Francois Daher, General Secretary, Assologistica, Ave Crotti, Sustainability Manager, Kuehne+Nagel Italy, Ruggero Poli, Managing Director, Kuehne+Nagel Italy, Pietro Allievi, Managing Director, adidas Italy
 

The award highlights the Mantova fulfilment centre, developed by Kuehne+Nagel for adidas in 2024, as a benchmark for ESG-driven innovation in logistics. Serving 36 countries and handling up to 500,000 items daily, the site exemplifies excellence in:

• Environmental impact: LEED-certified facility powered by renewable energy through a photovoltaic system and supported by sustainable multimodal transport solutions.
• Social responsibility: advanced process innovation combining human expertise and automation, fostering an inclusive workplace with 26 nationalities represented.
• Governance: strong public-private collaboration generating long-term benefits for the local area.  

 “We are extremely proud of this recognition, which celebrates the joint work between adidas Italy and Kuehne+Nagel. Through sport we have the power to change lives, and this principle also guides the way we approach logistics: with commitment, innovation, and responsibility. This award confirms that when vision and collaboration come together, we can generate a positive impact across our entire value chain,” comments Pietro Allievi, General Manager, adidas Italy.

“This award reflects our dedication to sustainability and innovation,” said Ruggero Poli, Managing Director, Kuehne+Nagel Italy. “The Mantova fulfilment centre sets an example of how ESG principles can benefit our customers, employees, and the communities we support”.

In 2024 the Macedonian freight forwarding sector generated total revenue of €112.4 million, a total profit of €5.9 million and employed 464 people.

The “Бизнис Лидер” (Business Leader) Award is one of the country’s most prestigious recognitions. It celebrates companies that drive economic growth, demonstrate innovation and operational excellence, and contribute significantly to employment and infrastructure.

Kuehne+Nagel Macedonia’s award underlines the pivotal role of logistics in the national economy. It highlights how the company is contributing to a more progressive and connected business climate across the region.

Kuehne+Nagel renews its strategic collaboration with Acer Europe to decarbonise sea shipments by using biofuel. So far, this partnership, now in its third year, has reduced emissions by 475 tons. It highlights both companies’ commitment to environmental sustainability.  

In addition to supporting Acer’s reduction efforts with its certified Book and Claim solution for maritime biofuel, Kuehne+Nagel also provides advanced data-driven insights from seaexplorer as well as order-level emissions reporting. Acer’s SBTi targets include a commitment to reduce absolute Scope 3 emissions by 35% by 2030 (compared to 2020), underscoring the critical role of their transport partner to achieve that goal. 

“We are proud to work with Kuehne+Nagel, a reliable and trustworthy partner, in our goal to reduce carbon emissions from our logistics operations. A few years ago, we started several joint carbon-reduction initiatives, and the results are improving year over year,” says Riccardo Bernasconi, Acer EMEA Supply Chain Director. 

"Acer's inclusive approach to sustainability looks far ahead and focuses on shared responsibility. We are proud to contribute to their efforts and are looking forward to introducing new carbon-reducing initiatives this year focused on distribution processes," says Ave Crotti, Sustainability Manager Italy and Iberia at Kuehne+Nagel. 

Air up, a pioneer in innovative drinking systems and Kuehne+Nagel BeNeLux broaden their partnership to cover the entire supply chain of scent pods from 2025.

Kuehne+Nagel’s fulfilment centre in Veghel, the Netherlands, has been handling air up´s e-commerce fulfilment activities since 2022 for the Dutch and Belgian markets. Since October 2024, Kuehne+Nagel has also been handling the packing of the scent pods, using paper packaging instead of plastic. Under the new agreement, the distribution services from Veghel will now include all European Union countries, as well as Switzerland and Norway.

As of 2025, the facility will also cover the production of the scent pods. All activities span an area of 7.000 sqm. By regrouping and consolidating the scent pods supply chain in the Netherlands to one location, both partners expect to significantly reduce CO2 emissions in line with their commitment to sustainability.

Lena Jüngst, Co-Inventor & Co-Founder of air up: “At air up, sustainability has been a focus area from the beginning. Partnering with Kuehne+Nagel to streamline our logistics and production aligns perfectly with our mission to drive positive environmental change. Together, we are taking meaningful steps to minimise emissions, reduce plastic waste, and improve overall supply chain efficiency.”

“Developing solutions to reduce CO2 emissions in logistics and minimise environmental impact is at the core of our activities. The consolidated activities for air up in our fulfilment centre in Veghel, enables us to respond more quickly, improve stock availability, and reduce waste by minimising intermediate stocks, comments Jorge Canella, National Contract Logistics Manager at Kuehne+Nagel BeNeLux.

Scent pods flavour drinking water through retro nasal olfaction, enabling users to enjoy flavoured water without sugar or artificial ingredients.

The logistics operations are executed from the fulfilment centre of Mejorada del Campo (Madrid). This activity serves a network of 37 repair centres across Spain. Orders are packed in recycled materials such as cardboard, tape, and cushioning items, in alignment with Salvador Caetano’s sustainability objectives.

“One of our pillars is to have an efficient after-sales service which facilitates customer experience, avoiding long lead times thanks to the availability of parts in a location close to all our repair centres,” says Ignacio Román, General Manager of Salvador Caetano Auto. “This agreement with Kuehne+Nagel materialises our strategy, aiming at collaborating with the best partners to offer the best service.”

“We are thrilled to support an automotive industry leader as Salvador Caetano. Our extensive experience in spare part logistics supports the Group to deliver the best experience to their customers”, explains Alvaro Nebreda, Contract Logistics Director of Kuehne+Nagel Spain.

From this location, spare parts are supplied to BMW markets worldwide. Here, Kuehne+Nagel is responsible for the physical receipt of goods, pre-packaging, the management of packaging material and empties as well as the loading of goods onto shuttles for dispatch to all BMW parts distribution locations.

At the Dingolfing and Bruckberg sites, Kuehne+Nagel now also ensures the logistical handling of BMW spare parts for worldwide dispatch: regional distribution centres around the world are supplied with parts from here, which in turn ensure delivery to the local BMW dealerships in the individual countries.

Kuehne+Nagel thus supports the BMW Group in spare parts logistics with around 1,700 employees at various locations worldwide.

"We are pleased to take over the extended tasks in spare parts logistics for the BMW Group," says Tobias Jerschke, National Manager Kuehne+Nagel Germany. "We support our customer in being more efficient in the supply of spare parts and being able to react more flexibly. The decisive factor here is not only our expertise in this area but also the growing trust between the two teams."

Emilia Górska-Mytyk, a Polish national, born in 1980, began her career in 2016 with Kuehne+Nagel as Head of Business Development and later was promoted to Sales & Marketing Director in 2017. With over 20 years of logistics experience, she previously worked in multinational logistics corporations managing various teams. Her tasks included setting up operational structures and developing sales strategies. Her numerous successes in Kuehne+Nagel provided a solid foundation for her rapid promotion within the Polish organisation.

