Business cases & stories

Ahlers recently completed deliveries for an air separation plant that is being built in Moglino, Russia. The transported equipment and components originated from Korea, Turkey, and Italy and the total transported volume was a staggering 6000 tons of freight.

If there is one thing we have seen in the past eighteen months, it is that unexpected disruptions in the supply chain can have enormous consequences. Complete supply chains came to a standstill, and others faced delays they had never experienced before. This has caused a renewed focus on contingency planning.

Sustainability is gaining more and more attention in supply chain and logistics. Many consumers already take action in their own homes, preferring sustainable options rather than harming the environment. This is a deliberate choice because the more sustainable option often used, proves to be more expensive. In the business-to-business market, an increasing number of companies are choosing sustainable options, however there is still room for improvement.

The mining industry is booming, especially in the Russia and CIS regions. Russia and the CIS countries are very rich in minerals and other resources. The focus on carbon footprints has had a positive effect on the mining industry in these regions. For example, the increased interest in electric vehicles and other electrically powered machines vs fuel-powered machines has increased the demand for batteries results in an increasing demand for resources available in these regions. The increased mining activity means increased flows of machinery, spare parts and supplies to these mining operations.

We are certainly feeling the effects of high charter rates, and the lack of availability of equipment and space on vessels. Asked by Project Cargo Journal how this affects the operation at Ahlers, Jeroen De Ryck simply said, “A lot! We are getting rates now that are ten times higher than in the normal market. Even more of a problem is the fact that we can’t even get the equipment or the guarantee that we can sail at this price level which is already incredibly high.”

Driving increased attention on core business by improving material flow operations.