"We are very satisfied with our business performance. It was a good year. Despite the high capacity utilization in all systems, we were able to maintain our service quality. Commitments to our customers have top priority," says Wolfram Senger-Weiss, CEO of Gebrüder Weiss. In addition to digitalization, Gebrüder Weiss is also continuing to invest in physical infrastructure. Around 50 million euros were invested again in 2018. The equity ratio was maintained at a stable high level of 58 percent, which guarantees the company's extensive independence from banks.

In 2018, Gebrüder Weiss completed a generational change at various management levels - from business and regional management to branch management. Thanks to the systematic development of managers, all new positions were filled internally. "This is a great sign of the strength of the organization and culture. We are focusing on continuity, but the team is also well equipped for the challenges of the digital future," reports Wolfram Senger-Weiss.

The overland transport division once again proved to be a mainstay in 2018. In a highly competitive environment, organic growth amounted to 7.5 percent. In the air and sea freight segment, Gebrüder Weiss recorded an increase in turnover of around 12 percent. One year after realigning its global network, the company continued to invest in the development of its locations in Asia, the USA and Germany in 2018, as well as in the expansion of the transpacific transport route between North America and Asia. In addition to traditional air and sea freight services, Gebrüder Weiss is increasingly offering customers in the USA and China logistics solutions and overland transportation.

Home delivery continues to grow
Benefiting from the growth in online trade, the home delivery (B2C) segment in the freight forwarding business developed positively in terms of volume. Around 900,000 shipments from the consumer electronics, household and furniture sectors were delivered to end customers, a good third of which were in Austria alone. The logistics company thus once again defended its market leadership in the Alpine republic. In addition to the delivery in 'two-man handling', Gebrüder Weiss also handles the assembly and connection of the appliances on site. The logistics company also counts international furniture stores, electrical retailers and DIY stores among its customers in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia and, most recently, Romania.

DPD Austria, whose co-partner is Gebrüder Weiss Parcel Service, also recorded growth in the B2C segment and stable market leadership in B2B. With an increase of four percent, DPD Austria employees handled more than 50 million parcels for the first time in 2018. The number of employees rose by around six percent year-on-year to 7,112 (2017: 6,724).