"Taking over as Managing Director of Kuehne+Nagel in Poland is a huge honourable task, and an important responsibility. I look forward to coordinating operations that will allow our company to continue growing in line with our Roadmap 2026 strategy. Its strong cornerstones focus on creating a value-based organisational culture, a work environment that supports the development of our colleagues while ensuring the high quality of services provided to our customers, as well as meeting the goals of a sustainable development strategy," says Emilia Górska-Mytyk.

„I strongly support the appointment of Emilia Górska-Mytyk as Managing Director. Her skillset, ability to lead and adapt to a changing environment ensure that Kuehne+Nagel Poland will continue to provide quality services to our customers in the spirit of innovation and professionalism. This selection is also a confirmation that Kuehne+Nagel is committed to diversity in our business world,” comments Wojciech Sienicki.

Kuehne+Nagel has opened a new cross-dock centre close to the Deepwater Container Terminal (DCT) at the port of Gdansk, one of the fastest growing terminals in Poland. The new centre dedicated to sea and road operations meets the growing demand of transport solutions in the region supporting Kuehne+Nagel’s customers with multi-modal services to the Baltics.

The facility has an area of more than 3,300 sqm and an additional 200 sqm of office space. The cross-dock handles goods arriving in Poland via the world's largest ocean vessels, including major Far East ports, on Kuehne+Nagel's weekly service routes. It is integrated into Kuehne+Nagel's European groupage network to ensure daily distribution of goods to local and European hubs. The location of the new centre between Gdansk and Gdynia ensures efficient and fast handling of goods on the port-to-warehouse route, while the proximity to the Gdansk airport significantly speeds up the delivery of goods to the airfield.

The team located at the new centre is responsible for handling both goods that end their journey in Poland, offering the possibility of short-term storage, and those that are transhipped from sea containers and prepared for further transportation. Additional services such as pelletizing, labelling and sorting are available for cargo under customs supervision as well as domestic and EU shipments.  

“The launch of the sea and road cross-dock centre is a strategic move to increase the efficiency and resilience of our customers' supply chains – both exporters and importers. The new location will enhance the logistics potential in the region, supporting Poland's trade with other countries around the world and our customers' expansion into new foreign markets. It also confirms Kuehne+Nagel's commitment to building stable and smooth supply chains, delivering services to support the growth of our partners” said Jacek Liszewski, Sea Logistics Manager at Kuehne+Nagel Poland.

(Ryszard Zmijewski - National Sea Logistics LCL Manager, Jacek Liszewski - National Sea Logistics Director, Maciej Sobek - National Road Logistics Director, Wojciech Sienicki - National Manager, Michal Kubiak - Road Logistics Terminal Handling Manager.)

Market-leading and UK-based global event organiser Clarion Events has selected Kuehne+Nagel as their Official Global Logistics Partner from January 2024 on a long-term contract. The purpose-led partnership will focus on reducing the carbon footprint of exhibitions and setting new standards for the events industry.

Clarion Events organises over two hundred exhibitions around the world, with around one million people visiting its events each year. Kuehne+Nagel will be the exclusive onsite handling provider for those events, which includes storage, lifting services, customs support, traffic management and international freight forwarding. In the US, where the exhibition model differs, Kuehne+Nagel will act as the Official International Freight Forwarder and Customs Broker to enable events like Powergen, Hydrovision and DistribuTech.

Mike Priestley, Director Kuehne+Nagel Expo and Event Logistics UK, said: “We have worked with Clarion for a number of years and are delighted to announce that they have appointed Kuehne+Nagel for all their events as of 2024. Their trust in our capabilities, along with our shared ambition to drive low-emission solutions, provides a solid basis for a successful purpose-led partnership.”

Clarion Events’ Group Operations Director, Verena Lester, added: “Clarion is incredibly excited to embark upon this new journey with Kuehne+Nagel. I see our shared emphasis on providing world-class customer solutions and dedicated focus on building a more sustainable future for the global events space as key pillars of a partnership that will drive additional value for both parties in the years ahead.”

On November 28, 2023, the world's first 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) transatlantic flight by a commercial airline successfully landed at New York JFK after its departure from London Heathrow. Kuehne+Nagel, a leader in sustainable logistics, actively engages in projects that encourage and promote the use of sustainable fuels within the logistics sector. As part of its efforts, Kuehne+Nagel secured the available cargo space on this SAF-powered flight and utilised the corresponding amount of SAF for the transported goods.

Yngve Ruud, Member of the Management Board of Kuehne+Nagel responsible for Air Logistics comments: “This is a historic moment in our collective journey towards sustainable aviation and we are very proud to represent the air cargo industry on the world's first 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel transatlantic flight by a commercial airline. It is an honour to support this Virgin Atlantic led consortium, pushing the boundaries of decarbonisation in aviation.”

Kuehne+Nagel is committed to the science-based targets to decarbonise the logistics sector and drive the change towards a zero-carbon future. This flight represents the next step in sustainable aviation by demonstrating the potential of using SAF as a 100% drop-in replacement for fossil fuel.

The Virgin Atlantic led consortium, joint funded by the UK Department for Transport, includes Rolls Royce, Boeing, University of Sheffield, Imperial College London, and Rocky Mountain Institute.

The SAF used to power the two Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is produced by Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) and Synthetic Aromatic Kerosine (SAK) at an 88% HEFA and 12% SAK blend ratio.

Kuehne+Nagel has opened a new strategic depot in Turin (IT) — the latest development in its European groupage network to better address customer needs. Groupage is a service that allows customers to book road freight services for shipments of up to 6 pallets or 2.4 loading meters, which are then grouped with other consignments to optimise truck capacity.  

The Turin depot is important to enhance the connectivity between Italy and France, and by extension also the Iberian countries. Turin is well-connected to the economically important regions of Liguria, Piemonte and Valle d’Aosta. The new depot facilitates line haul optimisation and reduces lead times from these areas to France and Western Europe as well as to the Iberian countries. 

Earlier this year Kuehne+Nagel also opened new cross-docks in Poland and Romania. 

A future-proof groupage setup requires the right network developments in the right place at the right time. As part of the Roadmap 2026, the ambition is to offer the best Kuehne+Nagel Experience. Investing in a more robust pan-European groupage network is needed to get there, so we can keep offering more competitive lead times. At the same time, we stay flexible with our asset-light setup to handle fluctuating volumes viably,” Nicholas Minde Regional Head of Road Logistics Europe comments. 

Kuehne+Nagel France has inaugurated a new air logistics hub at the heart of Cargo City at the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. With this new location at one of Europe’s best-connected airports, Kuehne+Nagel increases global air freight capacities and strengthens its healthcare logistics solutions in the region.

The hub has a capacity to handle 300 air freight pallets a week. Its processing surface is 2.5 times larger than the previous space and has direct access to runways. With over 320 destinations worldwide and a TAPA-FSR A security certification, the new air logistics hub facilitates access to new markets in high-tech, luxury, aerospace, industrial and automotive.

