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FeedsHome: Issue 1 2010 › A modal of growth
A modal of growth
29/01/2010 | Channel: Logistics
Following a number of successful acquisitions, Interbulk is looking to expand its global influence in the transportation of dry and liquid bulk products
Founded in 2004 under the vision of creating a global platform capable of providing a range of intermodal logistic solutions, InterBulk Group has grown to hold a market leading status. Having developed revolutionary solutions for the efficient transportation of goods, the company boasts that it can provide the solution to deliver any liquid, powder or granulated material anywhere in the world. The organisation’s impressive international network that includes offices, terminals, agents and partnerships has been cultivated by a number of strategic acquisitions since its inception.
At the start of 2006, InterBulk acquired United Transport Tankcontainers (UTTC), a top-five tank container operating company in the world with emphasis on the bulk transport of liquid chemicals. This move was followed in 2007 by the acquisition of UBC, Europe’s largest dry bulk container operating company that specialises in dry bulk door-to-door services for polymer, food and chemical suppliers. Its technology arm and original acquisition, InBulk Technologies, underpins the company’s success in these areas.
“Intermodal means that the container is at the core of our concept, ” Toon Bruining, marketing and supply chain director of InterBulk explains. “We operate three different types of containers. The first are tank containers for liquid products, then we have Bag in Box containers for dry bulk such as free flowing granular materials. Finally we have ISO Veyors, which are special containers for dry bulk, powder elements that ensure maximum payloads and excellent discharge performance with minimal tare weight and residue. Our customers tend to be active in either the food, mineral, chemical or polymer industries. This means we can carry a wide range of products like sugars, plastics, starch and cements.”
The company is able to offer an impeccable service delivering from door-to-door by way of rail, road or sea, eliminating the wasteful transfer involved in using tank storage, silos or other storage facilities. Utilising the core competences of its
400 experienced staff InterBulk has developed many innovative solutions demonstrating its forward thinking attitude to the market. Examples can be found in its liner company, Linertech, which has developed the fluidisation liner to discharge powder type products like starch or the company’s conductive food-approved liner for products like sugar.
The majority of InterBulk’s impressive turnover comes from the European market as a result of former UBC’s original focus in this area. However, in line with former UTTC’s global influence, the company has established a strategy for international growth over the coming years. Toon explains: “Our goal is to combine the geographic specialisations of UBC and UTTC to expand the dry bulk business globally. The biggest portion of our turnover comes from Europe and I want to look outside of this region for new markets - so far we have been highly successful in this aim. I don’t want to exclude the idea of acquisition, but I think we are already well positioned, together with our existing partnerships and possible future alliances, to grow organically.” Further to the recently opened offices in Russia and China, the company is developing new business in these areas while the Middle East is also on the radarscope to grow further.
As well as offering transportation solutions, InterBulk has the ability to infiltrate a customer’s business with onsite terminals to deliver a more efficient and value-added service. For example, where a customer may have an onsite production facility or terminal, InterBulk is able to take over the logistics operations, from handling containers to the loading and unloading of trucks. The company also has the facility to manage packaging lines and storage activities on behalf of clients for value-added logistics. Such a capability is a further aspect of the organisation’s approach to international growth, with strategic locations being pinpointed. “Our new terminal in Duisburg, Germany will serve multiple customers rather than one tailored client. Our customers and receivers can use our terminal for the imports of polymers from the Middle East destined for European markets, for instance. Polymers, both packed and bulk, will be supplied from the main North Sea ports by rail and barge to Duisburg. After storage, these products will be transferred into the most optimal mode of transport for onward distribution,” he explains.
