Logistics
July/August 2019
B ULK D ISTRIBUTOR
17
Abbey doubles BC chocolate volumes
U
Hupac and duisport will work more closely on activities as part of China’s ‘Belt & Road Initiative’
Hupac, duisport to bolster
China-Europe connections
S
wiss combined transport operator Hupac
Intermodal and Duisburger Hafen
(duisport) are intensifying their co-operation
to develop combined transport.
The focus will be on strengthening the Duisburg
terminal area and co-operating on transport
between Europe and China.
At transport logistic in Munich, Hupac and
duisport agreed to develop the Duisburg terminal
area and so create transhipment capacities for new
intermodal connections. Hupac has a strong interest
in expanding its traffic in the Rhine/Ruhr region by
using additional terminal capacities as a hub. By
setting up a concept of virtual operation, the
various terminal locations of duisport are to be
networked.
Another priority is improved connections to the
ports of Antwerp, Rotterdam and Zeebrugge. This
should strengthen Duisburg as a gateway for
onward transport of maritime freight within Europe.
In addition, Hupac and duisport will work more
closely on activities as part of China’s ‘Belt & Road
Initiative’. Both partners will jointly develop
terminals along the Silk Road and work on solutions
to reduce journey times for trains originating in
China.
“We see great potential in strengthening our
decades of co-operation,” said Michail Stahlhut,
CEO of Hupac Intermodal. “The aim is to
implement Switzerland’s modal shift targets on the
north-south axis, and to connect the Hupac
network in central Europe to transcontinental traffic
flows on the east-west axis. To this end we are
jointly building a pipeline, strengthening the
Duisburg location and using the strength of the
respective partner, duisport.”
duisport CEO Erich Staake commented: “Through
this co-operation, we are developing additional
services for our customers and expanding our
international network as a premium port and our
position as the most important European hub in
intra-European and international trade.”
K road tanker operator Abbey Logistics
has announced that it has increased the
volume of bulk chocolate it transports for
Barry Callebaut by 100 percent, following a
competitive tender process.
The volume increase follows several service
improvement initiatives on existing volumes over
the past 12 months, implemented as a result of
the two companies working to improve the
service Barry Callebaut’s customers receive.
Abbey said this latest increase in volumes
reinforces its position as the UK’s largest bulk
chocolate tanker operator.
The new contract went live in April and sees
Abbey increasing utilisation on existing vehicles
already working on the contract and drawing on
its own specialist heated chocolate tankers and
drivers from its wider chocolate tanker network,
as well as continued investment in its fleet and
specialist driver team.
Abbey will operate vehicles from its new depot
near Barry Callebaut’s UK manufacturing site in
Banbury, Oxfordshire.
Dave Coulson, Abbey’s commercial director, said:
“Our relationship with Barry Callebaut is now 15
years old and throughout that time we have
Abbey Logistics has a fleet of specialist heated chocolate tankers
focused on continuous improvement and working
in partnership to understand and support Barry
Callebaut overcome its distribution challenges.”
Louise James, UK supply chain manager at Barry
Callebaut Group, added: “Our customers expect
the highest quality products from us, so in turn
we expect our transport providers to possess the
specialist knowledge and skill required to
distribute large volumes of high value chocolate.
“Abbey Logistics has continued to improve its
service to us since the last tender period which
has given us the confidence to increase the
volume we place with the company. We know
Abbey well and are pleased to extend and
strengthen our partnership.”
www.abbeylogisticsgroup.com
Hillebrand buys 3W
J
F Hillebrand has acquired German
transport operator 3W Logistik, enabling it
to expand its European wine transport
services.
Both companies work within the wine, beer and
spirit sectors with JF Hillebrand specialising in
containerised freight and 3W Logistik focused on
intra-europe groupage services and road freight.
The acquisition of 3W Logistik offers both
businesses the means to grow and support their
customers better.
Tilo Raab, managing director of JF Hillebrand
Germany, said: “3W’s services are complementary
to the services JF Hillebrand offers today and we
serve the same customer base.”
Cees van Gent, CEO of JF Hillebrand Group,
continued: “This acquisition confirms our strong
ambition to grow our business organically and via
acquisitions and to extend our service portfolio
with road services, both in Europe and the US.”
REGISTER
18-2675_Annonce_AM2019_TankContainer_273x196mm.indd 1
3/07/19 18:44