COVID-19I HOW FIEGE HANDLES THE PANDEMIC,I PROTECTS ITS EMPLOYEES, AND TAKES AWAYI SOMETHING POSITIVE FROM THE CRISISI
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THE FIEGE MAGAZINE NO. 93 I 2020 COVID-19I HOW FIEGE HANDLES THE PANDEMIC,I PROTECTS ITS EMPLOYEES, AND TAKES AWAYI SOMETHING POSITIVE FROM THE CRISISI
[ 2 Content ] [ Editorial 3 ]
Editorial 3
Corporate Sustainability Special
Creating a sustainable future 4
Sustainability is ingrained in our DNA 6
The Josef Fiege Foundation presents
the Volunteer Award 8
Dear Colleagues and Partners,
New foundation executive board for
the Josef Fiege Stiftung 9 Dear Friends of Fiege,
Sustainability with heart and soul 10
PV system goes online at the MegaCenter
in Greven-Reckenfeld 12
Dear Readers,
Eco-logistics is not just a word 13
Report Zalando is growing in southern Europe. Fiege has started
T
operating a new logistics centre in Italy near Verona
More than an employer 14 he Covid-19 crisis has been dominating the And even with our partners, competitors or even
for Europe’s biggest fashion and lifestyle online platform.
Easy marketplace integration for Page 22 year 2020. But is it possible to take something non-sector-related businesses and the authorities an
tomorrow’s eCommerce 20 positive away from the pandemic? We think so. exchange arose during these times of crisis which has
Fiege is Best Logistics Brand 2020 Even though Covid-19 has been very challeng- been highly rewarding for us. There was an incredible
according to Logistik Heute and BVL 46 ing for us in many instances – be it furlough scheme, con- willingness to make a difference for the better – togeth-
German AI Award 47 cern about the health of our colleagues, or the volatility er. If we can maintain this attitude and approach, the
of the different markets and sectors in which our clients Covid-19 crisis will have lastingly achieved something
Intriguing talks about innovation and sustainability 49
operate – we simply prefer to direct our focus towards positive. After all, there are many major challenges that
Game changer 54
aspects which, from our perspective, have changed for the we can only face collectively – such as the protection of
better. our environment and of the climate. So let’s do it.
Projects
Dräger will become the biggest customer at the new It is with great joy that we heard one thing time and again Wishing you and your family a very happy Christmas,
Fiege logistics centre Zülpich near Cologne 16 Imprint on many occasions – that the Fiege family has grown and please take care of yourself.
New logistics capacities in the making 18 even closer. This refers to the many people from the dif-
Logo 92/December 2020
myFIEGE: IT develops customer portal 19 The Fiege Magazine ferent business units, branches or departments who find
Announcement Innovation Challenge 25 Publisher: their way through the crisis together, and who support
Fiege Logistik Holding Stiftung & Co. KG one another, protect each other, and act responsibly.
A new home for digital business units in
Joan-Joseph-Fiege-Strasse 1
Münster’s Hafen district 26 48268 Greven, Germany
Fiege and Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof continue Editor:
with joint expansion of shared logistics network 48 Julian Mester (jme)
Authors: Jens Fiege Felix Fiege
Fátima Bittel (fbi), Marc Borgmann, Sophia Nordlohne,
Interview Anna Salamatov, Marcel Wegmann (all Fiege), Thorsten Burgard,
Jens Könning, Lukas Wilke (lwi, all Sputnik)
Does this come in a larger size? 22 Photos:
Company Building: Supporting incorporators Fiege, Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, heyconnect, Lufthansa Cargo,
that aim to make logistics more digital 24 Viktor Strasse, Viviane Wild
No risk, no fun 52 Illustrations:
Fiege
Layout:
Wietheger Druck, Nordwalde
Cover Covid-19 Special
Print:
Covid-19 28 Steinbacher Druck GmbH, Osnabrück
Employee testimonials 31, 35, 44 The reproduction of excerpts or of the contents of this issue is
Facemasks, airlift, and frenzied markets 32 only permitted by indicating the source and is subject to the prior
approval by the editors. Contributions naming the author need
PPE distributed for Germany’s not reflect the opinion of the editors. Logo is also published in
Federal Ministry of Health 36 German.
Crisis task force on call around the clock 42 Download your Logo version:
2020 in numbers 45 http://www.fiege.com/de/press/logo/
http://www.fiege.com/en/press/logo/
Human Resources
Nature Grows Knowledge 50
In-company bicycle leasing scheme 51
Creating a
sustainable
future
1 Today’s corporate goals for
tomorrow’s contract logistics.
A
s a family business, we have always attached
great importance to sustainable action
and management. To sustainably evolve
the company and be able to pass it to the
next generation is our main objective. We align all our
corporate activity with this. And we create the future
each and every day.
Sustainable management has become key to the viability
of our business models. More often than not, sustain-
ability is reduced to an ecological aspect. However, Fiege
equally considers and prioritises its inherent economic
and social dimensions.
We are doing it: Climate protection and the conscious use
of resources paired with simultaneous growth are just as
much an objective of ours as is the social responsibility
towards our employees and society.
Jens Fiege
2
TAKING CARE OF TODAY FOR TOMORROW
The infrastructures that we install inside and
outside of our facilities are all geared towards
the respectful use of our resources.
1 Inside: LED lighting, optimised conveyer lines,
automated (paperless) ordering processes,
separation of waste, waste recycling, etc.
2 Outside: renewable energies, meadow
orchard, renaturalisation projects, promotion of
alternative power units in mobility, etc.
[ 6 Corporate Sustainability Special ] [ Corporate Sustainability Special 7 ]
Sustainability is
ingrained
in our DNA
Fiege has been a pioneer of green logistics for
decades. The family business aims to prepare
for the future as best as possible within the
framework of its holistic sustainability approach.