Kuehne+Nagel continues to increase its healthcare cargo capacities in Paris by dedicating 4,500 m² to cold rooms and temperature-controlled zones. The healthcare area is GDP and CEIV-compliant as part of Kuehne+Nagel’s HealthChain certification, ensuring optimal conditions for storing and transporting sensitive goods. The hub also focuses on R&D and personalised medicine, supported by QuickSTAT, a Kuehne+Nagel company with expertise in personalised supply chain planning.

The new hub has been awarded with BREEAM Excellent certification, attesting to its energy efficiency and reduced carbon footprint. In addition, the hub is equipped with 1,332 photovoltaic solar panels placed on the roof, saving approximately 26.4 tons of CO2 per year.

Heiko Schuhmacher, Regional Head of Air Logistics Europe, commented: “The inauguration of the new hub, located at one of Europe’s best-connected airports, reinforces Kuehne+Nagel's leading position in air logistics and strong ambition on our healthcare focus, as part of our Roadmap 2026.”

Kuehne+Nagel France has received a delivery of 23 electric vehicles (EVs) that will be used for domestic groupage transportation services. For the occasion, the Managing Director of Renault Trucks France, Christophe Martin, has visited Kuehne+Nagel’s site in Villefranche sur Saône to ceremonially hand over the keys to Xavier Leger, National Road Logistics Director.

Kuehne+Nagel already piloted a number of EVs in the past years. As truck manufacturers are ramping up production, the company is committed to expand its EV footprint to reach its science-based targets. The company intends to equip 60% of its own fleet with EVs by the end of 2030.

Kuehne+Nagel France has a large domestic groupage network of 56 locations throughout the country, with many short and mid-range routes that can easily be serviced by EVs. On top, it also prepares the team for the upcoming legislation which prohibits polluting vehicles from entering French cities as of 2025, to improve air quality.

“For now, it is more efficient to use EVs for domestic routes instead of international routes because of their limited range and the lack of charging infrastructure on European highways,” says Xavier Leger. Until the required infrastructural changes happen for long distances, Kuehne+Nagel uses hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) as a bridging technology to already reduce road transportation carbon emissions.

Kuehne+Nagel has been in a trusting partnership with Norwegian technology company ScaleAQ since 2014. Their shared ambition is to drive a sustainable future and has now resulted in Norway’s first fully traceable biofuel cargo.

Norway is the world’s leading producer of Atlantic salmon and one of the largest seafood exporters in the world. Norwegian aquaculture has developed to become an industry of significant importance in the country.

ScaleAQ is a global technology supplier to the aquaculture industry worldwide, contributing to this success. The company’s commitment to sustainability and the environment reflects in their highly-compliant standards of aquaculture equipment. As part of ScaleAQ’s goals to identify new sustainable solutions they are embarking on a new biofuel journey with Kuehne+Nagel to reduce CO2e emissions for all their sea cargo.  

Kuehne+Nagel’s biofuel concept has made this next step possible for ScaleAQ by allocating an environmentally and socially corresponding next-generation biofuel made from waste-based feedstock to their cargo.

This Mass-Balance-Concept enables ScaleAQ to instantly avoid CO2e emissions from their entire supply chain. Mass balancing allows the consumption of biofuels on specific vessels and allocates fully traceable CO2e savings to specific cargo volumes. Kuehne+Nagel will work with leading carriers, energy companies and trading houses to provide ScaleAQ with this concept.

“Sustainability is at the core of what we do. This solution is exciting because it allows ScaleAQ reduce a total of 960 tons of CO2 *WtW in 2023,” says Hanne Digre, Sustainability Director, ScaleAQ.

“Providing our customers with access to reliable, high-quality low-carbon fuels enabling climate-neutral supply chains is a priority at Kuehne+Nagel”, says Arne Faaberg, National Manager, Kuehne+Nagel Norway.

^{*Well-to-Wake (WtW) is a well-known standard for measuring emissions from consumption; also known as life cycle emissions from the entire value chain. It is the sum of upstream (well-to-tank) and downstream (tank-to-wake) emissions.}

Kuehne+Nagel has expanded its partnership with Vestas, a global leader in renewable energy solutions from Denmark, by adding 60,000 sqm to its existing fulfilment center in Hodenhagen, Germany. From 2023 onwards, each year around 135,000 different items will be stored in the spare parts centre.

Spare parts orders for wind turbines are characterised by a high degree of complexity. The items range from small parts, such as electronic components, which are stored in a picktower, to hazardous goods, such as batteries, paints or lubricants, to large parts for workshop operations.

The range of services include storage, packing and load consolidation to order picking for outgoing orders and their dispatch, including customs clearance, all over the world and covering also direct deliveries to the wind turbines. Vestas connects its buyers and sellers of renewable energy parts and services via Convento, a digital business-to-business e-commerce marketplace. All orders on the Convento platform are served from the fulfilment centre in Hodenhagen.

The extension of the warehouse also meets the latest standards in terms of energy efficiency. This includes for example a roof-mounted solar system, LED lighting with motion sensors and charging stations for electrical vehicles.

Gianfranco Sgro, member of the Management Board of Kuehne Nagel International AG, responsible for Contract Logistics, says: "The cooperation between Vestas and Kuehne+Nagel points the way to a sustainable future. Our focus is to stand by Vestas and its end customers, to support the lifecycle of every wind turbine with the spare part it needs worldwide. We are proud to support Vestas in accelerating the global energy transition.”

“We are very excited to further build on our relationship with Kuehne+Nagel as a dedicated logistics partner managing our global warehouse in Hodenhagen. The expansion of the warehouse facility will set us up for the future growth that lies ahead and will ensure a scalable foundation for providing sustainable energy across the globe”, says Morten Schockert Nielsen, Director, Head of Global Logistics, Service Supply Chain at Vestas.

Kuehne+Nagel, l’un des leaders du transport et de la logistique, remporte un appel d’offre pour servir la logistique de l’ensemble des produits de Cabaia livrés en France en e-commerce, auprès des boutiques Cabaia ou des magasins distributeurs. Cabaia est une marque française d’accessoires ingénieux, créatifs et durables. Un choix motivé par l’expertise de Kuehne+Nagel, incarnée par son Campus Fashion, basé en Ile-de-France, avec sa capacité à gérer la saisonnalité et à absorber une demande très volatile, par exemple un volume important de bonnets en hiver.

Une activité évaluée à 4 800 000 pièces traitées par an sur une surface de près de 5 000m² et amenant à la création de plus de 50 emplois d’ici 2024. Pour servir Cabaia, Kuehne+Nagel utilise 20 tables de packing au démarrage (jusqu’à 30 d’ici 2024) et 2 convoyeurs.  Kuehne+Nagel fournit à Cabaia des services B2B en livrant des magasins multimarques, des magasins en propre, et des services B2C via son service de e-commerce.

