New incentives for South American businessNetwork expansion: customers can look forward to even better connections from and to Latin America. Page 3

Straight through Europe in first-class styleWith GW pro.line, Gebrüder Weiss has launched an attractive product for general cargo and groupage freight transport. Page 6

Green thinking – and more Sustainability is not something GW simply pays lip service to; it is firmly anchored in our corporate values. Page 8

02/2011 The Air & Sea Magazine from Gebrüder Weiss

orange globe – editorial

For foreign companies, South America can seem like a complica-ted market – and for very different reasons. For example, the export rate is comparatively low, with countries making every effort to promote intra-regional trading by charging very high customs duties, amongst other measures. Orders are primarily issued inside the

country. There is also another cultural aspect here: South Americans regard personal contact as very important. This means that they want to maintain regular contact with their business partners, who ideally should also speak their language. Our customers are always telling us how important it is to be on site personally.

The path for companies that want to gain a foothold in South America is sometimes a stony one. With regard to how they should approach market entry in concrete terms, there are numerous circumstances specific to South America that must be dealt with, including com-

prehensive import regulations. Goods can be brought into the country through traders, who assist with import processing, or the necessary licence can be obtained directly. However, applicants for this licence should reckon on a long lead time. A further complication is the fact that there are a wide range of import licences and that they are usually valid for a limited period. For a smooth and successful entry into these markets, it is therefore recommended to seek advice at an early stage from chambers of commerce, specialised business consultants or even lawyers.

Furthermore, the high customs costs for imports can sometimes be reduced. For example, this is possible when semi-finished products are supplied to the country and finished locally. In addition, Brazil offers customs advantages in individual states if goods arrive there instead of at the main ports. Your GW Air & Sea account manager will be happy to help you sort out the various scenarios and find the most cost-effective option for you.

Prepare well before going to South America

Viewed critically

orange globeforwarder’s abcGood to know – useful information on transport in South America

• Ad valorem insurance. Ad valorem insurance is required for all transport in Brazil. The cost of this ranges from 0.10% to 0.40% of the value of the goods according to the tax invoice (nota fiscal).

• Brazilian customs duties on imports. Five different charges usually have to be paid on imports: I.I., I.P.I., PIS, COFINS and ICMS. These customs duties can amount to up to 80% of the CIF value.

• Fundap/Pro Emprego. Possible reduction of ICMS charges in the federal states of Espirito Santo (Vitoria) and Santa Catarina; often handled via trading companies.

• Importer IDs. These must be shown on documents together with the recipient’s company address. Argentina = CUIT, Brazil = CNPJ#, Columbia = RIT#, Peru & Ecuador = RUC#.

• Import licence. Primarily in Brazil, Argentina and Columbia, importing companies require a corresponding licence. However, the licences often only relate to specific HS (Harmonized System) codes and are sometimes only granted temporarily. For this reason, before dispatch the forwarder must ensure that the recipient has a valid licence.

• NCM code (Nomenclatura Comum do Mercosul). The Brazilian name for the international HS code; differs slightly from this.

• RADAR licence. In addition to official company registration, Brazilian importers and exporters must request this licence from the Receita Federal (Ministry of Finance).

Joe Lässer, GW Director Air & Sea, talks about the challenges facing companies doing business with Latin America and how money can be saved with well thought-out transport solutions.

Strengthening the global network

South America is a continent with a long history, political and economic turbulence and a variety of cultures. The colonial era shaped life for a long time, with the struggle for liberation causing unrest time and time again. Today South America is a region with strong economic growth, and the historically significant supplier of raw materials is increasingly becoming a consumer. The Gebrüder Weiss global network has now been strengthened even further for this reason.

As far as our activities in South America are concerned, we have always had considerable dealings with Brazil, one of the frequently cited BRIC nations. The country is anchored in our network via a long-term partner and, in view of the development potential, we will continue to turn our attention in this direction. Moreover, the longstanding national organisation of Röhlig in Chile plays an important role. In the expansion of its South American business, our alliance partner Röhlig has focussed on the southern part of the continent, and through its holdings in the transport company Procargo it has now opened up the markets in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia for GW custo-mers. Finally, we are also able to offer transport solutions via reliable agents in those countries where we have no physical presence.