A
s a family-run business
and international logis-
tics company, we bear a
special social responsibi-
lity which we want to live up to”, says Three pillars of sustainability
Martin Rademaker, who as a member
of the Executive Board oversees the For Fiege, sustainability is a holis- nomic, and social – which mutually
Business Development unit as well tic concept which leans on scientific condition each other and interact with
as Sustainability, amongst others. definitions. “In essence it is about one another: “Only if we cultivate a
“Many people here at Fiege take on aligning all our corporate activities to- respective awareness and effective
responsibility for others or for social wards the respectful employment of measures within all three areas will we Economically
projects. They commit to environ- resources”, Rademaker explains fur- be successful in the long run”, Rade- sustainable business
mental issues, to people in need of ther. This, however, applies not only maker adds. The Executive Board is in
flows
help or support regional projects”, in relation to nature and society, but agreement: “The responsibility is ours
Rademaker says. A central business also with regard to partners, custom- to develop the family business sustain- The company’s financially-sound and
unit has now been created within the ers, and naturally, the 19,000-some- ably and to pass it later as a solid and Ecology is not future-proof position calls for a fun-
Fiege Group which merges all these thing employees. healthy enterprise to the sixth genera- a fashion statement damentally sustainable way of doing
activities under one headline: Cor- To equally cover these very different tion once the time has come. This is business. As a pioneer of contract lo-
porate Sustainability. Fiege’s Sustain- facets, Fiege thinks sustainability in what we attempt to live up to daily”, Fiege thus continues the path which Heinz and Dr. Hugo gistics, Fiege has been seen as a role
ability Manager, Fátima Batres Bittel three dimensions – ecological, eco- says the Executive Board member. Fiege, the fathers of the current Chairmen of the Board, model for years in this field, too. For
is the central contact both inside and Jens and Felix Fiege, chose over 30 years ago. Back then many of its clients, the expert over-
outside of the company. This is where even, many fundamentals of today’s sustainability strategy sees all warehousing and transport lo-
all activities and enquiries come e to- were already apparent. “The philosophy of taking ecologi- gistics including value-added services
gether. Additionally, with support
upport cal criteria into consideration when building our properties while persistently tapping into the
from the Sustainability Workstream am is a legacy from those days”, Rademaker explains further. synergies this creates. “As a nexus, we
team which is comprised of members
embers Many Gold and Platinum certifications from the German impact the entire value creation pro-
from different business units, she de-e- Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) acknowledge suc- cess and put our green stamp on it”,
velops the sustainability strategy foror cessful energy management and particularly sustainable 39-year old Martin Rademaker says.
the Fiege Group. buildings. The more efficient the flows are, the
Beyond this, Fiege also supports many environmental more sustainable the offer becomes.
projects that are not directly connected to its core business. Fiege will further expand its services
“Our branches feature many green areas where we grow offering within the field of eco-logis-
fruit trees or home bee colonies”, the Executive Board tics in the future. The goal is to always
member details. And even ponds and special reservoirs that be able to present a green alternative
collect rainwater are found at a growing number of sites. In to clients which specifically avoids
future, Fiege wishes to further intensify these efforts. emissions or offsets CO2 emissions ac-
cordingly. “We want to make the en-
Sustainability has great significance tire logistics chain more sustainable as
at Fiege: Jens Fiege (centre), Martin a whole, and bring our partners along
Rademaker, and Fátima Bittel discuss
the strategic direction to be taken for on this journey”, Rademaker con-
Corporate Sustainability. cludes. >
[ 8 Corporate Sustainability Special ] [ Corporate Sustainability Special 9 ]
Living social responsibility
At Fiege, sustainability carries a third dimension within
– a social one. As a foundation for this, the company
potential managers take on a social project which they
accompany for one year. During that year, they gather
New foundation
has established an ethics code. It includes guidelines for
managers on the selection of partners and on how to
treat employees. Employees in particular are the ones
important experiences within leadership, management,
and teamwork. In the past, a school was set up abroad
under the FIT scheme. “Our juniors are currently helping
executive board for the
that Fiege wishes to spotlight with this strategy.
“Organisations only come to life through the people
working there”, Rademaker says. One example here are
a local project and working on a nutrition programme
for a kindergarten here in Greven”, Rademaker adds.
Beyond this, Fiege sponsors the Münster marathon
Josef Fiege Stiftung
the trainees at the location in Worms, who have been where members of the integrative SV Blau-Weiß Aasee
demonstrating their commitment to the local zoo for running club are given the opportunity to cross the fin- The Josef Fiege Stiftung has been supporting social and
five years now. Up to forty young Fiege employees are ish line by the side of volunteer running buddies, while ecological projects since 1998, with the aim of contributing to helping
designated Corporate Volunteers and as such work on being cheered on by the crowds. Every year, employ-
a variety of projects, such as upgrading the enclosures. ees at Fiege also become sponsors: “We are very proud committed non-profit organisations deserving of support.
One successful model is the Fiege International Team that our colleagues all contribute towards creating a very
(FIT). The programme sees selected junior talent and special moment for people who are differently abled”,
the Executive Board member says. Martina Schlottbom (from left), Frank
“Our Corporate Social Responsibility measures strength- Sievers, Christoph Mangelmans
and Kai Alfermann make up the new
en unity and solidarity within the company”, Rademak- foundation executive board of the
er concludes. Lukas Wilke Josef Fiege Stiftung.
T
his presents a vital and
special part of social re-
sponsibility for Fiege.
In line with the founda-
tion’s reorientation, it will live up to
this responsibility even more strongly
by donating not only monetary con-
tributions, but also by all employees
committing to volunteer, to ensure
that Fiege does not forget those in
need of help, or who quite literally in-
vest their efforts into creating a “bet-
THE JOSEF FIEGE ter climate”. The foundation execu-
tive board of the Josef Fiege Stiftung
FOUNDATION PRESENTS has a new 2020 line-up: Kai Alfer-
mann, Director Real Estate & Quality,
Christoph Mangelmans, Managing
THE VOLUNTEER AWARD Director Omnichannel Retail, Mar-
tina Schlottbom, Head of HR Business The new foundation executive board
Solutions, and Frank Sievers, Director will manage the activities of the
Next year will see Fiege present a volunteer award again. Accounting, Payroll, Tax. Josef Fiege Stiftung by sponsoring
“Many colleagues volunteer in their free time, to assist with The new foundation executive board new projects and organisations. All
social projects. We want to support this commitment and will work actively towards its reorien- employees can actively contribute
give them the attention they deserve”, Martina Schlottbom VOLUNTEER A WARD tation which is specifically dedicated towards achieving these goals – by
from the foundation executive board explains. The to moving responsibility into the cen- sharing ideas, lending support, or
recognition is awarded by the Josef Fiege Stiftung which was tre of its actions: helping with their own commitment.
