Author: Kloepfel
Location-independent remote solutions like storelogix as a possible answer Unfortunately, the corona virus shows in a very harsh and direct way the challenges that such a crisis brings with it on many different levels of society. It is becoming increasingly clear that companies need digital products, decentralized solutions and remote applications to maintain work processes. This is also true in the field of logistics, or as part of it, warehouse management. This is because the Corona-Crisis is also hitting this area drastically. For example, fast moving consumer goods, i.e. products for everyday use, must be replenished very quickly and efficiently,…
VDMA survey reveals drop in orders and cancellations In mechanical engineering, the effects of the Corona-Pandemic are now being felt across the entire industry. This is made clear by the results of a recent survey by the German Engineering Federation (VDMA), in which 724 of the member companies took part. According to this survey, 90 percent of the mechanical engineering companies feel affected by the economic consequences of the Corona-Pandemic. According to Dr. Ralph Wiechers, Chief Economist of the VDMA, the demand side is increasingly causing concern. He explains: “As early as mid-April, 75 percent of those surveyed had already…
Corona-Crisis inhibits supply from Asia EU health ministers held a video conference on Tuesday to discuss how to ensure the European supply of medicines. The reason for this was delivery shortfalls and delays of active ingredients and preparations from Asia. Cause for shortages often abroad An interview with Stefan Kluge in the ARD magazine “Plusminus” shows how serious the situation is. The director of intensive care medicine at the University Medical Center Hamburg said last week: “There are already hospitals in Germany that no longer have Propofol. Without Propofol, patients cannot be put under anesthesia – it is necessary, for…
World’s largest container shipping company describes 2020 as a challenging year The integrated logistics service provider A.P. Moller-Maersk, which is the global market leader among container shipping companies, is warning of a drop in global demand for container services in the wake of the corona pandemic. The company originally expected the market to grow by 1 to 3 percent this year. Now, Soren Skou, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of A.P. Moller-Maersk, fears a decline in volume in all business areas of 20 to 25 per cent for the second quarter of this year due to the continuing…
HWWI commodity price index continues to fall due to the Corona crisis HWWI commodity price index fell by 29.2 % (US dollar base) 38.6 % decrease in crude oil prices Price decline of 2.1 % on the markets for industrial raw materials (Hamburg, April 16, 2020) The HWWI commodity price index fell in March compared to the previous month by an average of 29.2 % (Euro base: -30.4 %) to 69.6 points (Euro base: 69.7 points). Developments on the commodity markets were significantly influenced by the worldwide spread of the coronavirus and the quarantine measures imposed by the states. Due…
European Paper Converters Association (CITPA) fears delivery problems The European Paper Converters Association (CITPA) recently informed about an imminent shortage of necessary packaging material due to the spread of the corona virus. These fears are shared by several associations representing various companies in the packaging industry. They have therefore written a letter regarding the effects of the corona virus, which CITPA published on its website. A functioning supply chain for packaging of food and pharmaceutical products is considered essential for maintaining security of supply. This is because transport and sales packaging can be used to make goods available to the…
Online trade is not benefiting as much as expected To further contain the corona virus, a curfew has been imposed in many countries. Many shops had to be closed, which is why many people are now experiencing a boom in online trading. The German E-Commerce and Mail Order Association describes this assumption as “simply wrong”. Online sales are also suffering greatly from the Corona pandemic. The German E-Commerce and Distance Selling Trade Association states that 20 percent of e-commerce sales have fallen in contrast to the previous year. Bevh president Gero Furchheim explains: “E-commerce is a normal shopping channel today.…
World trade could fall by up to 32 percent The World Trade Organization (WTO) expects a severe recession in the global economy this year. According to the press conference, the WTO is expecting a slump in global trade volume of 13 to 32 percent this year. This is a range between an optimistic and a pessimistic scenario. According to trade experts, the decline will in any case be greater than in the financial crisis of 2008, according to Roberto Azevedo: “These figures are ugly”. He added: “But a quick recovery is possible.” According to the WTO, trade will be particularly…
Kloepfel 4PL Solutions has launched Task Force “Emergency Logistics” +49 211 875 453 23 Don’t let the coronavirus stop your worldwide logistics. To ensure that your logistics survive the corona crisis in the best possible way. Kloepfel 4PL Solutions has set up a task force “Emergency Logistics” for you on 0211 875 453 23. Call this hotline if, you need an emergency transport within a few hours, employees or forwarding agents are unavailable, you are looking for storage capacity or you need help with customs. Your security of supply is our top priority. The services of the Corona “Emergency Logistics”…