From a European perspective, South America is com-mercially extremely interesting. However, primarily for the procurement market in China and other countries in the Far East, the region is gaining in importance due to its growing consumer class. Consequently, South America will have a higher place on our agenda over the next few years. This is because our aim is to build solutions for our customers, especially in places where general conditions are quite dif-ficult.

I hope you enjoy reading about this.

Heinz Senger-Weiss, Board Member

GW Air & Sea Contact

Gebrüder Weiss GmbHBundesstraße 110, A-6923 LauterachT +43.5574.696.2207F +43.5.9006.2609

air-sea@gw-world.comwww.gw-world.com

orange globe – topic

The port of Valparaíso on the Pacifi c Ocean is one of the most important in the country.

GW customers can look forward to excellent connections from and to Latin America in the future: As of June 2011, the global Air & Sea network now also encompasses the markets of Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. Chile and Brazil have already been part of the network for some time.

New impetus for South American business

While Brazil has long been an exciting market for Gebrüder Weiss, there has been much less focus on the other countries in South America to date. As a result of a joint venture recently established by GW alliance partner Röhlig and their partner of many years, the Procargo Group, professional structures for trans-port and logistics services are now available in these countries as well. This brings new momentum to the South American business – not just for WeissLand, but also for the worldwide Air & Sea network.

Like all BRIC nations, Brazil is also an economic heavy-weight in its region. Even the economic crisis has left the country largely unscathed. European countries have long had close relations with one of the EU’s largest export partners. Gebrüder Weiss services the market along with an experienced partner company, which has been working successfully with the international Air & Sea network for a number of years. By contrast, Brazil’s neighbour states play a somewhat secondary role from an economic per-spective. “These countries are not the strongest trade partners for WeissLand at present”, commented Joe Lässer, GW Director Air & Sea with responsibility for the overseas network. “But they definitely have potential.”

Together with Bremen-based freight forwarder Röhlig, Gebrüder Weiss recognised this potential early on when the “global alliance” emerged.

Market position in South America strengthened considerablyRöhlig has been focussing on South America for a long

time and has established a subsidiary in Chile. There are presently 30 employees handling air and sea freight trans-port operations there. Röhlig has now embarked on a joint venture with its long-standing premium agent, Procargo, thus significantly strengthening its market position in the region. As a result of this joint venture, the Gebrüder Weiss and Röhlig global Air & Sea network has been expanded by

seven branches in Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. These branches have around 90 employees and offer global transport solutions with high standards of quality and service.

A professional environment with many advantagesThis professional environment creates many advan-

tages for all Gebrüder Weiss customers for South American transport. Joe Lässer highlighted reserved cargo space as an important factor: “Because cargo space is limited in both air and sea freight – and not just in the high season.” As South America was largely unaffected by the economic crisis, this has been a decisive factor over the entire year, he told us. Through common products with Röhlig, Gebrüder Weiss can now offer a space guarantee for fixed departures and constant rates. This provides security and prevents troublesome and costly delays.

In addition, South America is seen as a complex market in terms of transport documentation. Even the slightest error can lead to delays or severe penalties. “We have therefore started to promote a certain specialisation of the employees working in this area within the GW organi-sation,” Lässer said. As a result, suitably specialised staff are in place at those GW gateways through which a large proportion of the South American business from WeissLand is processed. It is also planned to continuously develop more experts on South America.

The Air & Sea network in South America now stretches across the region from Chile and Argentina to Costa Rica. “The 630-strong staff are employed in the 31 individual branches and the offices of the premium partner. These include a lot of German-speaking logistics managers,” said Bertram Johler, who as Route Manager has responsibility for the coordination and development of the most important South American trade lanes. “These contact partners prove extremely useful for more complicated

transport service requests or specific questions from WeissLand.”

Utilising opportunities in the global networkJoe Lässer ultimately sees the new set-up in South

America as a major opportunity for the worldwide network, in particular for the Weiss-Röhlig organisations in the United States and in Asia: “These countries in Latin America are particularly important trading partners for the USA.” In the future, Miami will serve as a gateway to the South American market. There the partners are joining forces and the offices of Procargo and Weiss-Röhlig USA are being merged. “Weiss-Röhlig is taking over the entire Procargo business there”, the GW Director told us. “So the Miami site, with 25 employees and its own warehouse, will become our most important South America hub.”

The transpacific lines have also been pushed for a long time. Transport volumes are high, particularly between China and Brazil. Lässer is also convinced that the trade flows between South America and North America and Asia on the one side, as well as WeissLand on the other side, will continue to grow. “Now we are both willing and able to par-ticipate in this growth.”

