MCH Group, a leading global live-marketing company headquartered in Switzerland, has appointed Kuehne+Nagel as its Official Logistics Partner for the next five years.

From July 1, 2026, the partnership will cover MCH Group’s exhibition venues at Messe Basel, Messe Zurich and Beaulieu Lausanne, together representing more than 182,000 square metres of exhibition space. Under the agreement, Kuehne+Nagel will provide comprehensive services for exhibitors and event organisers, including international shipping to and from event locations of exhibitors’ goods as well as on-site handling carried out in close coordination with all event partners.

MCH Group’s core business includes renowned platforms such as the Art Basel shows in Basel, Hong Kong, Paris, Miami Beach and Qatar, alongside major national exhibitions including Swissbau and Giardina. These events rely on meticulous logistics planning and coordination across venues, markets, and timelines. 

For Kuehne+Nagel’s Expo and Event Logistics team, the partnership reflects its focus on long‑term collaborations with leading organisers, supporting complex international events through reliable and time‑critical logistics solutions.

“With Kuehne+Nagel, we have found a partner that brings the expertise, global reach, and operational reliability our venues require. This long-term partnership will allow us to offer exhibitors and event organisers a seamless, consistently high-quality logistics experience across all three of our Swiss locations – and ultimately strengthen what makes our events exceptional,” says Roman Imgrüth, CEO Exhibitions and Events, MCH Group. 

Joern Schneemann, Global Head of Expo and Event Logistics at Kuehne+Nagel, adds: “We are proud to be the Official Logistics Partner for MCH Group. This long‑term agreement reflects the trust placed in our expertise and underlines our commitment to supporting MCH, its exhibitors and partners with tailored services and operational excellence over the coming years.” 

Kuehne+Nagel has acquired the road logistics activities of LSL-Lohmöller Spedition und Logistik GmbH, a long-established logistics service provider in Germany offering groupage, LTL and FTL services. This marks another strategic step in strengthening the company’s road logistics network in Europe, following last year’s acquisition of TDN in Spain.

Founded in 1930, Lohmöller is a family-run freight forwarder that combines a strong heritage and a focus on digitisation. Its operational gravity centre is north-west Germany, a dynamic industrial region with substantial road freight activity. In 2024, revenue from road freight activities amounted to approximately EUR 23,5 million.

The acquisition further enhances Kuehne+Nagel’s domestic road freight network in Germany as well as its broader European footprint, with 142 logistics specialists and fifty trucks joining the established network. It also strengthens Kuehne+Nagel’s position within IDS, one of Germany’s largest groupage freight cooperations, with Lohmöller having joined IDS already earlier in 2026.

Hansjörg Rodi, Executive Vice President, Road Logistics, Kuehne+Nagel, says: “With Lohmöller, we welcome a team that shares our commitment to customer-proximity and qualitative services supported by technology and sustainability. We look forward to jointly expanding the value we deliver to our customers.”

Benedikt Lohmöller, representing Lohmöller, says: “Thanks to our long-standing partnership in the international logistics space established in 2018, both companies are well-acquainted and have developed a mutual appreciation. We are fully aligned in our commercial approach and share the same values, particularly regarding our relationships with customers and employees, which makes this collaboration an excellent fit.”

The contract logistics activities and industry-related services of Lohmöller are not part of the acquisition and will remain with the current owners. The completion of the transaction is subject to closing conditions and is expected in March.

Kuehne+Nagel has partnered with Chorusview Inc., a spin-off of Alphabet’s X Moonshot Factory, to build a comprehensive and globally available smart label reader network, now comprising over 100 million network-enabled devices. Kuehne+Nagel’s Road Customer Visibility platform uses these reader devices to transmit smart label and sensor data to the cloud, where artificial intelligence processes the data to deliver actionable shipment insights for customers.  

Chorusview Inc. has expanded its existing reader network, which already included WiFi access points, scanning devices, and corporate mobile applications, by integrating popular third-party mobile apps. This development strengthens Kuehne+Nagel’s item-level visibility capabilities and supports the broader adoption of printable smart label technology within logistics. 

Alireza Nemati, Global Head of Innovation for Road Logistics at Kuehne+Nagel, explains: „We have made meaningful progress toward our goal of establishing a widely accessible and seamless reader network that enables consistent data transmission across shipments. Item-level visibility is transforming the logistics of industries where accurate ETAs and condition monitoring are critical for effective resource management, customer satisfaction and business continuity. Real-time tracking and data-driven decision making also helps reduce waste and loss in areas like inventory management and returns logistics.” 

“We share Kuehne+Nagel’s commitment to making supply chains more efficient and resilient through advanced orchestration,” says Suresh Vishnubhatla, CEO of Chorusview Inc. “Expanding our reader network marks a major milestone in this journey. It’s made possible by combining our cutting-edge technology with Kuehne+Nagel’s logistics expertise and global reach. We’re excited to scale our smart label solution further and deliver value to customers worldwide.” 

Kuehne+Nagel, a global logistics company, has announced the expansion of its facility in El Paso, Texas. The new site, located adjacent to the company’s existing facility, adds 20,252 m², increasing its overall capacity by 60%. 

Despite tariff uncertainty, global companies continue investing in nearshoring across Mexico and Kuehne+Nagel is expanding its capacity to support customers in building resilient supply chains. 

Strategically located at the border, the site is designed to accommodate the growing demands of customers for northbound and southbound movement of goods between Mexico and the United States. The new, bonded warehouse features 53 dock doors, 65 trailer spaces, front and rear cross-dock capabilities, as well as vertically racked storage locations.  

“Our existing 33,723 m² El Paso facility reached full capacity within a year, demonstrating strong demand for cross-border solutions,” said Joachim Goller, Senior Vice President Road Logistics North America. “This success underscores the need for scalable expansion to support our customers and new business while maintaining the high standards they expect. This investment further strengthens our market position at the U.S.-Mexico border and confirms that regardless of current geopolitical shifts, the nearshoring trend is alive.”  