called to life by Heinz and Dr. Hugo Fiege in 1998 as Responsibility for children and young The new foundation executive board
a family foundation. All employees may apply for the award. adults who were maybe not always is simultaneously the contact point
We expressly welcome colleagues suggesting peers. smiled upon by fate in the early years for employees wishing to take on a
of their lives, but also responsibility social commitment and seeking help
for the environment, for nature and with the implementation of their
society. projects. fbi
[ 10 Corporate Sustainability Special ] [ Corporate Sustainability Special 11 ]
Sustainability with
heart and soul Three questions for ...
Fátima Bittel, many consider sustain- origins in agriculture, Fiege has always
Fátima Bittel is on fire for her job. She able logistics to be a contradiction. had a special awareness of ecological
For you, however, the two belong sustainability. A social aspect was added
coordinates Corporate Sustainability activities at together. Why is that? later as was, at some point, the exciting
Fiege and has become the face of sustainability. If you want to do logistics right, there is thought of combining ecological with
no way around sustainability. It is Fiege’s economic goals. Today, all three aspects
goal to offer our clients services that are are viewed from a holistic perspec-
as efficient as is possible. To achieve tive and lived through many individual
this, we merge shipments, improve the measures and projects. It is so much fun
use of our spaces, optimise the energy to accompany this close up and to be
footprint of our buildings, or even de- involved in initiating this.
T
he native Salvadorian Fiege. “I supported the Business Devel- velop intermodal transport modes. This
came to Germany in 2009 opment unit within eCommerce Solu- saves time and money for us, and for Do you have a special suggestion on
to attend the German-La- tions for three and a half years”, the our clients. At the same time, we do not how each and every one of us may
tin American CALA course 30-year old comments. However, she waste resources. For this very reason, an contribute in our everyday lives to
of studies at the Münster School found her big passion during her one- efficient solution is naturally also always sustainability?
of Business (MSB), a faculty of the year parental leave. “I asked myself a sustainable solution. There is a lot you can do by adopt-
Münster University of Applied Sci- what the world should look like that ing more conscious consumer habits.
ences. I wish to show my child”, Bittel ex- Over the past months, you have been Whether in terms of energy by turn-
Fátima Bittel is the central
point of contact for Corporate After graduating with a Master’s degree plains. For the young mother, sustain- familiarising yourself with Fiege’s ing off the lights in rooms that are not
Sustainability at Fiege. in business psychology, Bittel decided ability has since played a vital role. At way of dealing with this topic. What being used or even when it comes to
to pursue a career in logistics. Since Fiege, she now coordinates Corporate surprised you in this regard? the consumption of food. The aim is to Teamwork as the
autumn 2016, she has been working at Sustainability activities. I got to know the exciting history of the buy meat, milk, and other foods with a key to success
Fiege family. Looking at the company’s greater sense of awareness. Once we
past is incredibly interesting because give these things more thought and re- To develop new products, the Sus-
each generation lived sustainability ac- flect on where these products come from tainability Manager works closely
cording to the time they lived in and at and the ecology behind producing them, with employees from many different
different levels. Sometimes intentionally, we almost automatically change our own departments and career levels. “Our
other times even unintentionally. With its conduct to become more sustainable. two-member Sustainability Work-
stream gets together every six weeks”,
the 30-year old says. The interdisci-
plinary team discusses new ideas and
campaigns on strategic and operation-
al level, which Bittel then merges and
prepares for the company’s Manage-
ment and the Sustainability Board.
Sustainability overlaps, among other
things, with the Real Estate Develop-
ment business unit as well as the En-
ergy Management team, for example
when it comes to the consumption of
Broad spectrum of responsibilities power at the warehouse locations.
Employees are also involved in the
Her responsibilities are highly diver- foundation. “We want to establish processes through newsletters and
sified: “I supervise the coordination sustainability in the daily work rou- the Intranet. For the future, special
of all ecological and social projects tine of our employees. Both in the training seminars are planned. “All
which we develop in the context of shape of sustainable services as well of us are in the same boat. Our goal
our sustainability strategy”, the ex- as through social and eco-friendly is to firmly anchor sustainability in
pert explains. This includes, next to projects for society”, Bittel adds. For the minds of our employees. Because
Eco-logistics, Corporate Governance, this very reason she is the point of protecting our climate starts with
Corporate Citizenship and the ac- contact for her colleagues as well as many small actions in our everyday
tivities of the Josef Fiege Stiftung non-company partners and clients. life”, Bittel adds. Lukas Wilke
[ 12 Special ] [ Corporate Sustainability Special 13 ]
Eco-logistics is not
just a word
Fiege offers sustainable services
under a protected mark
Visited the new photovoltaic system roofed on top of the Greven-Reckenfeld logistics centre:
Jens Fiege (from left, CEO), Marc Borgmann (Energy Management), Jan Fiege (Managing Director Real Estate), Kai Alfermann (Director Real
Estate & Quality), Mareike Vogt (Energy Management), Heinz Fiege and Blazej Janik (Branch Manager Greven-Reckenfeld)
I
n the early 1990s, Heinz and
Dr. Hugo Fiege established eco-
logistics. They even took on the
extensive process of registering
PV system feed into the public power grid. “In
total, we have installed around 2,700
photovoltaic modules with an east-
the term as a word mark with the pat-
ent office. Their goal at the time: to
find and maintain social acceptance
goes online at west elevation. The PV system is thus
optimally exposed at the location
for our own power requirements”,
for logistics. Or, as Dr. Hugo Fiege
summed things up once: “Achiev-
ing the same standard of living while
pany pursues a clear philosophy for
this: “Sustainability has the biggest
tion”, the Corporate Sustainability
Manager explains. As a result, effi-
MegaCenter in as the head of the project, Mareike
Vogt from Central Energy Manage-
ment at Fiege explains. By generat-
being less inconvenienced through
transportation is our philosophy.”
