As part of the integration within Air & Sea, freight forwarders from Panalpina are currently undergoing training in Air & Sea’s transport management system – with the US taking the lead. Ultimately, the goal is to transfer all customers and volumes from Panalpina’s system to DSV’s system and to have all freight forwarders within Air & Sea operating through the same system.

Our offices in Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis and St Louis were first in line and have undergone intense on the job training to learn the ins and outs of Air & Sea’s transport management system. On 15 October, the system went live at these locations, and we’re now fully up and running.

Niels Larsen, President Air & Sea USA, is happy with the integration so far and is ready to lead his team to great achievements in the future:

“I don't know how many miles I have flown the past four months to meet and greet a good 1,500-2,000 PAN staff in North America, but it's a tad..., and I can honestly say that I have met a TON of great and excited PAN talents. I’m very excited about our joint future.”

To get an indication of how the integration is progressing within Air & Sea, we’ve collected a few testimonials from former Panalpina employees.

The DSV-Panalpina team in Los Angeles

At the training sessions, everybody had such a big smile on their face!

Peter Huwel (PAN), General Manager, Air & Sea in New Jersey, comments: “Since I have been introduced to the team at DSV, I have experienced a very positive and friendly welcoming. The last couple of weeks, I have met with various leaders of the organisation and without exception, I received all the support I needed. I already had the chance to participate at the first training sessions, and I can tell you everybody had such a big smile on their face! Last but not least, we recently visited together an important PAN customer who also knows DSV very well. The feedback received was that they believe that both companies deliver a very good service and that we now have the unique opportunity to outperform our competitors, if we take advantage of the synergies. Overall, I believe that it will take some time until we all live the same culture, but I’m personally positive that at the end, this will be a very good experience for both the former PAN and DSV teams”.

There is genuine excitement about putting this organisation together

Erik Saathoff (PAN), Branch Manager, Air & Sea in Seattle, comments: “Every DSV team member I have had the pleasure of engaging with has been very supportive. Unless the DSV team is a group of phenomenal actors/actresses, there is genuine excitement about putting this organisation together and giving our competition something to worry about, and it has been very motivating! As we continue to run quickly into this process, it is clear the US is leading the way. My hope is that our colleagues in other geographies follow our example to ensure we are not creating any exposure with key customers and personnel. I look forward to working with the new combined team to ensure we maximize the potential of this remarkable opportunity”.

We can take on the competition with confidence and success

Benton F. Kauffman (PAN), Manager, Air & Sea in New Jersey comments: “So far, I have visited with DSV in Clark, Denver, Houston and LA, internal meetings and some joint sales calls with clients… Nothing but warm welcomes, support, collaboration and a sense of entrepreneurial spirit and excitement that becomes contagious around the offices. It is very clear to me that DSV wants to make this integration happen quickly, which all of us welcome, but more importantly, successfully, with a solid team that will work together to not only maintain the current DSV and Panalpina book of business, but also grow it in 2020. There is a real positive ‘buzz’ in the air. I truly feel that once DSV fully integrates Panalpina, and we move together as one company in the very near future, we can seriously take on the competition with confidence and success!”

The Houston office has been completely refurbished

We are ahead of the game and already on-boarded as one team

Fabiana Nakai (PAN), Regional Sales Manager US West Coast, DSV Air & Sea in Los Angeles comments: “The warm welcome is coming across the board, for the US West Coast Region, within every Branch whether coming from DSV or PAN side, we see extraordinary talented people that are not only looking forward to a brilliant future, but are already engaged in the present to make it happen. We hear very often from the team that they feel like we are ahead of the game and already on-boarded as one team. In the West Region, the leadership and sales force of the new company already met as one single family where we had trainings, learned from each other, bonded, and specially learned about the new benefits to our customers on the capabilities and solutions of the combined company. We also hear feedback from customers that are happy to see how integration is going as we meet them together and show commitment to their business and partnership. Needless to say, how excited they get on learning the new competitive advantages we bring them with the combined forces. DSV is ready to hit the ground running”.

We have the potential to do something truly special in the industry

Han Roest (PAN), Vice President, Head of Industry Vertical Automotive & Manufacturing Americas Region comments: “I have indeed felt VERY welcome into the DSV organisation... Starting with the meeting in Miami several weeks ago, I have looked forward to what our combined organisation can and will accomplish. I know we still have a lot of work to do to shape the organisation into the structure that will optimise our capabilities and our results, but I have no doubt that we will get there soon. We have the potential to do something truly special in the industry, and I am excited to be a part of that development”.

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