HGK Moves Forward with Integration of Business Areas

The Ports and Goods Transport Cologne AG (HGK) is advancing the integration of its business areas following the acquisition of HGK Shipping in the summer of 2020. Under the umbrella of HGK Shipping, the activities of HGK Dry Shipping and HTAG Ports and Transport AG in the dry shipping sector will be consolidated in the future. Additionally, the management of the logistics and intermodal service provider neska has been expanded.

(Cologne) Following the acquisition of HGK Shipping and the initial integration steps taken in recent months, the HGK Group is now initiating further measures to integrate performance areas. This includes the restructuring in dry shipping. Under the umbrella of HGK Shipping, the dry shipping activities of HGK Dry Shipping and HTAG Ports and Transport AG are to be organized together. Furthermore, the management of the logistics & intermodal service provider neska has been expanded.

“The integration of HGK Shipping, acquired in the summer of 2020, into the HGK Group offers us the opportunity to reorganize the activities within the companies and to establish them sustainably with a customer-oriented approach. In this sense, the board of HGK AG, together with the board of HTAG Ports and Transport AG and the management of HGK Shipping GmbH, has agreed to organize the dry shipping activities of both companies within HGK Dry Shipping,” explains Uwe Wedig, CEO of HGK AG, the reasons behind this decision.

Management of HGK Dry Shipping GmbH Newly Established

In a first step, the management of HGK Dry Shipping GmbH, which operates dry shipping within HGK Shipping, was newly established as of January 1, 2021. Andreas Lemme (HGK Shipping) and Joachim Holstein (HTAG) have been newly appointed to the management. At the same time, Wolfgang Nowak has resigned from his position as managing director of HGK Dry Shipping and will take on additional responsibilities within the HGK Group alongside his role as Head of Commercial at HGK Shipping. Steffen Bauer continues to be overall responsible as Chairman of the Management Board of both HGK Shipping and HGK Dry Shipping and accompanies the integration process. To fully dedicate himself to his new tasks, Joachim Holstein will let his mandate as a board member of HTAG expire on April 30, 2021. Volker Seefeldt will lead the handling business of HTAG, specialized in bulk and loose goods, as the sole board member until further notice.

New Structure Brings Great Perspectives

“We are pleased that we have found two experienced inland shipping experts from our own ranks in Andreas Lemme and Joachim Holstein. This appointment provides optimal conditions for the successful integration of the activities of both companies in this segment,” says Uwe Wedig.

Steffen Bauer, CEO of HGK Shipping GmbH, sees great perspectives through the restructuring of dry shipping within the HGK Group: “By bundling competencies and fleet capacities, we can increase the supply security of important goods flows in inland shipping for our customers and expand both our service areas and service regions.”

Change in Leadership of the neska Group

In the HGK investment neska, which will appear on the market as the business unit HGK Logistics and Intermodal starting in March 2021, Markus Krämer was already appointed to the management of neska Schiffahrts- und Speditionskontor GmbH at the end of November 2020. He will lead the investment together with Jan Zeese and Stefan Hütten. In his new role, Krämer will primarily focus on the stronger integration and expansion of neska’s activities within the HGK Integrated Logistics Group. He will retain his responsibility as Head of Investment Management at HGK AG.

Photo © HGK / Image Caption: Andreas Lemme (l.) and Joachim Holstein form the new management of HGK Dry Shipping

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