Independent Charging Infrastructure
With public charging options for e-trucks still limited, Gebrüder Weiss has built its own charging and power supply system in Lauterach. Two transformer stations with a capacity of 1,600 kVA, each power up to 16 fast-charging points, eight of which are already in service. The electricity is sourced either from the company’s own photovoltaic system or from certified renewable energy.

An additional benefit of the company’s proprietary charging infrastructure: vehicles can recharge while being loaded or unloaded, eliminating downtime. “Our customers expect reliability and on-time delivery even with zero-emission transports,” says Stefan Oberhauser, Branch Manager of Land Transport & Logistics Vorarlberg at Gebrüder Weiss. “With our dedicated energy supply and the latest vehicle solutions, we can deliver sustainable road transport at scale.”

To ensure nationwide routes can also be planned independently of external charging networks, Gebrüder Weiss is currently installing additional charging stations at its facilities in Vienna, Hall in Tyrol, Altenrhein (Switzerland), and Aldingen (Germany).

By the end of 2025, the company’s Austrian e-truck fleet will have grown by a total of 14 e-trucks, five of which will be based in Lauterach. Beyond that, Gebrüder Weiss will continue to invest in e-mobility: in 2026, the company plans to expand its fleet with additional e-trucks and electric vans for home delivery operations.

ETH Zurich’s aCentauri Solar Racing Team finished the World Solar Challenge in Australia in 11th place out of a total of 28 teams in the “Challenger” class. The students covered the approximately 3,000-kilometre route from Darwin to Adelaide in six days, facing consistently challenging weather and road conditions during the Australian winter. Once again, Gebrüder Weiss served as the team’s official logistics partner. 

“Placing 11th shows how well the team handled the challenges of this year’s race – a great achievement,” says Tracy van Arend, Branch Manager Gebrüder Weiss Adelaide. She welcomed the ETH team at the finish line together with Sharon Young, Customer Service and Process Manager at Gebrüder Weiss Australia. “It was exciting to follow the race and cheer for the team. While we as the logistics partner don’t directly influence the competition itself, we make sure that the vehicle arrives in Australia on time, giving the students sufficient opportunity to train and prepare. We were able to deliver that again this year,” adds Sharon Young. 

Following the race, Gebrüder Weiss will also handle the return transport of the solar car and its equipment back to Europe. The customized logistics solution includes sea freight, comprehensive customs clearance, and final delivery of the solar vehicle by truck to Technopark Zurich.

Challenging Conditions in the Australian Winter 
For the first time, the race was held during the Australian winter. The students had to adapt to cooler temperatures and different light conditions. This required an adjusted race strategy, particularly with respect to energy management and daily planning. On the third day of the race, the team also faced a technical issue: the cruise control failed, and a gust of wind tore off part of the left wheel cover. Both problems were quickly repaired, and the vehicle was back on the road shortly afterward.  

“This year’s circumstances pushed us but also showed how resilient our team and vehicle are,” says Clara Nörenberg, Team Manager at aCentauri. “We modified our strategy and proved that solar mobility can perform reliably even under difficult circumstances.” 

Looking ahead, the aCentauri Solar Racing Team is already preparing for the next World Solar Challenge in two years. Their goal: to return with an optimized vehicle and secure a spot among the top ten. 

Further background on this and other Gebrüder Weiss projects related to the “Future of Mobility” can be found at: https://www.gw-world.com/company/sustainability/future-of-mobility, or via the logistics company's social media channels. 

At the end of September, Kiel-based water sports enthusiast and environmental activist Michael Walther will embark on an extraordinary mission: to become the first European to cross the Atlantic Ocean solo and unsupported on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP). While he’ll be alone on the water, he won’t be alone on land – logistics provider Gebrüder Weiss is supporting the journey as the project’s official logistics partner.

The logistics specialists at Gebrüder Weiss’s Hamburg branch are managing the complex transportation needs for this custom-built SUP board. The board will first travel overland from Kiel to Lagos in Portugal, where Walther’s Atlantic crossing will begin. From there, he will paddle past the Canary and Cape Verde Islands before reaching his final destination in French Guiana. Once he lands in the port of Cayenne, Gebrüder Weiss will ship the board back to Kiel via sea freight using a certified climate-neutral process, made possible through verified insetting within the logistics chain.

“Michael Walther is drawing attention to marine conservation through an unconventional form of mobility – and we are proud to support this mission as his logistics partner,” says Robert Stahlschmidt, Country Manager Air & Sea Germany at Gebrüder Weiss.

Collecting Scientific Data for the Alfred Wegener Institute
Walther expects the crossing to take around three months. He deliberately chose not to use a support vessel or receive any external assistance. During the journey, he’ll deploy a hydrophone to record the sounds of marine life. These audio recordings will be shared with the Alfred Wegener Institute, one of Germany’s leading marine research institutions, to support ongoing climate impact studies on ocean ecosystems.

This isn’t Walther’s first bold move for climate action. Since 2008, he has undertaken high-profile expeditions to raise awareness of climate and environmental issues. Past projects include paddling across Germany by river and traveling through Iceland to document glacial melt.

GWcycles: A Shared Commitment to Clean Oceans
Gebrüder Weiss is also actively engaged in another initiative to protect the world’s oceans. Through the global cycling campaign GWcycles – Cycling for the Seas, the company is inviting participants around the world to log their bike mileage in support of ocean health. For every 100,000 kilometers cycled, Gebrüder Weiss funds the removal of one metric ton of ocean plastic. Since the campaign’s launch in April 2025, six tons of marine debris have already been collected. Walther is a dedicated supporter of the initiative, helping amplify public awareness around the shared mission to protect our seas.

More information about Gebrüder Weiss’s sustainability efforts can be found at https://www.gw-world.com/future-of-mobility and on the company’s social media channels. Since 2021, Gebrüder Weiss has been actively supporting innovation projects in sustainable transportation, collaborating with universities, research institutions, and startups. 

“We are delighted to be accompanying the aCentauri team from ETH Zurich again this year. Such collaborations are in line with our understanding of partnership: long-term, trusting, and focused on a sustainable future for mobility,” explains Frank Haas, Head of Corporate Brand Strategy & Communications at Gebrüder Weiss. “The students already demonstrated in 2023 that solar mobility works, and we wish them every success in reaching the top ten.”

The technical equipment was shipped to Australia by sea freight back in May. Now, the vehicle itself is embarking on its journey by air freight, after a live presentation at the Gebrüder Weiss location in Wolfurt. After completing a final test drive in front of press representatives, the vehicle was prepared for air transport at the IATA-certified terminal.