Kuehne+Nagel has announced a strategic investment in a new fleet of prime movers in Thailand to meet the rising demand for reliable and scalable cross-border transportation across Southeast Asia. This initiative builds on the successful 2024 acquisition of City Zone Express, a well-established logistics provider operating across Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and China.

The fleet will be deployed in three phases: the first batch is already operational, while the second and third batches are scheduled for rollout in January and April 2026 respectively. Once fully deployed, the expanded fleet will include nearly 40 prime movers and 100 containers, giving customers greater capacity and flexibility to move goods efficiently across Southeast Asia.

David Roussiere, Managing Director of Kuehne+Nagel Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar said: “Customers in fast-growing sectors like e-commerce and high-tech can benefit from customised road logistics solutions, including add-ons like real-time visibility and multimodal options. As supply chains evolve, we are committed to helping businesses build resilience, optimise costs and meet their sustainability goals.”

Thailand’s Ministry of Transport has committed over USD 64 billion to infrastructure development since 2022, including major investments in highway construction and logistics connectivity. The ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS) continues to streamline operations across Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, playing a key role in ASEAN’s efforts to boost intra-regional trade and reduce transaction costs.

With this fleet expansion in Thailand, customers will benefit from faster response times and more reliable transport options to keep their supply chains moving smoothly.

Kuehne+Nagel, a global logistics company, and Milence, a company building Europe’s largest public charging network for trucks, come together to demonstrate the viability of electric road freight. Shifting the focus on the possibilities rather than the limitations of electric trucks is crucial to engage more stakeholders in investing in this technology and accelerating electrification globally.

Kuehne+Nagel’s new electric heavy goods vehicles seamlessly integrate into operations as they collect loads from the Able Humber Port (AHP) thanks to Milence’s first UK charging hub located in Immingham. With high-performance 400 kW CCS chargers, charging currently takes around 1 to 2,5 hours for a full charge, and a MegaWatt charger will be added in the near future reducing the time to 30-45 minutes (depending on battery size, vehicle specifications and truck type). Kuehne+Nagel and Milence also advance their shared ambition to accelerate fleet electrification by exchanging operational information to, for example, determine strategic locations for charging hubs.

Both companies also partner with policymakers to support electrification efforts. As a member of eFREIGHT 2030, part of the UK Government’s ‘Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator Programme’, Kuehne+Nagel has been feeding back real-world data and learnings since the electric heavy-duty trucks arrived earlier this year. For example, about driver’s experiences, key telematics data, and total cost of ownership. This helps tackle the hurdles that electric trucks still face and increase confidence in the technology.

Affordable and accessible public charging infrastructure remains crucial for accelerating the shift to electric heavy-duty trucking. Kate Broome, Sustainability and Social Impact Director at Kuehne+Nagel UK, says: “Alongside supportive measures to scale depot charging - such as faster access to grid connections and enabling policy measures - we also need high-performance, reliable and cost-effective public charging hubs. We’re proud to be among the early adopters using Milence’s hub, proving that electric heavy trucks are not just the future - they’re already here.”

Roel Vissers, CCO at Milence said: “Electric road transport is no longer a future ambition—it’s happening now. With over 20 operational hubs across Europe, our first green corridors are emerging and the shift to sustainable logistics is gaining momentum. To scale this transformation, utilisation is key. At Milence, we collaborate closely with key stakeholders across the transport sector. Partnerships with pioneers like Kuehne+Nagel are essential to shaping the infrastructure and services our industry needs. Our hubs are designed as safe, comfortable charging stops that support both drivers and fleets on their electric journeys. The transition won’t happen overnight—but by working together, we’re moving closer to a road transport system that is not only sustainable but also economically viable.”

Kuehne+Nagel has entered into an agreement to acquire TDN (Transporte y Distribución Nacional), a well-established Spanish road logistics services provider headquartered in Madrid. This strategic move significantly strengthens Kuehne+Nagel's European groupage network. 

TDN has over 600 employees and handled more than one million shipments in 2024. With 45 terminals and a fleet of over 700 vehicles within their partner network, TDN serves more than 200 daily routes linking the entirety of Spain as well as the Balearics, the Canaries and Portugal. 

“TDN is a local champion with a comprehensive road groupage network in Spain. Combined with our existing network, we will be better equipped to serve our European customers with competitive lead times and an increased frequency of departures to and from the Iberian Peninsula,” says Hansjörg Rodi, Executive Vice President, Road Logistics, Kuehne+Nagel. “This aligns with our strategic growth initiatives and adds value to our existing business.”  

Susana Fernández Paradela, President of TDN, adds, “Both TDN and Kuehne+Nagel are strongly committed to entrepreneurship and service excellence, and our road freight networks are highly complementary. With this great cultural and operational fit, we look forward to serving our customer base with more comprehensive logistics solutions and create new opportunities for career growth for our colleagues.” 

Completion of the transaction is expected within the coming weeks. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including the approval of the competent merger control authorities. Upon completion, it will be immediately earnings accretive and fully complementary to Kuehne+Nagel’s existing Road Logistics business. TDN will be fully integrated with Kuehne+Nagel to combine both company’s strengths, streamline operations, and deliver enhanced value to customers. The priority will be to retain and leverage the talents across both companies to ensure a seamless transition and future success.​

Kuehne+Nagel enhances the connectivity between Europe and Türkiye within its groupage network to reduce lead times. Türkiye is an important trade partner for the EU, and their industries are becoming more connected. This nearshoring trend increases the demand for reliable road logistics. 

As a response, Kuehne+Nagel has introduced four new direct line hauls from Türkiye to Europe, with multiple departures per week, covering most European countries. It leverages cross-docking hubs in Austria, Germany and France for optimal connectivity and efficiency, and competitive lead times. 

Ali Bener, Head of Road Logistics for the Middle East and Africa, states: "As trade relations between Türkiye and Europe grow, businesses need reliable and fast road freight services. Our new setup with additional line hauls, improved lead times and pan-European coverage will particularly benefit customers with flows from Türkiye to multiple European destinations. 

