Frank Erhardt is Ceva’s new director of contract logistics in Central Europe, replacing Andreas Wagner who is stepping down after eight years at the company. Erhardt was most recently responsible for the automotive/tyres sector within Ceva in Central Europe.
He will now oversee the contract logistics business for the region from his base in Frankfurt.
On his appointment, Erhardt said: “I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead. Operational excellence is central to the success of our customers. Thanks to the day-to-day efforts of our employees and our focus on continuous optimisation and improvement, we know that we have a critical role in ensuring the continued success of our customers’ operations.”
Michael Hess has left DB Schenker as director of contract logistics/SCM at Schenker Russia. A spokesman for the company told Automotive Logistics News that he did so at his own request.
Hess, who took up his most recent role in February 2007, has worked in a variety of positions during his seven-year tenure with Schenker, including business development manager, automotive CEE.
The company has not confirmed a successor for the role but it is understood that one will be announced in the coming weeks.
DB Schenker is currently embarked on a programme to bolster growth in its Contract Logistics business unit. Called ‘Go for Growth’, the programme is aimed at grouping employee know-how and industrial knowledge to develop what it calls “a comprehensive reservoir of knowledge”.
The company said it is looking for up to 200 additional logistics specialists to handle the project’s sales and operational tasks. “We are looking around the work for experts in business and product development, tender management, and on-site customer care and support. We are particularly interested in persons with experience in our target markets,” said Dr Detlef Trefzger, Member of the Management Board of Schenker AG responsible for Contract Logistics/SCM.
Panalpina’s head of air freight Robert Frei has stepped down from his position “for personal reasons” but will remain at the company in a new role yet to be announced. The Swiss-based logistics provider said a full-time replacement would be appointed in the coming months but in the meantime responsibility for the role will be handled by Dominik Tichelkamp, executive board member with responsibility for air and ocean freight procurement.
Frei is understood to have resigned from the position at the end of January, prior to Panalpina (and several other forwarders) receiving a Statement of Objections from the EC over alleged price-fixing, but the company has stated that the two events are not related.
