When the call came in from the customer in Spain on Thursday evening, the relevant Chinese manufacturers and airlines were already closed. However, scenario planning began immediately and the client was offered the express tariffs that Priority Freight already had secured with airlines operating out of China in advance.
The cargo needed to be collected from two different Tianjin-based manufacturers which, at the time of the booking, were closed and had no idea the emergency transport was already being organised.
Priority Freight prepared the relevant paperwork needed for customs and was ready with two vehicles to pick up the parts as soon as the Chinese manufacturers started work for the day, transferring to Shanghai airport (PVG) for the first available flight on Friday.
To ensure the goods would arrive in Spain by Saturday evening, Priority Freight knew the only solution would be air freight to Frankfurt (FRA) and then an air charter to Madrid (MAD). Priority Freight having its own regional office at FRA airport played a big part in the success of the operation. The company secured a direct flight to FRA for all two tons of cargo, where the team was able to expedite customs for a re-route to Stuttgart airport (STR). There, the chartered SAAB 340ª aircraft was waiting to fly to MAD on Saturday morning.
The capabilities of Priority Freight’s 24/7 team made a huge difference in this case. Priority Freight’s night team in Europe was able to liaise with the partners in China and, as soon as the truck arrived to collect the goods at the factories, they communicated independently with the manufacturers, knowing exactly what was needed; acting on the customer’s behalf while their offices in Europe were closed.
By the time Priority Freight’s Spanish customer had woken up, all cargo had been loaded from both loading points
and the vehicles were able to make the deadline to PVG. The cargo departed China and arrived in FRA on Saturday at 8am – less than 36 hours after the call came in.
In Frankfurt, the cargo was divided in two – with the urgently required goods transferred to MAD via air charter from STR on Saturday morning, and the less urgent components following by road freight. This move, initiated by Priority Freight, saved another 8.000 € in freight costs for the client.
Priority Freight specialises in providing global time-critical logistics solutions to add speed and flexibility to customers’ supply chains, no matter what the geography, size, weight, distance or mode of transport. Their experience and adaptability to alter the consignment arrangements ensured the time-critical part of the shipment met the agreed deadline, while saving the client from unnecessary expenditure. All cargo arrived in time and the automotive manufacturer was pleased with the speed of service and limited impact on its operations and production.
