AMI Express sees heavyweights and imports boom
AMI Express – the express division of the world’s largest trade-only airfreight wholesaler – has seen a dramatic increase in heavyweight shipments from the UK to the Americas, following a total overhaul of its rate structures in March 2008. Import shipments are also dramatically up on 2007. Export traffic for South American destinations grew by 65% in 2008, USA destinations saw an increase of 40%, and Canada also witnessed a healthy 19% boost over 2007. The trend is continuing in 2009. The heavyweight boom follows strategic rate reductions of up to 42% on GX rates for shipments over 10 kilos to central and south America, with rate cuts of up to 30% for the USA, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. At the same time, rates for GS services to all US destinations were cut by 30% for shipments over 71 kilos. AMI Express’ customer profile has also shifted, with a greater proportion of business from freight forwarders rather than courier companies. Explains General Manager Patrick Walsh: “Our GS and GX products offer late closeouts in the UK, and 0900 deliveries in major US cities. They are also delivered-to-door, which relieves freight forwarders of the need to find suitable partner agents at destination, and arrange domestic delivery. The company is now rolling out similar rate reductions to China, India, Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, and is predicting further substantial growth in 2009. Meanwhile, AMI Express continues to build on its newer import express business, based around FedEx services. AMI’s entire sales team is now trained to sell both hard freight and express services, and this has also contributed to the shift towards heavier weight shipments. Quelle: AMI |