GW Air & Sea in South America

• Approximately 630 employees• 31 sites in 11 countries• Own network offices in Chile, Brazil,

Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay• Premium partner in Costa Rica/Nicaragua,

Columbia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru• Range of services: air freight, sea freight,

customs clearance, storage and distribution, project business, logistics solutions, comprehensive experience with regional duty free areas

Rio, Buenos Aires, Santiago de Chile – cities that are right where it’s at. The tango mood, an unparallelled ambiance, unfettered joie de vivre and a comprehensive range of cultural institutions and events make South American cities attractive travel destinations. The varied landscape, unlike any other, also draws more and more nature lovers. South America is a continent that wants to be discovered.

In architectural circles it is often described as the place that abolished straight lines. Oscar Niemeyer is a devotee of “sensual curves”, because in his view the entire universe is made up of curves. Niemeyer, who as one of the icons of his profession has inspired whole generations of archi-tects, immortalised his visions in the backwoods of Brazil, miles away from civilisation. Here a new city was virtually created from nothing in just under five years between the late 1950s and the early 1960s: Brasília. It was a bold undertaking. Building materials such as wood and steel had to be brought in from well over 1,000 km away. Since 1987, Brasília has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Beach, mountains and chaosHowever, Niemeyer’s real love was the carnival capital

of the world: “I want the beach, the mountains and the chaos, I want Rio,” he said in an interview a few years ago. This city full of joie de vivre with an enviable location and world famous sights, such as Sugar Loaf Mountain, Copacabana and the statue of Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado, stands in contrast to the futuristic and at the same time purist Brasilia.

While Rio is a magnet for tourists, the industrial heart of the country beats in São Paulo, the country’s financial and economic centre. This city, home to 18 million people, is not particularly beautiful – people scoff that you can see the air you breathe here, a dig at the smog that often hangs over the city – but is much busier. Brazil, the eighth largest economy in the world, is one of the BRIC nations and has recorded steady growth in recent years. A domestic market with 195 million inhabitants, in conjunction with

low dependence on exports, is a primary economic driver. Exports account for only approximately 20% of the gross domestic product, which amounted to around USD 1,720 billion in 2010.

The largest country on the continent has huge, in part untapped, deposits of raw materials and, with the Amazon, the largest tropical rainforest area in the world with over 60,000 plant species. Brazil is also the only country in South America where the national language is Portuguese. Language and football are the two main things that give Brazil its identity, above and beyond the boundaries of culture and poverty.

The mad love affair with football is a passion that burns throughout South America. However, there is no greater rivalry with any other country when it comes to football than with Argentina. Both countries love to argue about which country gave birth to the best footballer of all time: Pelé or Maradona, it’s almost a question of faith.

Land of the gauchosWhere both of these countries and Paraguay meet,

there is also an impressive natural spectacle to behold. The world famous Iguaçu Falls are approximately 2,700 metres wide and plunge to a depth of 80 metres.

After Brazil, Argentina is the most important economy in South America. At the beginning of the 20th century, the country was very affluent. Since then, the proud gauchos have lived through several severe economic crises, but now things seem to be on the up again. In terms of scenery, Argentina is extremely diverse: from the rain forest in the north over the central lowlands of Pampa and the steppes of Patagonia to Tierra del Fuego, from a sub-tropical climate to a sub-polar climate, it has every-thing. In the west, the Andes rise to a height of just under 7,000 metres.

The hub of the country is Buenos Aires, once the most expensive city on the continent. This metropolis on the Rio de la Plata is often called the Paris of the South and is

Impenetrable rain forests and spectacular fauna and flora, vast rivers and marshlands, fantastic coastlines and secluded beaches, hot deserts, extensive high mountain ranges and icefields, vibrant cities full of life, old cultures, large raw material deposits, huge wealth and often abject poverty: all this is South America.

orange globe – focus

South America

Area: 17.84 million km²

Population: 393 millionPopulation density: 21 inhabitants/km²Countries: in the narrow sense, twelve: Columbia, Venezuela, Guayana, Surinam, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, UruguayLanguages: Spanish, Portu-guese, French, English and Dutch, as well as the indigenous languages Quechua, Aymara and Guaraní

contrasts

Acontinent

of

50%. They belong to 35 families of languages. This Andean country can boast a few records: La Paz, located at an elevation of 3,200 to 4,100 metres, is the highest seat of government in the world; the famous Lake Titicaca is the highest lake with commercial shipping operations; and the Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest saltwater lake. Eighty per cent of the population lives on the Altiplano, the central highland between the two main chains of the Andes. However, despite its wealth of natural resources – the largest known deposit of lithium remains untapped in Salar de Uyuni and the country has the second largest natural gas reserves in South America – Bolivia is still a developing country.