Certification from the IATA (International Air Transport Association) means that the Air & Sea Terminal at Wolfurt is an officially recognized air freight terminal where shipments can be prepared for air transport in accordance with IATA standards – including special packaging, security checks, and all required inspection processes. The flight will then depart for Australia via Frankfurt Airport without any intermediate steps.

Upon arrival in Australia, the logistics experts at the new Gebrüder Weiss location in Adelaide will take charge of the next stage of the process: They will coordinate the import formalities and transport to the University of Adelaide.

The World Solar Challenge starts on August 24, 2025, and covers 3,000 kilometers across the Australian outback. First held in 1987, the race promotes innovation in the areas of sustainable mobility and renewable energies.

As a company with a history spanning over 500 years, Gebrüder Weiss is eager to play an active role in shaping the future of mobility. Since 2021, the company has been involved in relevant projects, working closely with universities, research teams, and start-ups. In addition to logistics, Gebrüder Weiss promotes exchange between project partners and raises the profile of forward-thinking ideas. The aim is to implement new technologies at an early stage.

Further background information on the projects can be found at: https://www.gw-world.com/company/sustainability/future-of-mobility, or via the logistics company's social media channels.

It’s time to get those pedals whirring again! On April 1, the fourth season of GWcycles, the international cycling campaign led by Gebrüder Weiss, will get underway. Cycling for the Seas is the rallying call for cycling enthusiasts worldwide to hit the saddle together – and keep pounding the roads until October 31. Front and center of the campaign is the joy of putting miles in your legs and air in your lungs. The company’s goal is to connect people across nations and raise awareness of sustainable mobility. Last year, participants around the world covered over 810,000 kilometers – the equivalent of cycling to the moon and back.

New in 2025: cycle longer, celebrate success faster

This year’s edition of the campaign is running a month longer than usual – until October 31. Plus, the distances in the individual competition are now shorter, which will bring the attractive prizes on offer more quickly into view. Kilometer totals are tracked using the new version of the Radbonus app, which is now available for free from app stores. A key highlight of the new season is that for every 100,000 kilometers cycled collectively, new cooperation partner CleanHub will remove a ton of plastic waste from rivers and coastal regions of South-East Asia. The organization is actively committed to reducing plastic pollution in particularly vulnerable regions.

GWcycles welcomes riders of all kinds – from recreational cruisers to long-distance professionals. In addition to the positive feeling of doing something useful, there are also enticing prizes to be won. The 300 most active participants by the end of the campaign will be entered into a raffle to win a high-quality gravel bike, and the rider topping the rankings will get their hands on an exclusive Gebrüder Weiss winner's jersey.

Register now and start pedaling! 👉 www.gw-world.com/gwcycles

The international transport and logistics company Gebrüder Weiss closed the 2024 fiscal year with net revenues of 2.71 billion euros, representing a ten-percent gain over the previous year (2023: 2.46 billion euros). “We’re firmly on track: Despite geopolitical and economic tensions, we gained market share and grew, countering the overriding trend. By investing in our network, automation and digital innovation, we succeeded in expanding our range of services and developing the transport solutions our customers need – with the explicit aim of guaranteeing supply chain stability,” says Wolfram Senger-Weiss, CEO of Gebrüder Weiss.

In the Air & Sea sector, the group reported the highest increase in revenue with 939 million euros, a gain of 21 percent (2023: 776 million euros). This growth was powered by various factors, including the expansion of the networks in the United States and Germany, alongside high transport volumes in transpacific trade. Rising sea freight rates for exports from China to Europe provided an additional boost. Attacks in the Red Sea forced container ships to take the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) instead of through the Suez Canal.

Revenues in the Land Transport and Logistics segment rose by five percent to 1.52 billion euros (2023: 1.45 billion euros). This figure includes sales generated by the Home Delivery service. Cargoes such as refrigerators and furniture are transported to end customers in Austria and several eastern European countries implementing a two-man handling service.
DPD Austria, which is partly owned by the Gebrüder Weiss parcel service, processed more than 62.3 million parcels last year. This translates into an increase of one million parcels compared to 2023. The main growth drivers were exports and private consumers.

The company's equity ratio remained steady at 60 percent, positioning Gebrüder Weiss as a crisis-resistant service provider and dependable employer. The workforce across the group’s 180 locations worldwide rose slightly to 8,700 (2023: 8,600).

Despite the economically challenging environment, the logistics provider adhered to its investment strategy. During the fiscal year ended, a total of 124 million euros were devoted to expansion and modernization measures, environmentally friendly power generation and e-mobility.

Investments in logistics locations, automation and digitalization

Gebrüder Weiss commenced construction of a modern logistics and IT center featuring a fully automated high-bay warehouse – in the immediate vicinity of its corporate headquarters and the Wolfurt freight terminal (Vorarlberg/Austria). A new logistics facility was opened in the southern German town of Straubing, providing Bavaria’s industrial and commercial players with efficient transport links to national and global markets. Gebrüder Weiss also expanded its locations in Maria Saal (Austria), Aldingen (Germany), Bratislava (Slovakia) and Tbilisi (Georgia). In Budapest (Hungary), an Autostore warehouse was built as part of the site expansion program; here inbound cargo handling, material flows and order picking are largely automated. The U.S. business is growing, with the logistics specialist acquiring the air-and-sea freight forwarder Cargo Link from Salt Lake City, Utah. Together with the recently opened branch in Phoenix, Arizona, the network in North America now encompasses 17 company-owned locations.

Gebrüder Weiss has also charted further progress with its digital service palette: the number of customer-based users registering for the myGW portal has risen to 25,000 since its launch in 2020. The platform provides real-time information on all goods flows and gives customers full transparency on the progress of their orders. In 2024, the application’s functions were progressively fine-tuned to better meet costumer’s needs.  

Expanding renewable energy and e-mobility

The company took important steps towards decarbonization and climate-friendly power generation. Additional photovoltaic (PV) systems were installed in Hungary and Slovakia. Gebrüder Weiss now operates 34 PV systems, which generated some 13,000 megawatt hours of electricity during the fiscal year ended. This equals roughly half of the power requirements of all Gebrüder Weiss locations worldwide. The increased use of solar energy has led to overall savings of 2,738 metric tons of CO₂.

To further reduce CO₂ emissions on a sustainable basis, Gebrüder Weiss is also reorganizing its own fleet and progressively deploying vehicles with electric drives. In Austria, Hungary, Croatia and Romania, the logistics company is already utilizing e-transporters to deliver goods ordered online to private households. In Germany, two electric trucks were introduced in 2024, and a further 13 will follow in Austria this year. As an initial step, the logistics provider has already converted a large part of its truck fleet in Austria to hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO), which can potentially reduce CO₂ emissions by some 90 percent (compared to diesel fuel).

