Global Freight Management (GFM) and its subsidiary jets4pets, is the brainchild of Martin Bland. While most freight companies are founded for handling conventional cargo, Martin decided to target non-traditional cargo as GFMs niche area. And that is why, while providing high-quality services for general cargo, their company is, at the same time, highly adept at handing a box that is “not just a box”. In a special interview with CONQUEROR Martin Bland shares interesting facts about his company and GFM’s unique success formula.
Q: When did you enter the freight forwarding industry? What instigated you to do so?
A: After having held highly responsible roles in cargo handling companies and important airlines for almost 16 years, I felt motivated and driven to start my own venture. Since there were not many organizations dedicated to handling sensitive cargo, I decided to start a company specialized in handling all items that can be labelled “sensitive,” backed by 24×7 customer support.
Q: What kind of shipment does your company handle?
A: Like all forwarders, the range of shipments we handle is diverse. Our daily traffic comprises a wide range of both general and sensitive shipment; like live animals, fish for human consumption, cut flowers, etc. We also deal in regular courier, automotive and footwear shipment.
Q: When did GFM start jets4pets? What was the motivation behind this initiative?
A: Jets4Pets was formed shortly after I founded GFM. From my prior experiences, I knew how distraught airline passengers get when they are informed that their beloved pets cannot travel with them due to incorrect documentation or discrepancies in container specification. I had always known that I have to do something to help such pet lovers.
Q: Could you please tell us more about jets4pets and how it is managed?
A: At Jets4pets our animal-loving staff is dedicated towards safe delivery of pets to their desired destinations. This can imply door-to-door service but generally deliveries are required to be made to airports or quarantine facilities. We take care of the pets as our own and provide great care to them while they are under our guardianship, including high-quality veterinary assistance.
Q: Could you share with us any unique shipment experience?
A: I think I can safely say we have several to our credit! Just recently we worked in alliance with other organizations to ship 13 lions from a Romanian zoo. We have also shipped part of a huge iceberg and relocated an entire house. The latter was a highly complex job because it did not merely involve shipping the contents of a house but moving entire kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, tiling, furniture, etc. On a smaller and jester scale, we have worked on reuniting a set of false teeth with its owner.
Q: What is your formula for success?
A: Our formula for success is providing high quality 24×7 customer support and treating every shipment as our own. We also lay great focus on establishing personal relationships with our clients; understanding their needs to our best and then providing services that go above their expectations – and all at a fair and reasonable cost.
With this formula for success GFM is sure to go a long way! If you too share their ethics and success formula, feel free to get in touch with GFM!
“We are very encouraged by the response,” said Antonio Torres, himself a veteran freight forwarder and mastermind of the new Conqueror network, whose members will be obliged to work with each other on at least half of their shipments. “Our launch was reported widely in the specialized press, and seems to have become a talking point in the industry.
Applications are being accepted to join the Conqueror Freight Network, in which carefully selected members will work with each other on at least 50% of their shipments and follow other rules to maximize the benefits of “disciplined cooperation”, enabling them to compete against the largest forwarding groups.
IFW has been told that applications are being accepted to join Madrid-based Conqueror Freight Network, in which carefully selected members will work with each other on at least 50% of their shipments to maximise the benefits of disciplined co-operation.
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Madrid, Spain, Sept. 15, 2010. – A new high-level freight forwarders network will operate as a “virtual multinational”, with obligatory cooperation among members, a single worldwide brand, exclusive territories, and other advantages now enjoyed only by the biggest players.