Interview with Anibal del Diego – The Coop’s Membership Development Coordinator

Today we are publishing an interview with Anibal del Diego, the Membership Development Coordinator of The Cooperative Logistics Network. Anibal’s primary task consists of researching and recruiting the most competent freight forwarders for membership in The Cooperative. Additionally, he plays a vital role in seeking out new sales opportunities and selecting and engaging reliable members for The Cooperative. Before working at The Coop, he spent many years in the Sales and Customer Service department of a few multinational companies which gave him an in-depth knowhow of working with a goal driven basis and ensuring client satisfaction. Moreover, Anibal’s skills in interpersonal communications lends a positive, confident and determined approach to customer relationship management.

Anibal Del Diego
Anibal Del Diego, The Coop’s Membership Development Coordinator

Q. Tell us a little bit about your experience at The Coop.
A.  I really enjoy what I am doing and so far my experience with The Coop team has been nothing short of delightful. We are a close knit team and my associates within the organization are very amiable. We work harmoniously to come up with innovative solutions for our network members. In the course of my service at The Coop, I have learned a great deal about enrolling new members, client research, the importance of concise and precise communication and much more.

Q. Can you tell us something about the beginnings of The Coop?
A. The Coop started its journey from September 2014 has completed 7 years in business. We started with members from over 60 cities across 50 countries and today we have recruited over 310 reliable agents across 134 countries. Moreover, the pandemic has clearly demonstrated the need for independent freight forwarders to band together and successfully compete with the big players. Notwithstanding the several challenges of this industry since 2020, we have been able to maintain our quality standards and significantly expand our member base.

Q. What does your job consist of? Do you find your day-to-day tasks exciting?
A. My everyday work is very interesting and even demanding at times. My primary task entails doing research about the applicant companies and determining their membership eligibility. Moreover, as the Membership Development Coordinator, I am the first point of contact between the members and the network. Additionally, I also contact potential members and communicate about the advantage of joining our network. It is my responsibility to keep the number of members growing for further expanding our coverage in the coming years.

Q. Which is the most challenging part of the job?
A. The Coop accepts a maximum of 3 agents per city with the exception of busy cities where the maximum is 5 members. Therefore communicating with so many agents each from several cultural backgrounds surely poses a considerable challenge. However, my previous experience in the Customer Service Sector has taught me how to effectively deal with my clients and attend to each of their questions, issues and requirements.

Q. In your opinion, which is the greatest advantage of The Coop members in terms of sales?
A. The Coop’s referral programs can be of great financial advantage for the members. The Coop’s Referral Program gives the agents 25% discount on their first yearly membership fee for each agent that they recommend who gets accepted as a member. All members need to do is refer trustworthy agents and they get to obtain 25% discount of their membership fee if that agent eventually becomes a Coop member. They can avail of up to 4 discounts of 25% every year implying the possibility of paying zero membership fee for the coming year! Additionally, members who want to represent more than one location within a country get to pay just 50% of the posted membership fee for every additional branch.

Q. What is the most important objective of the sales team?

A. Simply put, the most important job if the sales team is to increase the number of members within the network. To this end, we constantly undertake many promotional projects and get in touch with trustworthy freight agents who could be our potential members. Additionally, we are not on the lookout for the largest forwarders in each city. What we try to find are the most reputable, well managed and financially solvent companies that also have a substantial business volume and a good credit history with their partners.

Q. What do you like about working at The Cooperative?

A. The friendly office environment fosters creativity and allows me to try out new approaches towards aspect of my job. Thanks to the constant help of my colleagues and the encouragement of the management, I think of my workplace as an extension of my family! Despite  all the challenges of my work, I find it very interesting and constantly trying out new techniques to expand the outreach of our network.

My teammates are always there to help me with the task of reaching out to quality agents and offering the best customer services. The frequent board meetings and discussions help me to brainstorm and find new ideas to enhance our services and outreach. The Coop offers a proactive work environment that permits me to be innovative and creative. Over the years my colleagues have eventually become like a close knit circle of friends who work together with one common objective: to better serve our agents and to enable independent freight forwarders to become truly global.