Laurent Kraffmuller, Directeur de la logistique contractuelle de Kuehne+Nagel France, commente : « Nous sommes heureux de gérer les opérations logistiques de Cabaia au sein de notre Campus Fashion situé en périphérie de Paris. Nous y développons un savoir-faire pour la logistique des vêtements avec un degré de personnalisation élevé. La livraison est un élément essentiel de l’expérience client, et les clients de Cabaia bénéficient d’une expérience alignée sur les valeurs et la qualité de la marque dès la réception du colis. »

François Danel, Directeur de la supply chain chez Cabaia, déclare : « Nous avons choisi de faire appel à Kuehne+Nagel du fait de l’excellence de son service client, sa capacité à personnaliser les colis et à absorber une variation élevée dans les volumes. Ensemble, nous allons assurer des livraisons plus rapides, plus fiables et plus affinées. »

Holger Ketz will join Kuehne+Nagel's global Air Logistics management team in Schindellegi (Switzerland) as Global Head of Network and Carrier Management on January 1, 2023. As part of the strategic development of the Air Logistics business, the newly created role will bundle the global management of the company’s own controlled capacities (network and gateways) as well as the cooperation with carriers worldwide.

With Tobias Jerschke, Kuehne+Nagel appoints an experienced successor to Holger Ketz as Managing Director of Kuehne+Nagel Germany, based in Bremen. Tobias Jerschke currently serves as Managing Director of Kuehne+Nagel for Belgium and Luxembourg.

As part of the goal to create more sustainable supply chain solutions, Kuehne+Nagel is reducing CO2 emissions in the Netherlands with photovoltaics installed on top of trucks.

The solar panels reduce fuel consumption by up to 1.200 litres per year, per vehicle. This reduces a truck’s overall fuel consumption by up to 6%, lowering CO2 emission per truck by 3.8 tonnes on an annual basis. 

Traditionally, trucks consume a large amount of electricity which is generated by the alternator. The photovoltaics now supply the trucks with solar electricity. When driving, there is a decreased load on the engine which lowers fuel consumption. 

An integrated solar management system also allows the charging of electric appliances such as phones and computers and to power the air-conditioning (AC) within the truck cabin and the tail lift, which is needed for loading and unloading.

Additionally, the driver can measure how much solar electricity has been delivered to the vehicle by the solar panels and how much per activity is consumed. During the summer months with more sun, the fuel consumption is even lower.

René van den Akker, Kuehne+Nagel National Manager Road Logistics Benelux says, “As a leading logistics provider we are focused on developing solutions that decarbonise our industry and create sustainable supply chains. By applying technical innovations we can contribute to supporting healthier environments.” 

The solar technology used on Kuehne+Nagel’s trucks was developed by IM Efficiency, a solar innovation company for vehicles, based in the Netherlands.

Martijn Ildiz, IM Efficiency CEO says, “At IM Efficiency, we are proud to support Kuehne+Nagel’s commitment to the Science Based Target initiative to reduce CO2 emissions. By providing a sustainable solution to reduce fuel consumption of trucks with SolarOnTop, we are supporting the transition to fully sustainable road transportation in the future.”

Kuehne+Nagel Ireland will open a temperature-controlled facility to meet the growing demands of the country’s thriving healthcare industry. The site, scheduled to open in late July 2022, is strategically located near the Dublin airport and Dublin port. Along with three existing healthcare warehouses, it expands Kuehne+Nagel’s healthcare footprint in Ireland to  40,000 sqm. 

Ireland is one of the largest exporters of healthcare products globally, with over 50 FDA-approved manufacturing plants. Kuehne+Nagel’s commitment as market leader in healthcare logistics in the country continues with the investment in this new facility. It supports long-term collaborative partnerships with major players in the industry, enabling them to focus on core production and R&D activities. 

The new HPRA-approved facility has been optimised for all storage, distribution, and quality activities. The facility uses energy-efficient equipment to maintain the warehouse at a controlled temperature between 15-25 degrees Celsius, and will house 34,000 Euro-pallet positions with segregated loading and unloading gates. 

Commenting on the expansion, Pamela Quinn, Managing Director of Kuehne+Nagel Ireland, says: “Pharma & Healthcare companies in Ireland are at the forefront of the research and development of advanced treatments and therapies. This new facility enables Kuehne+Nagel to support the incredible progress and we are proud to be the partners for some of the largest multinationals and companies within this industry”. 

Kuehne+Nagel Ireland today employs over 450 people. In addition to Contract Logistics, the company has a strong presence in Road Logistics, Sea Logistics and Air Logistics (with offices in Cork, Shannon and Dublin) as well as an Integrated Logistics team managing regional and global contracts for 4PL customers with a primary focus on healthcare, high-tech and consumer goods. 
 

Kuehne+Nagel has expanded its Air Logistics services with regular charters, multiple times per week, from Liège (Belgium) to the America, Asia and Africa with a fully dedicated Healthcare operation for customers. The solution, called MedConnex, addresses constraints in terms of air freight capacity, especially for cargo that requires specialised handling and transportation such as temperature-controlled and GDP-compliant shipments.

MedConnex combines the capabilities of Kuehne+Nagel Belgium’s two Air Logistics hubs. This includes an experienced team at Liège airport, Europe’s fifth largest European cargo airport with excellent capacity and landing slots, as well as a state-of-the-art building at Brussels Airport equipped with a GDP-compliant and temperature-controlled warehouse, direct tarmac access and a large stock of special packaging materials.

Geert Torfs, Air Logistics Director at Kuehne+Nagel BeLux, comments: “Europe is a major exporter of healthcare goods, and thus the charters that connect Europe with major continents is in high demand. With this service, we support our entire European network of Kuehne+Nagel colleagues when they need to ship Healthcare products for customers to the rest of the world.”

Torsten Wefers, VP Sales & Marketing at Liège Airport, says: “Liege Airport is delighted about the introduction of these regular healthcare charters of Kuehne+Nagel. We are looking forward to further strengthen our partnership and are fully committed to provide, together with the local handling partners, the best possible framework for Kuehne+Nagel’s own controlled flight program.”

Kuehne+Nagel partnered with SailGP to reduce shipping carbon emissions by leveraging biofuels.  As Official Logistics Partner for the global sailing league, Kuehne+Nagel is responsible for transporting all SailGP’s event infrastructure to its global racing destinations in the most sustainable ways possible.

For the final events of Season 2, Kuehne+Nagel shipped SailGP’s freight over 30,000km from Cadiz to Sydney to San Francisco using biofuels to reduce the overall carbon emissions - avoiding approximately 342 tonnes of CO2.

This follows Kuehne+Nagel using HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) - a low carbon alternative to diesel made from recycled organic waste - for the 4,000km transport across mainland Europe for the previous event at Aarhus, St Tropez and then to Cádiz. This reduced emissions by 90%.

The shared goal to minimise the environmental impact of logistics transport sees Kuehne+Nagel and SailGP partner to reduce the carbon footprint of the sail racing league's transport. 

Brian Cox, Managing Director UK, Kuehne+Nagel comments, “It’s fantastic working with a partner that’s so committed to exploring alternative, more sustainable fuels. SailGP is not just achieving its own goals; it’s setting an example for others to follow.”

