Panalpina strengthens its global logistics operations

Panalpina Group has signed a long-term supply chain management contract with Vantico, a spin-off founded in June 2000 by the Performance Polymers Division of Ciba Specialty Chemicals.

Vantico will operate with Panalpina to reorganize parts of its distribution logistics, optimizing global material flows along supply chain management lines to meet the requirements of its operations in Europe and abroad, and to respond to the needs of its distribution agents and direct clients.

“This long-term cooperation is a major milestone for Panalpina, as it meshes with our clear focus on sophisticated supply chain management solutions. By acting as a global Third Party Logistics provider for Vantico, we will coordinate transport orders through our own in-house systems and subcontractors,” said Bruno Sidler, Panalpina CEO.

Consignments will include shipments from the Vantico production sites at Monthey, Switzerland, to destinations in over 30 countries, with total volumes of about 80,000 tonnes a year. In Europe, the goods will be transported by rail and road, and overseas shipments will go mainly by sea and by airfreight in certain cases.

The entire information management system will be revamped as SAP R3 4.6 is introduced for Vantico operations in Europe, Asia and the USA. Panalpina will be integrated into Vantico’s business processes via shared European interfaces, with its IT applications offering transparent logistics systems.