Kuehne+Nagel can be their single logistics provider managing and optimising all these flows. On top, customers enjoy shipment visibility and easy online booking through our digital self-service platform, myKN, which is included as a standard part of our service." 

Today, Kuehne+Nagel, a global logistics company, announced the opening of a new Road Logistics facility in Laredo, Texas. The 432,000 sq. ft. site consolidates three existing cross-docks into one, doubling capacity at the United States-Mexico border. Strategically located, the new Laredo site will help customers manage nearshoring complexities, a trend that persists despite current uncertainties.

The new site includes 200 trailer parking stalls, 115 dock doors and two drive-in doors for cross-docking, warehousing, transloading and storage. The site includes a 17,500 sq. ft. Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ), offering services to manage customs duties and taxes for cost efficiency. The facility will support the increased needs of customers in moving goods north and southbound over the border of Mexico and the United States.

According to Nathan Thomas, Regional Vice President for the Central Area at Kuehne+Nagel U.S., the new site which will be fully operational in mid-April 2025, enhances Kuehne+Nagel’s network at the U.S.-Mexico border, providing customers more capacity and space for freight movement. 

"We are committed to helping customers harness the full potential of the global nearshoring trend and to serving the cross-border market as part of our growth strategy," said Thomas. "Despite current challenges in global trade, we are confident nearshoring will continue, as it helps customers enhance supply chain resilience, reduces costs, and speeds up distribution. Kuehne+Nagel’s strong network of strategically located assets, robust trucking network, expert services and customs expertise ensures our customers’ goods reach their destination in full compliance, interruption-free and on time."

A few days after Christmas, Decathlon’s Distribution Centres across Europe experienced a surge in demand that surpassed previous forecasts, prompting the Kuehne+Nagel team to dispatch a staggering 38 full truckloads in a single day on December 27.   

“Our team wasn’t at full capacity due to the holidays”, recalls Cindy Cusin, team leader in the Road Logistics hub in Chaponnay which serves as a Control Tower for Decathlon. This is a team that is always available for the customer, coordinating all deliveries, proactively solving issues, and always seeking improvement opportunities. 

Despite the challenging situation, they managed to accommodate Decathlon's request by swiftly engaging with available road carriers and securing trucking capacity on short notice. “This kind of agility is exactly what Decathlon values in its long-standing partnership with Kuehne+Nagel, which has grown stronger year by year”, says Cindy.

A growing partnership 

The Chaponnay team mainly manages road and intermodal freight from Decathlon’s European fulfilment centres to regional distribution hubs across France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Hungary, and Romania. To a smaller extent, they also manage shipments from suppliers to warehouses and from warehouses to Decathlon stores. The team even supports Decathlon by reducing their transport emissions through an intermodal solution.  

This is what Decathlon’s Traction Flow Transport Manager had to say about the partnership: "We would like to underline the commitment of Kuehne+Nagel, and particularly the Chaponnay team, which was again by our side throughout 2024. Whether for the management of contractual flows or emergencies, their responsiveness, agility and service quality constitute essential pillars of our partnership. We know that we can count on Kuehne+Nagel during key moments to support us in satisfying our customers.” 

Kuehne+Nagel is looking forward to the next challenges to solve for Decathlon, as we continue to support them in their mission to make sport accessible to all. 

As part of its strategy to strengthen its healthcare network in Europe, Kuehne+Nagel opens a 2,000 sqm, GDP-compliant cross-dock facility in Budapest, Hungary. It serves as a new hub for less-than truckload (LTL) services for healthcare customers, complementing the existing hub in Luxembourg. With two cross-docks  dedicated to healthcare goods for pan-European distribution, Kuehne+Nagel can optimise routings and reduce lead times for customers.

The Budapest hub provides highly secured and temperature-controlled environments set between 2-8°C and 15-25°C. It will particularly enhance collection and distribution services across Hungary and its neighboring countries, including Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Romania, Greece and Bulgaria.

Joerg Woyke, Global Head of Healthcare Road Logistics, says: “Due to the sensitive and highly regulated nature of healthcare goods, businesses were initially hesitant to shift from full-truckload (FTL) to LTL services. We have earned their trust by demonstrating that our LTL services meet the same rigorous quality standards, while offering cost-efficiency and reduced carbon emissions. As the demand for these services grows, we are strengthening our network, enabling customers to benefit from even shorter lead times.”

Developing solutions for healthcare customers is a strategic focus of Kuehne+Nagel’s Roadmap 2026. The launch of the Budapest hub is part of a broader initiative aimed at optimising the road freight network in Europe to meet the demand for high-quality and efficient transportation of healthcare shipments.

It was not a dreamy island life that called them to Sulawesi. Instead, they were driven by a deeper purpose—to deliver aid in remote areas where basic medical services were scarce. A study from 2019 revealed that West Sulawesi had only 12 doctors per 100,000 residents in that year, a stark contrast to Jakarta’s five times higher ratio.* Imagine what Sulawesi was like three decennia prior.  

Nowadays, the scene has changed. Indonesia has been transformed by social, cultural, and economic progress. Also, the healthcare landscape has evolved, and the couple's mission has taken root in their son. Christopher now leads a team of logistics experts specialising in the distribution of MedTech devices to the nation’s most remote corners. 

His work comes at a time when Indonesia is experiencing a ‘hospital boom'. In the course of 2024, the Indonesian Health Ministry has inaugurated one hospital after the other. This stems from the 2023 New Health Act, with which the Indonesian government has pledged to make healthcare more accessible.  

Older hospitals are being refurbished and new ones are popping up.  

In the early hours of a late September morning, a faint glow of dawn casts shadows over the skeletal frame of one such hospital. At its base is a group of people donning safety vests and helmets. This team, part of Christopher's logistics crew, is responsible for executing ‘white glove’ deliveries—carefully transporting high-value, delicate medical equipment to hospitals across the country. 

