Militzer & Münch Algeria: close to the customer with local experts

With many years of experience in the demanding markets of the region, Militzer & Münch is considered the leading specialist for transports to and from Algeria. An important unique selling point are the regular groupage services for sea freight from France to Algiers and Oran – and since late 2023 also to Béjaïa.

 Situated on the shores of the Mediterranean, Africa’s largest country is one of the most important logistics hubs in the region, with transportation infrastructure concentrated almost exclusively in the country’s fertile north, while almost 85 percent of the area is covered by the rock and sand deserts of the Sahara. Algeria is rich in natural resources – crude oil and LNG account for around 95 percent of total exports. On the other hand, many different goods are imported, including machinery, textiles, food and various other commodities.

Militzer & Münch has been active in Algeria with its own country unit since 2016, and now operates its own branches in the port cities of Algiers, Oran and Béjaïa. From these locations, the company covers the entire logistics spectrum, from sea and air freight to road haulage and value-added services such as customs clearance and consulting. Import traffic mainly comes from Western Europe or South East Asia, exports are primarily destined for West Africa and Southwest Europe.

“The logistics sector in Algeria is governed by strict laws and regulations. In addition, transport costs are high and customs procedures are lengthy, which can be quite a challenge if you are not familiar with the local conditions”, says Lamia Hani, Managing Director Militzer & Münch Algeria. “With our own local experts and a strong partner network, we can support our customers very effectively here”, she adds.

Focus on groupage ex France

Among the most important services provided by Militzer & Münch in Algeria are groupage transports from Marseille. For several years now, there have been two regular connections, one each from France to Algiers and Oran. In November 2023, a maritime groupage service to Béjaïa was also launched.

The port city lies around 180 kilometers east of Algiers, the capital, and is one of the most important cities in the country. Due to its location, it serves as an important hub for maritime traffic with Europe, Africa and other regions. Modern infrastructure makes the port’s processes particularly efficient and allows it to handle various types of cargo, including bulk goods and containerized freight. In addition, the port boasts a high level of security and efficient hinterland connections. From Marseille, Militzer & Münch offers a service to Béjaïa every 15 days with CMA CGM vessels. Militzer & Münch takes care of all processes, from consolidation to container loading; transit time is only five days. As there are hardly any comparable offers on this route, the service has been correspondingly well received by customers. A large proportion of the goods transported so far are destined for the food industry: food processing equipment, flavorings, food additives, packaging and so on.

In the medium term, Militzer & Münch Algeria plans to expand its market leadership on the Algeria-France route and to set up further LCL services to and from Turkey and Italy. “Algeria is a country where it never gets boring”, says Lamia Hani. “We are always happy to take on new challenges for the benefit of our customers.”

The courier, express, and parcel service EMEX Kazakhstan, a subsidiary of the Militzer & Münch Group, looks back on the past years with great satisfaction and plans further growth.

EMEX is the official partner of FedEx in Kazakhstan and handles all FedEx CEP transports within the country. The company operates its own substantial fleet of circa 100 vehicles as well as a dense network of branch offices in the country. The main sorting center is located in Almaty. All international shipments, including customs clearance, are handled via this hub, with transit times for express delivery between one and four days. EMEX’s major customers operate in the retail, fashion, pharmaceutical and medical technology, as well as oil and gas sectors. What they value most about their CEP provider are the comprehensive turnkey solutions and personalized support.

This year, EMEX is about to celebrate an anniversary. The Militzer & Münch Group’s CEP service in Kazakhstan turns 20 years old and has had a successful time recently: “We were able to increase our market share and consolidate our strong position among the top three service providers in the industry, we obtained important ISO certifications in the areas of quality, environment and safety, and were even awarded industry prizes,” says Tatjana Vorobyeva, who has been heading the company with a staff of more than 360 as Managing Director since 2016. “The positive results are largely owed to growth in e-commerce and consolidated domestic transportation.” In 2023, EMEX also opened its first location in Kyrgyzstan, expanding its extensive branch network in Central Asia.

Into the future – with big plans

EMEX plans to continue growing in the future by investing in personnel management to attract new talent and in its own warehousing space, for example. Strategic marketing measures are to further strengthen the EMEX brand, while an expanded range of services will appeal to new customer groups. These include the Fourth Party Logistics (4PL) and Fulfilment Services divisions, among others.