Q. What are the values that motivate you?

A. Honesty, originality, and the wisdom to make important decisions are some of the factors that allow me to be good at what I do. In my opinion clear communication,  operational integrity, and an aptitude for problem solving are crucial for expanding our network. Above anything else the agents need to feel that we care for their business. The success of our network is directly related to the success of our member companies.

What matters in my line of work is to show my clients how we really care about them. At the end of the day it all boils down to trust and it is this trust of our members which keeps us moving forward. In this context I would like to quote American business author and management guru Michael LeBoeuf -“A satisfied customer is the best business strategy,”- and this exactly is my work motto!

Talwin Transport Service celebrates 25 years in business

They started their journey 25 years back with a vision of constant progress and the objective of offering positive solutions and improvements in each operation related to foreign trade

Talwin Transport Service, a Coop member in Buenos Aires, Argentina, recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary. It was in 1996 that they decided to create this company and started offering bespoke solutions for the transportation needs of their customers. Presently, they cover all the necessary areas to provide the most comprehensive logistical services. This has enabled them to become an integral part of their customers’ growth. Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, they have kept the celebrations for later.

As stated by Francisco Muñoz, Business Development Manager of Talwin Transport, “The beginnings of our company were hard considering the instabilities in our country and in this sector. However, with great force driven by our founding partner and current President Gabriel Taberna and his sister and current Vice President, Monica Taberna, we were surrounded by excellent collaborators, who allowed us to grow year by year.”

25th Anniversary of Talwin Transport-independent freight forwarders
25th Anniversary of Talwin Transport
 

Their IATA Certification and a competent team of professionals allowed them to offer world-class services in the air freight and international logistics sector. Moreover, despite the pandemic, Talwin has considerably expanded their business volume and their expectations for 2022 are very bright.

“In the last 25 years, we have achieved the recognition of many international clients and partners who are happy to work with us. Our client satisfaction is our greatest reward. This is what motivates our team to put forth an even greater effort,” adds Mr. Muñoz.

Congratulations to Talwin Transport Services and all the best for their future projects!

The Cooperative Logistics Network’s 2nd Virtual Meeting concludes successfully with a record number of attendees

Over 140 delegates attended The Coop’s 2nd Virtual Meeting to strengthen their networking, obtain sales leads, and forge long-term partnerships

The Cooperative Logistics Network’s 2nd Virtual Meeting that was held on 15th and 16th November was an all-out success. The two-day event registered a record attendance with over 140 delegates participating in around 5,000 videoconferences. The Virtual Meeting allowed the delegates to touch base with their partners, showcase their companies, get business opportunities and expand their outreach.

The productiveness of last year’s online event ensured an even greater attendance for this year’s conference. Moreover, the meeting allowed each delegate to schedule up to 32 one-to-one videoconferences with their partners.  The Coop’s IT team further improved the meeting platform to create a seamless videoconferencing experience. Furthermore, The Coop team was always present to fix any unexpected technical issues.

The Coop's 2nd Virtual Meeting of Independent freight forwarders
The Coop’s 2nd Virtual Meeting

 

Additionally, the conference also gave the participants the chance to attend online FreightViewer workshops. During the workshops, Andrea Martin, The Coop’s FreightViewer Coordinator explained the latest features and utilities of The Coop’s member-exclusive TMS. FreightViewer allows the members to digitize their quote generation process, satisfy customer expectations, and adapt to the changes in market demands.

After attending the meeting one member commented, “It was a well organized Virtual Meeting and was seamless. Our appreciation to you. I could attend 29 meetings and I had excellent meetings with every one. Apart from talking business, it was social and affectionate as well. We also became fully aware of the pandemic situations the world over.”

This year, the Coop afforded a special opportunity for the delegates to engage in casual conversations during the coffee breaks. The delegates were able to access a chat room with up to five random partners. This was a special initiative on The Coop’s part to foster the bonding among the network members.

To quote The Coop Founder and President Mr. Antonio Torres, “Every year our Annual Meeting gives our members a chance to boost their networking and enhance the prospects of strong partnerships. Moreover, the efficacy of our previous online meeting ensured the largest attendance with more than 140 delegates participating in over 5000 one-to-one meetings. The meeting fulfilled its primary objective of enhancing the synergy within the network. We are hoping that next year we will be able to conduct an in-person meeting where we will once again carry on with face-to-face networking.”