The foreman briefs the team once again about the day's plan. Each team member has undergone specialised training to handle the movement of sensitive equipment. Their expertise is not just a point of pride; it’s a requirement to boast the HealthChain certification, part of the Kuehne+Nagel network’s global quality standard, which ensures the trust and confidence of their clients. 

There’s a rectangular gap in the outer wall of the building’s second floor. It wasn’t left by accident—it’s part of the plan to deliver and install a CT scanner. 

"We transport the medical devices from Jakarta to the healthcare facility where they have to be delivered or installed," Christopher explains. "Depending on the type of MedTech we’re transporting, we often need to bring in heavy lifting equipment, like cranes and forklifts, to help move the devices into the building." 

Kuehne+Nagel’s HealthChain-certified team oversees these white glove deliveries to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities across Indonesia. The challenge intensifies in Tier 3 cities, which are smaller and often more difficult to access. Roads in these areas may be unpaved, and because Indonesia is made up of many islands, the team sometimes has to rely on ferries or planes to ensure the equipment reaches its destination safely and on time.

"The biggest challenge with such multimodal deliveries is managing lead times," Christopher notes. "Schedule reliability can be unpredictable when you're dealing with multiple modes of transport and passing through small ports and airports." 

At the hospital, timing is everything. Each piece of the puzzle has to fall into place precisely when needed—any delays can be costly, not only for the hospital but for the patients waiting for care. 

Despite these challenges, Christopher’s team has mastered the art of coordination. They earned the trust of their clients by starting small, first handling spare parts and consumables from the customer’s warehouse to local distributors and retail channels. Over time, their responsibilities grew. Today, they’ve earned the trust to deliver even the largest and most complex medical devices with the utmost care. 

“I believe earning your customer’s trust comes down to demonstrating expertise—but it’s also about genuinely caring," Christopher reflects. "After successfully managing smaller hospitals, my father had the opportunity to build a hospital in Jakarta from the ground up. He worked closely with contractors, pharmaceutical companies, and medical device providers. From the medical device companies, he expected not just top-tier product quality and reliable service contracts, but also a fixed delivery date so everything could be coordinated seamlessly with all stakeholders. And, of course, the installation had to be flawless, without any damage to the equipment or hospital property." 

"These lessons have shaped what we offer to our MedTech customers today," Christopher adds. "We focus on delivering the highest quality services, ensuring reliable timelines, and providing careful, damage-free installations—so that they, in turn, can deliver the best possible outcomes for their own customers." 

*Source

Melitta, an international group specialising in coffee preparation, has chosen Kuehne+Nagel as its road transport partner, particularly for its Book and Claim offer. Kuehne+Nagel provides groupage and freight forwarding services throughout France to deliver Melitta products. The Road Logistics teams connect the storage and order preparation platform in Chézy-sur-Marne with major food retailers. 

Why Kuehne+Nagel? 

"At Melitta, sustainability is a central pillar of our strategy. We work tirelessly to reduce our carbon footprint at every stage of our distribution chain. France contributes significantly to the group’s objectives with a reduction of over 50% in its emissions," says Etienne Jollois. 

The partnership with Kuehne+Nagel will further reduce emissions. Kuehne+Nagel's Road Logistics team has implemented a customised Book and Claim offer, which is aligned with Melitta's goals. By choosing Kuehne+Nagel as a transport partner, Melitta is committed to actively contributing to its environmental objectives. 

"We were looking for a partner capable of supporting us in our transition," shares Etienne Jollois. We chose Kuehne+Nagel for its reputation for operational excellence and its commitment to sustainability. Their approach aligns with our values and ensures that we are moving in the right direction," shares Etienne Jollois. 

What is Book and Claim? 

Book and Claim is a chain-of-custody model. It means that the attributes of a product or service, like its sustainability benefits, can be uncoupled from that product or service and transferred through an accounting methodology.  

In a logistics context, it enables companies to “claim” the emission reductions of LETS* (Low Emission Transport Services) when it is not possible or efficient to physically move their goods through these means (for example, where low-emission fuel is not available, grid power is insufficient to charge an electric truck, etc.). This works because emissions have no borders, and global warming is only concerned with the absolute quantity of CO₂e, not with who physically produced it. The key principle here is that it’s possible to clearly define and differentiate between the entity generating the emission reduction and the entity claiming that reduction.  

Advantages of Book and Claim  

• The solution is very simple to implement: it involves no changes for the teams. 
• Calculation of HVO Equivalents: It is sufficient to calculate the number of kilometers travelled and find the equivalent in Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). 
• Investing in a sustainable future: the customer helps to scale low-emission transport services. 

"I firmly believe that to transform our industry and move towards more sustainable distribution, it is essential to invest in the transition," concludes Etienne Jollois. 

The collaboration between Melitta and Kuehne+Nagel for the Book and Claim solution is part of a rigorous sustainable development strategy, with clear objectives and a strong commitment to reducing CO₂e. 

*Low-emission transport services (LETS) is an umbrella term that captures transport solutions that reduce emissions compared to those that burn “traditional” fossil fuels. Examples of LETS include biofuels or electric vehicles. 

Kuehne+Nagel accommodates the MedTech industry by launching new service options for the transportation of medical technology devices as part of its road freight offering in Europe. The MedTech industry continues to grow due to the introduction of innovative technologies that address the needs of aging populations and patients with increasingly prevalent diseases like diabetes, hypertension, asthma and heart failure. 

The extended offering answers a demand for logistics services that do not have to fulfil GxP requirements, but still meet the elevated safety and quality requirements of high-value medical and diagnostics devices. It is available in Germany, France, the UK, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy. 

As part of the service, products are transported with special handling within Kuehne+Nagel’s reliable network. Trained experts in MedTech competence centres provide a centralised customer service and proactively handle unexpected deviations.  Depending on the service option—MedTech or MedTech+—customers can also count on regular consignment inspections, end-to-end visibility, and white glove deliveries including device installation and removal of packing material. 