Wolfram Senger-Weiss explains: “Along with the issues of sustainability, infrastructure and digitalization, the logistics industry faces numerous other hurdles this year. The persistently weak economy in Europe, new tariffs, and the crisis in the automotive industry are intensifying the competition for many companies. Gebrüder Weiss will continue to meet these challenges with a solution- and technology-oriented approach while aligning its general business strategy to the needs of its customers.”

The global logistics company Gebrüder Weiss is responsible for transporting the solar system to Uganda: "This is an exemplary initiative by companies in the region that helps to give the local population a perspective for the future – and it also makes ecological sense. Solar energy instead of fossil fuels: a sustainable aid project that we are happy to support," says Andreas Bilgeri, Manager of Gebrüder Weiss Air & Sea Wolfurt. The solar energy system will be packed into a 40-foot sea freight container and sent on its way before Christmas. It will first travel by rail from Wolfurt to Rotterdam and then by ship to Mombasa (Kenya). The rest of the journey to Uganda will be by truck.

"I am pleased to partner with Gebrüder Weiss, a globally experienced logistics company based in Vorarlberg. Their expertise streamlines our coordination processes and ensures the solar system will arrive safely and on schedule," says Matthias Burtscher, coordinator of the aid campaign. With the support of many volunteers, the donated PV system modules were assembled, tested and packed at his company's premises before being transported.

About the project

"Solar Power for Palorinya" is a joint project of the Catholic missionary order of the Comboni Missionaries – represented locally by Brother Erich Fischnaller – and numerous companies, associations and individuals from Vorarlberg, Liechtenstein and South Tyrol. Fischnaller, who was born in South Tyrol and began his missionary work in Africa 50 years ago, has been involved in the Palorinya refugee center since 2016. More than 125,000 people live there, most of whom have fled the civil war in neighboring Sudan. The new solar energy system not only helps save on the high cost of diesel fuel but also makes the most of Uganda's climatic conditions. Due to its location on the equator, the sun shines at a consistently high intensity almost all year round.

Gebrüder Weiss’ international community of bike enthusiasts has raised the bar with this year’s GWcycles cycling campaign: More than 600 participants came together to cycle over 768,800 kilometers – the distance it would take to the moon and back.

Between March and September, the logistics company ran its third and latest cycling campaign, aptly titled “Cycling to the moon and back,” calling on cyclists around the world to dowload the Radbonus app and cover as many kilometers as possible on two wheels. “It’s clear that bicycle mobility is growing in popularity,” remarks Frank Haas, Head of Communications at Gebrüder Weiss, “and rightly so: Cycling gives people a chance to enjoy being active and boosts both personal health and climate protection. I’m particularly pleased that we were once again able to encourage so many people to do their best to support a good cause. Thank you to everyone who got involved!”

Another benefit is that each kilometer cycled helps to protect the climate. The 2024 cycling campaign has enabled Gebrüder Weiss to plant 7,000 new trees in the corporate forest in Nicaragua. A total of 19,000 trees have been planted since the campaign was launched in 2022. Once fully grown, these trees will absorb around 285 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere per year.

For more information about “Cycling around the World”, go to: https://info.gw-world.com/gwcycles.

The international transport and logistics company Gebrüder Weiss and the ÖBB Rail Cargo Group have been working together for three decades. To mark this anniversary, Wolfram Senger-Weiss, CEO of Gebrüder Weiss, and Christoph Grasl, member of the management board of the ÖBB Rail Cargo Group, celebrated together with numerous guests at the Vienna Central Station on May 6. The highlight of the event was the ceremonial christening and commissioning of the jointly designed Taurus locomotive named “Europa”. The anniversary locomotive will operate on routes across Central Europe.

Long tradition in rail freight
“Gebrüder Weiss was one of the pioneers of rail freight transport in Austria more than 170 years ago,” explained Wolfram Senger-Weiss. “Long before trucks took over the majority of freight transport, rail transport was part of our core business,” he emphasized to the guests. Starting with small transports between Lindau and Munich in 1853, Gebrüder Weiss continuously expanded its rail freight services over the next 170 years. One example is the subsidiary company GW Rail Cargo. Based in Maria Lanzendorf near Vienna, the rail freight forwarding company organizes rail transports throughout Europe for international companies. Every year, up to 1.5 million tons of goods are transported in around 1,000 block trains to recipients in central Europe. The goods include mineral oil, chemicals, gases, agricultural products, and steel.

Orange Combi Cargo: a success story of partnership
A milestone in the partnership with the Rail Cargo Group is the Orange Combi Cargo (OCC), a block train that has been running daily for 16 years between Vienna, Wels, Hall i.T. and Bludenz. It provides a stable, environmentally friendly transportation solution within Austria, transporting food and beverages, drugstore products and building materials among others. It replaces approximately 60 truck trips per day, avoiding around 9,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year.

“The Orange Combi Cargo is a prime example of our cooperation. Thanks to the OCC, we have shifted more than 240,000 truck journeys from road to rail since 2008,” sums up Christoph Grasl, member of the management board of ÖBB Rail Cargo Group. “With every ton that we transport by rail with Gebrüder Weiss, we benefit the environment.”

Working together for climate-friendly freight transport
A significant proportion of rail transport consists of transit traffic, particularly between western ports such as Rotterdam and Hamburg on the one hand and the Adriatic ports on the other. Stable networks and partnerships such as the one with the Rail Cargo Group are essential for Gebrüder Weiss in shifting transports over to rail.

Greenland has been the focus of climate research for many years because, as one of the largest ice regions in the world, the island is sensitive to climate change. This means Greenland is a particularly interesting place for scientists. With this in mind, an international team of researchers including two scientists, a medical doctor, and a photographer is setting off on foot on a special mission on April 29 to measure the thickness of its ice sheet at key intervals. Transport modes and equipment for this unique and sustainable expedition is supported by the international logistics company Gebrüder Weiss.

“As one of the world’s leading logistics service providers, we also see it as our duty to support selected research initiatives such as the Greenland Project. The purpose of the expedition is to gain insights into climate change that will help us make smart decisions for our future,” says Wolfram Senger-Weiss, CEO of Gebrüder Weiss.

Specifically, the research team has set out to cross Greenland roughly following the 70th parallel north, which connects the village of Kangerlussuaq on the west coast with the city of Isortoq on the east coast. The density of the ice sheet will be measured at regular intervals to obtain measurements for comparison with earlier ones taken along this route. The project team will cover a total of 600 kilometers (373 miles) on skis, each with a sled in tow.