Fiona Morgan, Director of Impact and Purpose, SailGP said: “We’re very excited to be exploring more environmentally-friendly fuel alternatives. At SailGP we believe we have a duty to innovate and find new sustainable ways to change the way global sport operates but we cannot do this alone, so partners like Kuehne+Nagel are vital to deliver our ambition to reduce our carbon emission by 55% by 2025.”

Kuehne+Nagel, l’un des leaders du transport et de la logistique, a été choisi par l’enseigne Cultura pour gérer son site logistique de Moissy Cramayel en Seine-et-Marne (77). L’entrepôt de 48 000 m2 emploie 65 collaborateurs et couvre les expéditions pour l’intégralité des produits Cultura, hors livres, à destination des 97 magasins de l’enseigne.

Dans un contexte de croissance et de fortes saisonnalités, Cultura propose une grande variété de produits culturels, ce qui rend la gestion logistique particulièrement complexe. Pour répondre aux enjeux liés à la sécurisation des process, Kuehne+Nagel développe une offre de service orientée vers des process digitalisés avec des smartphones, dont les scénarios sont développés en mode graphique et vocalisés par ses propres équipes. Ces process sont complétés par des gants connectés pour scanner les EAN, associés aux codes détrompeurs couleur permettant ainsi une meilleure ergonomie de prélèvement.

Par ailleurs, Kuehne+Nagel alimentera une base de données photos pour tous les nouveaux articles, à l’aide d’un système de dimensionnement et de pesage, qui intégrera les données article. Ces photos seront affichées sur les smartphones des opérateurs, selon l’unité de préparation.

« Nous nous appuyons sur notre expertise de la suite logicielle Infolog de GENERIX, et de l’outil Velocity de WIIO, déjà déployés sur 30 autres sites en France, pour mettre en œuvre ces nouveaux process, complétés par notre propre BI pour le pilotage des opérations », explique Laurent Kraffmuller, Directeur Général Logistique Contractuelle, Kuehne+Nagel France.

« L’une des problématiques concernait la garantie d’une précision maximale dans la gestion des stocks et un service de qualité comme prolongement de notre activité, indique Arnaud Scheffer, Directeur Supply Chain de Cultura. Il s’agit en effet de sécuriser la préparation de 6 millions de prises par an, avec des pics dans l’année, pour des produits très variés, du jeu vidéo à l’instrument de musique en passant par les fournitures scolaires ou loisirs créatifs. Nous avons été séduits par la proposition de valeur de Kuehne+Nagel basée sur l’innovation, son offre flexible et son expertise des solutions de WMS. » 

Kuehne+Nagel is to organise the heavy-lift logistics and module transportation for the hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) biofuels project for Shell plc in the Netherlands. The project will be one of the largest commercial production facilities in Europe to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel made from waste.  

The biofuels facility in Rotterdam is expected to start production in 2024. It will produce low-carbon fuels such as renewable diesel from waste in form of used cooking oil, waste animal fat and other industrial and agricultural residual products.

Shell’s HEFA biofuels project will be supported by Renewable Energy Logistics, the new solution by Kuehne+Nagel Project Logistics, tailored to the specific logistics needs of the renewable energy industry worldwide. It is designed to provide safe and proper transportation of all the components and machinery required to set up and maintain alternative energy projects.  

“At Kuehne+Nagel, we support the global energy transition and are committed to play an active role in projects such as HEFA biofuels. We are delighted to partner with Shell and assist on producing sustainable fuels, so we can work together on decarbonising energy and transport industry,” says Mustafa Sener, Global Head of Project Logistics.

Renewable Energy Logistics will focus on delivering supply chain solutions and logistics services for all major modes of transport for the existing and new customers in the renewables industry such as wind (on-shore and off-shore), hydro and solar energy sectors.

Kuehne+Nagel is at the forefront of sustainable logistics. Committed to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), the company offers options to customers who want to start to decarbonise their transport by using low-carbon sustainable fuels to avoid and reduce their emissions by providing alternative transport modes, routes and carrier options. In addition, Kuehne+Nagel invests into nature-based projects as part of its compensation program in other sectors.

Kuehne+Nagel and adidas have entered into a long-term strategic partnership for a highly automated, omni-channel 130,000 sqm dedicated fulfilment centre in Mantova, Italy. It is to be the largest CO2-neutral fulfilment centre in Kuehne+Nagel’s global history.

Launching in 2024, the fulfilment centre will create around 700 new jobs to supply adidas stores, retail shops, wholesalers and e-commerce customers in 19 countries throughout Southern and Eastern Europe. Through a combination of cutting edge technologies, an experienced management team and well-trained warehouse workers, the centre is set to process no fewer than 18,000 packages per hour. Its operational model provides the exceptional flexibility required to handle adidas’ wildly fluctuating volumes from its various B2B, B2C and Click&Collect channels, along with regular peaks in seasonal demand.

The fulfilment centre not only meets adidas’ highest customer standards in agility and delivery speed but also fulfils its requirements for sustainable CO2-neutral operations.

Gianfranco Sgro, member of the Management Board of Kuehne+Nagel International AG, responsible for Contract Logistics comments: “The project’s combination of technology, service levels, sustainability and of course its exceptional scale has made it one of the most challenging ever faced by our team. The majority of it was also developed during lockdown, proving the capabilities of remote work and digital collaboration. Many thanks to adidas and our network of partners supporting us.”

The entire fulfilment centre is set to be powered by 100% renewable energy sources. Kuehne+Nagel will also employ only the most sustainable packaging materials and processes, aiming to reduce total resource consumption and CO2 emissions while ensuring high operational performance. In addition, the campus’ approximately 700 employees can easily commute via environmentally friendly transport options. The city of Mantova greatly supports Kuehne+Nagel’s new facility and is excited for the economic development and job opportunities it will bring to its citizens.

“The new logistic hub confirms Mantova's strategic role in the logistic landscape. Only two kilometers from A22 highway and close to the international river port of Valdaro in the middle of an intermodal corridor from Northern Europe to the Mediterranean. We supported this extraordinary project at full speed and determination due to the strategic relevance on our community and the extraordinary innovation for our country", comments Mattia Palazzi, Mayor of Mantova.

Swarovski, the crystal manufacturer and jewelry brand, partners with Kuehne+Nagel for an EMEA fulfilment and distribution centre in Tessenderlo, Belgium. The highly automated distribution centre improves lead times to the market, consisting of Swarovski stores, retailers as well as direct-to-consumer e-commerce.

Next to managing Swarovski’s entire B2B and B2C supply chain, including quality control management and reverse logistics, Kuehne+Nagel also handles value-added services in terms of outbound packaging for which a delicate human touch remains essential. This includes refined gift wrapping and customized gift cards typical for Swarovski’s luxury customer experience.

The hub is part of a 70.000m² fulfilment centre that is fully operated by Kuehne+Nagel. For Swarovski, the company invested a fully automated shuttle technology and established a central end-to-end transportation management service that covers inbound flows, distribution to the stores and B2C delivery flows. The scope of the operations leads to the creation of 100 jobs in the area in the course of 2022.

