Driving logistics forward DSV

DSV is a leading European transportation and logistics company that operates globally. Philip Yorke looks at how the company is evolving to meet the challenges of tomorrow and its latest innovative customer services.

DRIVING LOGISTICS FORWARD

DSV was founded in Denmark in 1976 and formed by the amalgamation of ten independent hauliers. Today the company is present in more than 60 countries, with an international network of partners and agents that extends the company’s global reach to over 110 countries worldwide. The company has grown consistently over the years via acquisitions, mergers and organic growth to become one of the world’s largest logistics companies, employing over 21,000 people and with sales in 2010 of more than €5.7 billion. DSV is also listed on the NASDAQ OMX Copenhagen and included in the OMXC20 Index as one of the 20 most actively traded shares.

The corporate headquarters for DSV is based in Copenhagen, Denmark, and the company has three major divisions: DSV Road division, DSV Air & Sea division and DSV Solutions.

Multi-faceted services

DSV is constantly evolving to meet the fast-moving and changing demands of both its mature and emerging markets. The company is pursuing a strategy of expanding its current position among the most profitable transport businesses in the world.

DSV is an integrated company that works across its divisions and offers multiple choices of transport services and logistics solutions.

The company handles the entire supply chain with its in-depth expertise. DSV also offers its customers cost-effective solutions in a complex and ever-changing environment and has the ability to adapt to changing conditions, which sets it apart from its competitors, For example, DSV uses state-of-the-art information technology to handle the entire cargo process and can provide its customers with tailor-made IT solutions designed specifically to suit their individual needs.

Stefan Vrolijk, marketing coordinator for DSV’s Road division in the Netherlands added, “Our on-going commitment to improving customer service has resulted in some new support products, which include an advanced, track and trace system, allowing our customer’s to follow their shipments at any time and in any place, as well as a range of comprehensive e-services, making it easy for our customers to book shipments online. In addition, we now offer DSV cargo insurance so that our customers can fully insure their shipments at DSV, which provides full risk cover, unavailable on alternative CMR insurance. DSV handles all cargo with personal and professional care, but the company is also aware of the risks involved in transportation. Unpredictable events such as road traffic accidents can be insured by our own company, DSV Cargo Insurance.

“Recently DSV has made some major acquisitions, such as that of a major hauler, Frans Maas, here in the Netherlands, and I hope that DSV will move on to continue to generate greater brand awareness, as well as expanding our market share in the Netherlands.”

European focus

With around 10,000 employees located across 34 European countries and over 17,000 trailers on the road every day, the European market remains the springboard for the company’s global strategic ambitions. The diverse range of services available includes both domestic and pan-European distribution, with full or ‘less than full’ truck loads, terminal and storage facilities, internet booking facilities and track & trace facilities. In addition the company’s web services include online booking, electronic data interchange (EDI), cargo tracking and documentation services (IOC, IOD and POD). Special cargo services include those for hanging garments, temperature-controlled transpor-

tation and hazardous cargo shipments, as well as food transport services.

In Europe, DSV Road division represents one of the company’s major business sectors and provides fast, efficient, flexible and environmentally friendly logistics services throughout the continent, as well as to the rest of the world. DSV Road Services specialises in developing solutions to fit customer needs, no matter how special or individual they may be. The company assists both small businesses and large, with dedicated freight forwarding assignments, as well as broader services for major international enterprises who want to outsource their overall logistics responsibility and management to DSV Road. As a full service provider, DSV Road is capable of handling all aspects of logistics, from forwarding to packing, sorting, labelling and stock management and control, as well as individual logistics solutions.

Flexible freight-forwarding solutions

Another of DSV’s pillar divisions is its DSV Air & Sea division, which offers alternative routings and flexible schedules to meet even the most demanding logistics requirements. This important fast-growing division handles more than 710,000 TEUs of seafreight and over 250,000 tons of airfreight every year. The DSV Air & Sea division has developed the market share and the buying power to offer the most cost-effective and diverse range of freight forwarding solutions available today.

DSV’s local management structure and autonomy, combined with a set of appropriate cultural values and business tools, enables DSV Air & Sea to act with the flexibility of a small business, while providing the strength and depth of a global business operator. The company is able to manage the entire logistics process from pick-up, consolidation and shipment to distribution to the final destination. DSV’s third division, Solutions, provides warehousing and inventory management and replenishment, as well as a full range of supply-chain management services.

Emerging potential

As you would expect from a global player like DSV, the company has been investing continuously in providing its ‘top-drawer’ services to the world’s emerging markets. Over the last six years DSV has worked consistently to establish a strong presence in India and has succeeded thanks to its ability to achieve a vital cultural balance with its local markets and to optimise its organisational performance there.

The same strategic market approach to other ‘local’ markets has paid dividends in Africa and China too, as Jens Bjorn Anderson, DSV’s CEO, explained recently, “We have opened another representative office in South Africa in order to make a determined effort to exploit the brilliant developments in the African continent, which offer enormous potential for an efficient, well-run worldwide transport company. China in particular has become aware of the possibilities in Africa and our Chinese organisation is not slow to exploit the opportunities this provides.

“By engaging a dedicated African expert, DSV China will become a key player for major Chinese projects in Africa and we can already reap the benefits of these developments.” n