“As our research essentially focuses on the climate and glacier melt, we feel it is important for it to be as climate-neutral as possible. Conducting an expedition on foot into this fragile ecosystem enables the measurements to be taken in a much more environmentally friendly way than would be possible by helicopter, and with a greater degree of accuracy than would be possible by satellite,” emphasizes Niklas Marc Heinecke, photographer, and co-founder of ’The Greenland Project.’. “We can rely on dependable equipment in this inhospitable environment thanks to the support of Gebrüder Weiss.”

The results of the expedition, which will be analyzed in more detail at the University of Sunshine Coast in Australia, hold global significance. They will be shared with researchers from all over the world, contributing to our collective understanding of climate change. The aim of the month-long expedition is to gain valuable insights into the connections between the temperature fluctuations in Greenland in recent decades and the further effects on the global climate.

Gebrüder Weiss will use its social media channels in the coming months to provide ongoing updates about the project, from impressive pictures from Greenland to exciting research findings. These channels also provide information on all the other innovative mobility projects supported by the logistics company. Most recently, Gebrüder Weiss transported the equipment for the Mars Analog Mission AMADEE-24 of the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF) to Armenia.

"The expansion in Budapest offers room for further growth in the future. Increasing industrial production, especially in the automotive and electrical sectors, means that demand for transport and logistics services is expected to increase in the coming years, " explained Wolfram Senger-Weiss, CEO of Gebrüder Weiss, at the opening on April 25, 2024. "We opened our first Central and Eastern Europe branch in Hungary in 1989. Since then, the country has become an important hub for transporting goods between our core markets in the Black Sea region, the Balkans, the Adriatic and Western Europe. Today, our countrywide organization in Hungary is a pioneer in automation and sustainable transport."

Smart technology for greater efficiency
The existing logistics facility was also modernized as part of this work, with inbound storage, material flow and picking now being largely automated using the new AutoStore system. The goods are stored in plastic containers stacked in a frame system. Robots transport the containers to work stations where the goods are picked for shipping.

"This saves time, space, and energy," says Thomas Schauer, Regional Manager Central and Southeastern Europe at Gebrüder Weiss. "We achieve an even higher level of efficiency in how trucks and containers are utilized. Cargometer cameras and 3D scanners measure the packaged items while they are still on the forklift truck. By ascertaining the size and weight of these items, we can make optimum use of the available space.”

Sustainable energy supply and zero-emission delivery
The majority of the energy required for buildings and e-vehicles is supplied by a photovoltaic system with an output of up to 354 kWp. "We use solar power to operate delivery vehicles in the home delivery sector, " explains Balint Varga, Managing Director Hungary at Gebrüder Weiss. "We use e-vans to deliver furniture, consumer electronics and household appliances ordered online to end customers in Budapest and other major cities. This enables us to cut CO2 emissions by around 12.5 tons per month."

Gebrüder Weiss has been present in Hungary since 1989 and today offers full-service logistics at six locations – in addition to Budapest, these are Győr, Zalaegerszeg, Pécs, Szeged and Polgár – with 450 employees – from land transport to air and sea freight to warehouse logistics. Further expansion is planned for 2026 in Győr, where a completely new logistics facility is to be built.

Construction work for a new logistics hall has started in the Nagelsee industrial park in the municipality of Aldingen / Baden-Wuerttemberg. The international transport and logistics company Gebrüder Weiss is leading the building project. “There is a high demand for storage space in industry and commerce. This new building will enable us to provide our customers with 4,000 square meters of additional space for their goods,” explains Yvonne Reichardt, Location Manager of Gebrüder Weiss in Aldingen.

The logistics hall is slated for completion by the end of the year. It will serve as storage and increase capacities for national and international transhipment. The total investment is 8.5 million euros. The special features of the building include a washing plant for special transport containers, so-called euro containers, as well as a rooftop photovoltaic system. The electricity produced will be used for electric stackers and pallet trucks. A heat pump and new charging stations for e-vehicles will also be provided by the logistics company for climate-friendly operations.

Some 60 employees, including six apprentices, are employed by Gebrüder Weiss at the Aldingen location. Each year, the site handles around 200,000 shipments, for customers from the engineering, automotive and construction industries, as well as electronics and metal processing. Aldingen boasts a direct connection to Gebrüder Weiss’s international transport network, with further links into Austria and Switzerland as well as Eastern Europe, the Caucasus region, and Asia.

In Southern Germany, Gebrüder Weiss has a total of ten locations: three in Baden-Württemberg (Aldingen, Altensteig, Esslingen) and seven in Bavaria (Bayreuth, Konradsreuth, Memmingen, Nuremberg, Passau, Straubing and Waldkraiburg).

This year, Gebrüder Weiss again calls upon cyclists to participate in the company’s international cycling campaign “GWcycles”. From March 25, cycling enthusiasts all over the world will be pedaling for all they are worth. The goal of the sports competition in 2024 is ambitious: cycling to the moon and back. International participants have until September 30 to cover the distance of 768,800 kilometers.

As in previous years, GWcycles combines this sports challenge with environmental protection: the international transport company will plant another 7,000 trees in Nicaragua for the kilometers covered by the participants. In the two previous rounds, a total of 13,000 trees have been planted in Togo and Nicaragua. By planting these corporate forests, Gebrüder Weiss makes an important and active contribution to a climate-friendly future.

“At Gebrüder Weiss, we believe in sustainable mobility, and as a global logistics company, we are enthusiastic about moving things together,” Frank Haas, Head of Corporate Brand Strategy & Communications at Gebrüder Weiss, describes the essential motivation and targets of GWcycles. “So far, our cycling community has accomplished spectacular results each year; they enjoy exercising and actively contributing to environmental protection. We are looking forward to this year’s competition.”

Following the previous year’s campaign, which ended with a surprising success – more than 15 times around the world – we’re challenging the participants of the 2024 competition to cycle to the moon and back. The main prize that Gebrüder Weiss offers is a gravel bike that will be raffled amongst the top 300 participants as well as more exciting prizes that are waiting for seven different challenges. Anyone can participate in the competition. The number of kilometers completed will be recorded and calculated in a cycling app. Click here to go to the relevant app: www.gw-world.com/de/cycling-around-the-world. Simply download, register, and get started!

Logistics partner and main sponsor Gebrüder Weiss has been on board since the very beginning. Not only did the company ensure the vehicle arrived safely in South America, but it also co-financed the innovative venture. “As the oldest transport and logistics company, we are committed to the future of mobility,” says Frank Haas, Head of Corporate Brand Strategy & Communications at Gebrüder Weiss. “This success underlines our ongoing support for sustainable mobility projects and innovative technologies. We are delighted for the team and will now bring the record-breaking vehicle safely back to Switzerland.”

