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#INTHEAIREVERYWHERE

Vol. 24 No. 25	Monday Jume 2, 2025

     Transport Logistic takes off June 2-5, at Munich Trade Centre, with Air Cargo Europe, the icing on a giant logistics confab as a partner event. The event manages to combine different interests in logistics in order to attract large crowds from all over the world. No one is quite sure how much audience spillover occurs between the venues, which in the case of air cargo organizers claims more than 262 exhibitors from 46 countries in a gigantic venue of 15,000 meters. But one fact is undeniable: this is the world’s biggest and most important logistics event, whether you attend as a big company, small Mom & Pop outfit, or even if you are just going to walk around and take in the view.
     This combined event represents the marriage of the two most important logistics initiatives being celebrated in Germany, hence the title of this editorial. For those who are not familiar with the jingle, let me borrow their intriguing explanation from theknot.com: the famous wedding recipe comes from the Old English rhyme, "Something Olde, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, A Sixpence in your Shoe." All of these objects were seen as a must for brides to incorporate into their wedding dresses or carry with them on their wedding day. Why? Well, it all comes down to luck. People believed the items would bring good and happy marriages. According to Reader's Digest, the rhyme came about in the Victorian era from Lancashire, a county in England. Most of the ingredients in the rhyme are meant to ward off the evil eye, which, according to Reader's Digest, was ‘a curse passed through a malicious glare that could make a bride infertile.’
     So in some comfortable shoes, stop the bean counting and jump into the packed tradeshow floors for as much of this event as you can weather. And remember: it may be a marriage of interests.
     On June 3rd DSLV, the Freight Forwarding and Logistics Association in Germany will hold a session, moderated by Frank Huster, DSLV’s DG and longstanding member of FIATA and CLECAT. The session proclaims its focus to be about “ESG regulations, such as the European CSR and CSDD directives and the EU taxonomy, are imposing increasing demands on the industry. Low thresholds and trickle-down effects of the market are also increasing pressure on medium-sized freight forwarding companies, which must disclose sustainability measures and absorb the additional costs for reporting obligations and CO2 monitoring.” Beware, the meeting is held in German: hence you may wish to refresh your Goethe . . .
     Other reasons why you may wish to visit Munich are abundant and span culture, food, architecture and even football . . . Let me stick to music for one sufficient bite. This is the city where Carl Orff was born on July 10th 1895. He is the artist who gave the world the famous Carmina Burana. This cantata combines spirit, earthly pleasures, inspiration, devotion and cunning, in a way that perfectly reflects the spirit of Munich from our point of view.
     This week’s Transport Logistic and Air Cargo Europe can rightfully be counted as number one and two in the world in terms of importance, and yet it is profoundly European. A certain element speaks for itself: in 2023 these were the top countries by number of attendees:

• Austria	• France
• Italy	• Great Britain
• Netherlands	• Czech Republic
• Poland	• Belgium
• Switzerland	• Turkey

