Air Cargo Relationships: Contracting With Purpose And Trust

By Author: Zama Mirza
Total Articles: 1
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INDEX Group: Delivering on promise

Our second case study demonstrates why “speed dating” is a poor way to build air cargo relationships. With the merger in 2010 of United Airlines and Continental, shippers had to choose between staying with their proven provider—whether it be with United or its newly-acquired partner—or seek alternatives elsewhere.

For the Esslingen, Germany-based INDEX Group, the main issue was transparency—not a big surprise when one considers that INDEX is a leading manufacturer of precision-made turning machines for global engineering and electronics companies.
“Mergers and acquisitions aside, we work with any airline that can deliver on promises,” says Jean-Claude E. Toussing, export purchasing manager for INDEX in Noblesville,Ind. “Velocity is the goal, but transparency is key. Shipper, forwarder, and carrier must all have access to the same tracking and tracing data,” he adds.

According to Toussing, an urgent shipment of custom machined auto parts destined for factories in Stuttgart was feared to be lost or missing when INDEX was first evaluating carriers. ...
... Fortunately, they had been working with a freight forwarder who could deliver the most reliable information available, irrespective of carrier.

Cargo Force, an international freight forwarder based in London l., had proven to be the right fit for the British manufacturer several years ago. “Because Freight-Base and the airlines use variations of the same T.M.S software we have back-up when we absolutely must find the shipping status of our parts,” he says. “This provides a second layer of security, too.”

With its own certified cargo screening facilities and in-house X-Ray and explosive trace detection equipment, the forwarder is also able to expedite shipment.

Jack Groat, president of Freight-Base, recalls when a test shipment for INDEX was temporarily placed in limbo because the airline lost track of its status. But because the forwarder uses photos and backup commercial invoices on its web page, the matter was cleared up fairly quickly.

“The cargo was inadvertently placed in a remote corner of a warehouse,” recalls Groat. “Without our G.P.S and other enhancements, we would have to wait for the airline to find it with just their own resources. But that’s how a partnership works. We stay on the same page and work things out for the shipper.”

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