The same goes for Paraguay. This country, like Bolivia (the only landlocked country in South America), has a predominantly agricultural basis and is a country of large land owners: 80% of the agricultural land belongs to 1% of the agricultural operations. There are few raw materials. Paraguay is not very well known in Europe, with the pos-sible exception of its good football players. Mestizos of Spanish-Indian descent form the majority of the population, three quarters of which lives in and around the capital, Asunción. Whites are in the minority. Guaraní, which is also spoken by 80% of the non-indigenous population, is an official language in addition to Spanish. Paraguay too can boast a superlative: the largest shopping centre in Latin America is in Ciudad del Este.

famous for its nightlife and culture. The Teatro de Colón is one of the most famous opera houses in the world. More than a million people visit the annual book fair. There are also signs that the Argentine capital could replace Berlin in the new decade as the main centre of attraction for artists. Generally, Porteños see themselves as Europe’s repre-sentatives on the continent of South America. Anyone who thinks of Buenos Aires, thinks not least of the tango: the erotic, sensual dance, once spurned but now inextricably linked with the name Argentina, because this is where its roots are.

Hub of the Common Market of the SouthThe neighbours on the other side of the large river delta

are said to have a slight penchant for melancholy: Uruguay was once known as the Switzerland of Latin America and one of the most advanced countries in the world. Already at the start of the 20th century the country had an eight hour working day, voting rights for women, free education for all and separation of church and state.

Today, the country is an aspiring emerging market. Montevideo is the country’s only city and is becoming slightly long in the tooth. “You are the Buenos Aires we once had”, wrote Argentine author Jorge Luis Borges. The city’s port forms the main transshipment centre of the

Common Market of the South, the South American internal market. A large part of Uruguay is used for agricultural purposes today. Due to the small market, the country is highly dependent on exports. It’s all happening in Punta del Este: the most exclusive coastal resort in South America is a jetset stronghold from the middle of December to the end of February.

A change of image for SantiagoFor a long time action was something that people could

only dream of in Santiago de Chile. This metropolis with six million inhabitants was even given the less than com-plimentary title of “the most boring city in South America”. But times have changed. Santiago is now considered a vibrant city, and in 2011 the New York Times gave it the accolade of being the number one must-see place.

Along with its culture, the Chilean capital has another highlight to offer: wine. There are many vineyards of inter-national standing in the surrounding area. Santiago also has an enviable location: in an hour and a half you can be lying on the beach, and it’s just 25 kilometres to the ski slopes.

Chile is rich in raw materials; mining has enjoyed great importance for two centuries. The largest copper reserves in the world are located here, and the salt deposits in the Atacama desert are virtually inexhaustible. In addition, Chile has replaced Norway as the world market leader in the export of farmed salmon. The country is up and coming and today is one of the most stable economies in South America. In terms of income per capita, Chile already ranks second in South America. From a tourism perspec-tive, although there is some need for catching up, Chile is rich in contrasting landscapes due to its long north-south extent and its position at the foot of the Andes. Rapa Nui National Park on Easter Island, which belongs to Chile, is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the historical town centre of Valparaíso.

Posting records in the AndesApproximately 40 ethnic groups live in Bolivia, a country

with an indigenous population percentage of more than

View of Sugar Loaf Mountain over the bay of Rio de Janeiro, with the statue of Christ the Redeemer in the foreground.

Iguaçu Falls on the Argentine-Brazilian border.

Mr Konzett, to what extent is the European product GW pro.line interesting for Air & Sea customers?Supply and return transport often play a crucial role in

international supply chain procurement and distribution processes, particularly when tight deadlines need to be met. With our daily departures and defined transit times, we offer our customers optimum conditions on land trans-port routes.

The latest GW pro.line 10/12/16 products have been available since June 2011. What are the advantages for customers?With our new premium services, we offer customers

whose goods must be delivered at a specific time exactly the reliability they need: in defined regions their goods are delivered before 4pm, 12 noon or 10am, with a money-back guarantee. The premium services build on the transit times of the basic product and as a result are extremely transparent and traceable.