Eco-logistics at Fiege is the ecological-
impact when we incorporate the topic
from the very start into our thinking
and anchor this in our core business
ciency goes hand in hand with envi-
ronmental protection.
As a full-service provider, Fiege is
Greven-Reckenfeld ing power with the help of the PV
system, around 260 tonnes of CO2
can be avoided annually compared to
ly reasonable design of economically
engaging logistics.
Logistics have changed drastically
operations instead of retrospectively
calling projects to life to compensate
for shortcomings”, Bittel says.
even able to give the entire sup-
ply chain a resource-friendly direc-
tion – from warehousing to transport
average CO2 emissions. over the past 30 years. Exploding The demand for this is growing. to value-added services. This saves
Around 90 per cent of system’s power Fiege intends to further push the traffic volumes, increasingly inter- “Many companies that manufacture time. And money. “The more efficient
construction of more PV systems to national supply chains or booming sustainably do not want to downgrade our work is, the lower the pricing at
are consumed directly on location expand its self-supply with power. eCommerce with same-day delivery their ecological footprint because which we can offer eco-logistics”, Bit-
Projects currently in the pipeline in- are only a few trends which impose of their logistical processes”, Bittel tel says.
G
racing around 8,000 The system on top of the roof on clude systems in North Rhine-West- completely new challenges on the in- adds. With a range of measures, Fiege Lean Management plays a crucial role
square metres of the Carl-Benz-Strasse has a production phalia and Baden-Wuerttemberg. Be- dustry. More than ever, future-proof therefore ensures that low-emission in this. Which is why the logistics
rooftop is a PV system capacity of 749-kilowatt peak (kWp), yond this, Fiege assists outside parties solutions are needed which facilitate transportation offers are created. It company works day in, day out on
which the logistics com- making it one of the three largest PV with the planning and development efficient and resource-friendly mate- goes without saying that in the end, optimising its process flows.
pany Fiege has installed at its logis- rooftop systems in Greven. Fiege will of their own systems. Additionally, rial flows. the decision rests with the client. But
tics centre in Greven-Reckenfeld. The use roughly 90 per cent of the energy Fiege has been buying in CO2-neutral the company also wants to win over Offsetting CO2
system will produce over 650,000 at the location itself. The remainder – energy Germany-wide since January Eco-logistics as an its clients, partners, and suppliers for
kilowatt hours of electricity annu- which includes power produced over 2020. Several thousand tonnes in CO2 independent business a sustainable path. “Our goal is for Whenever emissions cannot be
ally – about as much as around 160 the weekend as well as power which emissions are saved in this way every eco-logistics to become a given in the avoided, Fiege offers clients the op-
unit
average households of four consume cannot be consumed directly – will year. Marc Borgmann near future”, so the expert. tion to offset CO2 emissions. The lo-
each year. The power thus produced Fiege, too, still dedicates special atten- gistics company cooperates in this
covers roughly one third of the Mega- tion to this topic. “The claim of want- Efficiency is the key regard with several partners that
Center’s own energy requirements in ing to create more sustainable logistics word support projects that protect our cli-
Greven-Reckenfeld. applies to this day”, so Fátima Bittel, mate. Even though climate-polluting
“One of the most important goals for Corporate Sustainability Manager at The fact that the contract logistics carbon dioxide emissions continue,
us is to hand over the company to the Fiege. For this, the company which provider bet on multi-user centres at something is given back to nature
next generation to sustainable stan- operates Europe-wide has come up an early stage has become a benefit: with the compensation payments.
dards. To carry out a project like this with an all-round green services port- “Since we oversee multiple clients Fiege even sees this as its duty: “We,
at our head office – in keeping with folio. “Together with our clients, we on location, we can optimise the use too, have been voluntarily using
climate protection objectives – means create next to classic solutions also an of the warehouse space, merge ship- emission-neutral energy since the be-
a lot to us”, Jens Fiege, CEO of the ecological alternative”, adds the sus- ments, avoid empty runs and thus ginning of this year at all of our Ger-
Fiege Group says. tainability expert. The logistics com- always offer the most efficient solu- man sites”, Bittel reports. lwi
[ 14 Report ] [ Report 15 ]
More than an sions and set crash barriers. But just
because someone is higher up in the
echelon does not mean that they are
a better person. It’s merely an organ-
For example, the Karla Kolumna
group has people working on an
employee magazine. The Mutter der
Nation team organises different com-
company”, so Looser’s summary,
who likes to talk of his colleagues as
Fiegerians to express that they are
part of the Fiege family. This allows
employer isational characteristic.” It is mainly
about appreciation. This includes the
fair and friendly treatment of each
pany events, while the Fiegende Klas-
senzimmer holds an in-house work-
shop once a month where next to an
the company to access existing pro-
cesses or the available Fiege network
any time. Especially during the Co-
Fiege Air Cargo Logistics wants to other, from managing director to exchange of knowledge, team build- vid-19 pandemic it showed just how
employees working in production. ing is a priority. reliable a partner Fiege is, Benjamin
show – and live – company values Against this background, the mana- Looser stresses: “System headquar-
gerial personnel are to be more visibly Green field with ters gave us excellent support to-
present on location and act as a con- complete freedom wards building the company despite
tact point for all colleagues. “Recogni- the Covid-19 pandemic. We want to
Fiege subsidiary centres on the well- tonnes of cargo per year. The plan- tion of their daily work is important The measures are also owed to the pass this strength and dependability
being of its employees and wants to ning and steering of the process flows to us”, Looser says. fact that is it becoming increasingly to the people in our company and
set an example regarding the family and the overall responsibility remains Despite the short timespan before difficult to source suitable personnel, become a reliable and innovative
business’ values. The project is de- in the hands of Lufthansa Cargo. “It is going live and the many new faces, especially skilled workers. “Today’s employer.” Thorsten Burgard
fined, among other things, by a mod- our aim to increase operational qual- the company advanced quickly. In young professionals expect their
ern management culture, flexible ity and to synchronise the logistical the meantime, the company that was employer to be more than profit-
working hours, and diverse personal flows using cutting-edge IT infrastruc- created quite literally out of nothing minded only. They see an employer
development opportunities. tures”, Managing Director Benjamin and in no time boasts a colourful as having a social and an ethical re-
For many years, Lufthansa has been Looser explains. Next to the satisfac- blend of former Fiege employees and sponsibility and want to realise their
largely outsourcing the physical cargo tion of the client, the main focus of new colleagues. Looser and his team full potential”, Looser adds. This is
handling at the LCC to several outside FACL from the very beginning is the cultivate an open feedback culture the starting point for both the FACL
service operators. With a view to the well-being of employees. where issues, mistakes, and digress- and Looser. Employees are involved
advances in digitalisation, Germany’s Amongst the biggest challenges are ing from standards are constructively in all crucial decisions and they are
biggest cargo-flying airline went look- building a team and launching pro- addressed and solved together. For shown many opportunities for per-
ing for a suitable partner to merge its cesses as fast as possible. The top this to succeed, open-plan offices sonal growth.
