Fast logistics, faster Flash

faST LoGISTIcS, faSTER

Fast-growing logistics specialist Flash has a big digital ambition. With a number of carefully-selected start-ups already adding value to its global offer, Emma-Jane Batey spoke to CEO Philippe Higelin to find out more about the company.

Founded in France in 1981, Flash is a premium logistics provider that specialises in same day deliveries. With 640 employees and access to a network of over 6000 vehicles and some 600 aircraft and helicopters, Flash has 37 dedicated offices in 18 countries worldwide, including Germany, Russia, Italy and the UK.

Working with global brands such as Volkswagen, General Motors, Bosch and Caterpillar, Flash enjoys over 1500 longstanding partnerships with major clients, delivering small and large consignments on the same day across Europe and, if required, worldwide. Mr Higelin noted, “We started in France and we have now become a truly international company. Our strategic goal has been to develop our network in Germany (we bought a competitor, Schwerdtfeger, in summer 2017) and to improve our digital dimension by developing start-ups. Now that our start-ups are growing, we want to integrate everything seamlessly within one, seamlessly integrated Ad’hoc Logistic Platform.”

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Flash’s CEO Philippe Higelin spoke to Industry Europe to explain how the company’s deep understanding of the global logistics sector has enabled it to develop and invest in highly complementary start-ups. Mr Higelin explained, “As a highly successful logistics company, we are so excited to incubate a number of compatible start-ups so that we can be assured of offering our customers a competitive, reliable service for the long term. Each of our five start-ups are independent and we work to the principle that they should be tested on the open market; if there’s a better solution for our needs, we’ll use it. We believe that by taking this approach, our start-ups and therefore our overall Flash service is the best it can possibly be.”

Adding value

Right at the forefront of the value added services that are increasingly utilised by the logistics industry, Flash’s start-ups represent the changing face of this fast-growing sector. Mr Higelin continued, “Flash is specialised in urgent shipments, across Europe in particular but also worldwide if required. We are capable of meeting any premium transport need across Europe. We have an awesome and well-earned reputation for same-day deliveries for large global businesses, at a time when the vast majority of logistics companies do ‘day plus one’ shipments. So as a company that is already known as a dynamic driver in the logistics industry, our five exciting start-ups are pushing us further forward as an innovator.”

Flash is 43 per cent owned by the ambitious EURAZEO Group, which is committed to continuous investment in technology and projects that are useful to the group and provide a solid financial foundation to the company.

Each of the five Flash start-ups addresses a particular need in the logistics chain. The company defined various key elements of the delivery chain that it felt could be enhanced or improved on and so the Easy2Go, Easy4Pro, GeniusAcademy.eu, Easy2Trace, Upela

and Roberts.eu start-ups were established, acquired or invested in, as appropriate. Mr Higelin added, “Our network of start-ups is an important differentiator as they each provide disruptive solutions that push for new standards in the premium transport business.”

Easy2Go offers a similar service to Flash in that it specialises in urgent deliveries, fully digitalised and disintermediated. It also has the added advantage of a focus on last mile deliveries for e-commerce providers. Mr Higelin explained, “Both Flash and Easy2Go work closely with clients requiring urgent deliveries but Easy2Go has a different target market with its SMEs, small business and individual customers, which is certainly where the bulk of the last mile and e-commerce market collides.”

Easy4Pro is an interesting tool that works as a meta searcher and provides business intelligence and transparent reports for decision makers. Mr Higelin continued, “Easy4Pro works by scanning logistics suppliers, simplifying the relationship with suppliers as a more transparent comparison service as opposed to just the cheapest price. It’s a very valuable tool as you can search on various terms at the same time and make an informed comparison. It’s important as it is totally transparent – in an industry that has historically lacked transparency.” Boosting service

GeniusAcademy.eu is an online training centre that trains the Flash drivers as well as drivers from other logistics providers. Mr Higelin explained how GeniusAcademy.eu supports the Flash drivers to quickly respond to market changes as well as keeping them among the most reliable and professional in the industry.

The fourth Flash start-up is Easy2Trace, a tracking and fleet management app that the company’s drivers use to ensure all shipments are accurately trackable in real time. Mr Higelin said, “Tracking our shipments and managing our fleet is tremendously important. In the logistics industry, reliability and accuracy is everything – customers want to know where their parcel is and when it will be delivered. Easy2Trace supports this and gives accurate information to the customer.”

Upela has recently been acquired by Flash, offering similar services but focused on parcels. Upela is an all-in-one e-commerce delivery service that focuses on parcels.

Roberts.eu is the last of Flash’s incubated start-ups – its purpose is to use idle vehicles at a cheaper price to reduce empty mileage. Mr Higelin noted, “You can see that each of the Flash start-ups answer a

very specific need and, as largely online platforms, have been developed by some of the industry’s smartest programmers and developers to ensure they add value to the Flash offer. But of course all of these solutions would be pointless if they weren’t totally dedicated to the best possible service for our customers! Everything we do is focused on creating tailor-made solutions that really add value.”

It is clear that the ‘big digital ambition’ of Flash is already well in place. Working hard to continually develop digital solutions that smartly address the very specific needs of urgent delivery in the logistic sector, Flash and its complementary start-ups are further pushing forward the company’s strong market position. Mr Higelin concluded, “Our whole digital ambition is based on the fact that business sectors have had old school giants, but they are not necessarily the best at what they do...improvements are always possible! With this approach, we are always challenging ourselves, always disrupting the status quo to be the most efficient, the most reliable – that’s why all our start-ups are independent, so we’re taking market share because we’ve truly earned it. We want to be the disrupter, not the disruptee.” n

www.flash.global/en – www.easy2trace.com – www.easy4pro.com www.geniusacademy.eu/en – www.upela.com/en – www.roberts.eu www.easy2go.fr/en

Philippe Higelin