     Despite its European location and flair, ACE is unquestionably a trendsetter in air cargo globally and this is why we think it is always worth a visit. For folks that think they can do without the tradeshow floor crush and may pursue other interests in Munich, Air Cargo Europe will feature several sessions, yet rarely much emerges from these encounters, so you should not feel guilty if you prefer to mingle with the locals in more central areas of the Bavarian metropole. That is not to say that 2025 couldn’t be different: perhaps a closer look at the program is required . . .
     Casting an eye to the trailers reveals the unhidden ambition of the tradeshow: “In 2025, representatives of the complete air freight industry meet at air cargo Europe. The exhibitor directory provides a complete overview of the exhibiting companies.” Here is a session rundown: speaking of something new . . . Let’s look at the PR provided for the Press. “At an international level, the world of logistics is preoccupied with “Global supply chains in transition” (BVL), developments such as “My Nation First – Antiglobalization, trade wars, hot wars” (Club of Logistics) and “Future of Air Freight and Freighters”. The continuing wave of insolvencies is causing concern for SMEs. The Federal Association of Freight Transport and Logistics (BGL) will provide astatus report on this while the Verkehrsrundschau will pose the question: “Mediumsized transport companies: phased-out model or model for the future?”. The Expert Council on Digital Transformation in Transport and Logistics will discuss “How freight forwarders are mastering change” in a panel. Key players from business and research will comment on market developments, including major brands such as IKEA, Alfred Kärcher, Andreas Schmid Logistik and VDO/Continental.”
     One expects these to be new topics and concerns, but in reality is it not always the same history repeating? For those who have studied the history of trade, the picture is clear. After the industrial revolutions in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, much of today’s debate was already on the tables then. In the 21st Century we drive faster, but . . . Even technology, in particular IT and AI, which have become so invasive in our lives, was on top of the social debate then. Luddites were afraid that machines would substitute human work and at various degrees that debate was real, even if you were no extremist. Similarly, today we are afraid that AI will make us all redundant. Is it really different? It has always been about embracing change and the speed at which change can happen without creating disasters. We can only hope we have learned from past lessons to manage our future more successfully than in past instances.
     On June 2nd at 14:30 in Forum Hall A1 again you get something that is old and new at the same time: “Combating Greenhushing in Air Cargo to Ensure a Sustainable, People, Planet, Profit Future” launches the ACE session effort in cooperation with “Women in Aviation & Logistics” (WAL) created by the consultancy group Change Horizon and Meantime Communications. Not much advance content detail for this session is available aside from the descriptive “greenhushing” moniker that describes when companies choose to not communicate their sustainability efforts. Greenhushing in 2008 was advanced as a word by brand strategist Jerry Stifelman and writer Sami Grover in a blog post (now inaccessible) for Treehugger.com. You would think from arm’s length here with “Sustainability” on nearly everyone’s mind as result in no small part from the blizzard of sessions at events driving the “Sustainability Anthem”, that just maybe an attention malaise might also be advanced in some manner by subject overkill and fatigue . . . Hopeful that something new might develop here, so stay tuned. Note as this is written, no new postings on WAL website about anything for the past two years . . .
     Here are some other sessions at ACE 2025 that we consider to be mixing old and new in a way to attract audience:
     • Tuesday, June 3rd 10:00 - 11:00 in Forum Hall A2 “Artificial Intelligence - What is in it for Air Cargo?”
     • Wednesday, June 4th 10:00 - 11:00 in Forum Hall A1 “Future of Air Freight and Freighters”
     • Wednesday June 4th 13:30 - 14:30 Forum Hall A1 “Unlocking the Future: AI, Automation, and Digitalization in Air Cargo”

     Coming to something borrowed, maybe we can borrow some of the knowledge that originates from the distinguished speakers. As we know only too well, knowledge is the only resource that grows as it is being shared, unlike other ones which diminish and eventually come to an end. More power to their elbows!      These are the leaders that we need to listen to! Honestly we prefer to leave the reference to something blue for you to find out for yourselves when you transit the spacious galleries of Messe Munich, but the Munich Blue Line can become an inspiring diversion, if you do not want to spend the entire duration of your stay in the halls of the exhibition.
     Now we come to the end of our rhyme and we must deal with the six pence piece. Well, the künstliche Intelligenz, i.e. Artificial Intelligence in German attire, comes diligently to your aid to inform you that – alas – the British six pence coin is not in use in Germany, as Germany switched to the Euro, before experiencing a not-so-trouble-free transition from Reichsmark to the Deutsche Mark. The Euro came last, but using a six cent coin is not an option as it does not exist. AI uses a rather mysterious tone of regret and compunction, as if it was afraid of hurting our feelings of British nostalgia for the inexistent tanner, declared defunct in 1971. Somehow the BOT must have learnt that humans are susceptible entities.
     You have no six pence piece at hand? This does not mean that you must run away empty handed: the Messe Munich area just hosted the world celebrated Numismata in March. Who knows? Perhaps one of the British regulars could have dropped his or her silver collector’s tanner. The six pence coin was minted between 1551 and 1947, so there must still be some of them in some unheeded drawers somewhere . . . If you happen to find one, you can end today’s rhyme with ample success and make your visit to Munich completely fertile – as even the slightest malicious frown will be averted – and unforgettable!
Geoffrey Arend/Marco Sorgetti

