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“Welcome to the Planzer surname – İrem Schwiizer Logistics Partner”. The international transport company welcomes its visitors to its website in the Zurich dialect. That’s a rarity for a company with nearly 6,000 employees.
But it shows what values the family business represents. Nils Planzer (52) is the third generation to manage the transport service provider. He explains: “We still have the biggest touchpoints with local SMEs. “The more global we become, the more important local characteristics become.”
It quickly becomes clear: Planzer is no longer a traditional logistics provider. Just last Thursday the shipping company made major headlines. The Dietikon-based company has saved 3,600 jobs by taking over postal service providers Quickpac and Quickmail. This is another variation on Planzer’s profile.
Grandma delivered it on her bike
It all started in 1936. Nils’s grandfather, Max Planzer, transported goods from the Dietikon ZH railway station to merchants in the small town and back. The carrying capacity of a single truck is three tons. His wife Mathilde helps and lends herself with her bike and caravan. Today the family business owns more than 2,000 vehicles and operates internationally.
It’s hard to imagine family aspects still being recognizable in today’s context. “Striking the balance between growth and cohesion is extremely difficult,” admits Nils Planzer. Things don’t always go well, especially in rapid growth. “It’s very important to have good people as managers.”
Especially if you want to grow – Like a planner. The transport service provider is expanding in all directions in Switzerland. Other family members such as Max Junior and Bruno have also been behind the wheel for a long time. The first step into previously unknown territory took place in 1984.
Mini Toblerone and pickle jars
Planzer is taking over the warehouse logistics of air freshener manufacturer Airwick. This refers to processes within production such as picking and packaging. An unusual takeover for the transport industry at the time. Nowadays, the business sector is indispensable. Planzer sorts mini Toblerons or puts promotional labels on cucumber jars before distribution.
In recent years the transport operator has expanded its competencies. Online business is booming. “We are seeing changing consumer behavior and generational change,” says the CEO. With the establishment of the parcel service Planzer Package in 2018, the company competes with Swiss Post and enters the home delivery service market for private customers.
Shortly thereafter, the company expanded this business area further and launched Planzer Homeservice. This includes the delivery of furniture and appliances. Company logos of two young branches? Senior Max Planzer’s signature Schnürlischrift is a tribute to his start of direct deliveries to homes in the Zurich Limmattal.
Lacy writing becomes central
Today, Planzer operates in 69 locations, nine of which are abroad. Are more and more jobs being added? “I hope not. The complexity is large enough,” says Nils Planzer. It is clear that the heavy industry of the past will no longer return to Switzerland. This situation has spread to other parts of the world.
The family business also feels this: “The weight carried in our main business, general cargo transportation, is decreasing every year.” This will not be a problem in the next ten years. But the general manager explains that this is about the next generation.
Therefore, it is clear which direction things should go in the future. «Online commerce is not decreasing. The proportion of small-scale volumes will increase.” For the family business, this means: The Schnürlischrift service will grow – the acquisitions of Quickmail and Quickpack are a prime example of this.
Source :Blick
I’m Tim David and I work as an author for 24 Instant News, covering the Market section. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, my mission is to provide accurate, timely and insightful news coverage that helps our readers stay informed about the latest trends in the market. My writing style is focused on making complex economic topics easy to understand for everyone.
