Agility Chemical Logistics and HCS Group have built a strong strategic partnership to offer optimised customer-focused supply chain solutions for Haltermann Carless customers.
Haltermann Carless, a company of HCS Group, combines chemistry and petrochemicals expertise, offering tailor-made hydrocarbon and solvent solutions to local and global blue chip companies in Mobility, Energy, Industrial and Life Science. Agility is one of the world’s top freight forwarding and contract logistics providers, a leader and investor in technology to enhance supply chain efficiency. Together, both companies joined forces to support the Group’s supply chain operations, while the company was growing from a small European-focused organisation to a midsized global player serving a variety of industries with very specific supply chain demands.
“As a mid-size company, we are using all modes of transportation from bulk shipping, tank truck deliveries, rail, intermodal transports and of course air freight for some smaller but very urgent deliveries. Our customer requirements vary significantly. Whether large or small, our key focus remains the same: to offer optimised customer-focused supply chain solutions”, says Florenz Treschau, Senior Vice President Supply Chain at HCS Group and adds: “To meet our high standards and customer quality promise while our organisation is growing we have chosen to take the road with Agility. From our long-term business relationship, we were aware of their expertise, their services and their global reach. The Agility Chemical Logistics team has accompanied us through our transformation process and helped us to find the right balance between in-house logistics and external support.”
Redesigning the supply chain strategy
1. Adapting in partnership
As HCS Group internally grew its logistics and developed its workforce and expertise, the question arose on how to align and best manage the supply chain operations. “Agility worked closely with us to adjust the required services. For instance, they advised us on the benefits for chartering vs. spot rates for short and deep sea bulk vessel shipping which accounts for a majority of our logistics spend. Agility supported us with challenging models, new markets and introduced new transportation companies into our portfolio where needed and provided us with first-class market insights, which was of utmost value for us during the Covid-19 pandemic”, adds Treschau.
“Business needs and logistics solutions have to evolve in line with market dynamics and technological change, so relationships that are flexible and ready to adapt to the next opportunity will succeed and continue to thrive”, explains VP, Howard Sellers at Agility.
2. Exploring new opportunities
Together with HCS Group Agility defined relevant tools and processes to enhance efficiency and performance overview. “Digitalisation brings new opportunities and with Agility we will explore new ways to meet and exceed customer requirements and increase our efficiency”, explains Treschau and adds: “Agility introduced a tendering platform for road transportations where a high number of bids needed to be analysed on different planning scenarios. This digital tool improved our tender efficiency and enabled us to keep the optimum between service levels and cost. Data integration for oversea container shipping is another example, which allows for easy track and
trace of our products.”
The value of a strategic partnership
Agility Chemical Logistics has played an important role in supporting HCS Group to establish a modern and optimised supply chain operation. “The strategic business relationship with Agility has proved extremely significant to us. Their in-depth understanding of our business, chemical supply chain expertise and can-do attitude to new challenges has always been appreciated by us and highly contributes to our success of today. On top of that, their professional approach and technology capabilities have resulted in keeping the balance between service and costs“, explains Treschau and adds: “We deliver high-quality products and services and pride ourselves on our quality promise to our customers. Agility has proven to be a trustful partner in achieving these goals and we highly appreciate the flexible and cooperative strategic partnership.“
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About Haltermann Carless
Haltermann Carless, one of the oldest chemical companies in the world, provides innovative hydrocarbon-based specialty products and solvents and associated services to best serve its customers. The company operates a network of state of the art facilities for refining, processing and blending to produce a wide variety of specialty products in key business areas: Automotive, Middle Distillates, Oil & Gas, Pentanes, Performance Fuels, Performance Solvents and Special Aromatics. Haltermann Carless is a brand of HCS Group. More information: www.haltermann-carless.com
Contact us for more information:
Sandra Zirm
HCS Group GmbH
Edmund-Rumpler-Str. 3
60549 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
+49 69 695 386-117
pr@h-c-s-group.com