Here today at Air Cargo Europe, the ATC Team is pictured at a spirit building outing at the Zugspitze, the tallest mountain peak in Germany.

Right now in Germany, not only the most exciting, but also the best GSSA operation in the world is emerging.
     To listen to ATC CEO Ingo Zimmer, ATC has only just begun to continue its unprecedented growth plan that has seen the GSSA move from regional European services to ATC spreading its wings across America, Canada, South America, and now Asia in just the past five years.

Dynamic Leadership

    Ingo Zimmer is the immensely appealing, always approachable top executive at ATC that has sculpted a worldwide growing organization with a cadre of truly professional flight air cargo executives, plus an emerging impressive array of young talent.
    This precisely why ATC is amongst the most admired air cargo companies.
    When it comes to service delivery, empowering new generation cargo executives with great mentors, ATC is one of the major forces for good across the board at work in air cargo today.

Partnerships Always Top Priority

    “I believe in partnership and quality,” Ingo told FlyingTypers.
    “If airlines have good experience with us and our standards in Europe, they will be comfortable as we grow our offering elsewhere in the world, including Europe, Africa, Asia, India, and in the Americas as well.”
    As example, at Air Cargo Europe we are celebrating our business partnership with ANA June 4th at Hall B1 Stand 317 at 10 am with a cake.
    “On June 5th we celebrate our 20-year partnership with ET, and yes, we will have cake at 10 am at our Air Cargo Europe stand.
    “We think it is not only important, but necessary to celebrate long-term relationships in the air cargo business.
    “We can all promise to deliver for our service partners. But it is longevity in relationships that provides the proof and satisfaction all around.”
    Cake for breakfast?
    “Breakfast of champions,” Ingo Zimmer smiled.

One Eye On The Pot

    As we spoke to Ingo, we imagined he might have been a master chef.
    He knows the first lesson of any good cook is to refine your recipe, keep one eye on the pot and always be on the lookout for another new taste sensation.
    In that regard, while ATC has grown in stature and client base, Ingo is always looking to streamline the value added process whilst exploring possibilities for expanding the ATC brand through acquisitions and other means.

ATC Optimistic

    Despite his years of experience, Ingo remains eternally optimistic and quietly determined to make the most of his lifelong air cargo career.
    There is a certain infectious enthusiasm and earnest attitude that Ingo carries with him everyday, that is quite unlike the attitude often taken by some top executives.
    Ingo is down on the ground, engaged and actively wanting to know all about what is going on over, under, around and through the ATC company.
    He is refreshing and as a very hands-on guy, always a good story.

Munich In A Word Works

    “I am travelling to Munich because this is the best exhibition for airfreight executives.
    “I can meet the majority of my customers and also many potential new clients.
    “The formula is simple:
    “Air Cargo Europe is a successful, well-attended event that has much to do with the Transport and Logistik Fair which takes place at the same time.
    “The event always works for us.
    “At Munich this week we can get right down to the business of working toward our top priority for the recent, and coming year—to grow our network.

ATC Welcome For You

    “ACE Munich is the ideal middle ground to discuss strategies and to get a hands-on, face-to-face idea of what our customers are looking for in their GSSA,” says Ingo.
    “The ATC team of managers from all over the world will be present in our signature display stand, offering full access to information and solutions to meet our customers’ and potential customers’ needs.
    “We continue building our business. Our outlook remains quite positive for 2019.
    “Our strengths are the variety of our services, the experience and market coverage, and our quality, which is the standard of the world,” says Ingo Zimmer.
    “Founded in Switzerland, today ATC is a global enterprise, having grown incrementally and also by acquisition (for example, Platinum Cargo in the U.S.).

Offering The Total Package
    “ATC owns and operates all our offices; there are no subcontracted operations,” says Ingo.
    “What that means is consistency—same centralized state of the art IT, clear group procedure manual, and hand-selected top managers.
    “All customer service staff at ATC has forwarder/airline backgrounds.
    “We hire the best by offering top notch career opportunities to our employees.
    “In an era of constant downward pressure, ATC does not embrace the cut-rate approach of filling our staff positions with cheap labor.
    “So far, our strategy has paid off as more than 75 airline partners have chosen ATC, realizing that in the long run our offering keeps customers and delivers not only cost savings, but also innovation to the industry.”

ATC People Are Not ETC

    ATC means 'Always Take Care' and the pioneering general service agent and managing services company for the airlines has grown, as mentioned here, exponentially worldwide.
    “Every one who works here contributes to our success,” Ingo said.
    “Our people are our greatest asset,” he added.
    But when you think about it, which company have you read about that is not going to tell you that their people are great?
    So FlyingTypers was given access to 16 team members at ATC around the world.
    The question was simple.
    Why work for ATC?
    Here is what they said.