 

The Coop’s newsletter for September 2021 is now online

The Coop’s September newsletter includes all the latest updates from our network members, pertinent news from the sector, details about our Virtual Meeting sponsors and much more

The Cooperative Logistics Network’s autumn newsletter is now available for reading on the Coop website. This edition of our newsletter includes with all the information about our members’ accomplishments in the last three months. Additionally, there is a en excerpt of an interview with the Sales Manager of Blue X trade. In this interview he talks about how digitization has become imperative for the freight forwarding sector.

The Cooperative Logistics Network-newsletter

Click on the above image to read the newsletter

The Coop’s September Newsletter also comes with a section that introduces the readers to the sponsors of our 2nd Virtual Event. Furthermore, you will be reading all the noteworthy news from the logistics industry. Our news in focus for this newsletter is about Maersk’s acquisition of Visible SCM and how it will boost their warehouse network in the USA. Lastly, our post on tips to deal with the container shortage will certainly be an engaging and informative read.

Make sure to send us a few lines about the recent achievements of your company and get it featured in our upcoming newsletter.

Happy reading!

Shenzhen Yee Zhan Yuan has changed their company’s name to CIMC ANDA Shun International Logistics

Their merger with Shenzhen Anda Shun International Logistics prompted this change of name which came about on 1st November 2021

Shenzhen Yee Zhanyuan International Freight, a Coop member in Shenzhen, China, recently changed their name to CIMC ANDA SHUN INTERNATIONAL LOGISTICS. They decided to change the name of their organization after their merger with Shenzhen Anda Shun International Logistics and CIMC Logistics Group.

“Shenzhen Yee Zhanyuan is a reputed ISO 9001 accredited company which is a member of IATA, FIATA, and NVOCC. Moreover, our merger will help us have even better management and resource sharing. This will allow us to provide world class services to our clients in Shenzhen and beyond,” says Mr. Ricky Wang, the General Manager of Shenzhen Yee Zhanyuan.

Shenzhen Anda - team - The Cooperative Logistics Network

From 1st November they will use the name ADS for handling all their business. Additionally, they will handle all Coop members’ businesses under this new name. With the objective of providing optimized logistics solutions to its clients and customers, CIMC ANDA SHUN INTERNATIONAL LOGISTICS offers air, sea, warehousing, customs clearance, trucking and other value-added services for their customers.

Macsons Shipping brings in a vessel with highest parcel size ever to be handled in the history of Tuticorin Port

They helped move 93,719 tonnes of limestone for a cement factory via the Singapore flagged vessel MV Ince Incara

Macsons Shipping, a Coop member in Tuticorin, created a new record at VOC Port Trust, Tuticorin, India, for bringing in a vessel with the highest parcel size ever to be handled in history of the port. The Singapore flagged vessel ‘M V Ince Ankara‘ arrived from the Port of Mina Saqr, UAE, with 93,719 tonnes of limestone. They handled cargo consigned for M/s Chettinad Cements, between 26th to 28th of August’ 2021. In this process, they broke all the previous records held by the port in terms of the size of the parcel handled.

Macsons Shipping- Independent freight forwarder
Macsons Shipping moves 93,719 tonnes of limestone

 

Three Harbour Mobile Cranes capable of discharging more than 50,000 tonnes per day unloaded the cargo at the port. As stated by the Chairman, of VO Chidambaranar Port Trust, Tuticorin, “This has been a great collaborative effort and I take this opportunity to recognize the hard work and commitment of the ship agents Macsons Shipping Agencies Private Ltd, stevedores, Harbour Mobile Crane operators, officers and the staff of the port.”

Macsons Shipping-independent freight forwarder
Macsons Shipping-independent freight forwarder

 

They first made it to the news back in 2010 when they facilitated the transportation of a large shipment of vehicles comprising jeeps, cars, and motorbikes. This shipment was a gift from the then Government of India to the then Government of Maldives. From that moment on, they have been crossing milestones after milestones.