The impressive undertaking began two months ago: Gebrüder Weiss transported the e-truck from Switzerland via Rotterdam and then by sea freight to Chile. Another overland transport took the solar truck to the Atacama region. The Peak Evolution team started at the Maricunga salt lake with the first exploratory tours and acclimatization on the mountain, at an elevation of 3,400 meters. The extreme terrain and environmental conditions of the world’s highest volcano not only put the high-tech vehicle to the test, but also put the team under extreme physical and mental strain. 

“Despite these extreme conditions, our specially developed vehicle managed to drive higher than any other e-vehicle – let alone a solar-powered one,” says Patrik Koller, CEO, and developer at Peak Evolution, summarizing the success. “We have been training for this moment for four years, so giving up was never an option.” The three adventurers reached the first milestone at the end of November, breaking the record for e-vehicles by surpassing the 6,000-meter barrier. One week later, they reached 6,500 meters above sea level – the record height of their mission. They reached the western ridge of Ojos del Salado, the highest volcano on earth, using nothing but solar power. With the world record in the bag, the Peak Evolution team is now heading back to Switzerland, with Gebrüder Weiss ensuring that the record-breaking vehicle also makes it safely back to Europe.

The logistics company will continue to support such forward-looking projects. January will see a dress rehearsal of the Austrian Space Forum’s Mars mission take place at the Gebrüder Weiss site in Maria Lanzendorf near Vienna. The company will also test an autonomous truck next year and send an international research team to Greenland to gain important insights into climate change.

On October 27, the innovative solar car of ETH Zurich’s aCentauri Solar Racing Team was driven across the finish line in Adelaide. In just six days, the students covered the distance of 3,000 km across the Australian outback using nothing but solar power. The Swiss team – supported by the international logistics company Gebrüder Weiss – ranked twelfth in the “Challenger” category. “The entire aCentauri Solar Racing Team is more than satisfied with this result,” commented team manager Alexandr Ebnöther. “With our Sun Challenger, we managed to brave the difficult conditions in the outback and prove that sustainable mobility is possible.”

On the 3,000 km route from Darwin to Adelaide, the students had to compete with 31 other teams in their category and to overcome numerous obstacles. On the very first day, the team struggled with a flat tire and with the technology of their solar car. For a short time, it looked as if the Swiss team would not stay in the race for long. A night shift by the engineers prevented the team from having to quit and brought the solar car back to a speed of up to 85 km/h. In this way, the students managed to cover an average of 500 km per day and came in twelfth at the finish line in Adelaide.

The team was welcomed by Martin Fernandes, Country Manager Gebrüder Weiss in Australia, and Sharon Young, Customer Service & Process Manager Gebrüder Weiss in Melbourne: “We were very impressed by the young researchers’ enthusiasm for alternative drive technologies. Solar mobility is capable of much more than is generally assumed. We are pleased to be the official logistics partner and sponsor of this project. We are happy about the great result and will continue to support aCentauri’s journey.”

The team of ETH Zurich would like to go back to Australia in two years’ time to compete in the race again. Aaron Griesser, expert in drive and control technology, evaluates the race from an engineer’s point of view: “We have learned a lot about our development in this race. Now we know that we still have potential in terms of efficiency and aerodynamics, and we will use that knowledge to build version 2.0 of our car. Our motivation for 2025 is huge, and we will do our best to advance our vision of an eco-friendly future.”

It is now time for the ETH Zurich team to start their homeward journey. Gebrüder Weiss will make sure that the innovative solar car including racing equipment returns safely to Technopark Zurich. The tailor-made logistics mix includes transport by sea freight, comprehensive customs clearance measures, and last-mile delivery by truck.

When the shipment arrived at the airport in Adelaide, the Australian logistics experts from Gebrüder Weiss were called for. After all, the solar powered car is no “standard product”, but was designed, built, and tested by the ETH Zurich students themselves. Special regulations apply to the import of used goods to Australia: “In order to protect Australia’s unique flora and fauna from pests and diseases, the import of used goods is subject to strict quarantine and customs regulations,” explains Martin Fernandes, Country Manager Australia at Gebrüder Weiss. “We had already prepared extensive documentation and certificates for the import of the solar powered car and all related equipment in advance. This way, we ensured that the team could start on time for the race.”

Team Manager Alexandr Ebnöther is already in the starting blocks with his aCentauri Solar Racing Team and is relieved to have a specialist with local knowledge at his side in Gebrüder Weiss: “We are fortunate to have gained an internationally operating logistics partner. The experts at Gebrüder Weiss know the local regulations and have taken care of all the formalities for us, so that we can concentrate fully on preparing for the race.” To be perfectly prepared for the start of the race on October 22 in Darwin, the aCentauri Solar Racing Team will also road test its Solar Challenger on some sections of the track.

Gebrüder Weiss sees such ambitious research and innovation as the basis for new mobility concepts, and as an asset for a state-of-the-art infrastructure in logistics. That is why Gebrüder Weiss cooperates with young scientists to jointly shape the mobility of the future. In doing so, the logistics experts contribute their extensive knowledge and many years of experience, be it for the punctual start of the World Solar Challenge, or for a Mars or space mission.

Gebrüder Weiss regularly reports on the preparations and progress of the cooperation on a dedicated landing page and via various social media channels.

Frank Haas, Head of Communications at Gebrüder Weiss, is thrilled by the positive response: “This year’s large number of participants from all over the world has clearly exceeded our expectations. We thank all entrants for their outstanding commitment.” For Gebrüder Weiss, this competition is not only a sports challenge, it also stands for sustainable mobility and active climate protection. This is further underlined by the company’s reforestation project in Nicaragua: for the kilometers covered, Gebrüder Weiss has planted a total of 7,000 trees. “Many participants were additionally motivated by the idea of helping to increase the size of our corporate forest. Meanwhile, a cycling community has evolved, demonstrating that we can achieve a lot together,” adds Mr. Haas.

The participants used a cycling app to record the distances they covered. The close finish between Janusz Mucha from Poland and Markus Knabl from Austria remained thrilling until the very end, when they shared first place in this year’s competition, each of them covering more than 17,000 kilometers.

Primaklima, a non-profit organization active for 30 years, is the company’s cooperation partner for the reforestation project. With the trees planted in the company’s forest, Gebrüder Weiss helps reduce the burden on our atmosphere by some 154 tons of CO2 each year.

For more information on the “Cycling around the World” competition, please go to: https://info.gw-world.com/cyclingaroundtheworld

“Our vehicles are powered by a low-noise and eco-friendly electric motor, which makes them the perfect choice for urban traffic. Not only do they help improve air quality, but they also contribute to our organizational goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2030,” explains Bálint Varga, Country Manager Hungary at Gebrüder Weiss. “We want our transports to be as sustainable as possible, and these zero-emission deliveries are an important step in that direction.” During the first three months, the e-vans were in use seven days a week, covering a total of 72,000 kilometers. This corresponds to CO₂ savings of 15 tons against a comparable diesel-powered vehicle.

