The new high road from JFK International Airport in New York to CAS is no longer the best kept secret, as Royal Air Maroc spreads big, beautiful B-787 Dreamliner wings (one in service, two more to be added to the fleet in 2016) adding major capacity for shippers between the U.S. and Africa.

     “Across the Atlantic to Africa will never be the same,” assures Adrien Thominet, COO of ECS Group, which now serves at 13 stations as RAM GSSA.
     “We have reinterpreted our air cargo services, adding capability for all types of cargo via Gateway CAS, including enhanced ground handling support and road-feeder infrastructure. We’re offering European and African shippers quick connections via CAS right into JFK,” said RAM VP Cargo Amine El Farissi.
     “We chose ECS to build our GSSA sales network because they are big enough to grow with us, but also have the power and market knowledge to bring our program to market via a diverse cross section of business contacts.
     “Up and down the line ECS lends its global GSSA world class sales support to the revitalized RAM Cargo effort,” notes Shaun Hawkett, commercial director USA, Canada & Dominican Republic for Globe Air Cargo (ECS).
     “Currently RAM operates to 34 stations throughout Africa, so our B787s connecting via our enhanced road feeder throughout Europe or via our B737 freighter are the foundation for our push to eventually see CAS emerge as a major gateway for Africa,” Amine El Farissi said.
     “We are proud to be part of the growing success story that is Royal Air Maroc Cargo,” Shaun Hawkett said.
Geoffrey/Sabiha

     “Atlanta is a natural expansion for CAL in the USA,” Eyal Zagagi, CAL CEO told FlyingTypers on the eve of starting up all-cargo B747F operations between ATL and LGG this week.
     “Based on CAL’s success in JFK, where our relative market share exceeds our size of operations versus all of our competition, CAL is ready to serve a much greater area, offering our unique services and approach that has worked well for us in the greater New York region.
     “Until now CAL has served ATL as an offline catchment via our JFK operation and has enjoyed solid support from this market.
     “Our strategy is to serve not only to the big multi-nationals but also to the SMB’s, freight forwarders, and shippers who would benefit from our customer-centric and industry specific approach.
     “Atlanta consolidates shipments to the EU from the automotive industry, a growing pharma sector, oil and gas equipment, and more.
     “Our services are a good fit for these industries.
     “Leveraging the strength of our GSA partner ATC, our reach in this market offers unique options and inventive solutions for shippers in Houston, Dallas, the Carolina’s, Florida, and elsewhere.”

Intimate Customer Solutions

     “CAL is an international ‘boutique’ cargo airline,” Mr. Zagagi said.
     “That means we have flexibility as to how we work whilst driving personal interaction with our customers.
     “Our vision is to be the preferred choice for customers in selected markets globally, providing dependable, integrated air cargo solutions.
     “In these markets we provide an excellent solution for existing market needs by delivering excellent and dependable products with superb customer service.
     “Internally here at CAL we refer to our market approach as ‘customer intimacy,’” Mr. Zagagi revealed.
     “More than 65 percent of CAL’s business is realized from pharma, fresh, oversized consignments, added value, and also engines of various sizes.
     “Each of these products and others require comprehensive, industry specific SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures).
     “We often create unique SOPs for specific customers/specific shipments with specific needs,” Mr. Zagagi said.
     “As mentioned, customer intimacy is a core strategy that enables us to grow our business and maintain relationships in all markets (‘selected market globally’) where CAL is active, including the U.S. and Europe.”

Growing Markets & Friendships

     “We are noticing growth in pharma, a sector with specific professional requirements, which we can answer.
     “In 2015 we invested to have CAL and our GHS CEIV certified [CEIV is the new IATA’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators].
     “We also see growth in transport of large-scale engines and to that end we launched an industry specific product called ‘CAL Engines.’
     “So in 2015 CAL now transports hundreds of engines around the world every year and has tremendous experience with every size and type of aircraft engine.
     “The benefit of our fleet, which includes two B747Fs, has served us well, allowing for an expanded roster of services offered,” Eyal Zagagi said.
     “More freight forwarders are demanding personal care and a reliable and trustworthy partner who will go the extra mile for them.
     “This is what we do and who we are,” Mr. Zagagi said.

Who Is Eyal Zagagi?