Market Report March 2020: Face masks, protective clothing, sanitizers What is the global supply situation for hygiene products such as protective clothing and hand sanitizers? Production is currently being ramped up worldwide. Many companies are failing due to insufficient machinery and bottlenecks in the supply of raw materials such as FFP fleece or ethanol for disinfectants. Numerous export restrictions create further challenges and aggravate the situation in the supply chains. With the strong increase in demand for protective clothing and disinfectants, the price is also rising. Which is the highest price to be paid for? No generally valid statement can…
Contain effects, avoid delivery failures 1. Digital solutions for smooth processes in purchasing Home office for all employees is already mandatory in most companies. But this makes internal and external communication with colleagues and suppliers more difficult. Especially in purchasing, negotiations and detailed agreements are part of the agenda. In order to keep on doing so, digital communication solutions such as Microsoft Teams are a good choice. The versatile functions allow the purchasing department to maintain standard processes. 2. Rethinking and finding alternatives In a crisis situation, it is of the highest priority for Purchasing to ensure the flow…
Hornikel asks: With Jörn Werner In an interview with Alexander Hornikel, Senior Partner at Kloepfel Consulting, Jörn Werner, former CEO at A.T.U and Ceconomy, provides insights into the transformation of companies. Which challenges have to be overcome, how can employees be motivated and which leadership style is up-to-date? In your opinion, what are the most important values to follow a successful career path within a company? In order to have a successful career, first of all a lot of luck is needed. If you are in the right place at the right time, you can already gain great advantages. You…
HWWI raw material price index falls significantly in February HWWI overall index fell by 12.2 % (US dollar basis) Crude oil prices dropped by 13.5 Price decline of 5.8 % on the markets for industrial raw materials (Hamburg, March 17, 2020) In February, the HWWI commodity price index fell by an average of 12.2% (euro basis: -10.6%) compared with the previous month and stood at 98.4 points (euro basis: 100.1 points). Due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus, all indices included in the HWWI commodity price index fell last month. The sub-index for energy raw materials fell in February…
Globalization in the stress test While consumers and businesses benefit from services that globalization brings with it, it still faces image problems. In crisis situations such as the current corona epidemic, it is once again clear how unstable the networked world is. Not just one country is affected, but directly the global economy. The last time this problem was brought to light was a good ten years ago, when the financial crisis kept the world in suspense. At the moment, containers are stuck in China, in many countries workers stay at home and planes no longer take off. Slowly but…
An example of how the situation in Italy can affect logistics companies The restricted zones set up in Italy because of the coronavirus have an impact on Swiss logistics companies. This article deals specifically with logistics service providers in Aargau as an example of possible developments in Europe. Initially, after the Italian regions were sealed off, some logistics companies were uncertain whether Italian employees could come to work. But for the time being they can come. Jan Arnet, Managing Director of Bertschi AG, a logistics provider with 3100 employees and headquarters in Dürrenäsch, says: “Freight traffic and commuter traffic are…
Difficulty in estimating the financial consequences of coronavirus Deutsche Post DHL Group presented good figures for the 2019 financial year on Tuesday. At the same time, the forecasts for 2020 were communicated very cautiously. The revenue of Deutsche Post in 2019 was 63.3 billion euros. This represents an increase of three percent compared to the previous year. Net profit in 2019 increased by around 26 percent year-on-year to 2.6 billion euros. Commenting on the 2019 results, CEO Frank Appel said: “With our broad geographic footprint and our extensive portfolio, we are very robustly positioned and more resilient than other companies…
Düsseldorf, 13.03.2020 – Every year, the “Beste Berater” award honours the best management consultancies in Germany. Kloepfel Consulting has now been awarded the recognized industry seal for the fifth time in a row. Every year, the business magazine brand eins and the statistics portal Statista announce the winners of the “Beste Berater” award. Recommendations from consultants and customers are used to decide which companies receive the award. Thus, in the first part of a survey, the consultants are addressed as industry representatives and in the second part, the customers are interviewed as company representatives. In order to be able to…
Supply bottlenecks: Kloepfel Group sets up hotline The coronavirus is currently causing increasing supplier failures, exploding freight costs and production stoppages for medium-sized European companies. For this reason, the Kloepfel Group has set up the Kloepfel Taskforce “Coronavirus”, which affected or threatened companies can reach via our hotline +49 211 875 453 23 or by email p.esselborn@kloepfel-services.com). On the one hand the Kloepfel Taskforce Coronavirus supports you in your search for suppliers and on the other hand we check for you whether your suppliers are endangered in the medium or long term. Behind the Kloepfel Taskforce “Coronavirus” is our Shared…