"What is exceptional is that customers can also choose this service option for groupage shipments, in addition to LTL and FTL. We can guarantee the quality through focused investments in safety procedures, skilled staff and specially equipped cross-docks and stations," said Joerg Woyke, Global Head of Road Logistics Healthcare. "Even when GxP compliancy is not required for medical devices, sensitive handling is highly important." 

Developing new solutions for healthcare customers is in line with Kuehne+Nagel's Roadmap 2026, with Healthcare being a growth area.

The result? A sudden spike in bicycle orders, causing shortages across the market. Yet, Riese & Müller kept the wheels turning during the lockdown, supplying e-bikes to stores across Europe with Kuehne+Nagel as their logistics partner. 

How? Well, according to Tobias Kuhn, Key Account Manager at Kuehne+Nagel, it's all about their approach. "They manufacture their e-bikes similarly to the automotive industry: just in time. And they also configure each bike individually," he explains, beaming with pride about working closely with this prestigious electric bicycle brand. 

Bicycle dealers often have to order their stock of configured two-wheelers a year ahead of time. Unlike most bicycle manufacturers, however, Riese & Müller can deliver in short timelines. The premium e-bike manufacturer configures and assembles the bikes individually at their campus in Mühltal near Darmstadt, Germany, as soon as an order is received.

Founded in 1993 by Markus Riese and Heiko Müller, the owner-managed company now employs almost 900 people at its premises and sells its products worldwide through an exclusive dealer network. The company is synonymous with a sustainable lifestyle, user-focused product development and innovative E-Bike technologies.

With sufficient components in stock, they dodged issues engendered by the pandemic like production stoppages in Asia and shipping container constraints.  

 Tobias describes this success as one of several milestones in the partnerships between the two companies. 

A long-standing partnership 

When Riese & Müller was growing with double digits, the surging need for components and customer deliveries required nimble supply chain planning in sea, air and road freight.  Both companies managed to keep up thanks to close communication. 

In the early 2020s, Kuehne+Nagel joined Riese & Müller in their quest to conquer new markets, orchestrating the inaugural shipments to North America and Australia.  

Europe, however, remains the biggest market.  Each day, the team orchestrates the movement of 6 to 12 full trucks, consolidating cargo destined for every corner of Europe. 

Going electric 

Amidst this bustling activity, the latest partnership milestone shines brightly: the introduction of an electric truck exclusively dedicated to serving Riese & Müller.  

Sustainability has long been a focal point in the ongoing discussions between these two partners, and the introduction of the electric truck marks a significant milestone in their shared commitment. 

The truck is set to cover approximately 300 kilometers daily, shuttling between Riese & Müller's manufacturing hub in Mühltal and Kuehne+Nagel's warehouse in Mainz, where the bicycles are prepared for distribution to stores.  

It's important to acknowledge that this is no small feat. Electric trucks still face numerous challenges, including limited driving range, payload restrictions, and a lack of charging infrastructure. However, Kuehne+Nagel remains dedicated to finding solutions for their customers.

“We are always delighted when customers come to us and ask to put electric trucks on the road together with them. Today it is the most impactful way to reduce transport emissions from road freight,” Tobias Jerschke, Managing Director at Kuehne+Nagel Germany, said.  

“It requires our team to look at those parts of that customer’s operations where it is feasible and efficient, like the leg between Darmstadt and Mainz. Sometimes we need to install additional charging stations like we did recently in Mainz. With this investment, Riese & Müller and Kuehne+Nagel are sending a strong signal: that we take decarbonisation seriously.” 

Sebastian Leschinger, Head of Supply Chain at Riese & Müller, said: “We have a long and trusting partnership with Kuehne+Nagel and are therefore delighted that we are taking the next step towards sustainable logistics together.  

With the new electric truck, which will be used exclusively for all deliveries from our site to the distribution center, we are taking another important step towards becoming the most sustainable company in the e-bike industry.”

Globally, Kuehne+Nagel partners with tens of thousands of road carriers. From sizeable companies managing thousands of trucks, to small family-owned businesses boasting a single vehicle – and everything in between. Regardless of size, Kuehne+Nagel started granting these indispensable partners access to a web platform that digitises cooperation. Today, about a year after the rollout started, the Road Carrier Solution is globally used.

Benoit Therond, who leads the platform development and deployment, said: “Our goal was to create a digital solution that would enhance collaboration between Kuehne+Nagel and our road carrier partners, truly adding value to them in their day-to-day operations while increasing operational efficiency for everyone. In the design phase, we spoke with many carriers and drivers to understand their needs. By working backwards from that, we created a tool that they really appreciate. We continually seek for feedback to enhance the Road Carrier Solution and leverage our carrier network to make us stronger together.”

AI-enabled features to automate manual workflows

The Road Carrier Solution digitises the data and communication that is exchanged between Kuehne+Nagel, our carriers and truck drivers to transport a road shipment from point A to point B. Information about the pickup, delivery and cargo are sent from Kuehne+Nagel’s Transport Management System to the platform. From there, the carrier can assign it to a driver, who receives the info by email or SMS. By phone, drivers can update the delivery status and upload a picture of the Proof of Delivery (or the recipient can sign-on-glass, like you would do for a home delivery on a tablet of the mail man). With real-time visibility and geofencing, automated milestone updates of the trip can be shared without having to disturb the driver during their journey.

“The platform is web-based, which means that users don’t have to install yet another app. This is particularly convenient for truck drivers, who can simply send and receive data through a secure URL,” Benoit explains.

Those are just the basics, though. Benoit’s team is further automating manual workflows with Artificial Intelligence (AI). For example, AI-enabled document recognition rejects a picture of the Proof of Delivery if it is not readable or valid – prompting a new upload. Using Natural Language Processing, also a type of AI, the platform analyses the sentiment of driver feedback and notifies Kuehne+Nagel’s operational teams in case the comment may warrant intervention.