In which countries are GW pro.line 10/12/16 services available? The premium services are available for international

groupage and freight transport between Austria, Switzer-land, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Rumania and Bulgaria, with the exception of the WeissLand countries that are not part of the European Union: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and the Ukraine. Due to the variable time factor for import customs clea-rance, we cannot make any binding commitments in these countries for delivery times.

With GW pro.line, Gebrüder Weiss has launched an attractive European product for general cargo and groupage freight transport. Customers can rely on daily departures to and from all group branches in WeissLand with defined transit times, established quality standards and seamless track and trace. It has also recently become possible to book premium services with guaranteed delivery times.

For many years Gebrüder Weiss has been pursuing the objective of making its transport network even more effec-tive, optimising structures and above all improving service quality. The company set a milestone with the introduction of the European product GW pro.line in the spring of 2011. “This means that all European groupage and general freight transport comes under one roof,” explained Chairman Wolfgang Niessner. All GW branches in WeissLand are now closely and seamlessly linked to Europe and conse-quently have even better basic transport conditions. Niessner pointed out the major benefits in this connection: “Consistent standards and integrated process chains do more than just increase transport efficiency – they primarily create significant advantages for our customers.”

Fit to performIntroducing the European product will allow GW custo-

mers to benefit from improved services, according to Walter Konzett, Director of Land Transport Product Management. “That’s because with GW pro.line there is a product line with a standardised range of services for Europe for the first time in the company’s history.” Door-to-door transit times, daily departures, track and trace, delivery

receipts on the Internet and transit time monitoring form the basis. Additional services such as delivery notification, cash on delivery, hazardous goods and customs clea-rance are also available as options. “And with all general freight and groupage transport, reliability and predictability along with speed are paramount,” added Konzett.

More service for your moneyThe strong Europe-wide network with daily connections

and attractive transit times has also proven to be a good basis for expanding the product portfolio. Following the successful launch of GW pro.line in June 2011, premium services can now also be booked for selected WeissLand countries. These are value-added services which gua-rantee customers defined delivery times for their goods. Depending on the service selected, shipments are deliver-ed before 4pm (GW pro.line 16), before 12 noon (GW pro.line 12) or before 10am (GW pro.line 10). “Our customers can rely on us fully for defined time services, since each consignment is subject to special monitoring during trans-port operations processing,” emphasised Walter Konzett. Gebrüder Weiss offers a service with real added value, especially for the attractive markets in Central and Eastern Europe.

GW pro.line is the solution for diverse transport requi-rements – whether for national distribution in WeissLand countries or international traffic. Individual customer require-ments can be met even better with premium services. If you would like to learn more about the GW pro.line options, please contact your Air & Sea customer adviser.

Straight through Europe, fi rst class all the way

orange globe – interview

orange globe – reports

Excellent conditions for overland transport

Orange Globe asked Walter Konzett, Director of Land Transport Product Management, what GW pro.line can do for Air & Sea customers and what is meant by premium services.

16 12 10

16 1012

GW pro.line

GW pro.line GW pro.line GW pro.lineGW pro.line

GW pro.line – the general cargo and groupage

freight system for all of your European distribution

needs.

Service features:• defined door-to-door transit times• daily departures• specified quality standards• consignment tracking via Track & Trace• online proof of delivery• delivery notification• cash on delivery*• hazardous goods• customs clearance

Delivery of goods in selected destinations before 16:00 h.

Service features:

Delivery of goods in selected destinations before 12:00 h.

Service features:

Delivery of goods in selected destinations before 10:00 h .

Service features:

* in selected countries** Any further claims are excluded; version 2011.06.01; subject to modifications.

• defined door-to-door transit times

• daily departures• specified quality standards• consignment tracking via Track & Trace• online proof of delivery• money-back guarantee**• delivery notification• cash on delivery*

• defined door-to-door transit times• daily departures• specified quality standards• consignment tracking via Track & Trace• online proof of delivery• money-back guarantee**

• defined door-to-door transit times• daily departures• specified quality standards• consignment tracking via Track & Trace• online proof of delivery• money-back guarantee**

orange globe – news

When children’s eyes light upSince 1997, each summer schoolchildren from the

contaminated areas around Chernobyl have been taking holidays in Schwarzenberg, Austria. Thanks to sponsors like Gebrüder Weiss, these children do not go home empty handed. Employees in Lauterach and the head office help regularly through an in-house collection box. The schoolchildren also received Heurer sports bags, chocolate from GW customer Suchard, and clothes and stationery intended to make their day-to-day lives a little easier.

