In 2016 Brazil presents itself as a challenging market – all the more incentive for DB Schenker to offer top-quality services.
Dear readers, are you as excited as I am about the up-and-coming Olympic Games and the Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro? I’ve been looking forward to “Rio 2016,” the global sporting event of the year, for a long time. And I’m hoping to see fantastic performances by the athletes, particularly in sporting disciplines that are not normally in the public eye.
A fantastic performance is something you can also expect from my 600 colleagues based at the DB Schenker locations in Brazil. This is especially true in the immediate run-up and during the period of the Games, when they will be working together with the team from DB SCHENKERsportsevents on behalf of the Olympic squads, the television broadcasters and the sponsors. But you can expect the same kind of dedication and commitment when the eyes of the world are no longer focused on South America’s largest state. Our service portfolio ranges from land transport to air and ocean freight right up to contract logistics – and it offers the added advantage of a dense network that not only spans the country but the entire world.
Having said that, our colleagues are working under extremely difficult conditions. For the past three years Brazil has experienced a serious economic crisis. To a large extent, this crisis is due to sustained low commodity prices. As one of the world’s major exporters, endowed with a rich abundance of offshore resources, the country has been especially hard hit. To find out more, please read our “Top Story” in this edition of “logistics NewsFeed,” which deals with this topic.
Quo vadis Brazil? I believe that the Games represent a great opportunity, one that will allow the country to move forward. What makes me optimistic is the fact that so much has been done, and continues to be done, in terms of transport infrastructure. Up to now, the deficits in this sector were one of the biggest stumbling blocks in ensuring a sustainably positive development, particularly with a view to logistics.
What this means for DB Schenker is that we will be putting our shoulders to the wheel! Faced with such a challenging environment, it is perhaps even more crucial than elsewhere to offer tailored products and the best possible service with real added value so as to attract and retain new customers. Rest assured: that is what we are working to achieve, day after day.
Kind regards,
Jochen Thewes
Chairman of the Board of Management at Schenker AG