Gianfranco Sgro, member of the Management Board of Kuehne + Nagel International AG, responsible for Contract Logistics, comments: “We are delighted to be able to start this long term partnership with a prestigious client like Swarovski. Together we have created an absolutely state-of-the-art solution in terms of customer service for all sales channels.”

“Building on the strong competencies of both Swarovski and Kuehne+Nagel, we are looking forward to bringing this cooperation to life to deliver increased service and experience for our customers. The partnership that has grown over the past months has created a solid foundation for a long-term commitment,” says Brian White, SVP Supply Chain Management and Managing Director Swarovski AG Principality of Liechtenstein.

The Kuehne+Nagel Group is dismayed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and takes responsibility as a globally active logistics company. Therefore, the Group pledges emergency aid in the amount of 10 million Swiss francs.

This will be provided in the form of free logistics services to leading aid organisations for the transport and temporary storage of relief goods to Ukraine as well as Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania until summer 2022.

This action is being coordinated by Kuehne+Nagel's existing “Emergency and Relief Expert Centre” in Copenhagen. For this purpose, the company is using its existing international logistics networks in air and sea freight as well as land transport. Goods will be temporarily stored at the Group's contract logistics sites including those on Ukraine's western border.

In addition, Kuehne+Nagel employees can make a personal commitment by contributing to the Group’s “Colleagues for Colleagues” fundraising campaign. As with similar campaigns in the past, Kuehne+Nagel will match the amount donated and work closely with local management to ensure that funds are used to directly help Ukrainian colleagues in their time of need.

This release is available in German language only.

Automated translation by DeepL 

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Als Key Partner für das Olympia Team Deutschland und Team Deutschland Paralympics hat Kühne+Nagel in den vergangenen Wochen 100 Tonnen Fracht von Deutschland nach China transportiert – darunter sämtliche Sportgeräte und die komplette Ausrüstung der 400-köpfigen Team Deutschland Delegation, beispielsweise:

• 14 Bobs
• 16 Rennrodelschlitten
• 12 Skeleton-Schlitten
• 400 Taschen Bekleidung
• Medizinische Geräte

Während der 16-tägigen Laufzeit der Olympischen Spiele stellt Kühne+Nagel sicher, dass die Ausrüstung jeweils zur richtigen Zeit am richtigen Ort zur Verfügung steht, sodass sich die Athletinnen und Athleten auf ihre sportlichen Leistungen konzentrieren können. Ebenfalls stellt Kühne+Nagel die logistische Infrastruktur des Team Deutschland im Mountain Cluster vor den Toren Beijings sicher.

Weil die Sportgeräte noch bis kurz vor den Spielen von den Athletinnen und Athleten im Einsatz sind, werden sie per Luftfracht nach Beijing und im Anschluss an die Spiele wieder zurück befördert. Auf den durch Lufthansa Cargo durchgeführten Flügen setzt Kühne+Nagel Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) ein und minimiert damit die CO2-Emissionen der Transporte.

Das federführende Expo- und Eventteam von Kühne+Nagel hat sich in den vergangenen Monaten intensiv auf den Einsatz in Beijing vorbereitet. Pandemiebedingt konnten viele Planungsaspekte nur äusserst kurzfristig festgelegt werden. Ebenfalls ist Kühne+Nagel mit einem deutlich reduzierten Team vor Ort im Einsatz. Nach den Olympischen Winterspielen wird das Team die reibungslosen Logistik-Abläufe rund um das Team Deutschland Paralympics bei den Paralympischen Spiele sicherstellen.

The Very Group, which operates one of the UK’s largest online retailers Very.co.uk, is now compensating all carbon emissions from its inbound logistics via Kuehne+Nagel after joining the global transport and logistics company’s Net Zero Carbon programme.

The first phase began earlier this year, with The Very Group’s sea freight volume being offset. By the end of June, 1,300 tonnes of CO2 – the equivalent to approximately 3,000 barrels of oil being burned – had already been offset.

With the remaining 10,000 containers that The Very Group transports annually via a mix of rail, air and road now also being neutralised, the business has taken an important step closer to its ambition to be net zero for carbon across its operations and supply chain by 2040.

As part of Kuehne+Nagel’s Net Zero Carbon programme, emissions that cannot be reduced to zero by supply chain optimisation are compesated by investing in certified nature-based projects aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (also known as the SDGs).

As a pioneer in sustainable logistics, Kuehne+Nagel launched its comprehensive Net Zero Carbon Programme to encourage visibility, reduction and offsetting of carbon emissions. Since 2020, the company is CO2 neutral for its own, direct CO2 emissions. 

The Very Group has also committed to the British Retail Consortium’s Roadmap to Net Zero, meaning the retailer will bring its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2040.

Phil Hackney, Chief Operating Officer at The Very Group, said: “As a responsible business with a global footprint, we know that we must act now to reduce carbon production in all of our operations. This partnership with Kuehne+Nagel is an important step forward, enabling us to accelerate our journey towards net zero and demonstrating the importance that we place on the long term sustainability of our business as well as our planet.”

Otto Schacht, Member of the Management Board of Kuehne+Nagel International AG, responsible for Sea Logistics, says: “We support our customers and stakeholders in making their supply chains greener through measures we provide across all transport modes including sea freight. Kuehne+Nagel is particularly pleased about the climate partnership with The Very Group, which represents a step towards neutralising our collective carbon footprint in logistics and helping all stakeholders achieve their bold environmental targets.”

This release exists in German language only.

Kuehne+Nagel is considerably expanding its contract logistics footprint with the opening of its latest fulfilment centre in Contern, Luxembourg, comprising 34.000m² of warehousing space. The opening ceremony was attended by Luxembourg’s Prime Minister, Xavier Bettel, Kuehne+Nagel’s Honorary Chairman, Klaus-Michael Kühne, and other political representatives. Marc Maurer of Swiss running gear brand On and Luc Provost of B Medical Systems, the CEOs of the two anchor customers of the new site, were also amongst the guests.

The expansion reaffirms Luxembourg as a strategic location for Kuehne+Nagel in the centre of Europe with easy access to the continent’s most important consumer markets. From the Grand Duchy, Kuehne+Nagel meets the complex and dynamic supply chain needs of its customers through integrated value-added solutions – especially in the area of e-commerce fulfilment. This includes inventory management, picking, packing and shipping orders, managing returns, as well as value-added services.

Klaus-Michael Kühne: “Following a promising start 51 years ago, Kuehne+Nagel has been growing its multi-modal logistics solutions in Luxembourg continually and now further strengthens its function as a strategic contract logistics hub in Europe. This also underlines our confidence in the business location and the fruitful collaboration with the government of Luxembourg and the local authorities of Contern.”

Tobias Jerschke, Managing Director of Kuehne+Nagel BeLux, adds: “The new fulfilment centre perfectly complements our existing e-commerce hub in Belgium, securing fast end-to-end lead times. At the same time, the warehouse roofs perfectly lend themselves to the biggest photovoltaic installation to date by Enovos – Luxembourg’s main energy supplier. Supporting the green energy transition in the country underlines Kuehne+Nagel’s strong commitment to sustainability as part of its ambitious Net Zero Carbon targets.”