“We have big plans – and of course we are already preparing for our 20th anniversary”, says Tatjana Vorobyeva. “Our customers rely on EMEX because their consignments are in good hands with us and reach their destination reliably and on time. This trust has brought us to where we are today and spurs us on to continue to improve and grow.”

About five years ago, the Militzer & Münch Dubai team moved from the city’s airport to the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) at the western end of Dubai, one of the largest free trade zones in the world. The move was the result of the country unit’s strong growth, which is still ongoing: Militzer & Münch Dubai is continually expanding its range of services and its customer base is growing. The supply of ships on the water is developing into a particularly successful line of business.

At the location in the Jebel Ali Free Zone, the Militzer & Münch Dubai team focuses on the transport of ship spare parts. For some time now, there has also been an increasing demand from customers for the complete supply of ships. In addition to spare parts, this includes the delivery of further technical equipment, consumables, bonded goods, food for the crew and maintenance services. Militzer & Münch is responsible for the procurement of equipment and goods, their storage, and delivery on board the ships – even beyond the Jebel Ali Free Zone.

Growing market segment in the port of Fujairah

Thanks to the strong commitment of the Ship-Spares-team, led by Business Development Manager Kiran Kumar, the local company has seen a significant increase in orders for ship supplies at the Port of Fujairah. Located on the east coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the port is a major hub for shipping in the Gulf region and the Fujairah Offshore Anchorage Area (FOAA) offers 133 berths for incoming vessels as well as a wide range of maritime services.

“Our aim is to offer our national and international customers an all-inclusive package with real added value in ship handling, from spare parts in transit to catering for the ship’s crew” says Anil Manath, Managing Director of Militzer & Münch Dubai.

Militzer & Münch not only handles ships moored at offshore anchorages in Fujairah but also ships in transit. For this “midstream” supply, Militzer & Münch exclusively delivered more than 200 shipments in UAE waters by using hired supply boats and made over 50 round trips in 2023 – aside from deliveries to local agent’s boats. The ships served by the Militzer & Münch Dubai team currently come mainly from international waters while passing through the OPL (outer port limits) and inner anchorages of the United Arab Emirates during bunkering and maintenance.

“The port of Fujairah has become an important location for us and we expect a further increase in the volume of orders for ship supply”, says Anil Manath. “We will continue to expand our local presence in the future so that we can provide our customers with a central one-stop-shop for the optimal handling of ships round the clock.”

The Militzer & Münch country unit in Kazakhstan was founded in 1993. Its development is impressive: Today, M&M Kazakhstan offers its customers national and international transports on all transport routes, as well as customs clearance – and all this with great success. The team is growing, as is the customer base; the range of services is continuously expanded, and new markets are opened.

In summer 2023, around 70 employees and customers of M&M Kazakhstan came together in a restaurant in Almaty to celebrate Militzer & Münch’s 30^th anniversary with a colorful entertainment program featuring live music, a dinner buffet, and cocktails. Of course, a birthday cake had to be part of the event.

Zlata Kim, Managing Director of the Kazakh country unit since 2019, has closely accompanied and driven the development of the company in recent years. “We can be very proud of what we have achieved over the past three decades,” she says. ”We offer our customers transport logistics services at the highest level. We are constantly expanding our portfolio and adapting our services to current requirements. In the field of renewable energies, we have been able to handle some impressive projects, such as the transportation of large quantities of components and modules for solar plants from China to Kazakhstan.”

There is a close trade relationship between Kazakhstan and China; the European Union, however, has recently turned into the most important economic partner. Which also applies to M&M Kazakhstan. “Rail transports play an important role here, but at the moment, truck transports from Europe are also in high demand from our customers,” says Zlata Kim.

St. Gallen, December 18, 2023. Logistics company Militzer & Münch is growing in Asia: M&M Militzer & Münch Vietnam Co. Ltd. starts operations today. The new country unit offers the full range of Militzer & Münch services, with a special focus on air and sea transports.

The Militzer & Münch Group is pursuing a growth strategy in the Asia / Far East / Oceania region. Most recently, a new company was founded in New Zealand in 2022. After M&M China, M&M Malaysia, M&M Sri Lanka and M&M New Zealand, M&M Vietnam is now the fifth national subsidiary in the region. It is located in Ho Chi Minh City. The 9 million-strong metropolis on the South China Sea is both the economic center of the country and an important transport hub for Southeast Asia.

