“We remain agile and active”
In conversation with Nova Traffic CEO Daniel Stein. Nova Traffic has been active in the transport and logistics market since 1982. Commitment and good luck, which is occasionally also deserved, has kept the firm from Kloten, near Zurich, going. The ‘haulage artists’ celebrated an anniversary in the circus ‘Salto’ recently – which nicely illustrates flexibility, which is so often crucial. Daniel Stein describes the leaps in growth he expects to ITJ editor Andreas Haug.
Congratulations on two simultaneous anniversaries, Mr Stein!
Thank you! 40 years is a good age for a firm. We celebrated appropriately and will now work with vigour for the future.
What’s changed since the takeover by the Schneider Group in 2020?
We still remain completely independent, and our employees appreciate being able to develop as a part of a larger group, for example by broadening their horizons by working in a branch office abroad. The move was well received by our Swiss customers too. Personally, I was also concerned about securing the medium-term future for my staff.
Our cooperation in the group sees us focus on purchasing activities as well as on drawing on each other’s essential strengths, amongst various other elements. Nova uses Schneider’s European truck lines, and Schneider uses Nova’s warehousing logistics services. It’s a win-win situation.
The world stood still because of Covid-19 just before the takeover. At Nova too?
At the very beginning, when nothing flowed at all and there were no more flights, the situation was challenging. Airfreight plummeted by 40%, but at the same time we were able to double our activities in e-commerce.
By reallocating staff, we never had to resort to short-time work. We were later able to maintain this level and, in a second phase, also participate in transport and logistics in the fight against the pandemic.
I had obtained carte blanche from two clients to be in contact with PPE suppliers in China. This meant that I was at work at five o’clock in the morning every day for two and a half months. Our customers appreciate this commitment we have beyond the moment.
Is the expectation level higher now?
No, I think the situation has now normalised. That’s because of our long-standing connections and experience, we find solutions that are simply expected of us.
“An ongoing project will see us add 20,000 m2 of warehousing space in Embrach in 2024.”
And your business volumes?
They’re higher than before the pandemic. But that is mainly due to the fact that we’ve landed some new projects of late, also with special know-how, that is to say more lucrative deals.
How do you handle the additional business you’ve generated?
At the moment our more than 70 employees can manage, working mainly in the warehouse in Embrach. In Rümlang we’ve put an additional 3,500 m2 warehouse into operation. With a total of 15,000 m2 we’ve now reached our limits.
That’s why a replacement project to the latest standards is currently underway in Embrach, which will give us another almost 20,000 m2 of warehousing space in the first half of 2024. That will be another leap for Nova Traffic – giving us much more space, with modern infrastructure.
“We’re building a name for storing cigars.”
What special services will be on offer?
Over the last four decades we’ve generally built up a good reputation for warehouse logistics – and now also in the field of cigars that have to be stored at a certain temperature and humidity. We’re currently planning to build a large walk-in humidor in our new logistics centre, in order to be able to meet the requirements for this business segment even better. We’re also strongly developing services for the life sciences, and the pharmaceuticals and event logistics industries.
What are your expectations for 2023?
We’re diversified and buoyant now, and can look ahead positively. As long as a family business like ours remains agile and active, it retains its raison d’être in 2023 in the face of all the consolidation. What’s important in all of this is not to lose the joy and pleasure in our work.