fulfilment requirements at a single priority hereby is taking over the and addressing everyone on a first- The entire managerial level of FACL
(from left) Felix Scherberich (CEO Fiege Air
point. Thanks to comprehensive 600-something staff from the external name basis reinforce the feeling of lives a modern management culture Cargo Logistics), Dr. Mohammad Ali Seiraffi
competencies within digitalisation service providers and inducting them being part of a team. Moreover, three from the top down, with full support (Lufthansa Cargo Vice President Handling
PARTICULARS and the efficient design and imple- into the world of Fiege. “It was clear cross-sectional teams were called to from the parent company. “Fiege Frankfurt), Gunnar Loehr (Lufthansa Cargo
Senior Director Supply Management &
mentation of warehouse processes, to us that this project would only be life which boost a cross-department has gifted us with a green field with Infrastructure), Benjamin Looser (Managing
Benjamin Looser the choice fell on Fiege. The activities successful as a collective effort with exchange for the entire workforce. complete freedom to build a solid Director Fiege Air Cargo Logistics)
Managing Director Fiege Air Cargo at the LCC in Frankfurt reflect an ex- motivated and committed employ-
Logistics pansion of Fiege’s business segment. ees”, the Managing Director, who has
“We developed our idea for modern been working in the field of corporate
cargo handling with a strong project culture and employee management
team for more than a year and a half, for years, recalls. As a family business,
in order to convince Lufthansa Car- Fiege has firmly anchored solidarity
go”, Felix Scherberich says, who led and team spirit as a fixed value in its
the project’s core team from the very corporate philosophy. It is the goal of
beginning. Together with Benjamin FACL to create an organised, fair, and
Looser, Scherberich now makes up adequate working environment for
the leadership team at FACL which is all employees. “I therefore consider
complemented by the Fiege manag- it a very special recognition when
S
ince 1 July, Fiege Air Cargo ers Norman Marian (Operations) and employees from an external service
Logistics GmbH & Co. KG Thomas Rudek (Commercial). provider who have been loyal to their
(FACL) has actively been company for years, decide to join us”,
partnering with Lufthansa Green light for FACL Looser emphasises.
Cargo AG. By mid-2021, the newly
formed company will have taken over As from 1 July, FACL will gradually A flat organisation and
the physical handling of cargo in mul- be taking over the operational hand- feedback culture
tiple phases for all transit consign- ling and coordination of standard in-
ments at the Lufthansa Cargo Center bound and outbound consignments FACL relies on a flat organisation for
(LCC) in Frankfurt within the frame- at the LCC in Frankfurt in four phases this without completely doing away
work of a long-term contract. To offer to be concluded by mid-2021. Over- with hierarchies, as Looser explains:
clients the best possible support, the all, this totals more than one million “You need a hierarchy to make deci-
[ 16 Report ] [ Report 17 ]
Dräger will become the will build a multi-user centre with a
storage area of 54,000 square metres.
Dräger will be the logistics centre’s
including a variety of value-added
services that we render for Dräger,
as well as customs clearance. Espe-
pich as from 2022. Sebastian Krause,
Director of Market Fulfillment and
Global Distribution at Dräger, sees
biggest customer at the biggest client. The new building has
been designed in its entirety with
Dräger’s future-focused requirements
in mind. Zülpich will become the cen-
cially value-added services for medi-
cal technology and safety technol-
ogy in particular come with a high
level of complexity for logistical and
Fiege as having set the logistics
course for the future: “Next to expe-
rience in healthcare, Fiege also offers
the required agility and innovative
new Fiege logistics centre tral logistics and distribution hub for
the company of long-standing tradi-
tion from Lübeck.
customer-specific process flows. And
working in separated, at times tem-
perature-controlled zones calls for a
strength to keep up with ever-new
requirements of our clients as well
as market growth.” Dräger’s medical
Zülpich near Cologne “Dräger holds a special meaning for
us because of its broad product range
as a manufacturer of medical and
well-trained and experienced team,
he adds. “We are also prepared to
handle time-sensitive orders flex-
technology division manufactures,
for example, ventilators for intensive
care and emergency services, anaes-
safety technology products”, says ibly and fast, and to come up with thesia machines or equipment for
Dirk Berlemann, Managing Director creative solutions for special assign- premature and neonatal care. Dräger
Fiege Healthcare. “This goes hand ments.” is a leading global manufacturer of
in hand with our ability to provide Fiege will merge Dräger’s logistics safety technology for personal pro-
an extensive portfolio of services – and distribution for its two company tective equipment, protection equip-
areas at the new logistics centre in Zül- ment solutions for plants, and gas de-
tectors. Julian Mester
F
iege is set to become Dräger’s
new logistics partner. The
leading international manu-
facturer of medical and safe-
ty technology products has entrusted
Fiege with the supply of health facili-
ties like hospitals or supply centres,
industrial customers, public-sector
clients, and specialised retailers with
Dräger products around the globe. The Transport Minister of the State
Zülpich near Cologne is where Fiege of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik
Wüst (from right), Zülpich’s Mayor,
Ulf Hürtgen and Jan Fiege, Managing
Director Real Estate at Fiege during
the symbolic cutting of the turf for
the new Fiege Multi-User Center in
Dräger produces, for example, patient Zülpich, in the tri-city area Cologne-
monitors and ventilators for hospital use. Bonn-Aachen.