New headquarters for GWGebrüder Weiss is building a new head office on the

Lauterach site. Construction of the ten million euro project is set to start next spring according to plans drawn up by well-known architect duo Cukrowicz Nachbaur. Completion is scheduled for the end of 2012. In addition to the new building, the concept includes a redesign of the existing buildings and the construction of an additional logistics building.

“Come together” in IndiaIn July 2011, Air & Sea Director Joe Lässer and

Route Manager Dirk Kramer met with the managers of Weiss-Röhlig India and the local sales team in Bangalore. As well as getting to know each other, the agenda of the multi-day meeting included the use of core carriers in India, development of sales and marketing, and other WR objectives in India.

“Cast off!” for the new Sea Freight Product ManagerIn October 2011, Vojislav Jevtic took over the helm at the Gebrüder Weiss Sea Freight division. The experienced freight forwarder, who learned his trade from the ground up in the Hanseatic city of Hamburg, wants to focus not only on purchasing by instalments and space guarantees, but above all on improving the networking and concentration of global activities.

Age: 39Born in: Hamburg, Germany Lives in: Vienna, AustriaFamily: married, one son (9)Hobbies: travel, cooking, my familyEating & drinking: good red wine from Chile, white wine from Piemont, pasta with truffles and cevapcici from SerbiaMotto: Luck is the only thing that doubles when it is shared.

Personal profile

Vojislav JevticGlobal Product Management Sea Freight / Manager of Project Logistics and Break Bulk

Global trade is reliant on water: approximately 90% of all intercontinental transport is effected by sea, and more than half a billion containers were transferred in sea ports in 2010. The sustainable expansion of sea freight capability has therefore been right at the top of the Gebrüder Weiss list of priorities since the beginning of this century. Over the last few years a consistent service offensive, innovative products such as consolidated containers that are shipped to and from the world’s major financial centres, and targeted education and ongoing training of employees have lead to constant growth in this area.

Vojislav Jevtic is now set to continue the successful trend. Responsibility for GW sea freight is in safe hands: the Hamburg-born manager joined GW in 1997 as Division Manager of the Sea Export and Air Freight divisions, in 1999 he assumed the position of Manager of the Hamburg branch, and from 2005 to date he has been the Managing Director of GW subsidiary Weiss Ocean + Air Cargo. New

tasks have been awaiting him as Seafreight Global Product Manager since October of this year.

Setting global emphasesFor Jevtic, changing jobs means focussing fully on the

sea freight product. Asked about his objectives and the resulting benefits for customers, the Sea Freight Manager mentioned additional options and better terms and condi-tions for instalment payments, where he can build on contacts forged with shipping companies over many years. “In addition, we will also negotiate strongly with the ship-ping companies for new space guarantees, and naturally the word “global” needs to get proper attention in product management.” In specific terms, efforts will be made to sustainably network cargo flows and create synergies. “We should also not forget that in some areas production has relocated from Europe to Asia and the key markets are no longer in Europe,” Jevtic pointed out. “We are confronted with cross trade more and more often.” If the customers are located in WeissLand whilst production is in China and the end customer is somewhere else, such as Brazil, “it is essential to network and combine transcontinental activities.”

Heading southVojislav Jevtic attests to the fact that his home port

of Hamburg, which the product manager has left along with his family to take up a new professional challenge, is still very important for Gebrüder Weiss: “Hamburg is undoubtedly an important entrance to WeissLand for our customers, but the up and coming ports of Koper and Rijeka should not be overlooked.” Jevtic is convinced that business will relocate to the south more and more over the next few years. “More cargo is being handled in these ports, not just because they are closer to our branches in Central Europe, but also because of the constant improve-ments in the infrastructure in the respective countries.”