“Because the app is cloud-native, our team can experiment at low cost, release new feature fast and scale the solution easily,” says Benoit. As we speak, the team is already working on more features, such as mapping out safe rest stops for truck drivers when they open their itinerary in the platform.

Innovating on behalf of carriers

Continuously improving how we work with carriers is key to retaining those indispensable partners.  The Road Carrier Solution is just one way to do that. However, logistics will always remain a people business, and personal interactions are the stickiest of glues to keep partnerships strong. That’s why conversations with carriers were the starting point of the web platform’s development and why no technology should try to eliminate personal touch points.  

“The team has done a wonderful job of working backward from user needs, and we will continue to innovate on their behalf as we onboard more carriers. Digitising the cooperation with our partners by leveraging the latest technologies like AI is a key part of our Digital Ecosystem cornerstone. On our journey to become the most trusted supply chain partner supporting a sustainable future, we are particularly proud when a solution we built in-house generates such positive feedback and improves the Kuehne+Nagel Experience,” said Alireza Nemati, Global Head of Innovation for Road Logistics at Kuehne+Nagel.

Currently, the Road Carrier Solution is in place in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Other regions will follow in 2024. Learn more about the solution here.

Hamdi is a Zambia-raised and Dubai-based businesswoman with a clear vision: to establish a new food brand in Africa. 

She has the vision. She has the market knowledge. But the nitty gritty details of the complex cross-border logistics had been a roadblock for Hamdi’s ability to focus on growth. Until she chose Kuehne+Nagel as a logistics partner.
 

Cooking up a vision: Nana’s

1.7mm is the preferred spaghetti noodle circumference in Zambia. Kenyans tend to go for 1.3mm, while Somalians enjoy their noodles one millimeter thinner. With an array of preferences, one thing is certain: East-Africans are united in their love for pasta. The average Somalian family eats it five days per week.

Market insights like this put Hamdi’s entrepreneurial brain to thinking: can I build my own pasta brand from scratch? “I entertained the idea for a long while, until I thought: ‘It is easy to think. Let’s act’,” Hamdi says.

Food brands with women names work well in Africa, conveying a nostalgic coziness of grandma’s home cooked meals. Nana’s it would be.

Zambia, the country where she grew up, seemed the perfect market to test her idea. She found a pasta supplier in Egypt and spent a week calculating the budget, including shipping a container to Zambia. In parallel, she used her network in Zambia to find buyers.

This turned out to be a relatively expensive experiment for a one-woman show. She recruited investors amongst family and friends. Many believed in her idea, and shortly afterwards, her first container was on its way.

And with it, the logistic challenges started.

Hamdi puts her trust in a logistics partner

“Turns out that ignorance is expensive,” Hamdi says.

It was this moment she began to realise how complex logistics is. Several challenges occurred, like a container stuck in transit due to missing customs documentation. Mishaps that can cost a fortune for a small business.  

With her vision for Nana’s to be on the shelves of supermarkets in all African countries, the logistics of it all would get complicated. A business confidant told her to reach out to Kuehne+Nagel, so that she could focus on expanding to new markets. She called the office in Dubai. Soon she was in touch with Moses from Kuehne+Nagel Tanzania.

Hamdi: “I was new to logistics in Africa. I had never considered that each country has different regulations which makes border crossings a complex undertaking.”

Today, Moses and his team handle Hamdi’s cross-border road logistics flows. In Africa, roads are often the only way to supply landlocked countries with everything they might need, including Nana’s. The harbours in Tanzania and Kenya serve as the entry points. From there, Kuehne+Nagel in Africa manages trucking routes with delivery points in Uganda, Congo, Zambia, Malawi, Rwanda and Burundi. They also take care of customs clearance.

For the moment, Nana’s is being delivered to several hubs in Zambia and Congo; cities where Nana’s already can be found on store shelves in select grocery shops. But another ten containers are to arrive at the Dar-Es-Salaam port shortly, while Hamdi is looking for buyers in other African countries.

Hamdi: “What’s great is that I don’t have to worry about logistics anymore. Every day I receive an update about the whereabouts of my goods until they have arrived at their destination. When there is a problem, the Kuehne+Nagel team is on top of it to solve it. The best thing is that I need just one logistics partner because of Kuehne+Nagel’s network in Africa, rather than having to find different suppliers for each country.”

Hamdi has built her business on such trusted relationships. “I tend to select my suppliers based on communication and connections. This is especially relevant when you are not so knowledgeable yourself in a certain field. Those suppliers who then give you more than just an invoice, are the business partners you stick with. The ones who want your business to succeed and think along about the best ways to reach my goals.”

What’s up next for Nana’s

Hamdi closes her laptop in her Dubai apartment. 

When asked if she can already envision thousands of Iftar tables serving Nana’s to families in Africa, she gets a bit emotional. “I haven’t dared to dream that big yet. I have been too caught up in the daily work. But now that you mention it… let’s go for it.”

And Kuehne+Nagel’s team is happy to continue to support Hamdi’s growth story in Africa.

Kuehne+Nagel has entered into an agreement to acquire City Zone Express, a subsidiary of Chasen Holdings Ltd., a Singapore Exchange Mainboard-listed company. Headquartered in Malaysia and established in 2006, City Zone Express has over 500 employees and operates in Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and China. The acquisition of City Zone Express will be immediately earnings-accretive and strategically enhance Kuehne+Nagel’s cross-border road logistics service offerings in Asia. 

With an own fleet of 260 vehicles and 80,000sqm of warehousing space, City Zone Express offers reliable cross-border logistics services spanning the entirety of Southeast Asia up to China. When combined with Kuehne+Nagel’s own network, logistics expertise, and its eTrucknow visibility platform, customers from booming local industries like e-commerce and high-tech will benefit from a highly dependable extended offering. 

Hansjörg Rodi, Member of the Management Board at Kuehne+Nagel International AG, responsible for Road Logistics, said: “Asia’s economies are an attractive area for us to develop our road logistics services in line with our Roadmap 2026. With City Zone Express, we acquire a reputable regional player whose network and capabilities ideally complement our own. It enables us to better support our customers with tailored road logistics solutions in complex cross-border environments.”  

