Quick Cargo Service Germany has been named the benchmark Independent Freight Forwarding Company in Germany. The announcement comes as a result of the Institute’s findings from its research study Independent Freight Forwarding in Global Logistics. The purpose of the research is to investigate the increasing trend by Beneficial Cargo Owners (BCO’s) to outsource the management of their global freight and logistics requirements to independent freight forwarders.
Quick Cargo Service is one of the top ten owner-managed IATA forwarders in Germany. Founded in 1974 by Dieter Haltmayer, today the company is represented in Germany by ten branch offices at key locations, along with international presences in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, London, Basel, Zurich, Copenhagen, and Warsaw.

Quick Cargo Service is the first independent freight forwarder to achieve ‘Best in Class” accreditation from GIL as has been given that honor in recognition of the esteem in which the company is held both in Germany and globally.

“I welcome the opportunity to be part of the Institute’s Gfifty that represent the “best of the best”, I believe we can achieve great things together and ensure the long-term survival and development of our industry”

Stephan Haltmayer QCS

First mover status is not new to QCS, having pioneered:
The Best Practice of connecting with agents worldwide. From its inception QCS through the pioneering work of Dieter Haltmayer has traveled to the main production markets of the world to build up relationships with both the cargo owner and freight QCS was the first small forwarder that operated Germany-wide and invested in overseas business trips.
The Best Practice of co-purchasing with fellow agents to remain competitive with multinationals. IGLU (The Interessengemeinschaft Luftfracht, German for, “association of common interests in airfreight“) is regarded globally as the benchmark in co-purchasing and is a testament to the vision and leadership of QCS and Dieter Haltmayer in particular.
The Best Practice of bringing together freight forwarders to create networks. Dieter Haltmayer formed the ‘Air Service Group’ in 1976; ASG was a network of agents at all German airports. This practice of alliance development has continued throughout the company’s history, the formation of the Aerospace Logistics Group which concentrates on aircraft spare parts in 2007 by QCS under the supervision of Stephan Haltmayer is a testament to this.

Kieran Ring CEO of the Institute said, in support of the accreditation:

“I am delighted to present Quick Cargo Service with its accreditation as Best in Class, I have worked very closely on the research which informed our decision and am in no doubt that in QCS the Institute has identified one of the world’s leading independent freight forwarders. The story of the company’s development is inspiring and demonstrates how by adopting a customer first, market aware approach independent freight forwarders can not only survive but thrive in the global marketplace.

It is impossible to quantify what effect QCS has had on the building up of best practice in the sector, their pioneering work in network and alliance development has been copied time and time again the world over. The great news about QCS is that it is as ambitious today about its future as it was when it was founded in 1974 and that is why we have chosen them as the first to receive our accreditation. We have a front seat view on the company’s future direction and will be there to research and report on how they are responding to the new and varied challenges emanating from the customer base. How QCS responds and innovates will set the standard and this, in turn, will inform the industry globally”

Dieter Haltmayer Founder and President of Quick Cargo Service said:

“I am delighted to accept this accreditation as ‘Best in Class’ from the Global Institute of Logistics. Being the best has always been and will always remain our mission at QCS. We endeavor to be the best in every aspect of our business, including the best freight forwarder, the best partner, and the best employer. Today’s accreditation proves that QCS is ready for the future, our board led by my children, Stephan, Heidi, and Jennifer will continue to build on the work of the last 42 years and are adapting and developing our company to meet the challenges and opportunities of the 21st Century freight forwarding industry. I look to the future with great confidence”

Stephan Haltmayer Geschäftsführer / Managing Director Quick Cargo Service added:

“It is our privilege at QCS to be the first “Best in Class” independent freight forwarder to be accredited by the Global Institute of Logistics. It is humbling to join the ranks of other great German companies who have achieved this honor, like Hellmann, HHLA and Hamburg Port Authority. I very much look forward to collaborating with the Institute on the development of our case study and to working with the other ‘Best in Class ‘forwarders from around the world in building up the knowledge base around best practice.