“To begin with, we are so glad to have played a significant role to help attain this remarkable feat. Although this is not our first newsworthy achievement, we keep cherishing such moments with pride as Macsons Shipping trail blazes itself to greater heights moving from strength to strength,” says Roshan Miranda, Director of Macsons Shipping.

Congratulations to Macsons Shipping and wishing them the best for their future endeavors!

 

Express Air Freight, Headway, Infinity Shipping Services, Kopf + Lubben Cargo Services, Movers International and The Solution, sponsor The Coop’s 2nd Virtual Meeting

The online meeting will take place on 15th and 16th November on The Coop’s special cloud conferencing platform

The Cooperative Logistics Network will offer its members the opportunity of coming together once again on the cloud on 15th and 16th November to promote their brands and talk to their network partners to secure more businesses. This year, Express Air Freight, Headway, Infinity Shipping Services, Kopf + Lubben Cargo Services, Movers International and The Solution, are sponsoring the event.

The one-to-one video conferences will help the members to have constructive communication with their network partners. The meeting will bring together all the network members on one platform thus enabling them to interact with their network partners, showcase their businesses, and make way for several collaborative projects. Additionally, the meeting will allow the agents to forge new ties with their partners, nurture the existing connections, and do the talking for the upcoming projects.

The Coop's 2nd Virtual Meeting-independent freight forwarders
Sponsors for the Coop’s 2nd Virtual Meeting

 

Express Air Freight, which started its journey in 1990 is a Coop member in New York, USA. Their innovative solutions, and ability to meet tight time constraints, allow them to serve a multitude of industries. Their team provides customer-oriented services and bespoke solutions for all logistical requirements of their clients. As an IATA member, they are known for their personalized door-to-door air freight services. Furthermore, they provide sea and road freight services along with customs brokerage services.

Headway is a Coop member in Hanoi, Vietnam. They offer value-added logistical services and innovative solutions for their customers. Other than providing air/sea/road freight services, they also provide insurance and brokerage services. Their skilled team and cost-effective services have made them the go-to freight forwarder in Hanoi and beyond.

Infinity shipping – a Coop member in Karachi, Pakistan is a logistics company that specializes in air, road, and ocean freight services. Their company is a one-stop shop for global transport requirements. Infinity works with a committed focus on reducing transport costs for exporters, importers & logistics partners. Additionally, they offer customs brokerage services, break bulk chartering services, and warehousing services.

Kopf+ Lubben Cargo Services is a Coop member in Frankfurt, Bremen, and Hamburg, Germany. Since their inception in 1976, they have been offering innovative logistical solutions for their global clients. Their long experience, skilled workforce, strategic expertise, and several accreditations make them the preferred choice of their clients and partners.

Movers International is a Coop member in Delhi, India, that is serving the logistics industry for over two decades. In the last twenty years they have garnered several prestigious awards in the freight forwarding industry. They provide comprehensive air/sea/ground freight services along with customs management and warehousing services from over 14 offices all over India.

The Solution is a Coop member in Genoa, Italy. As a leading provider of end-to-end supply chain solutions, they offer specialized services in the sea and road freight sector. The Solution team makes sure to handle every last detail of their client’s special logistics requirement. Moreover, they also provide shipment tracking abilities to their customers.

 

Sinocarry Logistics completes 10 year in business

To celebrate this occasion they are having a lucky draw and also giving out gold and silver medals to select employees

Sinocarry Logistics Co Ltd, a Coop member in Shanghai, China, is celebrating their 10th Anniversary. They are organizing a small party with their team members where they will have a lucky draw. Additionally, they are awarding silver medals to employees with over 5 years of service and gold medals for employees who are with them for more than 10 years. They are also handing out medals to employees with special contributions to their growth.

Sinocarry Logistics- independent freight forwarder
Sinocarry Logistics celebrates their 10th anniversary

 

Sinocarry was founded in Nov 2011. In the last 10 years they expanded their company, invested in technology, and started e-commerce and warehousing operations. They have been handling over 3000 tons of airfreight and more than 2000 TEU of sea freight every month.  Sinocarry also has the qualifications of NVOCC, IATA, and FMC.