Kuehne+Nagel Luxembourg today employs over 700 people and has 100.000m² of warehousing space. In addition, the company has a historically strong presence in Road Logistics, Sea Logistics and Air Logistics (with an office at Findel airport) as well as an Integrated Logistics team managing regional and global contracts for 4PL customers with a focus on consumer electronics, industrial goods and pharma.

As one of the world's leading logistics companies, Kuehne+Nagel has opened a new IT competence centre in Portugal. Kuehne+Nagel’s Porto IT Hub contributes significantly to Kuehne+Nagel’s goal of accelerating digital technologies for its global customers. It focuses on the development of new mission-critical products, e-solutions and new digital services. This will advance Kuehne+Nagel’s digital core logistics processes with more efficiency through standardization and automation.

Kuehne+Nagel plans to hire more than 200 highly skilled software engineers in Porto by mid-2022. Porto is home to a vibrant international tech scene, new startups and development labs with highly skilled technology professionals from the country and abroad. Internationally recognised events such as the annually held Web Summit, confirm Portugal’s leading position in the tech sector.

Martin Kolbe, CIO and Member of the Management Board of Kuehne+Nagel International AG, says: “The new IT Hub is ideally timed to accelerate the roll out of our digital master plan. Here in Porto, we offer a fascinating and international working environment in the world of logistics for many different talents in IT.”

Kuehne+Nagel and Lufthansa Cargo have agreed on an exclusive partnership for the promotion and use of synthetic crude oil from NGO atmosfair based in Berlin. The logistics service providers have jointly committed to supporting the world's first production site for synthetic crude oil in Werlte, Emsland (Germany) by purchasing 25,000 litres per year for the next five years. Synthetic fuels have not yet been produced industrially, but are available only in laboratory quantities. This fuel is considered to be the fuel of the future, capable of bringing the CO2 footprint of aircraft engines to zero.

Yngve Ruud, Member of the Management Board of Kuehne+Nagel, responsible for Air Logistics, commented: "Already now, Kuehne+Nagel customers can avoid carbon emissions of their shipments globally with our bio SAF solutions and I am delighted to see that time has come for synthetic SAF as the long‐term solution for aviation. By securing the first power-to-liquid fuel production together with Lufthansa Cargo, we are sending a strong message of commitment and collaboration, inviting our industry colleagues and customers to join us in creating the low-carbon economy of the future already today."

"We clearly see the key to a sustainable reduction of our emissions in flight operations in the research and use of synthetic, sustainable aviation fuels. The fact that we are now pioneering power-to-liquid technology together with Kuehne+Nagel makes us particularly proud and shows once again that we are actively tackling our climate protection challenges," Dorothea von Boxberg, CEO Lufthansa Cargo, explained the strategic background to the partnership with Kuehne+Nagel.

With characteristics almost identical to those of conventional jet fuel, sustainable aviation fuels are an essential pillar on the way to CO2 neutral flying. There are two main types of sustainable aviation fuel – bio SAF and synthetic SAF. 

Until now, Kuehne+Nagel and Lufthansa Cargo have used bio SAF to reduce the carbon footprint of air freight. While bio SAF is produced from biomass (waste products and feedstocks with low carbon content), the primary energy source and feedstocks for the production of synthetic SAF are renewable electricity, water and carbon dioxide (CO2). Synthetic SAF is considered the long‐term solution for the industry as it can be produced without availability limits, avoiding biomass supply limitations, and can reduce emissions up to 100%.

For more information about Kuehne+Nagel's sustainable aviation fuel offering, please visit Kuehne+Nagel SAF webpage.

Inex Partners Oy has once again nominated Kuehne+Nagel as its partner for order and supplier management and overseas ocean freight. Preceded by a 10-year partnership, this contract extension is also based on Kuehne+Nagel’s sustainable transport offering. Inex Partners Oy is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SOK Corporation whose main task is to provide warehousing and transportation services for the grocery and consumer goods chain of the S Group – a customer-owned, Finnish network of companies in the retail and service sectors with more than 1,800 outlets.

In Finland, sustainability is at the top of the national agenda. With its green mindset and world-class research environment, Finland generates sustainable solutions for various industries and areas of life. Moreover, Finland aims to be a carbon-neutral society by the year 2035. As 8% of global CO2 emissions are caused by trade-related freight transport, Finnish companies are also mindful of the emissions caused by their supply chains. Inex Partners Oy has set itself the goal of reducing domestic emissions by 20% by 2025. This will be achieved, in part, by streamlining logistics, optimising routes, and using sustainable fuels as part of Kuehne+Nagel's Net Zero Carbon programme, which aims to reduce CO2 in all of the company's transport and logistics services worldwide.

"We are proud that Inex Partners, together with Kuehne+Nagel, has already achieved carbon neutrality in ocean freight logistics and we will continue our efforts to reduce carbon emissions in other modes of transport globally and domestically," says Lasse Korhonen, Head of International Logistics at Inex Partners Oy.

Otto Schacht, Member of the Management Board of Kuehne + Nagel International AG, responsible for Sea Logistics, says: “Next to being fully carbon neutral in our direct sphere of influence as of 2020, we have decided to proactively address the CO2 footprint of the transportation services performed by our suppliers – airlines, shipping lines and haulage companies – by 2030. We can only achieve this goal together with like-minded customers like Inex Partners Oy, who are willing to work together on a green transformation in logistics.”

Kuehne+Nagel enters into a binding agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in Salmosped AS. The Oslo-based company is a leading Norwegian perishables freight forwarder specialising in transportation of seafood products. It generated turnover of CHF 118 million in 2020 and handled approximately 63,000 tonnes of goods.

Today, Norway is one of the largest fishery and aquaculture producers in the world. Despite the pandemic, Norway’s fish exports remained strong, with attractive prospects for fisheries and marine aquaculture growth in light of its 21,000 km long coastline.

Over the years, Kuehne+Nagel has developed a global perishables logistics network with more than 70 stations worldwide that ensure that products reach end-consumers with an optimal shelf life and maximum freshness. Within the perishables segment, the bolt-on acquisition of Salmosped enhances Kuehne+Nagel’s global network in seafood as it complements existing operations in Halifax, Vancouver (both Canada), London (UK) and Santiago de Chile.

Dennis Verkooy, Senior Vice President Global Perishables & Head of Carrier Management Air Logistics at Kuehne+Nagel Management AG, says: “Perishables logistics is a strong growth driver for Kuehne+Nagel. While we have been present in the seafood business in Norway for years, today’s acquisition strengthens our footprint in air freight exports from this important seafood producing country. We are looking forward to enlarging our Norwegian team with Salmosped’s specialists.”

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including clearance by the competent merger control authorities.

A new single-site logistics facility, optimising Leonardo’s Yeovil footprint, will see the creation of nearly 20,000m2 of warehousing storage which, once completed in autumn 2023, will be leased by Leonardo Helicopters as part of a 35-year agreement.