We are no strangers to the alliance concept and I welcome the opportunity to be part of the Gfifty that represent the “best of the best”, I believe we can achieve great things together and ensure the long-term survival and development of our industry”

In the year 2000, Dieter Haltmayer established IGLU AIR CARGO GmbH as a joint venture of 19 German forwarding agents. At a time of globalization and mergers, these 19 agents came to the conclusion that medium sized forwarders could only be competitive if they combined their cargo for negotiations with the carrier as far as rates and capacity were concerned.
Cargo is forwarded in containers or on pallets and IGLU makes capacity commitments with airlines for particular flights on specific days. IGLU members benefit from the advantages of competitive rates and faster clearances at the destination because containers and pallets are transferred to a neutral break bulk agent right after landing. IGLU members maintain their individual relationships with carriers. IGLU is simply a tool with which to obtain better purchasing rates. Airlines benefit from having a single point of contact, instead of having to negotiate with 23 individual companies. Today, IGLU members load 1800 tons of airfreight every month to 80 destinations around the world, matching the levels of multinationals.

The following report traces the development of IGLU.

GENESIS
In May 1999 Wilhelm Althen, the influential chairman of Lufthansa Cargo, had prophesied a less than rosy future for small forwarders at the annual conference of Cargo Network Services, the US arm of the airlines’ umbrella organization IATA. Althen predicted that half of the 3600 IATA agents than in business would have disappeared within five years. The small players were not capable of surviving according to the Lufthansa chief who would continue in his post until 2007. He claimed the future belonged to the bigger play- ers in the industry and increasingly to the multinationals. The takeover game had only just begun. Althen forecast that in, “three to five years”, between five and seven large groups would control 70-80 percent of international airfreight.

THE GROUND RULES
On the 17th November 1999 that year the initiators of the alliance invited all interested forwarders to the Holiday Inn hotel in Bad Soden. The response was overwhelming with 69 companies registering to attend. In his opening address, Dieter Haltmayer emphasized that it was time to create a neutral association of shippers and put the airlines under pressure, “our job as forwarders is to advise customers and to choose the best and most affordable transport route, independently of the interests of individual airlines“.

INITIATION
Back in 1999, it was difficult for the initiators of Iglu to bring forwarders together around a table and get them talking. Everyone mistrusted everyone else. The great merit of the Iglu founders was to plant this thought in the head of medium-sized forwarders, “we need to compete against the big boys, who are ruining the prices for us”. For the medium-sized forwarders to compete meant acting in unison.

IGLU IN PRACTICE
A forwarder only really gets to show his service standards when something goes wrong, “and there is always something that can go wrong: a plane has a damaged engine, customs stipulates certain conditions and then the customer needs a reliable contact person. But when he calls the multinational forwarder to be greeted by voicemail, or asked to press a sequence of buttons by the voice of a computer to be directed further, then the customer soon says, ‘My God, what kind of service is this?” With the medium-sized forwarder, emphasizes Stephan Haltmayer, there is a real human being answering the telephone and able to give the customer information. Someone who can help. That is the difference.

Beneficial Cargo Owners (BCO’s) are global in their approach to sourcing and distribution and as a result, outsource to freight forwarders who can provide global coverage. Therefore for independent freight forwarders, membership of a global network is crucial. Network membership enables freight forwarders to form relationships with other freight forwarding companies, gain access to their resources and link with their activities all critical in connecting BCO’s to international supply and distribution networks.
More crucially networks can drive better pricing. On both fronts, QCS is the pioneer. Combining their resources and activities with those of other freight forwarders QCS customer’s materials moving faster at lower costs with superior customer service than competitors.The networks are the extended arm of Quick Cargo abroad. “A multinational concern”, explains Stephan Haltmayer, “has its own offices throughout the world. That is something we do not have. What we have are partners abroad, agents who work together with us”. This is the story of the QCS approach to network development and membership.

THE WHY OF NETWORK MEMBERSHIP
If Quick Cargo has a carriage paid shipment to Chicago, then we need a partner there who works just like QCS, who receives the freight, takes care of customs clearance, and delivers it to the customer. All the costs involved are paid by the shipper. Equally, the forwarder in Chicago also needs a partner in Frankfurt. He might have a customer whose freight must be collected in Buxtehude, and so he says, “Haltmayer, fly it to Chicago for me and I’ll pick it up”.

THE HOW OF NETWORK MEMBERSHIP
Once a year the partners all get together at a “Network Meeting” somewhere in the world: a different country each year. The network has an administrator who leads the group and takes care of correspondence and other organizational aspects. One important task for the administrator is to keep track of payments owed by members of the network.

