30.04.2020
Seifert Logistics Group continues to focus on growth in the business field

The Seifert Logistics Group on track for the future

  • 6.5 % increase in turnover to 210 million euros
  • New management dual leadership with Christian Stoll and Axel Frey
  • Marcel Vogelmann strengthens the SLG team as new managing director
  • Julian Seifert joins the family business in the third generation

 

Ulm - The Seifert Logistics Group (SLG), as one of the top 100 logistics companies in Germany, has closed the 2019 business year with sales of 210 million euros and thus remains on course for growth in a difficult market environment. Axel Frey rises as new managing director for the entire logistics division. His colleague Christian Stoll will be responsible for the entire forwarding division in future.


In 2019, the Seifert Logistics Group (SLG) has exceeded the sales mark of 200 million euros. Despite the continuing downturn in the market environment in the logistics sector, company sales increased by a proud 6.5 percent to 210 million euros (2018; 197 million euros). The sales development and the sustained growth of the group of companies shows a very stable earnings situation.

 

Seifert Logistics Group: internationally positioned
In recent years, the contract logistics sector has developed into the main factor behind the steady and solid growth of the group of companies, particularly at international level. The contract logistics project of the subsidiary Seifert Automotive Polska, with the new plant in Jawor, Poland, and the new building of Seifert Automotive Logistics France in Hambach, France, made a particular contribution to the growth in sales last year.

Since summer 2019, the logistics service provider has been responsible for the production supply of a new engine plant in Jawor. SLG ensures the efficient production supply by picking on parts and assembly level and by using new technologies. In addition to the engine plant for combustion engines, the e-mobility sector in Jawor is also continuing to grow. At the same location, a new plant is producing battery cells for electrically powered vehicles.

In Hambach/Lorraine, France, the first construction phase of the Seifert Logistics Center Hambach, with 20,000 square meters, was completed in December 2019. With the new building, SLG is opening up a further location of the future to fully develop the French market. Since 2017, the service provider has already been managing the complete logistics process on site, from incoming goods to storage and sequencing, as well as delivery for the production line, right through to the empties processes. "The new building in the Hambach region is a highlight project for us. After completion of the second construction phase in 2020, the building will cover more than 41,000 square meters. This is more than just a sign and gives us an excellent starting position in the French logistics market, thanks to our local presence," says Axel Frey (GM).

The dynamic growth is also having an impact on the Group's workforce. In 2019, Brygida Rzeszutek was hired as the company's 2,000th employee - and the end of this growth is far from in sight. The expansion of the employer branding measures and the renewed award as Top Job Employer 2020, from the University of St. Gallen, proves the attractiveness of the company as an employer for specialists and young professionals. "The entire team contributes daily to the success of the group of companies and is thus our most important resource. We are therefore proud to have received this renewed award for our efforts," says Dario Dante Oncsak (CHRO).

 

First quarter and prospects for 2020
But that's not all - the Group looks back on a challenging first quarter. Nevertheless, there are a number of things on the schedule for the current business year. The goal for 2020 is to develop a broadly diversified portfolio to counteract cyclical fluctuations in individual industries. The outlook for the coming months is very uncertain, determined by economic developments and the ongoing corona crisis. "We have never experienced anything comparable to the current situation before. The situation is increasingly worsening and poses risks for the global economy, which also affect the Seifert Logistics Group. However, such a challenge is also a special opportunity and calls for targeted and tailor-made measures. With the initiation of the Seifert Performance Project (SPP), we are facing these challenges in the coming weeks and months", says Marcel Vogelmann (CPO).


In this difficult market environment the special strength of the Seifert Logistics Group is evident. In the first quarter of 2020, two further important major projects have already been won. For instance, the logistics service provider will continue to coordinate the production supply of a major well-known automobile manufacturer in the area of Rastatt for the next five years. Here, contract logistics at the highest level will take place on more than 50,000 square meters of space. In addition to just-in-time and just-in-sequence delivery, complex assembly services and quality checks are carried out at the site. And there is also further growth for the group of companies in the east. A new automotive project will be added in Leipzig from summer 2020. "Here, SLG will take over comprehensive sequencing tasks on 20,000 square metres of space combined with a full shuttle supply," says Christian Stoll (COO).

 

SLG focuses on digitalization and innovation
Since March 2020, Julian Seifert has been strengthening the family business in the third generation as Head of Digitization and also supports the controlling department. He will primarily drive forward the digital innovations of the group of companies with the aim of setting future strategic priorities. In pilot projects and with cooperation partners, the specialist is already testing and developing tomorrow's future today with technologies from AI. The Seifert Digital Roadmap developed for this purpose includes projects such as the cooperation between humans and robots, the so-called handshake. Perception-controlled picking robots are used here. In addition, the use of drones for stocktaking and the digitalization of analog processes with the help of apps. The logistician's own specialist departments deal with the topics of business intelligence, big data, AI and telematics in order to uncover and leverage optimisation potential in all value-added chains.

 

Perspective
The management team of Seifert Logistics Group sees the current special situation as a unique and extraordinary opportunity to secure and strengthen its market position and competitiveness in the long term.