6 BULKDISTRIBUTOR Tank Containers November / December 2017
6 BULKDISTRIBUTOR Tank Containers November / December 2017
Leschaco Singapore celebrates 25th anniversary
Albatross , Slay deal
Leasing company Albatross has started co-operation with Houston container drayage firm Slay Transport . The first tailor-made tank containers arrived in Houston in August as part of a fleet exchange project in the local chemical industry . Slay will also maintain the tanks in service for the customer .
L-r : Oliver Oestreich , COO Leschaco Group ; Jörg Conrad , CEO and owner Leschaco Group ; Rainer Barthel , CFO Leschaco Group ; Elke Conrad ; Oliver Fixson , deputy head of mission of the German Embassy Singapore ; Kai Chladek , managing director Leschaco Pte Ltd , Singapore
Leschaco ’ s Singapore operation recently celebrated a quarter of a century of company history with almost 130 invited guests at a function in Singapore . Jörg Conrad , owner of the Leschaco Group , opened the anniversary event with an official speech . He was pleased about the numerous guests , who have accompanied Leschaco Singapore in different ways over the past 25 years . With increasing globalisation and the relocation of customers ’ production units Leschaco started orienting itself towards Asia in the late 1980s . In the first few years the group of companies cooperated with freight forwarder Birkart to achieve this . In Leschaco decided to become independent and established its own subsidiary in Singapore , Leschaco Pte Ltd . At that time , a gas tank container business for one of its biggest customers in the chemical industry was one of the main pillars . This was managed by Leschaco Singapore in close co-operation with the tank container department at group headquarters in Bremen , Germany . From 1993 to 1996 , Leschaco Pte Ltd , together with a joint venture partner , operated a special warehouse for chemical products , in which temperature-controlled goods could also be stored . Over the years , Leschaco Singapore expanded its activities steadily . The company is now active in all the product areas of the group as a whole and has a staff of 45 . It has set up individual logistics solutions , considering specific customer requirements for logistical planning , storage and distribution , handling of dangerous goods , and shipping . Tank container operations , the storage and transport of dangerous goods , cross-border transports to Malaysia and Thailand as well as customs clearing and documentation management are its daily business . The Singapore office has for some years also been the location of ‘ the extended arm ’ of Tokyo-based Leschaco Tank Container Competence Centre , which is responsible for the APAC region . Furthermore , the company operates domestic silo container transport for granulate and powder products , and manages a regional distribution centre for customers . This logistics hub not only shortens the transit time between suppliers and customers it is also a good added service which enables the customers to handle a wide range of dangerous goods and general cargo . In his speech , Jörg Conrad took a look into the future , too . He underlined the strengths of Leschaco Singapore and focused on the growth prospects of the Singaporean economy . Guest speaker was Oliver Fixson ( deputy head of mission of the German Embassy Singapore ). He pointed out that small and medium sized enterprises like Leschaco Singapore would help to strengthen the Singaporean economy .
Stolt up
Stolt Tank Containers ( STC ) reported third-quarter operating revenue of US $ 132.6 million , up from $ 129.6 million in the second quarter , which is typically STC ’ s strongest period . Top-line growth for the quarter mainly reflected higher rates , improved demurrage , increased activity in the Shanghai-Stolt Logistics domestic business in China , and increased revenue from services provided to third parties through the group ’ s global depot network . Utilisation in the quarter was essentially unchanged at 73.7 percent . The total number of shipments also held firm , while the number of tanks in the fleet was up marginally . Operating income was $ 14.8 million , up from $ 13.7 million in the second quarter . During the quarter , STC was able to retain the margin improvements gained during the second quarter , in part driven by lower empty repositioning costs . The results also reflect improved contributions from joint-venture depots , as well as a gain on the final liquidation of a depot . The operator said Hurricane Harvey caused no material physical damage to the company ’ s assets in Houston , and there were no spills or contamination of products . In fact , Stolt has taken steps in recent years to improve the hurricane preparedness of its terminal facility and tank container depot along the Houston Ship Channel and those actions proved effective . That said , the tanker , terminal and tank container operations all experienced some losses and additional costs because of the storm , though the financial impact , which is not expected to be material , will mostly be felt in the fourth quarter .
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