Menzies and Felixstowe: beset with problems, but with different responses

This week has been a tale of two companies, both under the cosh, facing severe congestion, unhappy customers, unreleased cargo and carrier switches.
But Menzies Aviation and Felixtowe port operator Hutchison have reacted in entirely different ways.
The Loadstar broke the story on Tuesday that Menzies was struggling at its Heathrow station, having taken on the handling for Qatar Airways while being hit simultaneously with surging volumes.
We had asked Menzies what was …

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CMA CGM ownership means we can maintain our culture, says Ceva

Ceva says its culture will not change for the worse following its takeover by French shipping line CMA CGM – and, in fact, the company will see improvements.
Managing director Benelux Bart Beeks said the company had a “simple strategic framework”, but it was also “all about values”.
“It starts with trust and respect,” he told delegates at the 3PL Supply Chain Summit in Brussels. “We have a passion for team players – …

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Market Insight: DSV + Panalpina – ‘Empowerment’ is a thorny issue in the modern Viking Ironclad Age (Part II)

Staff and their fortunes in M&A is always a hot topic – and the Sfr5.4bn DSV/Panalpina deal is no exception, of course.
While in Part I of my modern Viking Ironclad Age coverage – which hinged on the Panalpina (PAN) brand integration strategy and ocean volume considerations, among others – it was relatively easy to draw one conclusion: DSV will do what it does best, upping the margins of the target …

The post Market Insight: DSV + Panalpina – ‘Empowerment’ is a thorny issue in the modern Viking...

https://theloadstar.com/market-insight-dsv-panalpina-empowerment-is-a-thorny-issue-in-the-modern-viking-ironclad-age-part-ii/

Market Insight: Flexport’s secret sauce is not what you think it is

In the early 1950’s that great icon of manufacturing, Japan’s Toyota, almost went broke. With a failing economy, facing crippling union and labour market problems plus banks who would no longer provide funding, Toyota faced a brutal reality. Either re-invent itself fast, or close the doors forever. 
That journey, and what came out of it which we now refer to as LEAN, or more correctly, the Toyota Production System, literally saved …

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