DEVELOPING NETWORKS
“We founded CCA 15 years ago”, says Haltmayer, “because the slumbering dragon that was China was gradually awakening. China was a black hole, no-one knew exactly how freight worked. Forwarding and logistics, that was all new. It was very difficult to find the right partners. I had a partner in Hong Kong, Daniel Wong, who said, ‘I know the Chinese market, I will look everywhere and find you the best agents in the country. So he traveled through China and nominated 20 forwarders saying, “these are partners that you can work with”. Then the idea occurred to me: I have 20 international firms around the world who do not know how to deal with China. If Daniel Wong brings 20 Chinese companies to the table, then I will bring 20 international agents to the same table, and we can all be of benefit to each other“.

The Institute meticulously checks partner and customer references in advance of accrediting independent freight forwarders with Best in Class status. The quality of response that we received from the customer and partners of QCS was outstanding. Were it our intention to identify the one freight forwarder with the most outstanding reputation the institute would without hesitation bestow that honor on QCS.
“Relations between Lufthansa Cargo and Quick Cargo Service over these many years have developed very positively. In the meantime, both Iglu and QCS itself are to be found amongst the top 30 Lufthansa Cargo customers in Germany. And in addition to the positive commercial cooperation QCS has consistently distinguished itself as one of our best quality customers. At the yearly awards we present for input, quality, and digitalisation, QCS regularly takes a place on the podium. In their jubilee year 2014 they even managed to secure overall first place by winning both the Q- Award and the e-Award.”

FLORIAN PFAFF VP LUFTHANSA CARGO.

“Dieter Haltmayer’s creation of IGLU, which is an association of common interests in airfreight, was a masterpiece of an initiative where he saw the benefits of working together with other small to medium sized companies and being able to create volumes and thereby enhancing the negotiating power in competing with the larger multinational global players. This benefited not only his own company but the others in the industry. This shows his ability to realizing the changing needs to the time, his customers and partners. ”

RAM MENEN FORMER EMIRATES SKYCARGO

“The air cargo industry has a very bad habit of not giving the small and medium sized forwarder the respect they deserve. Many years ago I recognized that it is only through the personal service and dedication to customer satisfaction that forwarders like QCS bring to their clients that air cargo did not completely move to the integrators. It will always be true, that scheduled airlines owe a lot to people like Dieter and companies like QCS for having any chance to remain viable and credible with shippers and consignees.”

STAN WRAIGHT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STRATEGIC AVIATION SOLUTIONS

“QCS today is a premium brand, a globally active firm admired on all sides”

NILS HAUPT DIRECTOR CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS HAPAG-LLOYD

“Whoever wishes to further his business and values A partner who brings vision and honest dialogue to the common pursuit of the best solutions, he will find what he seeks in Dieter Haltmayer. It is no exaggeration to say that without him Lufthansa cargo would be different in Germany today”

DR. ANDREAS OTTO CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER AUSTRIAN AIRLINES

“Dieter Haltmayer is a convinced forwarder, a figurehead for the forwarding landscape in Germany He is quite simply a great person.”

ERWIN MARUHN EDITOR OF DVZ

INTRODUCTION

Quick Cargo Service is one of the top ten owner-managed IATA forwarders in Germany. Founded in 1974 by Dieter Haltmayer, today the company is represented in Germany by ten branch offices at key locations, along with international presences in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, London, Basel, Zurich, Copenhagen, and Warsaw.

When founding the company Dieter Haltmayer built upon his 15 years of experience as freight manager for British European Airlines (BEA), British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and Air Canada. Now the company is run successfully by two generations of the Haltmayer family. The operations of the company have largely been passed onto the founder’s children: Stephan (Managing Director), Heidi (Administration) and Dr. Jennifer Melnyk (Finance).

For airfreight, QCS is a reliable partner for global shipments. The high departure frequency and firm capacities with carriers ensure consistent quality and high-performance connections around the globe. When it comes to international sea freight Quick Cargo Service offers intelligent, tailor-made logistics solutions. The selection of shipping lines according to strict criteria secures a continually high level of quality.