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The transportation industry has been greatly affected by the economic crisis of the past two years, though InterBulk appears to have experienced relatively mild consequences, as Toon outlines: “We published our annual results in December and are quite satisfied that we have come out quite strongly. As expected our revenue has decreased in relation to the previous year but compared to the transport industry as a whole we are doing very well. This is due to a number of reasons. Over the past few years we have taken a close look at our costs in terms of those involved in procurement, supply and overheads, and have taken the right measures in reducing them. We have been successful in driving new contracts like with AkzoNobel and Syngenta despite the depletion in current business, and as such have increased our market share and global recognition. We have also achieved expansion in our product capabilities; we are diversifying into minerals and food elements, and see potential in any sort of dry bulk or chemical product. The geographic and portfolio growth we have achieved has helped us gain a name in new frontiers and that is why we have witnessed a relatively small decline in our turnover.”
Though a vital aspect of the logistics market, forecasting has become more difficult in recent months. As such, InterBulk’s supply chain is aligned with agile and lean principles, founded on the maintenance of minimal assets and profitable partnerships. The company prefers to run a business model that looks to long-term partnerships for flexible solutions and outsourcing.
InterBulk’s supply chain and network of suppliers have a wide range of criteria to fulfil that is passed down from customer demand. The greatest element in managing supply chain is cost, and as customers demand reduced prices, InterBulk in turn requires its suppliers to be cost-effective and innovative in their approach. The service aspect is also crucial in maintaining profitable relationships; all suppliers must achieve excellent service records while adhering to the latest in QHSSE standards. This is especially important with regards to the chemical industry where the company conducts regular audits and requires the latest certifications.
Toon notes: “One of our greatest strengths is that we have a sustainable business model, a concept that is becoming increasingly important for the market in light of the growing emphasis on carbon footprints and greenhouse gases. We have the ability to transport containers by a range of modes, and in general when a container is put on a vessel or rail, it produces up to 80 per cent less emissions than if it was delivered by road. We also hold strengths in the fact that we take away the worry from our customers by producing a complete organised solution that helps them achieve cost savings by providing them with the most efficient option possible. We also have some of the best people in the industry working for us and our IT systems are second to none.”
InterBulk’s years of success can be put down to its distinct vision and ability to provide an undeniably efficient service from its flexible and progressive supply chain. The current aim is to continue investment in people and partnerships, diversify into further product realms such as food and minerals, and grow the business even stronger outside of Europe. “I also want to be innovative in terms of supply chain management, reducing cost for our end customers and developing transport links, ” Toon concludes.
InterBulk Group
Employees: 400
Services: Intermodal logistics
At the start of 2006, InterBulk acquired United Transport Tankcontainers (UTTC), a top-five tank container operating company in the world with emphasis on the bulk transport of liquid chemicals. This move was followed in 2007 by the acquisition of UBC, Europe’s largest dry bulk container operating company that specialises in dry bulk door-to-door services for polymer, food and chemical suppliers. Its technology arm and original acquisition, InBulk Technologies, underpins the company’s success in these areas.
“Intermodal means that the container is at the core of our concept, ” Toon Bruining, marketing and supply chain director of InterBulk explains. “We operate three different types of containers. The first are tank containers for liquid products, then we have Bag in Box containers for dry bulk such as free flowing granular materials. Finally we have ISO Veyors, which are special containers for dry bulk, powder elements that ensure maximum payloads and excellent discharge performance with minimal tare weight and residue. Our customers tend to be active in either the food, mineral, chemical or polymer industries. This means we can carry a wide range of products like sugars, plastics, starch and cements.”
The company is able to offer an impeccable service delivering from door-to-door by way of rail, road or sea, eliminating the wasteful transfer involved in using tank storage, silos or other storage facilities. Utilising the core competences of its
400 experienced staff InterBulk has developed many innovative solutions demonstrating its forward thinking attitude to the market. Examples can be found in its liner company, Linertech, which has developed the fluidisation liner to discharge powder type products like starch or the company’s conductive food-approved liner for products like sugar.
