CargoLine is a successful company group that provides standardized, systematized cargo transport and logistics services in Germany and Europe, with around 70 partners throughout these regions. The company has been using RegioGraph and digital maps since 1993. Interview with Christoph Müller, head of the Europe coordination division. 

How does your business work?

In the pressured time constraints of today's markets, companies rely upon the punctual delivery of raw materials and goods. CargoLine consequently developed a range of products to meet these needs, including numerous time-sensitive delivery methods. In association with around 70 partners in Germany and abroad, we have a stable, comprehensive network that allows us to quickly and competently make deliveries to every corner of Europe. Our expertise is not limited to conventional street- and highway-based deliveries. Thanks to our partner network, we also offer sea and air freight services.

Image: The overview map shows CargoLine's locations and delivery zones.

Which challenges do our products allow you to accomplish?

The most important analysis that we perform is the visualization of which partners service which territories. This ensures a fair distribution of workload within our company group. Naturally, we also visualize transport volumes and flows on the maps. One of the things we really value about RegioGraph is its ability to visualize these delivery flows according to their various assignments. Visualizing this information is essential. The logistics branch has always had an affinity for maps - wall maps that provide an overview of all locations and warehouses remain an absolute must. But just as important today is the prompt visualization of all transports, which is something that is only possible with digital maps and a software application like RegioGraph, which offers a wide range of visualization and analysis options.

We also use RegioGraph for our partners' tariff analyses. After receiving a transport query, we use the software to perform a plausibility check with regard to the distance involved and the tariff suggested by the partner. Thanks to GfK GeoMarketing's Europe-wide maps, we can quickly determine whether, for example, the delivery tariffs of a partner in France within a specific departément are appropriate. Of course, our experience also plays a role in such evaluations, but the software and maps offer vital support and provide a reliable basis from which to make these decisions.

The data that we compile on our market, such as economic- and location-specific information, is also very important. This allows us to always keep an eye on the economic regions in which an additional business partner or location could be beneficial in the future. In other words, we also use RegioGraph as a strategic tool for guiding our partner development.

Your final word on working with digital maps and RegioGraph?

To put it simply, your maps and software are essential to our daily operations. As a user of the software myself, I can tell you that I am able to work extremely well with RegioGraph. At first I had to get used to this geomarketing approach, but now I can't imagine not using it. As longstanding users of RegioGraph, we've witnessed the evolution of this mapping software, which has been truly dynamic! Our partners also tremendously value the results generated by RegioGraph analyses and many of them have chosen to incorporate RegioGraph and digital maps into their own operations.

CargoLine

CargoLine stands for reliability and quality. The company group offers its customers a wide spectrum of services, with particular expertise in system-driven procurement and distribution logistics. A shipment tracking system that interfaces with the customer IT system and provides automatic notifications of the shipment status ensures timely service and streamlined operations. As a mid-sized company well attuned to the needs of its customers, CargoLine also develops customized logistics solutions. In 2011, 6,592 employees carried out 11.1 million shipments and achieved a turnover of €1.3 billion In the last image rankings carried out by the magazine Logistik inside, CargoLine was the only cargo and transport logistics company group that managed to place among the top 10 in the category "transport & contract logistics". More information at www.cargoline.de

Contact:

Christoph Müller
Tel. +49 (0)6074 850815
christoph.mueller(at)cargoline.de