A MARKET-BEATING airfreight contribution helped Swiss global logistics company Kuehne + Nagel [K+N] back on the road to profitable growth last year.
Overall operational profits (EBITDA) increased by 4.6 per cent to US$1,083 million after an ‘excellent’ airfreight performance, states Dr Detlev Trefzger, chief executive.
The company met its profit margin target in 2013.
“I would like to emphasise the excellent performance in airfreight,” he states.
“In 2013, we clearly outperformed [airfreight] market growth.”
By consistently implementing its airfreight strategy, the company managed to increase volumes across all quarters.
Even in a stagnating global airfreight market, K+N realised profitable growth and, overall, raised its tonnage by four per cent to 1.1 million tonnes.
Airfreight performed particularly well in Europe, Asia, and in the Middle East and Africa.
In North America, cargo volumes increased on routes to South America.
In the area of industry-specific solutions, ’KN PharmaChain’, the product tailored to the pharmaceuticals and healthcare industry, generated new business, he reports.
‘KN EngineChain’, a solution specifically designed for the transport and handling of aircraft engines, experienced “good market acceptance after its launch in 2013”.