[ 18 Projects ] [ Projects 19 ]
Bremen
IBBENBÜREN
BÖNEN New
logistics myFIEGE:
ZÜLPICH
capacities in IT develops
the making customer portal Group IT is advancing digital
projects. CIO Aleksandar Rodic
The complete corporate services portfolio is (below centre) and his team
work with different departments
Fiege is building new to become a digital offer in the near future. to achieve this.
and expanding – more
GENGENBACH room for new projects at
T
multi-user centres. he idea for myFIEGE is the about offering all services at a single It is the vision of myFIEGE to give
result of evaluating custom- point – in myFIEGE – to our clients”, easy access to the requested infor-
er surveys and experience Klaus Lüstraeten says. mation for everyone interacting and
gained from communica- Clients are given the opportunity here working with Fiege as an organisa-
ting with clients and partners. Leif to view the services they have booked tion. Employees are also to expressly
Lienhardt, Head of Logistics Applica- and combine them with others. “Ex- benefit from the valuable functional-
GENGENBACH tions, next to Klaus Lüstraeten, Head
of Information Management & Digital
isting clients for whom we have been
offering a really good service for years
ities made available with myFIEGE.
For clients in particular, the digital
F BREMEN
iege Real Estate is develop- Gengenbach in the state of Baden-Würt- Transformation and Philipp Holtgreve, may not even know anything about inspection of their invoices, invento-
ing new logistics capacities temberg will be home to a Fiege multi-user Senior IT Business Consultant, are all the services that we provide. That’s ries, or booked services and for end
at different locations across In the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan centre. Located near the German French members of the myFIEGE core team. what we want to change”, Philipp customers details about their ship-
Germany that are strategical- area, in-between the three largest ports, border in-between Strasbourg, Freiburg, and Lienhardt explains: “The needs of our Holtgreve says. ments are the focal point.
ly beneficial. Sophia Nordlohne, Team Fiege is building a new logistics site. With Stuttgart, a logistics facility will be built on clients and partners were merged and
Real Estate gives an overview. around 34,000 square metres of logistics a 73,000 square metres-large plot of land analysed in Group IT. This then led
space, including 5,000 square metres for a for multiple clients. Fiege will operate the lo- to myFIEGE. The plan is to evolve
mezzanine level, a multi-user facility is in the gistics centre comprised of four warehouse the platform gradually based on the
making in Bremen. Easy access to the A281 sections offering 40,000 square metres FIEGE Business Intelligence Por-
BÖNEN motorway and proximity to the A1 motorway of logistics space for a major tyre maker, tal (FBIP) and, over time, to provide
In collaboration with its long-standing means the facility is conveniently located in amongst others. Completion of the logistics more and more functionalities.”
client, Döllken Profiles, the general contrac- the centre of Europe. property is scheduled for August 2021. Many different departments and
tor, Goldbeck, and the engineering office, business units will be involved in the
Klußmann, Fiege is developing a new, project. The project work, however,
10,000 square metres-large logistics centre
located in Bönen, North Rhine-Westphalia.
IBBENBÜREN ZÜLPICH will be advanced by an interdisciplin-
ary core team comprised of Business
In less than one year, the project will have A location which is very important to Fiege’s On a roughly 10 hectares-large piece of land Development, Marketing, and IT.
been implemented according to plan. In history is set to grow. Fiege is expanding the in Zülpich, to the west of Cologne and Bonn “We aim to provide to our existing
this context, interference with the client’s Ibbenbüren base by a further 30,000 square is where Fiege will build a new multi-user and potential clients Fiege’s complete
operations at the production site is to be metres of modern warehouse space. location with around 54,000 square metres portfolio of corporate services prefer-
kept to an absolute minimum. As the project Ibbenbüren is one of the top logistics of logistics space. The Cologne bay area as ably digitally. The portfolio includes
controller, Fiege planned the new logistics locations in Germany (according to the a regional conurbation with above-average services that can be offered and used
property, obtained the necessary authorisa- Fraunhofer logistics matrix). The Ibbenbüren potential for growth is highly attractive for as a fully digital service, but also those
tions, devised a fire safety concept and is site, once completed, with its approximately logistics. The construction project started in where the initiation and later use of
now masterminding the smooth cooperation 120,000 square metres of logistics space, August 2020 and is scheduled for comple- the logistical service will benefit from
of the various trades. will be one of Fiege’s five largest locations. tion by summer 2021. excellent digital assistance. It’s all[ 20 Report ] [ Report 21 ]
Easy marketplace
integration for tomorrow’s
eCommerce
Fiege and heyconnect offer innovative full-service package
Fast and reliable logistics are decisive criteria for many marketplace vendors when it comes to rating sellers. Fulfilment must satisfy the end
customers.
around major online marketplaces plains. Moreover, errors and prob- to further expand our marketplace Moreover, the two companies wanted
such as Amazon or OTTO”, he says. lems such as with shipping or returns strategy”, is how Röbig explains this to merge their existing eCommerce
management, can at times result in decision. services in order to kick-start a joint
Easy access to accounts being frozen. Businesses The MegaCenter in Apfelstädt near offer: “By co-operating with heycon-
eCommerce platforms can bypass this stress factor by work- Erfurt is currently being added on. nect, Fiege can step forward even
ing with heyconnect. more visibly as an innovative partner
heyconnect has therefore specialised Today, the portfolio comprises more Fiege enhances within eCommerce fulfilment in the
in this business model. Everything than 30 leading marketplaces where eCommerce fulfilment future. We ask our portfolio clients to
started in 2012. Back then, Florian heyconnect oversees the complete join us on our marketplace journey”,
profile
Curdt and Marcel Brindöpke founded platform management for over 160 Röbig is delighted to say.
