Motivation from on high

Liborio Marchese dared to take the big step into running his own business, after having learnt the forwarding trade and practiced it in the service of others for ten years. Success has proven him right. He’s aiming to reach the CHF 3 million mark in sales in Switzerland in MSped’s first financial year. This will be followed by expansion into neighbouring countries.

You can look back on a successful first year for your firm in the Franco-Swiss-German border region from your company’s headquarters high up in Basel’s trade fair tower, can’t you, Mr Marchese? What prompted you to set up MSped?

 

The initial impetus came from my parents, who saw a great potential in me, based on my ten years of experience in the forwarding business. Family, friends, partners and clients encouraged me. I gained my experience during some instructive years at Agility Logistics in Basel, especially in the fields of European transports, customs clearance and sales. At a young age I was already a team leader for scheduling on German / Benelux / Scandinavian routes.

 

This made it easier for me to set up and structure my own company. It was clear from the beginning that I would purchase the necessary infrastructure – that is customs clearance and forwarding software.

 

 

How is MSped faring today?

 

After a year we’ve already got 13 employees running three centres. We already have three people working in our German branch in Zell im Wiesental, where we run a 3,000 m2 warehouse, 500 m2 of which is certified to store hazardous goods. We’re set to invest in local transport solutions at the end of this year, adding 3.5, 7.5 and 18 t trucks there, with and without lifting platforms. We’re growing strongly and expect to reach the CHF 3 million mark in sales in Switzerland at the same time.

 

 

How do you do that? What sets your firm apart from the many others in Basel?

 

Our long-standing partnerships and network of contacts enables us to offer a complete forwarding package from a single source. In this we attach great importance to customer services and rapid responses. Each client has their own contact person with consultancy functions. We’re not completely dependent on the truck market, but we’re pleased with the growth.

 

Since September we’ve run three round trips to Benelux / Germany / the United Kingdom, with two or three more planned from November. Thanks to these round trips we have flexible options and can set fair prices for our customers.

 

 

What challenges do you face in the domestic market?

 

We receive many requests for transport and storage in Switzerland. That’s why we’re talking to various customers about the possibility of opening a warehouse in the Basel area as well. We’d serve the region with 3.5 t trucks. We cope with large quantities and distances by collaborating with long-standing partners – but competition in Switzerland is fierce.

 

 

Let’s have a look over the border.

 

We founded a national branch in Germany this year, together with my business partner, Sandra Muche-Malzer, to serve strong demand for an EU warehouse and distribution services in Europe. Our focus is on consolidating the new centre and establishing an EU / Switzerland interface, but there’s also a great potential in supporting regional customers in Germany’s Black Forest area.

 

 

What do you need to consider here?

 

Our German clients have completely different requirements. A transport order’s margin is lower there than in Switzerland, it’s true, but at the same time demands – concerning transit times, for example – are actually higher.

 

 

How / where do you want to grow?

 

In September we opened our first customs office on the Franco-Swiss border, in Basel / Saint-Louis, where we clear our own goods and also welcome other forwarders or spontaneous customers. Thanks to our experienced team we can solve all customs matters quickly and reliably on site.

 

We’re planning to open more customs offices and a facility in Zurich, perhaps at the airport, where we want to expand our overseas / airfreight unit in 2025. In Switzerland we want to expand our product portfolio for European general cargo / parcel services and express / special deliveries.

 

 

All power to your elbow!