QCS has now entered the perishable goods market and installed a refrigerated warehouse on the ground floor of the company headquarters in the Kurhessenstrasse. Quick Cargo Service has continued to focus on expansion: the firm currently employs around 200 employees in Germany and Europe

FREIGHT FORWARDING
QCS has the expertise, the know-how and the supplier relationships necessary to ensure the movement of your valuable freight. Freight forwarding is at the heart of our service offering. Our offices in our global network are equipped and ready to move your shipments through the air, on the road or across the ocean. We use our considerable global buying power and relationships with key commercial airlines, shipping lines, and other providers to secure the best rates and services for our clients.

AIR FREIGHT
At QCS we understand that air freight is a very expensive way for any company to move their product. We are acutely aware that when our customers need an airfreight solution that it must be fast, reliable and cost effective. That is why, in conjunction with our global partners, we only use the top tier airlines. This allows us to offer our clients a first class service while availing of extremely competitive negotiated rates. We proactively manage our client’s needs to achieve the best results and can handle any size shipments with ease. We can switch traffic between express, couriers or scheduled airlines or we can split shipments and manage them by air, by sea-air or by sea depending on shipment size and time constraints.

Our services include :

Preferred Airline Program
Known Agent Status
Global Network
Door to door Service
Daily services to/from all Parts of the Globe
Express / Courier / Direct / Deferred /
Full Track & Trace
Dedicated, Flexible Operations Team
On-Line connectivity to Customs
Competitive Tariffs from 0 – 1000++ Kgs
Packing / Crating Services available
Customized Reporting – PODs etc.

SEA FREIGHT
As companies improve their processes and controls they can plan further ahead and move a lot of their raw material or manufactured goods on to the sea and away from air freight. Sea freight has been revolutionized in recent years with much better transit times and tighter controls on arrivals and departures. At QCS we believe that close control and a focused approach when dealing with the sea lines can yield substantial benefits for our customers. We have developed strong and global partnerships with a number of providers and this enables us to offer an exemplary service in ocean freight. Not only can we manage your long haul deep ocean requirements but we also specialize in offering “short” sea solutions around Europe.

Our services include :

Global Network
Preferred Ocean Liner Program
Door to door Service
LCL and FCL
Out of Gauge Service available
Services to/from all Parts of the Globe
Full Track & Trace
Dedicated, Flexible Operations Team
On-Line connectivity to Customs
Competitive, Easy to Understand Tariffs
Packing / Crating Services available
Customized Reporting – PODs etc.

ROAD FREIGHT
In today’s world, we are all conscious of the effects of global warming and of trying to reduce our carbon footprint. One way to do this is to carefully choose your ground transport provider. There are now many responsible providers who manage their routes and fleets in the most eco-friendly fashion possible. This includes providers who use double deck trailers or providers who will where possible, use smaller vehicles rather than the normal juggernauts. Best of all, are the companies who believe that one of the most effective methods of reducing cost and climate change is to get the job right in the first place.

At QCS we work with a select number of providers who fall into this category. We can provide a full Pan European Groupage or Full Load Service both outbound and inbound using a hub and spoke system which maximizes the vehicle’s capabilities while keeping costs down.

Our services include :

Pan European Export / Import Services
Scheduled Services to / From Eu
Door to door Service
LTL & FTL as well as Lo/Lo and Ro Ro options
Dedicated, Flexible Operations Team
On-Line connectivity to Customs
Competitive Tariffs from 0 – 1000++ Kgs
Packing / Crating Services available
Customized Reporting – PODs etc.
Full consultancy Service available

QCS provides expert and competitive Customs Brokerage services for any type of commodity and our online EDI link with the European Customs Authorities ensures high-speed processing of all shipments. Our highly trained and experienced staff use the most ‘up to date’ technology to ensure full compliance with all customs requirements. We also provide an Intrastat/VIES service.

COURIER SERVICE
Using our integrated door to door service allows our clients to pick from the best. We don’t restrict you to a particular provider. Our tariff has been crafted by taking the best that the integrated providers can offer and meld this into a single tariff that means we can offer consistently reliable services to or from anywhere in the globe. We manage your traffic to obtain the best value for you. We ensure that you pay the rate commensurate with your needs. For example: should your shipment increase in size from 35 kgs to 85 Kgs it would not make economic sense to use an integrator. In that instance, we switch your shipment to conventional air freight still providing the required service but at a reasonable cost.

