Case

750 tons of PPE. No capacity. Tight deadline. This is how it’s done

13 Jan, 2022

Share

Download

The task: Supply 750 tons of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for a National Health Service. Deadline: 3 weeks. The challenge: To find flights out of China, a market facing significant capacity constraints. This is the story of how close cross-country teamwork, persistency in the face of resistance, and entrepreneurship solved an almost impossible challenge.

The math was simple. Delivering 750 tons of cargo in a deadline of under three weeks in peak season required us to locate available aircraft capacity that could support this project. Given the current capacity constraints in the hottest airfreight market in history, finding the required aircraft posed an enormous challenge. Leveraging on local expertise, using every resource available, our Asia Pacific team used great creativity to build an individually tailored solution within days for the customer. Across multiple time zones, plans were initiated, coordinated, and monitored 24/7 to ensure an uplift from various airports, resulting in cargo moving across 21 consecutive days via proactive partner carriers.

Push-back from the start
Right from the start, problems were competing for attention.

At first, the PPE faced some production delays and changes against schedules, resulting in factory release times impacting planned (and contracted) flight programs. This situation caused a knock-on effect, moving collection times, flight planning, quality checks, and customs clearance processes.

Despite difficulties, the products kept moving, ensuring a continual daily flow of goods.

Airport congestion was not going to stop our performance
However, upon arrival, congestion was plaguing arrival facilities.

A tailored program was designed with our airline partners to minimize the impacts for the customer upon arrival. At the same time, a proactive communication flow via our Control Tower kept the customer continuously informed of changes for their planning.

Consequently, significant volumes moved seamlessly through cargo facilities to keep continuity in the delivery process and support the on-time delivery.

A massive undertaking during difficult times
Though facing record levels of demand in the market, a close collaboration with the customer, regional offices, the supplier, and our partners kept the product moving to achieve the customer’s desired outcome – meeting their contractual commitments.

A strong dedication to always finding the right solution paved the way for solving a remarkable project in a unique period for global logistics.

Where others couldn’t find the required aircraft and timeframes, we could.

Related cases

SGL humanises acquisitions

In 2021, we acquired Horizon International. With 41 years of industry experience, Mark Talbot, CEO of the UK and Ireland pre- and post the merger, has experienced acquisitions from the inside before. 'I've seen how not to do it', he says without hesitating, 'and now I've seen how to get it right'.

Critical space availability solved through close supplier ties

The transit time is only 1,5 days from Shanghai, China, to the South-East Asian port of destination, but the shipment of 46 electric buses faces challenges and a tight deadline from the beginning. Our team's close network and relations with selected carriers become key to the successful delivery.

From local to global, with the core intact

Based in the US and Denmark, respectively, Angie Santillan, Chief Administrative Officer, North America, and EVP Kim Brodersen have worked together on numerous customers together since 1996, visiting multiple countries over the years.

Moving forward despite headwind

COVID lockdowns, port congestions and the war in Ukraine are some of the headlines for 2022. Heads of Ocean Freight, Aneta Kopacz, Poland and Crystal Zhang, China, share their insights into the impacts on worldwide logistics and the leadership and customer management required to keep goods moving and customers satisfied in times of turmoil.

Sourcing weekly allocations in a low-capacity market

Adapting to a challenging and ever-changing market is what we do best. So, when an industrial batteries customer struggled to get weekly allocations from ocean carriers, it was up to us to find a way to alleviate those challenges. Along with pickup and delivery challenges due to COVID-19 lockdowns, we found a way to ensure their forecasted volumes could be shipped.

Customised solutions to avoid blank sailings

When COVID-19 caused lockdowns across ports worldwide and subsequent blank sailings, it hindered progress in various global projects of a solar tracker and components customer within the photovoltaic industry. Needing to press on, we stepped in to institute a custom solution that helped them overcome these challenges and resume projects to completion.

Racing for time with Volvo Cars and Polestar

The global conditions for vehicle logistics and supply chain management required Volvo Cars to problem-solve and find new ways (sometimes literally) to keep transports on the move. Facing bad weather conditions on top, they turned to us to help make over 1000 customers happy.

Sion. Solar-powered electric car.

Taking the Sion on tour across the US

The Sion is a solar-electric car that can charge itself through the power of the sun. So, safety and special handling were of the utmost importance to Sono Motors. And when it comes to special cars requiring special treatment, there’s only one solution that will do the job: the ATBneo automotive transport box.

Flexible warehouse and courier solution preparing major retailer for Boxing Day

Boxing Day. The busiest shopping holiday of the year in North America. A prominent junior apparel retailer with 14 banners and 1,000 stores across Canada called us to help ensure their stock availability for the season sales. Within four days, our team implemented a warehouse and courier solution, increasing the daily container processing from two to seven, thus increasing sales.

Get in touch

Jason Wilson

Head of Products, Asia, Regional

+65 9387 4121