Flexibility makes all the difference
By Marcus Schick I 8 minute read
17/04/2025
The Lenze Group, a global automation and drive technology specialist, relies on intelligent logistics to control the flow of goods flexibly and efficiently, even in challenging times. Dachser’s role is to seamlessly integrate sea freight groupage (LCL) transports from China into its European overland transport network.
Global supply chains are under pressure, and the economy is sputtering in many core markets. Restrictions along global trade routes due to wars and geopolitical conflicts, not to mention increasing trade restrictions due to tariffs, make it clear how vulnerable international flows of goods can still be. More than ever, companies need to be able to react quickly and flexibly in order to avoid supply disruptions. Logistics plays a key role here.
Transparency in the supply chain is crucial for us.
Global material flow
A look at the automation and drive technology sector in mechanical engineering makes this plain. As a system provider, Lenze SE is active worldwide, developing and producing high-quality mechatronic products, high-performance hardware and software systems for successful automation, as well as software and services for big data management, cloud and mobile solutions, and the internet of things (IoT). “Over the past few years, the market has gone from one driven by supply to one driven by demand. We have to react more flexibly and quickly to our customers’ requirements, and logistics is one of the decisive factors,” says Zijad Besic, Supply Chain Manager at Lenze. The company’s high-tech products must reach customers reliably at all times, even under challenging conditions, and this requires sophisticated logistics. “That’s because Lenze sources components from different parts of the world and delivers finished products on a global scale, although its focus is on the core markets in Western and Central Europe,” says Gregor Wiesinger, Sales Manager Area West Austria at Dachser Air & Sea Logistics.
As an automation company and system provider, Lenze attaches particular importance to efficiency and transparency in its logistics processes, adds Wiesinger’s colleague Markus Gerhart, Sales Executive, European Logistics Dachser Austria.
“In practice, this means that delivery routes should be as short as possible, easy to plan, and trackable at all times. Components for production must arrive on time without the need for excessive warehousing. At the same time, Lenze’s customers expect punctual deliveries of the finished machines and systems,” Gerhart says. To achieve this balance, Lenze relies on flexible logistics solutions and strong partners.
Lenze depends on optimized logistics for delivery reliability: The automation specialist’s entire product portfolio is always present in each of the five logistics centers in Uxbridge (USA), Hameln/Extertal (Germany), Asten (Austria), Pune (India), and Shanghai (China). That means all orders can be sent in a single delivery. This creates flexibility and helps fulfill customer requirements in target markets very quickly.
Dynamic flows of goods with LCL
Here’s where Dachser comes in: the global logistics provider offers Lenze tailor-made door-to-door transport solutions—a combination of flexible LCL groupage sea freight and efficient truck transports in its close-knit European groupage network.
LCL stands for “less than container load” and refers to groupage container loads in which several partial loads from different senders share one container. For Lenze, this concept is ideal for keeping dynamic flows of goods moving. “LCL solutions also allow us to send smaller shipments at regular intervals instead of having to wait until we can fill a container,” Wiesinger says, explaining the advantages of the concept. “This keeps the global supply chain agile and predictable, even if demand fluctuates.”
Regular departures on important routes from Asia to Europe ensure predictable transit times. The costs remain reasonable, as the company pays only for the freight space it actually uses; this also has an impact on the carbon footprint. At the same time, more frequent, demand-based deliveries reduce the need to keep larger stocks on hand around Lenze’s central production sites.
LCL solutions also allow us to send smaller shipments at regular intervals instead of having to wait until we can fill a container.
Intermodal integration
For an idea of how well Lenze and Dachser work together, here’s a look at the logistics of a typical day. Individual components for automation systems must be delivered from China to the Lenze plant in Asten, Austria, reliably and on schedule. Dachser organizes and manages an end-to-end transport chain across various modes of transport: by sea freight, rail, and truck—and even by air freight in urgent cases. First, the goods are brought to Shanghai and Ningbo, where they are labeled and then shipped to Europe in containers. Once at the port of destination, the freight is transferred: instead of being unloaded right there in a time-consuming process, it’s loaded directly onto a freight train headed for Austria. Since the port of destination for sea freight from China can be either Hamburg or Rotterdam, it’s possible to offer shorter transit times.
The advantage of this intermodal integration is that, through the linking of sea freight with rail and truck transports, containers avoid frequent traffic jams and unpredictable bottlenecks at the port. Once in Austria, the goods are unloaded from the container at Dachser’s Hörsching logistics center. There the baton is handed over to the colleagues from Dachser overland transport, who organize the transfer to Lenze’s production plant in nearby Asten. Dachser trucks then deliver the finished products to Lenze’s customers in Western and Central Europe. “Dachser Road Logistics moves around 20,000 to 24,000 shipments from Lenze’s Austrian production facility every year,” Gerhart explains.
“With our multimodal concept, we seamlessly integrate sea freight, rail, and truck transport,” Wiesinger explains. “The big advantage for Lenze is that once its products have been loaded aboard a ship in Asia, they never have to leave the Dachser network, meaning they can be managed with maximum transparency until they reach their destination. This is an ideal one-stop-shop solution that includes customs handling.”
Transparency in the supply chain
A continuous flow of data is crucial for such comprehensive and deep supply chain integration. That’s why Dachser closely links its IT systems to Lenze’s: orders, shipping documents, and status updates are exchanged digitally, which keeps manual coordination to a minimum. “Lenze sends us up-to-date data every hour, so there’s a constant exchange of information and data,” Wiesinger says. This allows both sides to track in real time where a shipment is currently located and when it will arrive. If a ship or train is delayed, a notification is sent automatically, and appropriate countermeasures can be taken at an early stage if necessary.
“Transparency in the supply chain is crucial for us,” Besic says. “Intelligent shipment management and traceability provide the flexibility and control we need for our material flow.” The key to resilient supply chains and competitive costs lies in optimizing processes. “We’re on the right track here with Dachser,” Besic continues. For example, it’s now possible to prepare customs clearance while the goods are still in transit, or to prioritize certain deliveries in urgent situations.
Remaining resilient through crises
Besic goes on to point out that the advantages of this flexible logistics concept become particularly clear in difficult times. When global supply chains came under massive pressure in recent years as a result of the pandemic and geopolitical upheavals, the combination of LCL sea freight, rail transport, and truck groupage proved to be robust, stress-resistant, and resilient. Even when freight rates soared and containers were in short supply, Lenze was still able to deliver—thanks to Dachser. And in pressing cases, there’s yet another option: air freight. For example, urgently needed components are sent by plane from Europe to North America in order to serve customers in the US on time.
“We always coordinate closely with Dachser. There’s no substitute for going beyond the normal web conference routines and talking directly to someone you trust. Experience shows that this is the best way for the processes to lock into place,” Besic says. “That way, we can keep a clear focus on quality and growth targets together.”