Our services include :

Global Network
Known Agent Status
Door to door Service
Flexible choice of Integrators
Daily services to/from all Parts of the Globe
Express / Courier / Direct / Deferred / Consol
From envelopes to 70Kkgs approx.
Full Track & Trace
Dedicated, Flexible Operations Team
On-Line connectivity to Customs
Competitive Tariffs
Customized Reporting – PODs etc.

QCS provides flexible, scalable and customized Warehousing and Distribution solutions to help customers better compete through reduced operating costs and allow them to more efficiently adapt to the rapidly changing marketplace.
Warehousing:
Whether you require short or long term storage or a solution integrated with our Logistics Management or Supply Chain products, our warehousing services provide tailored solutions for companies looking for strategically located facilities for an optimal solution.
Distribution:
Our flexible distribution solutions include comprehensive nationwide transportation be it for small packages, pallets or larger cargo. We can also provide strategic warehousing, inventory control, order processing and other value added services for efficient inventory management. Integration with our freight forwarding and customs clearance services allow customers the benefit of a single, one-stop total logistics management distribution solution.

LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT
Today’s competitive and dynamic global market emphasizes the importance of an effective supply chain. Companies are taking a more meticulous approach to their Supply Chain Management and looking to optimize their inventory control and working capital. QCS fully understands the importance our customers place on effective Logistics Management. Our team of experienced professionals works diligently to produce tailored, customized solutions to increase reliability, competitive advantage and, hence, the bottom line for our customers. Our solutions are individually designed utilizing our comprehensive freight forwarding, supply chain, transportation, warehousing, and distribution and customs brokerage services.

Our additional Value Added services include:

Full Warehousing Services
Storage
Pick and Pack
Crating and Packing
Vendor Management
Fulfilment
Reverse Logistics
RMA Management
Revenue Compliance
Supply Chain Audit & Consultancy

PROJECT CARGO
From time to time a company or individual may find themselves in a situation where they need to move extremely (!!) large and cumbersome shipments.These are not your run of the mill movements and in general, will require specialist advice and management. At XY FREIGHT FORWARDING we have the in-house expertise to take a headache out of the situation and ensure that the cargo moves in a smooth and seamless manner.

CARGO INSURANCE
It is essential that all shippers realize that all freight forwarders cargo insurance liabilities are matched to those of the carriers. These liabilities are very low and would seldom if ever, cover the cost of the product lost or damaged. For example, IATA airline liability is subject to a limitation of $ 20 per kilogram whereas those for sea freight and road freight are lower again. Here at QCS we operate our own Open Marine Cargo Policy and can provide full transit insurance cover on request. We would suggest to any person or company shipping goods that they check with their own insurance company prior to taking out any extra cover as they may find they are already covered.

DISPONAUT Quick Cargo erhält Speditions-Award:

Das Global Institute of Logistics hat der See- und Luftfrachtspedition Quick Cargo Service (QCS) den „Best in Class“-Status verliehen. Seniorchef Dieter Haltmayer nahm den Award bei einer Feier in Berlin aus den Händen von Kieran Ring, Chief Executive Officer des Institutes, entgegen. Der heute 82-jährige Haltmayer hatte das in Mörfelden-Walldorf ansässige Unternehmen 1974 gegründet. Inzwischen stehen längst seine drei Kinder Stephan, Heidi und Jennifer an der Spitze des Mittelständlers.

CARGO FORWARDER GLOBAL QCS Rated Best in Class:

Forwarding agent Quick Cargo Service has been accredited as ‘Best in Class‘ from the Global Institute of Logistics (GIL) during a ceremony held in Berlin last Wednesday. It’s a knighthood for the family-run company’s outstanding performance over many years.

INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT JOURNAL QCS is GIL’s “best in class”:

The Global Institute of Logistics (GIL) has accredited Quick Cargo Service Germany (QCS) with “best in class” status in recognition of the company’s outstanding contribution to the development of best practice in independent freight forwarding in Germany and beyond. QCS is the first independent freight forwarder to achieve this accreditation from GIL

RAM MENEN FORMER EMIRATES SKYCARGO Congratulations to the QCS team

“Congratulations to QCS was being awarded the best in class accolade. I am delighted to see that all the hard work and innovative platform that Dieter and his family have created are being recognized. It is easy to create a brand but a real challenge to sustain and grow it. They have done a great job on both counts. Congratulations to Dieter and the entire QCS team. This is well deserved.”