Incepted 2002 as a spin-off by Lufthansa Cargo for capturing parts of the fast growing business of extremely time-critical logistics, time:matters is on the brink of taking the next step: offering tailored transport services to industrial producers, health organisations and trading companies by creating a network across the largest 300 global cities. Quite a keen vision, ambitious mission and plucky aim that’s already nearing completion.
The growth plan is based on a cooperative and asset-free platform model, starting by bundling forces with more than 600 business partners spread across the world. This way, leading markets in
Europe, North America and the Asian Pacific region can be covered, guaranteeing clients industry specific transport solutions. This could be ultra-rapid deliveries of aircraft spare parts, stem
cells, products of the high tech and semiconductor industry, or urgently needed documents delivered by an on-board courier (OBC).
Time beats costs
Founder and CEO Franz-Joseph Miller of time:matters points out that an aircraft hit by a technical defect causes revenue losses in the region of €100,000-plus. Sometimes it’s only a small device
that’s defunct and has to be replaced to get the craft airborne again. An example, where his company’s delivery services come into the picture to get the spare part as fast as possible from an
aircraft producer’s facility, his nearest warehouse or distribution centre to the place where needed. So what most counts is time, while costs come second.
As Franz-Joseph notes, special speed logistics is growing twofold year after year, resulting for time:matters in a 14 percent increase per annum in average from 2006 until today. Particularly,
some industrial sectors rely heavily on rapid services offered by players like time:matters, proven by 2016 data. On top of time:matters’ sales driver list ranks the automotive industry that grew
92 percent last year. Next in line is the High Tech and Semiconductor sector with +47 percent, followed by Aviation and Aerospace whose orders increased 44 percent.
Stark growing sales
Thanks to this extraordinary development and other business areas that produced satisfying results, revenues leapt 9 percent, from €64 million in 2015 to almost €70 million last year. No
wonder that Lufthansa Cargo decided to fully re-acquire their busy half-breed after they had sold 51 percent to financial investor Aheim Capital and – to a lesser part to the management of
time:matters - some years ago. The German carrier took over Aheim’s equity stake some months ago.
To further accelerate the niche player’s already speedy business, time:matters has launched an on-board courier offensive by introducing a global platform which enables clients to book courier services online. “A customer receives a best price offer in less than a minute after he has sent his request,” assures Franz-Joseph, emphasizing the uniqueness of this booking process. The offer includes all costs, from the courier’s transfer to the airport, flight tickets, hotel expenses if overnight stays should be necessary along with the payment for the OBC.
Globe-spanning network of airmates
Key prerequisite of this global platform called “time:matters airmates” is the digitalisation of booking processes enabling customers to get a complete quote in next to no time. Equally important
is the existing and fast growing global courier network ensuring time:matters access to more than 1,300 certified airmates in 47 countries with more than 5.400 couriers already registered on the
platform.
In view of time:matters’ growth plans to set up a network involving the 300 most important business centres worldwide by mid-2017, more airmates will surely be joining the Neu Isenburg near
Frankfurt-based company’s bandwagon. 2017 has already started with revenues topping 2016’s already high levels with a double digit percentage growth.
Heiner Siegmund