Global / Industry News

Congratulations to Mr KL Chong on receiving the Supply Chain Honorary Fellows award. We wish Global many years of great achievements to come

Speak to our dedicated team to know how Global Airfreight’s network and GOLD standard in managing the logistics process will meet your shipment requirement.

Fill in the form attachedFlyer.pdf in exchange for a free ice cream and door gift.

Stand a chance to win our lucky draw by dropping your name card at our registration booth.

JOIN US FOR LUNCH WITH OUR COMPLIMENTARY FOOD & DRINKS!

IN PURSUIT OF CUSTOMER DELIGHT WITH GLOBAL AIRFREIGHT INTERNATIONAL

An exclusive interview with Mr Poh Choon Lay, Chief Operating Officer, Global Airfreight International.

What is your view of the market outlook for air cargo?

The air cargo market has seen very modest growth this year and the outlook is very uncertain at best. Depending on the markets, the tonnage and shipments have dropped or have remained flat. The market outlook for the air cargo industry depends on the uncertain economic outlook. If the advance economies and the emerging economies see a pickup, then air cargo market could see a positive growth. However, the economic and geo-political environment have been changing rapidly and this constant change seems to be the new normal.

How has the cargo and logistics industry developed since Global Airfreight’s establishment in 1970?

We have moved on since the Paya Lebar days from the 1970s when we started off as a two man company to what Global Airfreight is today. The cargo being transported by airfreight has changed over the years, from tropical fish and flowers during the pre-independence days to shoes and garments in the 1970s and 1980s to electronics in the 2000s when industrialisation took place which led to the booming and expansion of factories in Singapore. Today, Singapore’s economy has expanded to the Pharmaceutical and Aviation sectors. The cargo value for these sectors are high but there are less shipments as compared to the PCs and disk drives sectors. And the Pharmaceutical and Aviation shipments require more technical knowledge and specialised skills. Our industry will have to keep changing and upgrading to meet the demands of Singapore’s new economy.

What are the key success factors that have contributed to Global Airfreight International being one of the leading Singapore-based air cargo service provider?

We live by our mission statement - “In pursuit of customer delight, we always provide reliable quality service” and pride ourselves to put our customers first in terms of service, pricing and quality. As our customers’ requirements have become more complex, service and solution have become a key factor that differentiates forwarders of choice. We are aware of this requirement and are working in partnership with our customers and to share our knowledge, experience and expertise to improve our customer’s supply chain.

Moreover, we are constantly upgrading and reviewing our scope and range of services offered. We are trained to be nimble and dynamic and to make full use of every opportunities presented to us. Since 5 years ago, we started enhancing our service portfolios to cater to the growing needs of our aviation, project and pharmaceutical customers. However, our general cargo sector continues to be of critical importance to Global Airfreight International.

What are the goals that you have set for Global Airfreight to achieve in the next five years?

As a business we will always aim to increase our revenue. We are also focused on ensuring supply chain cost competitiveness for our customers. However, the cost of doing business in Singapore has increased. Therefore, in order to offer cost competitiveness for our customers, we need to increase our productivity and upgrade the skills of our staff to meet the current and future demands of our customers.

Apart from that, I hope that as a company, we will be able to continue to enhance our existing niche capabilities in aviation, pharmaceutical and project cargo. We should also develop deeper specialisation in these sectors to further facilitate our customers’ shipments. Also, I would like to see increase in business opportunities in the emerging industries to support Singapore’s economic growth.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I enjoy casual jogging and golf during the weekends. Freight forwarding is an intense business and can be rather stressful. Both jogging and golf enable me to de-stress and take my mind off work. This allows me to come back to work with a better frame of mind. I also enjoy reading in my free time, especially on current economic affairs, industry news and advances in technology.

Article from Singapore Changi Airport Air Cargo News 'Changi Cargo Insight' September 2015, Issue 10