S. Pirithivaraj A/L Selvarajoo, Founder of City Zone Express, added: “We are thrilled and privileged to become a member of the Kuehne+Nagel Group, an industry leader in air and sea freight, and a renowned player in road freight. With our combined footprint in road logistics, we can better meet the growing demand for road logistics services in Southeast Asia – a region that is known as an important manufacturing hub for critical industries like high-tech, semiconductors and e-commerce.” 

Completion of the transaction is expected within the coming months. The acquisition is subject to approval from applicable regulatory authorities and Chasen Holdings’ shareholders. 

The new year starts with electrifying news as Kuehne+Nagel announces its Book & Claim insetting solution for electric vehicles. This makes Kuehne+Nagel the first logistics service provider to launch this solution, which previously was limited to low-emission fuels. Implementing decarbonisation solutions and helping customers achieve their sustainability goals is a key component of Kuehne+Nagel’s Roadmap 2026 Living ESG cornerstone. 

Developing Book & Claim insetting solutions for road freight was a strategic priority for Kuehne+Nagel. Last October, it launched an insetting solution for HVO—now followed by electric vehicles. The first-of-its-kind solution has been tested and validated in cooperation with leading external stakeholders.  

Customers who use Kuehne+Nagel's road transport services can now ‘claim’ the carbon reductions of electric trucks when it is not possible to physically move their goods on these vehicles. Reasons for that could be insufficient charging infrastructure or a limited driving range and payload. The solution helps to bridge those challenges which today still limit the deployment of electric trucks.  

 “We see battery-Electric Vehicles (BEVs) as the future to reduce emissions in road freight. Carbon insetting supports the scale-up of low-emission solutions like BEVs and helps to reduce the premium that customers pay for these solutions, thereby supporting the decarbonisation of road transport,” says Hansjörg Rodi, Member of the Management Board at Kuehne+Nagel International AG, responsible for Road Logistics.

For now, only Kuehne+Nagel’s owned BEVs are part of the Book & Claim offer to keep full control and transparency over the accuracy of the data that is used in the calculations. However, the team aims to expand the solution to BEVs operated by its partners so that it can support them in their fleet electrification journeys too. “Purchasing electric trucks can be a heavy financial burden, especially for smaller carriers. Including carriers in our solution requires further complex developments in the accounting methodology, but it would help them to finance their transition. This is our next priority,” concludes Rodi. 

For the Road Logistics team, this meant the vaccines which require special care and refrigeration, needed a complex solution in a very short timeframe. The answer from the Road Logistics team – a quick and resounding yes! Motivated by helping this customer, and with an extra boost of knowing that the flu vaccines would potentially save lives and make a real difference in the lives of those who had so valiantly served our country – our veterans – the team went right to work to make this happen.  

With the expertise of the Road Logistics team at Kuehne+Nagel, who specialize in building these kind of complex road logistics operations, they crafted a unique operation, similar to what is called a “milk run,” to meet the customer’s needs. For this, the team used a multi-stop lane, according to the geography/distance to optimize equipment utilization and reduce the overall cost.  

By early Wednesday morning, within 36 hours of the initial customer call, the Road Logistics team had arranged for three different carriers to pick up over 150 pallets of vaccines from 14 locations across Georgia, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. The vaccines were transported in 14 temperature-controlled trucks to ensure their safekeeping during the journey.  

By Friday afternoon, Kuehne+Nagel had successfully made 42 deliveries across 20 states, providing flu shots to over a half a million military veterans and their families across the United States. Thanks to the extraordinary teamwork and expertise of the Road Logistics team here at Kuehne+Nagel, this seemingly impossible task was accomplished, and many VA hospitals were able to receive the flu vaccines they needed.  

“As Veterans Day is upon us, we are especially proud of the teamwork and collaboration to achieve this complex and challenging solution for our customer in support of these everyday heroes,” said Joachim Goller, Regional Road Logistics Manager, Kuehne+Nagel North America. “As more than 15 percent of the population in the United States are veterans, and these VA hospitals serve the entire country, we could not be prouder to have stepped up, and supported this important effort, which we know will make a difference in the lives of veterans and their families. This successful delivery proudly coincides with Veterans Day, so a huge shout out to the Road Logistics team for stepping up, taking on this extremely complex operation and making this happen in support of our veterans.”  

Read more about how Kuehne+Nagel stays ahead of the curve in terms of healthcare regulations, technology, and best practices at this link.  

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 has launched a Book & Claim insetting solution for road logistics customers who purchase Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) to reduce transport emissions. The solution complements the already existing offer in Sea and Air Logistics, with maritime biofuels and SAF, respectively. A comprehensive Book & Claim offer will support Kuehne+Nagel’s science-based targets and accelerate the reduction of emissions in the logistics industry.

For the development of a Book & Claim offer for HVO, Kuehne+Nagel cooperated with several external stakeholders to test and validate the scientific and methodological robustness of the concept. The expertise built through the offer in Sea and Air Logistics, provided a strong basis for the project.

“Extending our offer of low-emission solutions for our customers is a key focus of our Roadmap 2026’s Living ESG cornerstone. Customers purchasing HVO can now reduce carbon emissions in their value chains. This will increase the demand and therewith the supply of low-emission technologies, to accelerate the decarbonisation of road logistics,” says Hansjörg Rodi, Board Member for Road Logistics at Kuehne+Nagel.

In a first stage, Book & Claim for HVO will be available for customers in Europe, with expansion plans beyond Europe in 2024. Moreover, the team is working on the integration of electric vehicles in the solution. “To decarbonise road logistics, we see HVO only as a bridging solution with battery-electric vehicles as our focus in the future. We expect this to be ready by the end of 2023,” Rodi concludes.

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.

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 and Chorus, a moonshot project at X, Alphabet’s Moonshot Factory, partner to offer select Kuehne+Nagel Road Logistics customers real-time solutions and granular, prescriptive insights into the health and state of their global supply chain and logistics operations.