the innovative enterprise. The eCom- brands. “Most of our clients provide Use of Fiege’s infrastructure is a cru- And even heyconnect’s portfolio is
merce experts had been involved in only the merchandise and product cial element of the partnership. “This to grow following the co-operation:
the development of OTTO’s platform information. Everything else – from makes us considerably more scalable “Fiege’s individual business units can
since mid-2000 and while doing so, integration and product monitoring in the future in terms of fulfilment draw on highly specific sector know-
understood the significant potential to warehousing to market-compliant and allows us to offer an even bet- how. We can make this accessible to
this marketplace model had to offer. shipping – we handle”, Röbig says. ter service to our clients”, Röbig says. develop additional business segments
At the same time, they spotted a ma- This includes next to creating cus- Additional Fiege warehouses are to be and platforms with heyconnect”, the
jor obstacle: Placing products on these tomised delivery notes or return la- added on gradually. managing director explains. lwi
platforms looked a lot easier than it bels also a review of the invoices. If
actually is, which turned out to be needed, the Hamburg-natives even
problematic for many brands. This generate content. “In an ideal sce-
launched the idea for heyconnect: nario, this allows us to send new
marketplace integration for fashion clients onto their first marketplace
ECOMMERCE
labels. With their know-how and within somewhere between four to
their capable networks, selling this six weeks”, the managing director
idea to their first clients was a no- adds.
Sales via online channels are growing for many companies, especially in the fashion segment.
Marketplace offers are also growing. Retailers need to be omnipresent for their customers.
brainer.
Fiege supports
FULFILMENT AS A PLUG
heyconnect does all the eCommerce start-up & PLAY SOLUTION
work for retailers
O
nline offers were mush- using online marketplaces as addi- However, the fast-growing order vol-
rooming long before the tional sales channels. operating in eCommerce ume also came with issues for hey- eCommerce operations are growing in almost all sectors. For all
Covid crisis hit. Especially And no one knows this better than connect. After all, with each new those starting out online or wanting to develop their business,
smaller retailers are faced Tobias Röbig. He is Fiege’s Head of The idea worked so well that ad- brand and each added platform, the Fiege now offers standardised services that exceed logistical
with unrelenting competition while Marketplace and Omnichannel Re- ditional platforms like Zalando and logistical challenges grew proportion- handling alone. Individual modules from eCommerce fulfilment
sales opportunities are on the decline. tail and has also been the managing AboutYou became the focus. How- ately. At the beginning of this year, can be booked without incurring set-up costs or long contract
To generate customer contacts despite director of the Hamburg-based start- ever, they had to acquire specific ex- the start-up therefore sought profes- terms. “The booked services are to support our clients directly
the oversupply of offers, sellers need up, heyconnect GmbH since Febru- pertise first: “Each marketplace has sional help. It found what it was look- with their eCommerce business following a plug & play approach
to target major e-tailing hubs where ary 2020. “There is a very clear trend its own access criteria and requires ing for in Greven: “Fiege is known for – fast and easy”, says Julius Wegmann, Head of Omnichannel
many prospective buyers are teem- towards a digital platform economy. different mandatory information supporting young enterprises that Development at Fiege.
ing to create around-the-clock traffic. Businesses wishing to succeed with such as size, colour, or fit. So it’s not have innovative ideas. In heyconnect,
More and more brands are therefore their eCommerce sales have no way easy to keep track”, the expert ex- we have found just the right partner[ 22 Interview ] [ Interview 23 ]
Does this come
larger in a
Growing pains at the
fashion giant Zalando
in Italy: Contract &
Human Resources
Operations Manager,
Federico Patti in an
size?
S
interview with Logo ince the end of 2015, Fiege from the new fulfilment centre.
Italy has been overseeing Since then, the new facility has been
editor, Lea Schmidt online fashion e-tailer Za- growing continually – both in terms Fiege works for Zalando in Why was it necessary to move the ware- What are the benefits of the new loca-
Nogarole Rocca near Verona
talks about the need lando’s complete fulfilment. of order volume, as well as head- from a 130,000 square house from Stradella to Nogarole Rocca? tion?
Domestic customers, but also cus- count. Federico Patti, HR Manager metres-large logistics area. Ultimately, it was a strategic decision The logistics centre in Nogarole Rocca
to grow alongside tomers in other southern European at Fiege Italy, gives a first résumé in by the client. Even though the logis- has a larger storage capacity with 20
the customer. markets, especially southern France, an interview. tics centre in Stradella performed really million loading units and is highly
Spain, Austria, and Switzerland, well over the past five years, it would automated. For example, we recently
have all been supplied from Stradel- Federico, the new logistics centre in Noga- have outlived its capacity very soon in installed a new pouch sorter which in
la in the north of Italy. However, at role Rocca has been up and running since light of the anticipated handling vol- part handles some of the picking and
some point, the facility had reached the beginning of the year. How did you ex- umes and in the absence of automation. stowing away of items. We can dis-
its physical capacities so that Fiege perience the first months? patch around 140,000 parcels a day
Italy lay the cornerstone in Nogarole We are extremely satisfied with the How do you rate growth and the potential – twice as much as before.
Rocca near Verona in June 2018 for start of business operations. Our per- of Italian eCommerce?
a new logistics centre: a distribution sonnel department was operating at The Italian online market is currently The facility also features large social rooms
zone measuring 130,000 square me- full speed. And even during the ini- growing very strongly. Considering and sports areas, such as lounges and
tres was to be built there for the on- tial peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Zalando as Europe’s leading the situation here and after the out- a basketball court. What does the team
line e-tailer over the following one we employed around 120 people per online platform for fashion and break of the coronavirus, the months make of this?
and a half years. By the end of Janu- week. We started out with 70 col- lifestyle continues to grow. The of quarantine and lockdown as well The logistics centre looks fantastic
markets in southern Europe are
ary 2020, the time had finally come leagues, and have reached a head- served from the logistics centre as the resulting difficulties for brick- and our employees are proud to be
and the first jacket was shipped count of 1,500 by now. in Italy. and-mortar retailers, this trend will working in such a modern environ-
continue in the months to come. Ma- ment. Especially colleagues who
jor fashion retailers like Zara or H&M switched from Stradella to the new
are currently closing around 60 per location give us positive feedback.
cent of their shops in Italy. 88 colleagues in total joined us at the
location in Nogarole Rocca which is
Are there differences between the German around two hours from Stradella.
and the Italian online market?
