EMO Trans President Marco Rohrer paints a cautious but openly optimistic future for the global logistics service company.
      Addressing a packed house at the beautiful Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort where EMO Trans conducted its Annual Global Meeting last week, Mr. Rohrer noted that while business has been challenging, EMO Trans’ 2016 results and expansion moves have been quite positive.

Great Expectations Realized

      “We have great confidence to move forward in a very challenging environment,” Mr. Rohrer said.
      “During 2016, most of our offices reported solid results in line with our expectations.
      “Our USA operation had a very good year, and China and Hong Kong contributed outstanding results.
      “Elsewhere, our long-time offices in Chile, France, Germany, and Canada also recorded solid growth numbers in 2016.”

Self-Generated Destiny

      “Today we are in the strongest financial position in our 50- plus years in business,” Marco Rohrer declared.

New Locations

      “In 2016, we opened new offices in Malaysia and Singapore. Our Malaysian operation was profitable from the day the doors opened for business.
      “Singapore is doing very well at this time based on the strength of our aviation traffic, specifically with EMO Trans Australia,” Marco said.

2016 Adds Up

      “Last year,” Marco Rohrer said, “Information Technology was front and center in terms of our investment for the future.
      “EMO Trans launched a vastly improved website in 2016, loaded with customer- friendly features that enrich the EMO Trans experience.
      “The new website will continue to evolve and be even more interactive in 2017.”
      “Another area of immediate benefit is extension of our sales pipeline in 2016 and the enhancements to the EMO Trans RFQ process.
      “Late last year, EMO Trans launched a global procurement initiative for ocean freight that will provide benefits to our operations throughout the world in 2017.”

Regrets, We Have A Few

      “We were taken by surprise (as was most of the rest of the industry) at the sudden, unexpected, and total collapse of Hanjin.
      “In the aftermath of the very costly Hanjin bankruptcy, we experienced rising ocean and air rates that also impacted our results,” Marco Rohrer said.

Ahead Into 2017

      “EMO Trans had a fast break into 2017 opening up three new offices, including Chengdu in January, Penang in March, and EMO Trans Beijing went operational just this week.”

Year Of Consolidation

      “We see 2017 as a year of consolidation. The political climate is as unpredictable as we’ve ever seen it. A possible trade war with some of our key trading partners would have a devastating effect on our business and the global economy.  Our strategy is to strengthen every facet of our network. We will continue to invest heavily in Information Technology, Sales, and our people. We do not have imminent plans to open in other countries, but we are opportunists and will strike if the right one comes along.”

The Competition

      “In the current environment, organic growth will be hard to come by. “As a privately held company, we are not threatened by this and can take a long-term view. Most of our competitors are public and under pressure to increase earnings per share. As a result, we expect increased M&A activity. During the merger process, these companies are focused inward and often neglect their customers, giving us a chance to swoop in and gain new clients. Some of these combined companies will emerge as formidable competitors with offices in every corner of the globe, tremendous procurement power, and enviable resources.
      “We continue to believe that inventive, customer centric solutions driven by motivated employees and worldwide partners add a distinctive edge to the EMO Trans offering,” Marco said.

New Entrants

      “Worth watching,” Marco Rohrer said, “are the ‘new technology’ companies like Amazon, which bought a slew of aircraft and just this week began offering services to China.
      “In addition, Amazon has an ocean license, so we can imagine that it will not be long until they are also a player in every aspect of the shipping business.
      “Maersk announced recently that they would work much closer with their subsidiary Damco, and that combination looks to position itself as a major competitor.”

What Happens Next?

      “We will grow our business while watching our expenses closely.
      “We are not planning to make any big splash moves in 2017.
       “We will also endeavor to create a stronger identity for the EMO Trans brand worldwide and articulate the EMO Trans value proposition.”

Workshops Abound

      “At our meeting this week, we are holding a number of interactive workshops focused on technology, sales, and the uniqueness of the EMO Trans network.
      “There is no doubt 2017 will be a challenging year. We have a sound strategy and know how to execute. With our collective experience, we will make this a successful year.”
Geoffrey