Significant development opportunities
Militzer & Münch focuses on promising markets in the region and considers the location to have great potential for further growth: “Within a few years, Vietnam has developed from one of the world’s poorest nations to a middle-income country”, says Andreas Löwenstein, Regional Managing Director Asia / Far East at Militzer & Münch. “We therefore see good opportunities for successful development while at the same time strengthening our network in the region with the new country unit.”

Militzer & Münch Vietnam will serve many different industries in import as well as in export. A large part of the transport volume will be generated by sea and air transportation. Peter Schüpbach, who previously held various management positions, is heading the new subsidiary.

When Militzer & Münch opened its country unit in Serbia in October 2019, the logistics provider already planned to expand further in the Balkan region. Thus, in summer 2021, Militzer & Münch not only founded two more country units there, Militzer & Münch Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Militzer & Münch Montenegro, but also started its own courier service in Serbia in early 2022.

“We have made it our goal to expand our network to cover the entire Balkan region,” says Nikola Vasiljevic, Executive Director of the three Balkan country units. “With Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, we have already taken the first steps in this direction.” Both country units currently count three employees each; road transportation is the main business, but warehousing and customs clearance are offered as well.

Correct market assessment
Most of the customers in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro are already long-standing Militzer & Münch customers in Serbia. For both new markets, however, the last two years were highly unpredictable and challenging, due to the impact of the Corona pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and supply shortages. “Despite the many hurdles we had to overcome, we were able to adapt and grow,” says Nikola Vasiljevic. “We have been able to correctly assess the market, take our service to a new level and find the best solution for each customer need.”

 Meeting the demand
Yet it is not only geographically that Militzer & Münch is growing in the Balkan region; the service portfolio in Serbia has also been expanded. “During the pandemic, it became apparent that there is a high demand for top-quality, safe and fast courier services,” says Nikola Vasiljevic. “Which is why we decided to establish M&M Express at the beginning of 2022.” The courier service already employs 20 drivers and operates a fleet of 18 delivery vans – all of which “M&M Express” branded. The team handles 15,000 to 20,000 shipments a month from 200 terminals and also offers to pick up shipments on site if requested.

 Innovation and automation
As the business grew, Militzer & Münch Serbia decided to invest in innovation and automation. The company built a new 1,000-square-meter cross-dock between the existing warehouses in Dobanovci, Serbia. Cross-docking means that goods are no longer stored, but are handled directly and forwarded to customers. The new automated building is equipped with conveyor belts, sorting machines and elevators that lift goods to shelves and mezzanines. At the cross-dock facility, Militzer & Münch Serbia can process up to 2,000 shipments per hour. Deliveries pass through a scanner, are recorded by the warehouse management software, and automatically sorted according to 31 zones. “Automation has allowed us to dramatically increase efficiency and boost capacity,” says Nikola Vasiljevic. “Our courier service is growing day by day, and we expect to have expanded significantly by the end of the year, covering the entire territory of the Republic of Serbia with our courier service.”

Earthquake, pandemic, inflation – in the year 2023, the people in Turkey have to cope with severe catastrophes and challenges that seem almost insurmountable. But economic uncertainties and global turbulences are by no means new to the employees of Militzer & Münch’s Turkish subsidiary – and they know how to deal with them.

In February of this year, parts of Turkey and Syria were struck by a devastating earthquake. More than 56,000 people died, many more were injured, lost family members, lost their belongings – the disaster traumatized the people of Turkey.

Help for the victims

In response to the destruction and distress, the Turkish International Freight Forwarders Association, UTIKAD, sent relief goods to the earthquake region – and the Militzer & Münch team assisted. “In this humanitarian effort, we coordinated the transport of urgently needed relief goods carried in twelve trucks plus a complete train of 32 wagons”, says Cem Ulusoy, Managing Director Militzer & Münch Turkey. “In addition, together with the Militzer & Münch branch office in Basel, we donated 5,000 euros to “AHBAP”, a Turkish relief organization.”

The Turkish economy has been severely affected by the natural disaster, too. About 35 percent of the country’s industry are located in the areas affected by the earthquake. Add to this the consequences of the pandemic and global inflation… Militzer & Münch Turkey is suffering from these conditions, too. But the team has learned to operate in an environment characterized by uncertainties, and to carry out business successfully.

Steady development

The Turkish Militzer & Münch subsidiary was founded in 1996. “At that time, we had only seven employees and a single branch in Izmir, run by one person,” says Cem Ulusoy. After the new management of Militzer & Münch Turkey started working in January 2012, the Turkish country unit began to grow. “Today, we employ almost 60 people and, in addition to the Istanbul headquarters, we operate three branches, in Izmir, Mersin, and Bursa, as well as a warehouse in Hadımköy and an office at Istanbul Airport.”