Munich This Week

    “We look forward to greeting everyone in Munich,” Ingo insists.
    “This is my personal invitation to our friends and partners and also to some folks that may not know us to stop by and spend a few moments. We think you will be pleased to discover that at ATC, honesty, service, and customer dedication is our recipe for success,” Ingo Zimmer said.
Geoffrey

“The reason I love what I do is the people I connect with. Moving from what's familiar to places yet to be discovered—that’s what I appreciate about being in the airline business.
     “The unique quality United Cargo brings to this industry is our commitment to making sure everyone does well in their business—our airline and our customers.”
     When we met with United Airlines’ France Cargo Sales Manager Laurent Bernet in a small, elegant hotel garden in Place Pigalle Paris recently, we discovered a seasoned veteran of the air cargo business. He’s worked both sides of the Atlantic; first at Fritz, where he did an internship in 1992, and next at United Cargo, where he has been comfortably situated for the past twenty-four years.
     It turns out that during his formative years in air cargo Laurent served as a Cargo Account Executive at United’s critical major global hub in Chicago, Illinois.
     “I wanted to work for the airlines. In 1994, I had a meeting scheduled with the United Cargo Manager in CDG, but he had to cancel that appointment due to a strike.
     “So I came to the U.S. and applied for a job with United’s passenger service team.
     “I took a test to prove I was fluent in French (smiles all around) and was accepted at an hourly rate of $7.25 when I joined the ‘Friendly Skies’ in December 1994.
     “The rest, as they say, is history.”

Theme of Life & Work

     “Keep it simple” was a recurring theme as Laurent revealed his deep-seated love for the logistics industry.
     “I love cargo, because this business is an ever-challenging game.
     “The core of what we sell is customer service. I realize this isn’t rocket science, but still, you always have to be your best,” Laurent says. “The fundamentals are having respect for and listening to your customer.
     “A good portion of our business out of Paris is express, so consistent quality is essential. Our Sales Team needs to be respectful but also aggressive.”

Mission Impossible

     Chatting with Laurent generates a mood as cozy and relaxed as a cardigan sweater.      As someone who from all outward signs enjoys what he does, it’s natural that he would extend himself to serve others.
     We learn that Mr. Bernet is current President of SYCAFF, a most respected and vital organization of air cargo transportation leadership professionals in France.
     SYCAFF includes 37 members and associate members.
     “SYCAFF is an organization that meets monthly, where service providers work together to build cooperation and knowledge by exchanging technical and operational experiences on a variety of airline topics.
     “SYCAFF’s agenda is to develop concrete solutions to multiple issues impacting our business. We bring all the perspectives and ideas together from the airlines side and strive to ensure that whatever measures we take benefit all users of the freight platform.”
     Of course, the old adage of “all work and no play” at least gets a nod from the SYCAFF gentry, as the group also participates in several social events throughout the year.
     Crucially, for the past 20 years, SYCAFF has been in the forefront defending the interests of the air cargo sector with public authorities.
     “In addition to strategic, economic, and regulatory monitoring, we also work to develop strategic partnerships whose overall aim is improving the quality of service,” Mr. Bernet said.

Life in Paris

     Laurent Bernet lives in Paris with his wife, Annare and two daughters, Fiona and Emily.
     Asked what his priorities in life are, Laurent is quite clear and characteristically French:
     “Love, family, good food, travel and job satisfaction,” he smiles.
     While he gets great pleasure from an evening stroll in the small village where he lives, or excitement from a night with friends in the “City of Light,” he also relishes opportunities for more far-flung travel.
     “Most recently we visited Cuba, and it was a unique and wonderful experience,” Laurent confided.
     He also has warm memories of his life in otherwise windy and (at times) brusque Chicago.
     “It’s a great city where we really got into living in America.
     “We have wonderful memories, from when our daughters were born, to when Annare ran in the Chicago Marathon, to many other people and places that are special to us.”
     A favorite place to be—besides Paris, of course—is Buenos Aires.
     “Buenos Aires is a city of constant discovery and adventure, no matter how many times I visit,” Laurent revealed, adding: “The people, history and hospitality in Buenos Aires are all fantastic.”
     Laurent admits his love for life extends to culinary delights such as sushi and red meat dishes like the famous “steak tartare.”

Advice to The Next Generation

     Laurent Bernet’s outwardly spirited approach is genuine, coming from deep within.
     We learn that Laurent continues to battle cancer and, in addition, he gets a portion of his drive to embrace life fully from having survived a harrowing automobile accident in 1998.
     So as Laurent gives advice to those seeking a long and positive career in air cargo, everything comes full circle:
     “Learn from other sources,” Laurent advises.
     “Take the best, but remember to separate the wheat from the chaff.
     “Be bold but humble, but in the right circumstances don’t be afraid to be insistent, even arrogant.
     “In life, be sure you’re right, and then go ahead.
     “Never forget that people make all the difference.
     “Keep your word, and never promise what you can’t deliver.
     “I take great pride in the United Cargo product. Nobody does it better than us, so I’m thankful I have a part in providing it and I’m never far away from my cell phone or email.
     “But sometimes you have to say no, and that is difficult.
     “Whether you say no or yes, in the end the secret is trust,” Laurent Bernet said.
Geoffrey/Sabiha