Nils Planzer Becomes the 21st Member of the Swiss Supply Chain Hall of Fame

During the 9th charity gala of the Swiss Supply Chain Hall of Fame, as previously announced, Hansruedi Richner was inducted as the 20th member in the presence of his children and grandchildren. The excitement remained until the end about who would become the 21st member. Ultimately, the choice fell on Nils Planzer, CEO of Planzer AG.

(Dietikon/Lucerne) In the presence of just over 300 invited guests, Nils Planzer was inducted as the 21st member of the Swiss Supply Chain Hall of Fame for his impressive life achievements.

Nils Planzer

The speaker, Dr. Josef Felder, kept the guests in suspense about who the 21st member would be. However, with statements like “and this is how we know him; committed, direct, outspoken, and courageous,” it soon dawned on some that this must be the owner of the largest national logistics company.

Founded in 1936, he now leads the family business in its third generation. After training as a truck mechanic, he furthered his education in various fields, gained professional experience during several stays abroad, and ultimately worked alongside his visionary father. In 2003, he took over the operational responsibility for the company.

Last year – on the occasion of reaching a billion in revenue – all employees received a book. The foreword reads: ‘a large portion of luck and the course of events have brought us to where we stand as a company. But today we focus on our diligence, a knack for risks and opportunities, and entrepreneurial courage. We are grateful and happy to experience and enjoy this milestone with you.’

In three generations, the company has grown to 5,900 employees with 69 locations in Switzerland and abroad, 1,060,000 m2 of building space, 1,800 vehicles, 204 railcars, and 11 high-bay warehouses for 177,000 pallets.

Hansruedi Richner Posthumously Honored as the 20th Member

In a humorous speech, Hanspeter Dreier – CEO of Dreier AG – highlighted the career of Hansruedi Richner and reflected on the company’s history, including a few personal anecdotes.

In 1952, the two Swiss, Roger Metzger and Hansruedi Richner, founded the logistics company Metzger+Richner Transport AG in Basel. The company gradually expanded its service portfolio across Europe. After the sudden passing of Roger Metzger, the shares were transferred to Hansruedi Richner, who continued to run the company alone from 1975. A new era began in 1979 with the acquisition of SPEDAG SPEDITIONS AG. The following years saw rapid expansion of the group.

In Switzerland, the company grew to become one of the largest logistics companies, focusing on land, sea, and air transport, as well as increasingly leading the market in textile logistics. Based on its specialization in textile logistics, the group ventured into East Asia and steadily built a network of its own branches there. In 2001, Hansruedi Richner transferred the operational leadership of the group to his son Daniel Richner and took over the presidency of Spedlogswiss. The generational change was completed in 2006 when all company shares and the chairmanship of the board were taken over by Daniel Richner. Hansruedi Richner passed away in 2017.

Donations Go to Charitable Organizations

The guests and hosts at the charity gala at the Verkehrshaus in Lucerne supported the Brändi Foundation with their contributions, which promotes the inclusion of people with primarily cognitive or psychological impairments in work, society, and culture. It offers 1,100 protected jobs and training places as well as 340 residential places in the canton of Lucerne.

Furthermore, the Brunau Foundation is supported, which brings people with disabilities into the job market who are undergoing training in the fields of business administration, logistics, and ICT. Due to their impairments, these graduates require more support, and therefore they are reinforced by their own practical and vocational trainers.

Photo: © Swiss Supply Chain Hall of Fame / Caption: The family of the late Hansruedi Richner is pleased about his posthumous induction into the Swiss Supply Chain Hall of Fame