Since the beginning of 2020, they handled 310 charter flights to deliver medical supplies to all parts of the world. Moreover, they also handle several charitable shipments. For instance, they moved three charter flights for the Red Cross Society of China for free, and provided free services for NGOs. Between April to June 2021, they moved a large number of oxygen generators and other materials for charity organizations in India free of charge.

As stated by Mr Walter Wang from Sinocarry Logistics, “Over the past 10 years, we have experienced difficulties, surprises, good things and bad things. We have a fantastic team which we are most proud of. Our business volume has reached new highs. In the first quarter of this year, we have completed the profit target for the first half of the year. We believe that together we can overcome all difficulties. We never shrink back but always look forward to the future instead and the future will get better and better.”

Congratulations to Sinocarry Logistics and wishing them best for their future endeavours!

The Coop’s 2nd Virtual Meeting will be held in less than two months

The cloud conference to be held on 15th and 16th November will be an easy and effective way for members to expand their operations

After the success of The Coop’s 1st Virtual Meeting, The Cooperative Logistics Network is once again gearing up to organize its 2nd Online Conference. The Coop’s 2nd Virtual Meeting will take place on the 15th and 16th of November, 2021. This virtual meeting will bring the members together on one platform at one time for enhanced business networking.

The one-to-one video-conferences will form the core of the event. Members will get to participate in up to 32 video conferences of 20 minutes duration with previously selected network partners. The one-to-one business talks will cultivate long-term partnerships. Moreover, it will allow the participants to showcase their business and do the groundwork for many new collaborative projects. The Coop team has taken special care to accommodate delegates from all the different time zones.

The Coop-2nd Virtual Meeting
The Coop’s 2nd Virtual Meeting on 15th-16th November

 

The meeting will take place on a special platform designed by The Coop for a seamless online conferencing experience. Moreover, the meeting will also come with a special segment consisting of FreightViewer workshops. Andrea Martin, from The Coop’s FreightViewer department will explain the new updates of this quote generation platform via live demonstrations.

“We organize all our yearly meetings with one specific objective. We want to provide our members with a congenial atmosphere for enhanced networking so as to promote mutual collaboration and increase the business volume of the members. Now more than ever, the independent freight forwarders need to collaborate in order to recuperate from the aftermath of the pandemic. Our virtual meeting will allow the members to do the much-needed networking and nurture their business right from the safety and comforts of their home,” says Antonio Torres, the President and Founder of The Coop.

Register now to take your business to the next level!

Lovitka Logistics celebrates its 5th Anniversary

In the past 5 years, the company extensively invested in the development of infrastructure, human resources, and air and sea freight facilities

Lovitka Logistics Pvt Ltd, a Coop member in Colombo, Sri Lanka, has recently celebrated its 5th Anniversary. They celebrated this important milestone by organizing two Buddhist ceremonies and prayer and meditation at their office premises.

Moreover, their team also arranged an alms-giving for all the monks and children at a children’s home to mark their successful journey in the international logistics industry.

Lovitka Logistics-independent freight forwarder
5th Anniversary of Lovitka Logistics

 

Since the company’s inception in 2016, they have identified the need for greater investment in the development of air and sea freight facilities, infrastructure, and the development of human resources.

As stated by Yasith G Punchihewa, the Director of Lovitka Logistics, “Joining the Coop has enabled us to cover 134 countries while catering to domestic, and international logistics needs of our customers in a timely manner. Today the relevant agencies around the world have recognized Lovikta Logistics as a responsible partner representing the industry.”

Amidst all the challenges in 2020, Lovikta ventured into the Central American Region thus taking their first step towards international expansion. Their main objective is to offer multi-modal solutions to a vast range of industries across the world.

“Since the pandemic, we are working towards maximizing benefits to all the stakeholders within the industry by exploiting the potential of Sri Lanka’s strategic geographical location. We take pride in carrying the local produce of Sri Lanka to the international market. Additionally, the immense potential and opportunities in the Sri Lankan economy, are complementing our company’s growth,” adds Mr. Punchihewa.

Congratulations to Lovitka Logistics and all the best for their future projects!