     Eyal Zagagi joined CAL in mid-2013, having served as managing director of Keter Tools (Plastic industry).
     Prior to that posting he served as president and CEO of Surf (in the telecommunication industry).
     He says he served as managing director at a venture capital fund and was president and CEO of a software company in the 3D space content, and also held senior leadership positions with Elbit Group and HyNEX (acquired by Cisco).
     Mr. Zagagi holds an MBA from the University of Dallas and B.A. in Computer Science from the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology.
     He terms his venture into air cargo a “pure coincidence,” adding quickly:
     “At the end of the day I believe that management of a business is all about managing people, tasks, and strategy.
     “After two years in this industry, my opinion is strengthened that a wide variety of experience is no less important than decades of experience in one specific industry.”
     “In the air cargo industry, this concept of ‘industry background’ is highly overrated,” he insists.
     “For long term viability the air cargo industry needs to value drive, passion, creativity, and a wide and deep range of managerial experience.
     “I have learned a great deal from some of my mentors in the variety of industries in which I have worked.
     “There are two main factors that inspire my view with regards to CAL:
               •  The level of service that the courier companies provide their customers.
              •  Every company must be unique and find its competitive edge.
     “I believe that CAL has found it and needs to deepen it and adhere to it.
     “I believe that bigger companies may have difficulty competing with us and therein lies our unique opportunity.
     “As mentioned, CAL will only deepen our level of customer intimacy, whilst providing total transparency to our entire offering of vertical products.”

The Industry View

     Mr. Zagagi offers an outsider’s perspective on air cargo, with ideas brought forward as a life-long manager who now stands at the helm of a growing international air cargo resource.
     “The air cargo industry still has a large, unfinished challenge to implement e-freight.
     “If passengers can fly with an electronic ticket, there is no doubt the cargo can and will do the same.
     “It is just a matter of time, but this industry appears to be quite conservative.
     “Also, air cargo airlines must improve the cool chain and the overall solution the cargo industry provides for time & temperature sensitive cargo.
     “Compared to the impressive progress and improvements made in sea-cargo, the aviation side still has a long way to go.
     “We need to simplify the process of import/export by air.
     “Shortening the length of door-to-door delivery is a must to strengthen the competitive advantage of air cargo over sea.
     “More three-way communication between shippers, forwarders, and airlines to improve the solutions provided to the shipper are also needed.
     “The key element is understanding the customers’ needs and providing the optimal solution.
     “This awareness is growing in the pharma segment and is showing good results to all stakeholders.”

CAL & Israel

     “CAL is a global player, with its hub and center of gravity in Liége, Belgium.
     “The misconception is clearly the fact that CAL is attributed to the Israeli market.
     “Indeed we are a big player (biggest cargo freighter player) in Israel, but all the rest of our activity and all of CAL’s expansion comes and will continue to come from other global markets and we’ll continue to develop Liege as our hub.
     “Our new Atlanta operation is exactly in line with this strategy and we recognize that increasing CAL’s overall business will reduce the share of the Israeli market in the CAL orbit.
     “Israel is well known for innovation and entrepreneurship and although CAL has grown into a European-based global company, we proudly maintain these core values,” Eyal Zagagi said.
Geoffrey

“It was only thanks to air transport that within a few days we managed to bring more than 15,000 camp beds to where they were so urgently needed.”

The German Red Cross and Lufthansa Cargo teamed up to deliver beds from the U.S. to Frankfurt, where they are now in use throughout Germany in 288 locations assisting more than 82,000 refugees from Syria.

  I have grown old enough to remember when I was the only Geoffrey Arend.
  But now if you Google ‘Geoffrey Arend,’ our son, the actor, pops up, and of course that is just fine.
  Geoffrey and his wife, our beautiful daughter-in-law Christina Hendricks Arend, have been featured in a series of worldwide adverts for the Brooks Brothers clothing company, including an entire window in the Manhattan New York flagship store, The Pier in Hong Kong, and several newspaper and magazine spreads.
  My guess is that if you live long enough and are lucky, what goes around always comes around.
  Needless to say, we are equally proud of the things we did this last summer, and looking at our kids, friends, and business colleagues, the rest of our life as well.

Taking A Break
  At this special family time of year, we extend greetings to people of the Jewish faith with wishes for a peaceful feast at Yom Kippur.
  To Muslims everywhere we wish happiness, warmth, and peace at Eid al-Adha 2015.
Geoffrey

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