The majority of InterBulk’s impressive turnover comes from the European market as a result of former UBC’s original focus in this area. However, in line with former UTTC’s global influence, the company has established a strategy for international growth over the coming years. Toon explains: “Our goal is to combine the geographic specialisations of UBC and UTTC to expand the dry bulk business globally. The biggest portion of our turnover comes from Europe and I want to look outside of this region for new markets - so far we have been highly successful in this aim. I don’t want to exclude the idea of acquisition, but I think we are already well positioned, together with our existing partnerships and possible future alliances, to grow organically.” Further to the recently opened offices in Russia and China, the company is developing new business in these areas while the Middle East is also on the radarscope to grow further.
As well as offering transportation solutions, InterBulk has the ability to infiltrate a customer’s business with onsite terminals to deliver a more efficient and value-added service. For example, where a customer may have an onsite production facility or terminal, InterBulk is able to take over the logistics operations, from handling containers to the loading and unloading of trucks. The company also has the facility to manage packaging lines and storage activities on behalf of clients for value-added logistics. Such a capability is a further aspect of the organisation’s approach to international growth, with strategic locations being pinpointed. “Our new terminal in Duisburg, Germany will serve multiple customers rather than one tailored client. Our customers and receivers can use our terminal for the imports of polymers from the Middle East destined for European markets, for instance. Polymers, both packed and bulk, will be supplied from the main North Sea ports by rail and barge to Duisburg. After storage, these products will be transferred into the most optimal mode of transport for onward distribution,” he explains.
')";>The transportation industry has been greatly affected by the economic crisis of the past two years, though InterBulk appears to have experienced relatively mild consequences, as Toon outlines: “We published our annual results in December and are quite satisfied that we have come out quite strongly. As expected our revenue has decreased in relation to the previous year but compared to the transport industry as a whole we are doing very well. This is due to a number of reasons. Over the past few years we have taken a close look at our costs in terms of those involved in procurement, supply and overheads, and have taken the right measures in reducing them. We have been successful in driving new contracts like with AkzoNobel and Syngenta despite the depletion in current business, and as such have increased our market share and global recognition. We have also achieved expansion in our product capabilities; we are diversifying into minerals and food elements, and see potential in any sort of dry bulk or chemical product. The geographic and portfolio growth we have achieved has helped us gain a name in new frontiers and that is why we have witnessed a relatively small decline in our turnover.”
Though a vital aspect of the logistics market, forecasting has become more difficult in recent months. As such, InterBulk’s supply chain is aligned with agile and lean principles, founded on the maintenance of minimal assets and profitable partnerships. The company prefers to run a business model that looks to long-term partnerships for flexible solutions and outsourcing.
InterBulk’s supply chain and network of suppliers have a wide range of criteria to fulfil that is passed down from customer demand. The greatest element in managing supply chain is cost, and as customers demand reduced prices, InterBulk in turn requires its suppliers to be cost-effective and innovative in their approach. The service aspect is also crucial in maintaining profitable relationships; all suppliers must achieve excellent service records while adhering to the latest in QHSSE standards. This is especially important with regards to the chemical industry where the company conducts regular audits and requires the latest certifications.
Toon notes: “One of our greatest strengths is that we have a sustainable business model, a concept that is becoming increasingly important for the market in light of the growing emphasis on carbon footprints and greenhouse gases. We have the ability to transport containers by a range of modes, and in general when a container is put on a vessel or rail, it produces up to 80 per cent less emissions than if it was delivered by road. We also hold strengths in the fact that we take away the worry from our customers by producing a complete organised solution that helps them achieve cost savings by providing them with the most efficient option possible. We also have some of the best people in the industry working for us and our IT systems are second to none.”
InterBulk’s years of success can be put down to its distinct vision and ability to provide an undeniably efficient service from its flexible and progressive supply chain. The current aim is to continue investment in people and partnerships, diversify into further product realms such as food and minerals, and grow the business even stronger outside of Europe. “I also want to be innovative in terms of supply chain management, reducing cost for our end customers and developing transport links, ” Toon concludes.
InterBulk Group
Employees: 400
Services: Intermodal logistics