The close cooperation between Gebrüder Weiss and IKEA, two companies sharing a vision of sustainable transport, has contributed significantly to the success of this project. Bránko Aczkov, Service Operation Developer at IKEA in Hungary, emphasizes: “It is very important for IKEA that our goods, which are produced in an eco-friendly manner, are delivered to the customers using zero-emission means of transport. With Gebrüder Weiss, we have a partner at our side who thinks along the same lines and supports us on this path.” In Austria, Gebrüder Weiss has been using electric vehicles to deliver IKEA goods to private households since 2021.

After the successful pilot phase in Budapest, Gebrüder Weiss intends to continue expanding its climate-friendly Home Delivery services. Starting in 2024, ten more Ford E-Transit e-vans will provide delivery services to end customers in the Hungarian cities of Győr, Pécs, Zalaegerszeg and Szeged. The further development of alternative drive systems for transport vehicles is part of Gebrüder Weiss' long-term strategy. In addition to electric vans, the logistics provider also uses electric trucks in Austria and a hydrogen-powered truck in Switzerland.

Gebrüder Weiss has been operating in Hungary since 1990 and currently has eight locations in the country. The company is one of the country's market leaders in home delivery, i.e. the delivery of furniture, consumer electronics and household appliances.

“Due to its limited payload capacity, this solar-powered vehicle cannot yet replace a conventional truck, but it shows a completely new direction in which we will be able to move with alternative drives in the future,” says Frank Haas, Head of Corporate Brand Strategy & Communications at Gebrüder Weiss. The solar-powered multi-purpose vehicle has more traction capacity than an average 40-ton semi-truck and could be used especially in rough terrain. Gebrüder Weiss has already sponsored a number of projects of this kind. “Being the oldest logistics company in the world, we feel committed to helping shape the future of mobility,” explains Frank Haas the motives behind this cooperation.

For nearly four years, the three Swiss developers, David Pröschel, Patrik and David Koller, have been working on putting the multi-purpose truck into practice. By embarking on an expedition to a place that no vehicle has ever reached, they want to prove the efficiency of alternative drive technologies. “Our vehicle makes it possible to perform even the most demanding transport tasks, whether in mining or when erecting high-altitude solar power plants, in an environmentally compatible and economically efficient manner. The expedition is going to show the commercial viability of the product we developed,” says Patrik Koller, Head of Finance and co-developer of the Peak Evolution Team. “In Gebrüder Weiss, we have gained a partner who shares our vision of sustainable mobility and, as an international transport company, will also be able to benefit from it in practical terms in the future.”

The transport requires comprehensive expertise and flexibility: since electrically powered vehicles are considered hazardous goods, the specialists of the international transport company developed a double container floor that secures the expedition equipment and allows to disconnect the battery. In addition, extensive documentation must meet the strict safety and customs requirements while at sea and in the country of destination.

The daring mission will be accompanied by a documentary film team headed by award-winning Swiss filmmaker Claudio von Planta.

All information at a glance

Katharina Zimmerling, Branch Manager Air & Sea Zurich is inspired by the innovation drivers at ETH Zurich: “I was deeply impressed by the determination shown by the solar team in the work on developing mobility solutions of tomorrow. The alternative drive technology is also a good fit for Gebrüder Weiss. This motivates me all the more to ensure that aCentauri gets off to a good start in the race.

The participants of the unique World Solar Challenge have to cover the 3,000 kilometers across the Australian outback, from Darwin to Adelaide, using only solar power. aCentauri is one of 31 teams in the “Challenger” category.

“Over 8,000 hours of research, development, along with lots of blood, sweat and tears have gone into our solar car, pushing the boundaries of what is currently technically possible and showing how much potential there is in young people. The dedicated transport solution developed by Gebrüder Weiss demonstrates our supporters’ appreciation for our work,” says Aaron Griesser, Drivetrain & Controls, aCentauri. The aCentauri team is particularly pleased that, with the hydrogen truck, two alternative drive systems are coming together to prove their work on the first transport leg: sustainable mobility is possible.

As a driver of intelligent transport solutions, Gebrüder Weiss helps young scientists to shape the mobility of the future together. The logistics experts showcases their extensive know-how and many years of experience, be it to start on time at the World Solar Challenge, or for a Mars or space mission.

To ensure that the high-tech vehicle can be on its marks on time at the other end of the world, Gebrüder Weiss delivers a customized mix of logistics covering land transport, sea and air freight.

“Our position as a global logistics company means we are a driver of intelligent transport solutions, actively shaping the mobility of tomorrow,” says Frank Haas, Head of Corporate Brand Strategy & Communications at Gebrüder Weiss. “aCentauri’s solar car is a trendsetter with the potential to revolutionize the transport sector, which is why we are supporting the team on their journey to Australia.”

The students have been working on the development and implementation of this solar car for nearly a year. Designed for durability and maximum energy efficiency, it is emblematic of a future in which the environment takes center stage. “Of course, we would like to win the race. But what is equally important to us is taking an active role in developing efficient, environmentally sound solutions,” explains Alexandr Ebnöther, team manager at aCentauri. “With the support of Gebrüder Weiss, we can demonstrate that solar-powered cars and, by extension, sustainable mobility, are possible.”

There is particular focus at the moment on alternative drives at Gebrüder Weiss. For example, aCentauri’s solar car is covering the first leg of its journey on the logistic company’s zero-emission hydrogen truck.

Gebrüder Weiss regularly reports on the preparations and the progress of the cooperation via a dedicated landing page (http://www.gw-world.com/solarracing) and the various social media channels.

Coffee manufacturer Atinkana pursues a vision of sustainability: in the long run, they want to restore the original structure of the virgin forest in Colombia and make the soil more fertile. The Swiss company is financing its project in Colombia’s Sierra Nevada by growing coffee, cocoa and a variety of fruits. The plants are cultivated in a natural cycle, with hardly any emissions being produced thanks to manual harvesting and processing. For every kilo of coffee sold by Atinkana, the company plants two trees in Colombia. In order to make the 8,500-kilometer transport to Europe as sustainable as possible, Atinkana relies on particularly eco-friendly means of transport: the coffee beans are transported by sailing ships across the Atlantic to Amsterdam, then by truck to Antwerp and subsequently by rail to Basel. From there, Gebrüder Weiss delivers them to the coffee roasting plant using its hydrogen truck.

