first time. The fact that the seven-kilometre-long race
began and finished at the city’s open-air swimming pool was a strong incentive for all runners, with its lawns afterwards becoming the scene of the afterrun party!
Kindergartens supported
After its successful participation in 2011, Hans Geis GmbH once again this
year took part in the Bad Neustadt Sparkassen Run. On 16 July, more than
3,000 runners ran the five different-length routes, including 46 in the Geis
shirt. One positive side-effect: Thanks to the high number of participants,
Sparkasse donated 10,000 euros to kindergartens in the Rhön-Grabfeld district.
New Divisional Manager
Personnel Management
On 1 July, Volker Kindler took over
as ­manager of the newly-established
­“Personnel Management” department in
Bad Neustadt.
Kindler, who is 49 years old
and a business management
graduate, was born in Nuremberg and has worked as
a personnel officer, group
personnel manager and
head of personnel management for several companies, and most recently as a
freelance human resources
and management consultant. At Geis he will be responsible for shaping
and directing personnel management, as well
as for staff development and training at the
German sites.
Contact: volker.kindler@geis-group.de
New in Nuremberg
Andreas Karl has recently joined Geis
Industrie-Service GmbH in Nuremberg as
the new TOP (Team Optimization Process)
Division Manager.
Andreas Karl, who was born
in Würzburg, started working for Geis on 1 August.
Previously he studied logistics at the Technical University of Central Hesse and
held several positions in the
project and LEAN management divisions of various
companies. Most recently
he worked as a budget and
personnel officer for a logistics company in
Frankfurt. As the new TOP Division Manager
at Geis Industrie-Service GmbH, the 33-year
old will in future coordinate and implement
projects and training courses of Geis’s internal
CIP programme and support the TOP activities of other sites.
Contact: andreas.karl@geis-group.de
Anniversaries
Over the past few
months, seven Geis
employees have
­celebrated their 25th
anniversary with the
company, and two
have even celebrated
their 40th anniversary.
25
Johann Rösl
joined Geis IndustrieService in Nuremberg
on 15 July 1987. Since
2003 he has been
group leader in goods inwards for the
Gorenje project.
25
Heike Schmidt
began working for
Bischoff Transport
in Naila on 3 August
1987 as a trainee shipping clerk, and since December 1993
has worked in the fleet management
department.
25
Sandra Rank
began working for
Bischoff International
in Naila on 17 August
1987 as a trainee shipping clerk, and for the past 17 years
has worked in the consolidated freight
department.
25
Henry Portisch
joined Geis on 1
October 1987. He
started as a shipping clerk at the
branch office in Würzburg, and today
manages the offices in Kürnach and
Satteldorf.
40
15
Dieter Häßner
started working as
a truck driver for
Chemnitzer Transport-Service in Plauen
on 20 August 1972. Since it was taken
over by Bischoff Transport he has been
delivering goods in and around Naila.
40
Siegfried Kolb
began working for
Siemens in Erlangen
on 28 August 1972 as
a group leader in the
packing department. Today he works in
Erlangen in receiving department.
25
Thorsten Skiba
began his apprenticeship as a trainee shipping clerk at the head
office in Bad Neustadt
on 1 August 1987 and is now a field sales
representative in the sales department.
25
Irmtraud Hüller
joined Bischoff
International in Naila
on 10 August 1987
as an administrative
clerk. Today she works in the pallet
department.
25
Jens Elsner
took up his position as
an airfreight clerk at
SCAC Deutschland in
Hamburg on 1 October 1987. He is now the site manager
of SCAC Deutschland’s successor, SDV
Geis, and SDV Geis Aerospace Logistics in Hamburg.
The Geis Group would like to say
a big thank you to all of them!
We can round off your logistics!
www.geis-group.com
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