Chorus is developing new sensor and orchestration technology designed to radically improve our understanding of where physical goods are located, where they are needed, what state they are in, and how they are used. The technology will be integrated into Kuehne+Nagel’s digital road service offering, eTrucknow, to provide its Road Logistics customers unique solutions, such as the ability to track the real-time location and condition of goods, with the goal of providing enhanced visibility. Through the partnership, Kuehne+Nagel and Chorus aim to generate learnings and insights that guide the development of additional solutions.

Recent challenges in the global supply chain have illustrated the extent to which lack of real-time intelligence leads to unsustainable levels of wastage, inefficiencies, and revenue loss. Kuehne+Nagel and Chorus are working together to address these long-standing global supply chain challenges in road logistics. With Kuehne+Nagel’s century-long experience in logistics and Chorus’ radical new technologies, the two companies have started to develop unique solutions for supply chain management.

Stefan Paul, Member of the Management Board of Kuehne+Nagel International AG, responsible for Road Logistics and Sales, says: “We are focused on developing solutions for some of the toughest global supply chain problems. Our partnership with Chorus will enhance our capabilities to build innovative solutions, further enriching eTrucknow offering. By combining visibility with intelligence we aim to provide our customers more accurate, actionable and data-driven insights into the overall health of their supply chain down to carton level.”

Suresh Vishnubhatla, General Manager for Chorus says, “Supply chains are the backbone of the global economy yet the industry still lacks important tools and insights, leading to terrible waste and inefficiency. Disturbances in the systems lead to shortages, scarcity and unavailability of critical resources. We are delighted to be partnering with Kuehne+Nagel as these challenges cannot be solved alone and require strong strategic partnerships with organizations that possess deep expertise to improve systemic resilience. Together we hope these tools can help businesses be more sustainable, efficient, and productive.”

Learn more about the service at https://www.etrucknow.com/smartsupplychain starting today.

Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA), a biotechnology company pioneering messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics and vaccines, and Kuehne+Nagel, a world-leading logistics company, today announced that they have agreed an international supply chain arrangement to provide distribution and storage of the Covid-19 Vaccine Moderna. This announcement follows the granting of conditional marketing authorisation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for Covid-19 Vaccine Moderna.

Kuehne+Nagel will support the worldwide distribution of vaccine doses from Moderna’s international supply chain, based in Europe. This includes distribution to markets in Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa, and parts of the Americas.

“We are proud to be partnering with Kuehne+Nagel from Europe to support the distribution of vaccines to global citizens. Following the recent approvals, this is another step closer to resolving the pandemic and an exciting time for both our companies and everyone involved,” says Dan Staner, Vice President Head of EMEA region, Moderna Inc.

The arrangement includes distribution and warehousing of the vaccine from Kuehne+Nagel’s pharma hub in Europe. Kuehne+Nagel will use its network of more than 230 operations worldwide to distribute the vaccine via road and air. In Europe alone, the company operates its own fleet of over 200 dedicated pharmaceutical transport vehicles. At all stages of transport and storage, product integrity at the required temperature of -20°C will be maintained.

Robert Coyle, Senior Vice President, Pharma & Healthcare, Kuehne + Nagel Management AG, comments: “With today’s announcement, we take on the responsibility to distribute Covid-19 Vaccine Moderna around the world. We have invested in our pharma & healthcare network and our global team of experts for decades – we are ready now, for when it matters the most.”

Kuehne+Nagel’s clinical trial logistics subsidiary, QuickSTAT, has been an integral part of Moderna's vaccine supply chain as well, having supported Phase II and Phase III clinical trial supply logistics in the U.S.

Kuehne+Nagel has also signed partnerships with authorities in several countries for local storage and last-mile distribution, such in Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia.

• Complete Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) approved 100,000 sq. ft. facility committed to servicing leading global manufacturer West Pharmaceuticals
• Kuehne+Nagel boasts a comprehensive network for pharma and medtech distribution with ten locations all over Ireland

Kuehne+Nagel Ireland has signed a multi-year contract with West Pharmaceuticals, a leading global manufacturer in the design and production of technologically advanced systems for the world’s top pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

Furthermore, Kuehne+Nagel has invested in a custom-built facility dedicated to the management of West Pharmaceutical’s contract logistics and road logistics services. The bespoke warehouse boasts racking for 30,000 pallets and has a full temperature controlled system to accommodate the unique requirements pertaining to West Pharmaceutical’s complex operation.

“When engaging with customers, we have a collaborative method, working in partnership to derive bespoke solutions that will work for our customer’s needs”, says Pamela Quinn, Managing Director at Kuehne+Nagel Ireland. “The set-up of complex supply chain solutions for a large company like West Pharmaceuticals can often take a long time. From the very beginning of our relationship with West Pharmaceuticals, we were committed to investing the time to understand their full logistical requirements. Our strength lies in our ability to offer innovative solutions to customers on a wide range of logistical services.”

Ireland is one of the largest exporters of pharmaceutical products globally and the commitment from Kuehne+Nagel stretches further than the dedicated West Pharmaceuticals facility, with a further nine locations in Ireland also devoted to the pharmaceutical and medtech industries.

Michael Moes, Vice President Global Supply Management of West Pharmaceuticals says that the customer-focussed approach of Kuehne+ Nagel was an appealing strategy that offered many benefits. “West and Kuehne+Nagel have embarked on a critical and global partnership for both contract logistics and overland transportation. We’ve specifically engaged with Kuehne+Nagel Ireland’s leadership team and benefitted from their expertise and personalised customer-focussed approach, while at the same time leveraging the breadth and depth of the global Kuehne+Nagel team – it’s a winning approach. Particularly, we worked closely with the Kuehne+Nagel Ireland team on the strategy to secure land, build and manage a dedicated warehouse, allowing our West Pharmaceuticals operations in Dublin to focus and deliver on its core technical and manufacturing competency” confirms Mr. Moes.