The site will be operated under a new 10-year commercial contract with Kuehne+Nagel, which will include a multi-million pound investment in plant and equipment installation and transition. This contract signifies our desire to provide end-to-end innovative aerospace solutions.

Working in partnership with Leonardo, the plans have been designed with sustainability in mind, in line with our Net Zero Carbon promise. It will incorporate elements such as rainwater harvesting tanks, thermally efficient materials and construction methods, and charging points for electric cars and temperature controlled vehicles.

Brian Cox, Kuehne+Nagel Managing Director (UK), commented: “This is a major milestone to reach, and a culmination of over four years collaborative work. Our Kuehne+Nagel team has developed a great partnership with Leonardo Helicopters, and this demonstrates our long-term commitment to them and to the community of Yeovil. The creation of a single-site is a shared strategic vision, which will enable us both to drive real innovation, efficiency and scalable solutions into the Leonardo supply chain.”

Nick Whitney, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters (UK) added: “The main aim of the single-site logistics facility at Leonardo’s site in Yeovil is to consolidate all Yeovil-based warehousing. This state-of-the-art facility will streamline the site’s operational capability and customer service by having all logistical support in one place. It highlights further Leonardo’s long-term commitment to its Yeovil site through the strategic development of this high-tech logistics hub. It also demonstrates the importance of key industry partnerships through our crucial collaboration with Kuehne+Nagel.”

Kuehne+Nagel has delivered a first batch of CoronaVac vaccine produced by Sinovac Biotech Ltd., a leading biopharmaceutical company in China (Nasdaq: SVA). Kuehne+Nagel therefore is the first logistics company to deliver the Chinese Covid-19 vaccine to Ukraine. The shipment is part of a global agreement between the two companies.

The first 215,000 doses of CoronaVac were delivered at the end of March 2021. The cargo was transported by air from Beijing in special active cooling containers. At all stages of transport, product integrity at the required temperature of +2 to +8°C was maintained. At the end of February, Kuehne+Nagel successfully helped Sinovac fulfill its first Covid-19 vaccine shipment to the Dominican Republic.

“Kuehne Nagel has actively expanded its GxP-certified pharma network over the past few years. We are ready to support the global fight against the pandemic by delivering medicines and vaccines as soon as possible and in compliance with the required temperature regime,” says Andrii Savka, National Air Logistics Manager, Kuehne+Nagel Ukraine.

According to the office of the President of Ukraine and the Ministry of Health, the overall contract with Sinovac Biotech encompasses 1.9 million doses of vaccine. Thus, this first delivery of CoronaVac to Ukraine just marks the start of large-scale work to overcome the pandemic in the country.

To support the industry’s carbon reduction targets, Kuehne+Nagel and Air France KLM Martinair Cargo have launched the first carbon neutral air freight lane between North America and Europe. This forward-looking initiative marks another step towards the commercial deployment of alternative fuel and companies’ commitment to a sustainable future for aviation.

Proactively addressing its carbon footprint, the year-round transportation of all Kuehne+Nagel cargo on board regular AFKLM flights from Los Angeles to Amsterdam will be fully fuelled by SAF. This first carbon-neutral lane underlines the strong sustainability programmes of both partners, Kuehne+Nagel’s Net Zero Carbon programme and AFKLM’s cargo SAF programme, which aim to connect people and goods through sustainable logistics.

Yngve Ruud, Member of the Management Board of Kuehne+Nagel, responsible for Air Logistics, comments: “The first zero emission route marks the beginning of our journey into CO2 neutral air freight and is another step towards achieving complete carbon neutrality by 2030. At Kuehne+Nagel, we are ready to take leadership and responsibility for the next generation of air transport and encourage our customers and industry colleagues to join us in making sustainable choices available.”

Adriaan den Heijer, Executive Vice President Air France-KLM Cargo and Managing Director Martinair: “The launch of an air cargo SAF programme is an important step in our ambitious sustainability roadmap for the coming years. We are extremely pleased with the willingness and concrete commitment of our partner Kuehne+Nagel to actually shape our common ambition for a more sustainable future. I look forward to other partners joining our SAF programme soon.”

With the chemical and physical characteristics almost identical to those of conventional jet fuel, SAF is the most effective measure the industry has to significantly reduce its carbon footprint. To ensure the lane is fully carbon neutral, all CO2 emissions generated during the production, processing and transportation of SAF will be offset by Kuehne+Nagel supporting carbon reduction projects that carry the highest quality certification currently available: “Verified Carbon Standard (VCS)” and/or “Gold Standard (GS)”.

With the completed divestment of a major part of its UK Contract Logistics portfolio to XPO Logistics, Kuehne+Nagel has completed the restructuring of this business unit. This transaction follows the sale of the Contract Logistics activities in Argentina, the chilled FMCG portfolio in France as well as a portfolio of real estate assets.

The UK transaction closes after the unconditional approval by the British Competition and Market Authority. The scope includes the drinks logistics, food services and retail & technology businesses. Kuehne+Nagel remains highly committed to excellent customer solutions and service in the UK.

Dr. Joerg Wolle, Chairman of Kuehne + Nagel International AG, says: “We initiated the strategic review of our Contract Logistics activities in the Board of Directors in early 2019 and informed our business partners and the public accordingly. With the divestment of parts of our contract logistics business in the UK, the focused, comprehensive restructuring process was successfully completed. The business unit is now well positioned to concentrate on scalable solutions worldwide, particularly in the e-commerce and pharmaceutical sectors.”

The Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of North Rhine-Westphalia has contracted Kuehne+Nagel for the logistics of Covid-19 vaccines. In coordination with the ministry in recent weeks, the logistics provider developed a comprehensive solution for storage and distribution throughout Germany’s most populous state. This solution is now ready for use.

The vaccine doses will be delivered to the state's central distribution centre operated by Kuehne+Nagel, stored in temperature pods, repackaged in smaller quantities and distributed daily in a quality-assured manner to 53 vaccination centres and other healthcare facilities throughout North Rhine-Westphalia.

Karl-Josef Laumann, Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, says: "Vaccinating millions of people in a state as extensive as North Rhine-Westphalia is a historic task on an unprecedented scale. I am very pleased that the state has been able to secure such an experienced and competent partner for the central storage and distribution of the vaccines.ˮ

Over the past months, Kuehne+Nagel has developed a comprehensive solution for the global distribution and storage of Covid-19 vaccines. The basis for this is Kuehne+Nagel's proven, cross-transportation pharma & healthcare network with over 230 certified locations worldwide in air, sea and road logistics as well as contract logistics.

Dr. Detlef Trefzger, CEO, Kuehne + Nagel International AG, says: “Kuehne+Nagel has been preparing vaccine logistics solutions intensively for months. We made sure that the vaccine raw materials and auxiliary equipment such as syringes were in the right place; now we ensure that the Covid-19 vaccine is safely distributed from the factory to the end consumer, as in Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia. We are ready to support other states and countries in their Covid-19 response as well.”