Militzer & Münch Turkey specializes in the transport of industrial goods and is among the market leaders in project transports. Despite the uncertainties and challenges, the team has successfully defended its position in the industry. Road transportation is most in demand among customers, followed by air and sea freight, segments that are also of great importance. The company’s main customers come from the textile, machinery, chemicals, and construction materials industries.

“We have given proof that we are capable of operating successfully not only in times of uncertainty, but also of fulfilling our social responsibility in times of crisis,” says Cem Ulusoy. “An important next step for us will be to invest in a warehouse to provide even better services to our customers and meet the ever-growing demands.”

Almost 1,700 square meters of additional warehousing space in total – Militzer & Münch Dubai recently took into operation three new logistics facilities in the Jebel Ali Free Zone.

In order to meet constantly rising customer expectations as well as to offer fully integrated and consistently optimized supply chain solutions, expanding capacities was a strategic move. Militzer & Münch Dubai’s business is developing well. Among others, the 37-member team successfully grew its customer portfolio over the past years: while initially, the focus was on transports for the food industry, other industries are now on board, such as the maritime industry as well as the cosmetics and health & fitness sectors.

The capacity expansion features three 566 square meter facilities. One of the warehouses is temperature-controlled and offers 240 pallet spaces to serve existing contract logistics customers. The other two storage facilities, offering a total of 1,300 pallet spaces, are for ship spares in transit, LCL consolidation and cross-dock business.

“Our vision is to offer our medium-sized contract logistics customers high-quality logistics services, and to be able to meet their requirements from a single source,” says Anil Manath, Managing Director Militzer & Münch Dubai. “With this strategic step, we also ensure that we can continue to focus on the development of our cross-dock, LCL consolidation, and ship spare parts activities.”

Stuttgart/Belgrade, October 5, 2023 – In a close collaboration, M&M Germany and M&M Serbia are launching a new joint groupage line. Shipments will be collected at the German M&M Road HUB Stuttgart and will be picked up twice a week by M&M Serbia as per schedule.

In Serbia, Militzer & Münch has an excellent infrastructure, including its own fleet, impressive 36,000 square meters of warehouse space, and dedicated customs agencies for swift and seamless customs clearance. This enables comprehensive distribution within Serbia.

Furthermore, the M&M HUB in Belgrade serves as a central hub for onward transport to the neighboring countries of Montenegro and Bosnia & Herzegovina, providing customers with additional flexibility.

One of the features of this new groupage line is the guarantee of short transit times and a 24-hour distribution service within Serbia. This means that customers will receive their goods even faster and can flexibly adapt to changes in their supply chain needs.

For further information, please visit here: https://www.mumnet.de/de-en/new-service-germany-serbia

We look forward to assisting our customers in optimizing their logistics processes and enhancing the efficiency of their supply chains.

Militzer & Münch Morocco is expanding in Tangier: 2,000 square meters of additional warehouse space are to ensure faster handling.

The port city of Tangier is located at the northern tip of Morocco, close to the Strait of Gibraltar, barely 30 kilometers from the Spanish mainland, and thus at a strategically extremely important position for goods flows. For many years, the Tangier branch office has been Militzer & Münch’s gateway to Morocco.

At this time, Militzer & Münch Morocco is expanding its own warehouse with an annex: 2,000 square meters of additional logistics space will help meet the increasing customer demand and ensure the even faster handling of shipments: “At our location in Tangier, we have been recording steadily growing volumes for years”, explains Olivier Antoniotti, Managing Director of Militzer & Münch Morocco. “With the new warehouse, we can handle the additional transport volume even better and with more flexibility.”

In total, the warehouse area in Tangier will grow to 5,000 square meters. The inauguration and operational start-up of the new facility is scheduled for the beginning of January 2024.

Most of the overland transports from the Militzer & Münch branch office in Eichenzell in Eastern Hesse are bound for one or more of the Maghreb countries. This makes Eichenzell one of the most important hubs for transports to Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco.

The small township near Fulda and Frankfurt is home to the German Militzer & Münch hub for the Maghreb – and it is continuously developing. Over the last few years, the branch has experienced steady and healthy growth. “We have a clear picture of the direction we want to take in the future,” says branch manager Julian Backenstoß. “We are receiving very positive feedback from our customers for our consistently good service. As a result, we’ve been able to expand our business and also increase our staff.” Close to twenty colleagues are now attending to the needs of customers. The attached warehousing area covers around 4,500 square meters.