“Thanks to the cooperation with our innovative logistics partners Fairtransport and Gebrüder Weiss, we are able to cover 98 % of the route from Colombia to Switzerland by sustainable means of transport. This makes our coffee almost as sustainable as a regional product in Europe,” says Andre Conte, logistics manager at Atinkana. It takes two sailing ships about 10 weeks to transport the coffee to Europe. Thus, 14 tons of coffee are transported to Switzerland once a year.

Apart from reforestation of the virgin forest, Atinkana sets high standards in other areas as well. They pay higher wages to their coffee farmers than other companies. For each kilogram of coffee sold, eight dollars remain in the country – five for the coffee beans, three for reforestation. This corresponds to around 22 percent of the revenue. It is mainly the Colombians who are meant to benefit from the profit.

Oskar Kramer, Country Manager Switzerland at Gebrüder Weiss, is fascinated by the project: “Atinkana’s eco-friendly approach in terms of production and logistics is a perfect fit for Gebrüder Weiss. For many years, we have been investing in alternative drive technologies for trucks and pursuing the objective of making transport as sustainable as possible. Using our hydrogen truck to deliver the coffee, we provide for zero emission last mile delivery in Switzerland.” For more than two years, Gebrüder Weiss has been successfully using its hydrogen (H₂) truck for local transport in Switzerland. The company plans to deploy another three H₂ trucks in Germany by 2024.

“It is important to maintain the islands’ authenticity and uniqueness. By using our electric tricycles to provide delivery services we help the island oases retain their charming character. And our customers will receive the goods they ordered online in an eco-friendly manner,” says Barbara Bujačić, Country Manager Croatia at Gebrüder Weiss. The vehicle can transport consignments with a total weight of up to 500 kilograms and cover 50 kilometers per day on one battery charge.

Electric vans in urban areas
In addition to electric tricycles, Gebrüder Weiss Croatia has recently started to use electric vans for deliveries to final customers in Zagreb as well. Whether furniture, washing machines, fridges and freezers or sports equipment – Gebrüder Weiss delivers the products wherever the customers need them. An electric van is able to cover 170 kilometers on one battery charge, allowing up to 35 eco-friendly deliveries per day. These vehicles are perfectly suited for transport in urban areas, and even reduce the roar of traffic thanks to their low-noise electric motor. Their batteries are charged via the company’s own Photovoltaic system recently put into operation at the company’s main location near Zagreb. The solar panels installed on the roof of the logistics facility boast an annual total peak performance of 500 kilowatts and contribute to saving about 107 tons of CO₂ per year.

Gebrüder Weiss implemented these sustainable measures in Croatia to take another step towards achieving the climate neutrality targets by 2030. For several years, the company has invested in alternative drives for heavy load transport, developing ecologically compatible solutions for the last mile. Thus, for instance in the Greater Vienna metropolitan area, electric trucks are used for local transport and for deliveries to final customers in Austria and Hungary. Moreover, one of the first hydrogen trucks worldwide has been in use in Switzerland since 2021. The acquisition of additional hydrogen and electric trucks in Germany is scheduled for 2024.

Werner Dettenthaler, Managing Director Land Transport Germany at Gebrüder Weiss, has known the company for many years and is a firm believer of its service quality: “Wedlich has an excellent reputation as a logistics provider and has deep roots in the Upper Franconia region. It is the perfect addition to our operations in northern Bavaria with its logistics, transport and relocation services, along with the expertise of its employees.” The company will operate in Bayreuth from August 1, 2023, as Gebrüder Weiss – Transport and Logistics and complement the Bavarian locations in Nuremberg, Straubing, Passau, Memmingen and Waldkraiburg.

The forwarding company Wedlich was founded in 1946 and has up to now been owned by the family of the same name. Managing Director Christian Wedlich: “With Gebrüder Weiss, we have found the perfect new owner. Just like Gebrüder Weiss, we focus on the needs of our customers, train our own employees, and are committed to sustainability. As a subsidiary of Gebrüder Weiss, we offer our customers the entire range of services of a global logistics company, and our employees benefit from attractive development opportunities.”

Wedlich operates a modern logistics facility in Bayreuth with a handling and storage area of 15,000 m², as well as another 15,000 m² in nearby Bad Berneck. The company meets its energy needs via its own photovoltaic system installed on the logistics terminal. The system produces 700 megawatt hours of electricity per year, making it the largest photovoltaic system of its kind in Bayreuth at present.

The acquisition of Wedlich is part of an overall strategy in which Gebrüder Weiss is gradually consolidating its network in southern Germany. It was only recently that the logistics company took over B+A Luft- und Seefrachtspedition in Nuremberg. In addition to Bayreuth, nine other locations are part of the Gebrüder Weiss land transport network in southern Germany: Aldingen, Altensteig, Esslingen, Lindau, Memmingen, Nuremberg, Passau, Straubing and Waldkraiburg.

The logistics industry is facing many challenges due to the current economic and geopolitical issues. From May 9 to 12, 2023, at transport logistic, the world’s leading trade fair for logistics, mobility, IT and supply chain management in Munich, the logistics company will explain how Gebrüder Weiss responds to disruptive supply chains, global climate targets, and increasing digitization. Gebrüder Weiss will be presenting a solution in terms of sustainability live at its booth 234 in Hall A5: the first company-owned hydrogen truck, which the logistics company started using for the transport of goods in Switzerland two years ago. Those interested in technology can take a virtual ride in the zero-emission vehicle on site. Using the vehicle in practice has proven so successful that the company plans to purchase another five H₂ trucks in Germany. This not only testifies to the company’s commitment to climate protection, but also to Gebrüder Weiss’ innovativeness and readiness to invest.

Company representatives from the areas of land transport as well as Air & Sea will be available for discussions at the trade fair stand, providing information about Gebrüder Weiss’ full-service logistics – in Germany and all over the world. The logistics provider has 180 own locations in Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, and Oceania. Germany, in particular, is an important core market for the company, and it intends to continue growing there. In southern Germany, Gebrüder Weiss already maintains a dense land transport network and has just made another acquisition with the takeover of the Rentschler freight forwarding company in Baden-Württemberg. The logistics company provides air and sea freight services at major hubs from north to south: Hamburg, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Hanover, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Straubing, and Munich.

Panel Discussions: Dealing with crises

Wolfram Senger-Weiss, Chief Executive Officer of Gebrüder Weiss, will speak on the influence of geopolitics on supply chains in the Black Sea region and Central Asia on May 9 at 1:00 p.m. in Hall B2 / 329. On day 2 of the trade fair, Managing Director Jürgen Bauer will discuss how Gebrüder Weiss deals with supply bottlenecks, the energy issue, and the use of alternative drives (May 10, 4:30 p.m., Hall B2 / 329).