     One of our regular customers and friends will take part in Air Cargo Europe 2025: United Airlines. United’s connections with Europe have always been very functional and its integration in the European market has always been well-designed and easy to use.
     Looking at UNITED Cargo’s website you immediately have the impression that everything is easy. That is an achievement in itself, if you compare it with other portals where stress-free is not really your first impression… In United’s case you build your own account and continue to your booking as though you had the invisible hand guiding you. In fact, we did report about this new feature at the end of last year.
     In February this year we published an article where we explained why Jan Krems, President, United Cargo and Vice President, United Airlines is a great leader. In his answers, all perfectly aligned to give due credit to his team, Jan did not mention what we consider one of his most significant achievements: he makes you feel at ease. In a world where we feel unsettled most of the time, this is probably the greatest achievement.
     It was a little more than ten years ago when Jan Krems started at United, quite a journey in so little time. Jan is Dutch and I believe this is connected with the idea of taking things in the right way. Making things easy is institutional for the Dutch. I still remember my great mentor Han van Os of Fenex, the Dutch freight forwarding association, who was the mastermind behind me taking my job at CLECAT in Brussels. When I was in trouble with some difficult positions or in doubt with regard to what could and could not be proposed to our members, he always had a clear, immaculate way of putting it down before my eyes and then he concluded his explanation with: “So simple is it!” That was his catch phrase for making everything run smoothly. His advice was instrumental to make me see things in their effortlessness, if approached in the right manner.
United Air Cargo Munich 2025 Booth Number      From some points of view something similar happened to United after Krems took the lead: United Cargo effortlessly established their leading position. We learn from Jan Krems’s bio on the UNITED Cargo website that he “is President, United Cargo for United Airlines, the world's leading airline. In this role, he is responsible for all aspects of United Cargo's operations, customer service, sales and marketing activity, revenue management, product quality, and technology solutions.”
     We had contact with Jan even before he joined United, as “prior to this position, Jan was Vice President Americas for Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo, where he was responsible for the company's operations, customer service and sales in North America, South America, Latin America, Canada and the Caribbean.”
     We are also told that “Jan joined United after a 27-year career at KLM Cargo. While with KLM, he served in a number of leadership positions including Vice President Asia and Vice President Europe, Africa and the Middle East. As the company's Vice President Worldwide Customer Service during and after the merger with Air France Cargo, he was responsible for the integration of all Air France and KLM cargo offices, aligning processes, cultures, IT systems, and people on a global scale.”
     With a degree in commercial economics from the Utrecht University and a post-graduate degree in marketing, combined with his hands-on approach in business, Krems is the right man in the right place to accommodate United’s shareholders’ ambitious programme. If you want to have a peep at the airline’s expectations in the near future, you could watch the last three minutes of Scott Kirby’s interview in “Face the Nation” recently. This is the man who arranged his “sixty second” transition from American Airlines to United. With hindsight one could say that it was a pretty consequential sixty seconds’ intermission . . .
     Ups and downs are the norm in the airline business and in recent times there was no bigger shake-up in the skies than the pandemic. In this article you can see figures that will explain to you that taking things in the right way is key to resilience, a result that speaks for itself in United’s case. One way or another taking things in the right way seems the recipe with United’s success.
     Getting back to Jan Krems, “when he's not jet-setting, he spends most of his time in Spain, where he enjoys growing grapes (although he admits that the wine is still undrinkable). In addition to his passion for winemaking, Jan resides in Spain with his wife and four dogs and loves playing padel in his leisure time.”
     In early-May an Italian newspaper published the news that United was expected to become the world’s leading airline on the Italian market and a whole new business class offer will pave the way to return flying to JFK from Italy. Being Italian I could not pass the news without comments, but I am sure this is not the only update we can expect from United in the near future. Let us see what happens somewhere else . . .
     Looking at air cargo on the other side of the American landmass, SFO has been recently propelled into a new dimension and these are United’s words to describe their expectations in future: “Looking Ahead: Future-Ready Capacity – As we build on today’s momentum, even more capacity is on the horizon. A new, state-of-the-art cargo complex will introduce expanded handling zones, automation, and higher throughput to support the evolving needs of California’s supply chains. As a hometown carrier, United remains committed to innovation, operational excellence, and keeping freight moving—efficiently, reliably, and always forward.”
     This proposal will have its appeal in Munich and no doubt United will show their complete portfolio there and then. Jan Krems will be in Munich. Perhaps you may wish to visit and see how your air cargo package can get a boost? Jan managed to put together a collective cooperation in United that always shows a winning card, wherever it is played.
     Collecting collective success can even be a swift operation in United hands . . .
Geoffrey Arend with Marco Sorgetti