Consolidated freight destined for North Africa
On average, eight to ten containers leave Eichenzell every week in a southerly direction to begin their journey to North Africa: four to five semitrailers per week head to Morocco via Algeciras in Spain. Another four to five round trips per week go to Tunisia via Marseille and Genoa. The focus is on consolidated freight.
The trucks need about six to seven days to make the journey to Algeria. Multimodal shipments are completed within nine to ten days. “If time is of the essence, customers prefer the pre-carriage by truck to Marseille. If transit time is not an issue, the combination with rail is a popular choice, also because it is cheaper. The customer can save a few hundred euros and at the same time do something for the environment,” explains Lilli Macholdt, Deputy Branch Manager and Trade Lane Manager Maghreb.

More than just the Maghreb
“We have a lot of experience in organizing and carrying out transports to the Maghreb countries,” explains Julian Backenstoß. “That’s why we keep expanding our activities and recently opened a branch office in Augsburg. There, under the management of Fourat Chetoui, Trade Lane Manager Maghreb, we are currently focusing on the direct freight business to and from the Maghreb. However, we also offer overland transports to many other destinations, of course.” In addition to transports to North Africa, Militzer & Münch also handles groupage transports to Azerbaijan via Eichenzell, as well as transports to Eastern and Western Europe. Moreover, the Eichenzell branch office has been the official CargoLine Germany depot for more than ten years, acting as a hub for classic groupage pre- and on-carriage to and from Europe or within Germany.”

Beijing, June 13, 2023. Xi’an is not only the starting point of the ancient Silk Road on the east end, but also an important gateway for international trade. Meanwhile, Central Asia, as the pioneer of the Belt and Road Initiative, serves as a benchmark for interconnected international trade. Central Asia Railway expands Xi’an’s external communication and trade by creating new opportunities.

On May 30th, 50 TEU with ZTE telecommunications equipment left Xi’an International Port onboard the Chang’an Express for Tashkent, the largest city in Central Asia

M&M China serves as the logistics service provider for this ZTE Central Asia specialized freight train.

The advantages of the Chang’an Express

The Chang’an Express, a new China-Europe connection. The train goes via the Khorgos Dry Port in Xinjiang and covers the total distance of 4,667 kilometers to Tashkent in ten days. This marks the first time that Xi’an International Port has collaborated with ZTE Corporation to launch a full train of goods to Central Asia.

“The reason we chose the China-Europe Chang’an Express is because it offers multiple routes, excellent services, and stable timeliness, which provide strong guarantees for the timely delivery of our clients’ goods. In the future, we will continue to strengthen our cooperation with Xi’an International Port Free Trade Zone and contribute to the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative,” said Elyar Sherkati, the Managing Director of M&M China, during an interview.

Dobanovci, Serbia. “Our goal is the region, and with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro as our first step, we have embarked on our strategic expansion course,” says M&M Serbia’s Executive Director Nikola Vasiljevic. “Plans are to extend our brand to other neighboring countries.”

M&M Bosnia-Herzegovina and M&M Montenegro were both founded in the summer of 2021. “Bosnia Herzegovina is a growing market with significant potential. Montenegro is the smaller market, but not less important to the M&M Serbia network,” says Nikola Vasiljevic, who heads the new country units. At this time, both M&M Bosnia Herzegovina and M&M Montenegro have a staff of three; road transportation is the main business, but warehousing and customs clearance are offered, too.  The first full business year is behind the two companies, and we wanted to know how they developed.

Challenges and lessons

“For both markets, the past two years were quite challenging for and highly unpredictable, but despite the challenges, we were able to adapt and contribute to the growth of the local logistics and transportation markets,” says Nikola Vasiljevic, who heads the two new units. “Our unique and personalized approach to each client has allowed us to assess the market and our capacities accurately, elevating service to a new level and finding the best solution for every inquiry. Most of the clients we work with in Montenegro and Bosnia Herzegovina are clients with whom we have had long-standing partnerships in Serbia. The focus is on import.”

“Were there any positive or negative surprises in the development of either company,” we ask.

“For a large corporation like ours, surprises, both positive and negative, are an integral part of business. The expertise of our staff is extremely important, as well as their approach to any particular situation. On a daily basis, we face challenges and strive to extract the maximum benefit from them. To us, negative situations are lessons that we can leverage as advantages in the future.”