AH Customer case · Airhunters
Transport can be done differently, and that is exactly what Airhunters does
Unconventional transport solutions that are not only more sustainable but also cheaper, without owning any trucks.
A gap in the market
Airhunters offers unconventional transport solutions that are not only more sustainable but also cheaper. It all began five years ago, when Erik Roelevink and Hans van Wieringen spotted a literal gap in the market. Every day five million trucks drive across Europe with an average load factor of 75 percent. Alongside their freight they are also carrying air, and that is an opportunity for everyone: for the producing shipper but also for the carrier. Sustainability has been a theme in the sector for a long time, and for it people often look at cleaner engines rather than the load factor, even though that is where most of the gain and the capacity lie.
Transport in the most sustainable way
They move products from A to B in the most sustainable way that exists: without trucks of their own. They hitch a ride with trucks that are already on the road, a sharing economy. There is plenty of room, so they spread the freight across existing vehicles instead of buying their own trucks. They do this with a strong team of four. All other services they can outsource go to specialists, for example IT, marketing or bookkeeping. That way the core of their team stays as small as possible and they concentrate only on matching supply and demand.
The puzzle keeps every day moving
There are many databases where drivers or carriers register and let it be known that they still have a few metres to spare. In addition they make use of their own networks. For international transport they have a hub at Emmerich; they load there, and the driver can continue the trip without losing time. It is one big puzzle, and that makes every day different and this sector so enjoyable. And the fact that they are running their own business contributes enormously to their job satisfaction: they are independent, do not have to meet endlessly, and can make decisions straight away. That way they keep their full focus on Airhunters.
Sustainable enterprise is for everyone
With this concept Airhunters is unique, but they are happy to share it. Most transport companies own their own trucks and do something similar on the side, but that is not sustainable. Erik believes that every vehicle on the road is more efficient when you share the ride. That is their business, and in the future he expects scarcity: fewer drivers and more trade. Large companies, for instance, quickly reach the limit of their capacity, even though it is in fact available on the market. The solution is shared vehicles. They have an open model, and if anyone wants to learn from them they are welcome, gladly even. They think it is important that their concept is applied more widely, because that is better for everyone.
One of the fastest-growing companies
Erik speaks about his trade with contagious passion. Their services bring something extra for the customer, and customers rely on that. As entrepreneurs they only have to answer to their customers, and that is what makes his trade so special. The customers they serve are open to the concept; people often still see it as an alternative, even though sustainable enterprise is the future. Erik is therefore enormously proud that he dared to take the step and that it turned out well. Airhunters ranks number fifteen in the FD Gazellen, the awards for the fastest-growing companies in the Netherlands.
Moving forward together
They receive orders from customers, and those have to go from A to B, some 30,000 shipments a year, which they process in the transport system. With numbers like that it is essential that orders are processed properly, from the communication to the drivers to the tracking of the trips. Another organisation cannot run its business without a good bookkeeping program; for them the transport system is the core. And because a standard solution does not suit them, they went looking for a partner that could do it their way: FiLogic. They help enormously with the ideas Airhunters has, ideas that often depart from the traditional, and they are good at that. That is how they move forward together.
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