Geoffrey Arend, Bob Imbriani,Brandon Fried, Jim Foster Award

Swati Parikh, Jenni Frigger-Latham, Connie Ash, Stacie Countryman, Lauren Allen

EMO Trans Global Logistics is known and respected worldwide for its grand tradition of growing and maintaining a family business.
But this year of 2025 is special as EMO celebrates 60 years since the company was founded in Stuttgart, Germany.
EMO Trans Munich Booth Number

     In 2025, despite huge changes in six decades EMO Trans has grown and has continued to blossom led by the foundational brilliance and consolidation of the brand by the late Joachim Frigger, and the legions of dedicated employees who proudly serve the company around the world.
     In an often here today, gone tomorrow transportation business, EMO Trans is outstanding for continued growth and outlook built on a solid philosophy of family values.
     Most recently for the past three years since Jo passed, Marco Rohrer, has served at the helm of EMO Trans.
     The Frigger family is also very much in the mix, as Karin Frigger picked up the reins and serves as EMO Chairwoman plus son, Sven and daughter, Jenni are also featured along with a very talented group of dedicated logistician professionals who serve the total transportation company.
     In this most unique enterprise in freight forwarding and logistics, certain touchstones of tradition— taking care of each other and honoring the values of superior customer service for generations of shippers, from USA, Europe, China, India and elsewhere are hallmarks of the EMO brand.
     Speaking of tradition and honoring its beginnings as a Germany-founded company, above from Wednesday May 21st is a picture of EMO Logisticians celebrating what is now a much-anticipated event held at The Tribeca Roof in Manhattan overlooking the World Trade Center, The Hudson River and New Jersey for the 20th annual gathering of a once-a-year treat in New York City at The German American Chamber of Commerce White Asparagus Gala Dinner, starring the air cargo-delivered “royal vegetable” Spargel (white asparagus) fresh from the fields of Bavaria.
     Hundreds gathered in this grand Tribeca Roof venue offering great food and a 360° degree view of the greatest city in the world for an evening of networking and fun.
     “It is always a pleasure and an honor to bring these cases of white asparagus to New York,” said Karin Frigger Chairwoman of EMO Trans.
     “The vegetable, while very popular from April until early June in Germany, is a rarity in USA and is not grown here,” Mrs. Frigger said.
     “Some attempts have been made to produce the asparagus in Latin America, but the best big white asparagus with its particular texture and sweetness, is grown in Germany where it has heralded springtime for centuries,” she added.
     “Spargel 2025 style is also a moveable feast that air cargo can deliver like no other mode of transport,” Karin Frigger said.
     “Working closely with Lufthansa Cargo, it’s strictly hands-on all the way,” said Mrs. Frigger, who added:
     “The 200 kg are transported in coolers from the fields to the airport.
     “The whole procedure lasts one and a half days, including customs and other authorities, as the vegetable passes through the security microscope.
     “But the payoff is well worth it, as a grand tradition is maintained and enhanced by EMO Trans’ ability to handle all manner of shipment, end to end,” she concluded.

EMO Trans Munich Air Cargo Europe 2025 Booth

     As air cargo gets ready to meet in Munich at Air Cargo Europe, EMO Trans at Stand number A1.431/532 (above) looks forward to meeting and greeting the attendees.
     In Germany, April to June is Spargel season as roadside stands, farmers’ markets, and grocery stores all carry ample supplies of the “royal vegetable,” and many restaurants have special spargel menus which feature asparagus as the star ingredient.
     When you think about it a bit . . .kind of nice and definitely something else to do as we take a pause in the daily business combat to lean back and celebrate life as we enjoy a unique vegetable.
     Bravo EMO Trans!
     Listen.
Geoffrey/SSA

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Vol. 24 No. 22 Meanwhile In Abu Dhabi Reflections On WCS 2025 The Brandon Fried Story Chuckles for May 5, 2025 Jewels In The Crown Feliz Cinco de Mayo	Vol. 24 No. 23 CNS Crucial Role In U.S. Trade Jason Berry The Power To Pivot CNS Week And Building	Vol. 24 No. 24 Kale Logistics USA Five Year Journey ATC Says Take A Load Off Mr. Lufthansa Remembered Mother's Day Come What May

Publisher-Geoffrey Arend • Managing Editor-Flossie Arend • Editor Emeritus-Richard Malkin
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