"The Schenker Management Board has paved the way for further optimisation of the global organisation in more than 60 countries. This watershed decision is unique in the field of IT at Schenker," Dr Thomas Lieb, the Schenker board member responsible for worldwide air and sea freight activities, said.
Schenker CIO Peter Schumann said: "In the near future, all our employees in the air and sea freight units will be able to use a uniform central software program. First and foremost, this will ensure improved processing, greater transparency and data security for our customers as well as higher flexibility and a uniform high standard of quality worldwide."
The central investment is in the order of EUR27 million (US$31 million).
"This will show our customers that we mean what we say when we talk about 'securing the future', particularly in the area of information technology," said the two Schenker Board members, who are jointly responsible for co-ordinating the project.
The new software will replace all the current air and sea freight programs and create a uniform system.
Around 5,000 Schenker employees worldwide will be using the new software in the years to come.
During the last two years, a team made up of specialists from the worldwide Schenker network has been working at the company's Essen head office to lay the groundwork for the project - which goes by the name of "SALSA" (Schenker's Application for Logistics in Air and Seafreight).
The software was developed in co-operation with strategic partner FWL Technology Ltd, Liverpool, who has previously worked with other providers in the global logistics and freight forwarding sector.
Prior to worldwide installation in 2005 and 2006, the new software will initially be implemented in several selected national subsidiaries and thoroughly tested in everyday operations.
Parallel to implementation, training teams will be travelling all over the world to instruct further specialists to act as trainers at the various Schenker locations.
The preparations for global roll-out should be completed by the end of 2004.