The GW sea freight organisation is in any case well positioned to transport goods via the best route to all parts of the world.

orange globe – inside

Imprint: orange globe, the customer magazine of Gebrüder Weiss Ges.m.b.H. Media owner, publisher, distributor: Gebrüder Weiss Ges.m.b.H., Bundesstrasse 110, A-6923 Lauterach Responsible for the content: Michael Büchele, T +43.5223.206.441. Editorial staff: Silke Lechner, T +43.5223.206.449. Production: Raimund Fink. Design: Dalpra&Partner, Götzis, Language adaptation: Markus Grabher, grabherdesign.com, Print: Buchdruckerei Lustenau

Green thinking – and moreSustainability is not something Gebrüder Weiss simply pays lip service to; it is firmly anchored in our corporate values. Along with the facts and figures published in the annual sustainability report, this is primarily demonstrated by actions. In the logistics company, sustainable action rests on the three pillars of economy, the environment and social responsibility. A wide variety of activities and projects show that active environmental protection and real-life responsibility can readily be integrated into business life.

GW moves with wind powerWhen a breeze blows in the north of Germany, the wind

turbines there now turn for Gebrüder Weiss as well. In April of this year the company acquired a wind farm with four wind turbines. These turbines will supply the grid with approximately 20 gigawatt hours every year – more than enough to meet the group’s energy requirements in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner.

Wind power makes an important contribution to climate protection, because this renewable energy source enables a perceptible reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. In the case of the GW wind farm, CO2 emissions will decline by around 12,000 tonnes per year. This is one of the core goals of environmental management at Gebrüder Weiss. Although there are many applications where there is still no satisfactory substitute for fossil fuels, especially oil pro-ducts, GW is constantly striving to find alternatives and to be at the cutting edge of technology. This applies to the choice of vehicles, to the construction of logistics systems, and to the use of alternative carriers such as rail.

GW moves with a watchful eye“You can’t improve what you can’t measure” – this basic

concept lies behind the recently initiated collaboration between Gebrüder Weiss and EcoTransIT. EcoTransIT is a consortium of leading European national railways, which with the support of the Institute for Energy and Environment Research (ifeu) and RMCon Rail Management Consultants GmbH pursues the objective of determining the environmental impact of transport.

An objective tool has been developed that can quantify emissions from goods traffic. This CO2 calculator will be used in all WeissLand branches starting autumn 2011 to determine carbon dioxide emissions at the dispatch level. Initially customers will receive a fact sheet with information about the carbon footprint of their transport. In the future these figures will be shown directly on invoices and form the basis for continual improvement.

GW moves Hilfswerk and Children’s VillagesAt Gebrüder Weiss, social sustainability finds direct

expression in active responsibility. Giving something back to society and providing help is a natural priority for the family-owned company. This is why support for charitable organisations is deeply rooted in our corporate culture. In the spirit of sustainability, GW is also seeking long-term partnerships in this sensitive area. With Hilfswerk Austria, for example, one of the biggest charitable providers of health, social and family services in Austria: A five-figure sum is donated to this organisation every year, and the logistics company also makes transport capacity available for various relief efforts free of charge – in line with Hilfs-werk slogan “Anyone who needs help deserves support”. In addition, Gebrüder Weiss actively supports SOS Children’s Villages in Austria.

GW moves in Austria’s first climate-neutral logistics hallGebrüder Weiss has rolled out a sustainable building

project in Wörgl (Tyrol) as a symbol of climate protection. Two million euros have been invested in the first climate-neutral logistics hall in Austria. Since February of this year, it has provided 1,300 m2 of new handling and dispatching space along with an additional cold store with 150 pallet spaces.

Climate-neutral factors were considered even in the selection of the building materials: the new hall was built entirely using wood frame construction. Avoiding the usual metal panels has resulted in a better eco-balance for the building. In addition, the use of an energy-efficient heat pump as a heating source has resulted in a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by around 59 tonnes per year. These structural measures to reduce CO2 emissions were supplemented by the conversion of the entire logistics facility to renewable energy. Overall, they yield annual CO2

savings of around 90 tonnes. Finally, the greenhouse gases that could not be avoided in the course of construction have been offset by supporting a certified climate protec-tion project – the construction of a wind farm in India.

First climate-neutral logistics hall in Austria built at GW Wörgl site.

The latest Gebrüder Weiss Sustainability Report has just been published. This report, which meets the internationally recognised Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standard, provides comprehensive information about the company’s sustainability activities. Go to www.gw-world.com/en/Nachhaltigkeit.aspx to download the Sustainability Report. Contact your Air & Sea contact person if you would like a printed copy.

Over 100% of the group’s energy requirements will be covered by the wind farm in North Germany.

Nachhaltigkeitsbericht 2010