In 2019, the Seifert Logistics Group (SLG) broke the 200 million euro turnover mark. Despite the persistently sluggish market environment in the logistics sector, company turnover increased by an impressive 6.5 percent to 210 million euros (2018; 197 million euros). The Group's sales performance and continued growth show a very stable earnings situation.

The Contract Logistics division has become the driving force behind the Group's steady and solid growth in recent years, particularly at an international level. The contract logistics project of the subsidiary Seifert Automotive Polska, with the new plant in Jawor, Poland, and the new building of Seifert Automotive Logistics France in Hambach/Lorraine, France, contributed in particular to the growth in turnover last year.
Since summer 2019, the logistics service provider has been responsible for the production supply of a new engine plant in Jawor. By picking parts and assemblies and using new technologies, SLG ensures efficient production supply. In addition to the engine plant for combustion engines, the e-mobility sector in Jawor is also continuing to grow. Battery cells for electrically powered vehicles are manufactured in a new plant at the same location.

The first construction phase of the 20,000 square meter Seifert Logistics Center Hambach in Hambach/Lorraine, France, was completed in December 2019. With the new building, SLG is opening up another future location to fully develop the French market. Since 2017, the service provider has already been managing the entire logistics process on site, from incoming goods to storage and sequencing, as well as delivery for the production line and empties processes. "The new building in the Hambach region is a flagship project for us. After completion of the second construction phase in 2020, the building will cover more than 41,000 square meters. With this, we are setting more than just an example and establishing an excellent starting position in the French logistics market thanks to our local presence," says Axel Frey (Managing Director).

This growth is also having an impact on the Group's workforce. In 2019, Brygida Rzeszutek was hired as the 2,000th employee - and there is no end in sight to this growth. The expansion of employer branding measures and the renewed Top Job Employer 2020 award from the University of St. Gallen are proof of the company's attractiveness as an employer in the specialist and junior staff environment. "The entire team contributes to the success of the Group every day and is therefore our most important resource. We are therefore proud to have once again received this award for our efforts," says Dario Dante Oncsak (CHRO).

First quarter and outlook for 2020
The aim for 2020 is to develop a broadly diversified portfolio in order to counteract economic fluctuations in individual sectors. The outlook for the coming months is very uncertain, determined by economic developments and the ongoing coronavirus crisis. "We have never experienced anything comparable to the current situation. The situation is worsening and harbors risks for the global economy, which also affect the Seifert Logistics Group. However, such a challenge is also a special opportunity and requires targeted and tailor-made measures. By initiating the Seifert Performance Project (SPP), we are facing up to these challenges in the coming weeks and months," says Marcel Vogelmann (CPO).

Two further major projects were acquired in the first quarter of 2020. Over the next five years, the logistics specialist will continue to coordinate production deliveries for a large, well-known car manufacturer in the Rastatt region. Contract logistics at the highest level will take place here on more than 50,000 square meters. In addition to just-in-time and just-in-sequence deliveries, complex assembly services and quality inspections are carried out at the site. And there is also further growth for the Group in the east. A new automotive project will be added in Leipzig from summer 2020. "Here, SLG will take on comprehensive sequencing tasks on 20,000 square meters combined with a full shuttle supply," says Christian Stoll (COO).

Since March 2020, Julian Seifert has strengthened the third-generation family business as Head of Digitalization and also supports Controlling. He will primarily drive forward the Group's digital innovations with the aim of setting future strategic priorities. In pilot projects and with cooperation partners, the specialist is already testing and developing the future of tomorrow with AI technologies. The Seifert Digital Roadmap developed for this purpose includes projects such as the collaboration between humans and robots, known as handshakes. Perception-controlled picking robots are used here. In addition, the use of drones for stocktaking and the digitalization of analogue processes with the help of apps. The logistics provider's own specialist departments deal with the topics of business intelligence, big data, AI and telematics in order to uncover and leverage optimization potential in all value chains.