Compared to Italy, the share of What will happen to the location in
eCommerce is almost twice as high Stradella?
in Germany. With a view to Zalando’s We continue to work from Stradella
business, but also generally speaking, for Zalando, which is good news,
the return rate of the German market even if the headcount working there
is more than twice as high compared is lower than before. We always main-
to that for Italy. The reason for this tained information transparency with
is the different buying culture. While our employees about our future plans
German shoppers order multiple sizes and we are pleased to have found a
of the same product to try on, Italians solution together with our client, Za-
are much more likely to order only lando that allows us to continue oper-
what in the end they will also buy. ating the facility.[ 24 Interview ] [ Interview 25 ]
Company Building: Based on this, Fiege decided to create
and build a completely new segment
together, namely a vertical for Com-
any logistics experts that have seri-
ously dedicated time to the topic of
digitalisation. In conclusion there are
tion. That is neither sustainable, nor
reasonable, nor an experience worth
remembering for the customer. We
Supporting incorporators pany Building within logistics.
I am a thoroughbred founder myself
and always asked myself the ques-
still many aspects that have not been
solved digitally. One example: the
customer journey of the big online
tap into those very points and use the
competitive lead that Fiege’s logistics
infrastructure gives us.
that aim to make tion: Why do we not also tap all the
assets that Germany’s mid-sized econ-
omy has to offer for start-ups? How
shops nowadays, all the way to the
payment, is tiptop. But that’s where
the journey ends. The process then
Speaking of innovation: When do you con-
sider an idea to be innovative?
logistics more digital to leverage the synergies from both
worlds through sensible connections?
At Fiege, we have been tackling this
for one year now. And successfully
transfers to a logistics provider which
at some point delivers the merchan-
dise, usually at a time when the re-
cipient is not at home. So they simply
Friese: For us, innovation starts were
processes are effectively re-thought
which consequently creates a sig-
nificantly better result. That can be
Supplying digital experts with logistical know-how in order to develop new, so, because in the meantime we are take the package with them again and a lower price, a bigger margin, im-
growing strongly – both in terms of hand it – as they like to in Berlin – one proved customer experience or a plus
successful business models together – that is the goal of XPRESS Ventures. business and personnel. kilometre down the road to the local in terms of sustainability. Innovation
In an interview with Logo editor Jens Könning, Matthias Friese – himself a newsagent, where it waits for collec- should not be an end in itself.
There are quite simply not many fam-
thoroughbred incorporator – explains why Fiege has committed to this field. ily businesses that do Company Building.
Does this not more likely call for the um-
brella of a corporate group?
Friese: No, I believe that the culture
and the structures inherent in a cor-
porate group are more of an obstacle
A
s an enterprise which tal, and logistical know-how. And we because they slow things down and
sees itself in the role of establish contact with venture capi- thwart decision-making. Fiege, on
an innovation leader in talists that guarantee financing. Our the other hand, has extremely short
the logistics industry, strategy does not focus on maintain- decision-making channels. That al-
Fiege has always shown to be open to ing a majority. We help the company lows us to respond fast, which is a
new ideas. The most recent example to grow up and establish itself in the major advantage. Just how fast we
of this is the family business’ com- market, only to sell our shares then at can build and implement something
mitment for what is still a relatively a profit. That is the concept. more often than not decides the suc-
young business segment in Germany cess or failure in this business.
ANNOUNCEMENT
– at least for mid-sized companies –, How does this specifically work?
i.e. Company Building, which has Friese: Basically, it’s all about bringing What are the expectations in relation to
evolved these past years from the the right people together, so-called your work?
ecosystem of start-ups. What is new
for Fiege in this regard is that logis-
complementing teams comprised of
digital experts who know what digi-
Friese: I believe that it is the central
goal, next to our core segment, con-
INNOVATION CHALLENGE
tics, in this case, come second only. tal products and projects should look tract logistics, and the real estate busi-
We spoke with Matthias Friese, Head like, as well as logistics experts who ness, to set up a further mainstay. We
of Company Building, via Teams in know how processes work and inter- aim to create a new business segment
Berlin, home to Germany’s start-up relate in practice. The trick is to merge via Corporate Venturing, together For the fourth time now Fiege will be seeking exciting and new
PARTICULARS scene. these competencies as such that the with our colleagues from F-Log Ven- ideas for business models centring on logistics and neighbouring
result is a solid company. tures. That our work positively im- markets next year. All Fiege employees and interested students
Matthias Friese Company Building does not necessarily pacts Fiege’s innovative strength is are invited to participate. The first round of applications ended
Head of Company Building mean a lot to most people. What exactly do Around a year ago, you took over the naturally a highly welcome effect. on 13 December 2020, the next round is set to start in Febru-
Managing Partner XPRESS Ventures you and your team do? responsibility for Fiege’s new Company ary 2021. Innovation coaches at the individual locations assist
Friese: Roughly speaking, we look for Building division. How did this come Your main focus is on new solutions for with the preparation of the application. The best ideas will be
start-up teams that primarily develop about? logistics. How do you rate the potential in presented in summer 2021 during a pitch to a jury of experts and
innovative solutions for logistics. We Friese: Fiege had been dealing inten- this segment that could be leveraged with an audience. The winners can expect attractive starting funds to
thoroughly analyse concepts that sively with this matter for quite some help from digital solutions? advance their ideas, and active mentoring from XPRESS Ventures
seem interesting to us and rate their time and realised that you need to Friese: I think that we are still in the for the incorporation of a joint enterprise, all the way to a round of
chances of success. In the best case think things differently today com- very early stages of that journey. Just potential funding. More information on how to apply is available
scenario, the process results in the in- pared to how especially family busi- like there are few software special- at ic.fiege.com or at xpress.ventures.
corporation of a joint enterprise. For nesses may have in the past, to be ists that deal specifically with sup-
this, we contribute the business, digi- successful in the market of tomorrow. ply chain flows, there are still barelyYou can also read