Save the date: Gebrüder Weiss at transport logistic (May 9 to 12, 2023), Messe München, Hall A5 – booth 234. Click here for the entire program of the trade fair:

Gebrüder Weiss is once again organizing: “”. The logistics company is calling on cycling enthusiasts from all over the world to pedal hard from April 1. This year, they want to top the surprising success of 2022: instead of six circumnavigations of the world, they want to complete seven, corresponding to 280,525 kilometers. Participating cyclists have until the end of September to finish. The number of kilometers completed will be recorded and calculated in a cycling app.

The idea behind this year’s sporting competition is also environmental protection: for every 40 kilometers cycled, Gebrüder Weiss will pay for a tree to be planted in Nicaragua. This Central American country is severely affected by climate change, and the trees planted there are intended to protect against flooding. The cooperation partner is PRIMAKLIMA, a non-profit association which has been involved in reforestation projects for more than 30 years.

“We are excited to see how ambitious the participants will be this time. The bar is high, but we believe in our cycling community, which we hope will continue to grow. This campaign is aimed at anyone who enjoys exercising and wants to make a contribution to environmentally friendly mobility. Every kilometer counts, and together we can make a big difference – after all, that's what we like to do most as a logistics company,” says Frank Haas, Head of Corporate Brand Strategy & Communications at Gebrüder Weiss. A Gravelbike will be raffled off among the top 250 cyclists. Prizes will also be awarded for completing individual sections ranging from 60 to 6,000 kilometers.

The first edition of the Gebrüder Weiss cycling campaign ended in September 2022 with a total distance covered of 249,392 kilometers. At that time, the international field of participants had surpassed the original goal of “only” one circumnavigation of the globe (40,075 kilometers) many times over and, with this mileage, contributed to the replanting of 5,000 trees in Togo, Africa.

You can read all information on the 2023 cycling campaign here:

The international transport and logistics company Gebrüder Weiss posted turnover of 3.01 billion euros for fiscal 2022. This translates into a year-on-year gain of 18 percent (2021: 2.54 billion euros), and builds on the positive trend of recent years. “We have succeeded in adhering to and advancing our strategic goals in a challenging environment. We have expanded our position in the core markets of Central and Eastern Europe, the United States and Asia, while moving forward with our focuses on digitalization and climate neutrality by 2030. The rewarding results across our divisions are proof positive that we are a solid organization that is fit for the future,” says Wolfram Senger-Weiss, CEO at Gebrüder Weiss. The equity ratio also rose and has been restored to its previous level of 60 percent (2021: 57 percent); this increase underlines the company’s resilience and demonstrates that Gebrüder Weiss offers its workforce secure jobs.

The Land Transport division posted 1,479 million euros in sales, a gain of 16 percent (2021: 1,277 million euros). The Home Delivery service performed at last year’s level, delivering some 1.53 million shipments to private households in Austria and Eastern Europe (2021: 1.58 million consignments). As a result, Gebrüder Weiss maintained its market leadership in this segment. Major progress was also reported by Air & Sea, which closed fiscal 2022 with sales at 1,272 million euros, a plus of 24 percent (2021: 1,024 million euros). This surge was driven mainly by the high freight charges of the shipping companies and airlines. DPD Austria, which is partly owned by the Gebrüder Weiss parcel service, was able to sustain its volumes: in 2022 it shipped 66 million parcels (2021: 66.5 million).

International network expanded
Despite economic challenges in 2022 deriving from the war in Ukraine, energy issues and rising inflation, Gebrüder Weiss adhered to its investment strategy. A total of 67 million euros were devoted to consolidating the company’s own network and augmenting its international locations and services. The main focuses were Germany, Hungary, Romania and the United States, along with Turkey and Georgia. The latter two countries are chief links on the Middle Corridor, along which the logistics specialist extended its services to Central Asia and China.

In the key German logistics market, Gebrüder Weiss was able to cement its position in both Air & Sea and Land Transport. In southern Germany, the renaming of the Bavarian freight forwarding company Lode as Gebrüder Weiss Waldkraiburg was concluded. The continued expansion of the land transport network is planned for the south of Germany, with the takeover of the Rentschler shipping company (Baden-Württemberg) in early 2023 marking a first step. Having an enlarged network naturally prompted growth in the workforce: employee numbers rose by six percent to some 8,400 (2021: 7,900)

Continued focus on digitalization and sustainability
The year 2022 also saw the company sustaining its digitalization strategy “Best of Both Worlds,” which Gebrüder Weiss views as a winning combination of operational and digital competence. This included the next stage in the rollout of the digital service portal myGW, which delivers real-time information as to the exact whereabouts of customers’ goods – thus ensuring optimum transparency along the entire supply chain. “Our goal is to give our customers the best solutions for their supply chains, while confining our environmental impact to a minimum. Toward that end, we are constantly investing in our logistics terminals and digital tools, while simultaneously training our staff and identifying environmentally friendly transport options,” Wolfram Senger-Weiss explains.

To underscore the company’s commitment to sustainable goals and its pledge to contribute to climate protection globally, Gebrüder Weiss published a Sustainability Report in 2022. In line with its targets, the logistics specialist intends to achieve carbon neutrality at all of its terminals by 2030. One key element in this transition is an increase in power from regenerative sources; last year Gebrüder Weiss installed four new photovoltaic systems at sites in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. All told, 22 such systems are now already in operation, reducing CO₂ emissions by 1,110 metric tons annually. In 2023, the rollout will continue in these countries and in Eastern Europe.

Nor has time stood still when it comes to alternative drive options. After successful long-distance trials with the company’s own hydrogen-powered trucks, Gebrüder Weiss is planning further investments in this technology. In 2023, five new H_2—powered trucks are due to hit the roads in Germany. Moving forward, the number of electrically powered vans used in urban goods deliveries is due to further increase in Austria and Eastern Europe.

For 2023, Gebrüder Weiss is anticipating a renormalization of the logistics industry. Shipment numbers are currently declining somewhat, and the cost of transport by air and sea has dropped to 2019 levels. As a result, lower sales are expected. Global geopolitical factors may bring additional challenges. Wolfram Senger-Weiss: “The pandemic has proven that the logistics industry can perform under pressure and react swiftly to changing conditions. In the past year, Gebrüder Weiss has been able to further solidify its financial base and drive innovations – while remaining close to our customers and answering their needs with relevant digital services. In light of the current economic forecast, the high inflation rate and the war in Ukraine, we are – needless to say – circumspect and concerned. However, ultimately we remain a strong organization and that gives us confidence.”

“E-cargo bikes are emission-free, maneuverable, largely independent of traffic density, and can ride right up to the recipients’ front door – even in the pedestrian zone,” explains Stefan Oberhauser, Branch Manager Vorarlberg Land & Logistics at Gebrüder Weiss. Oberhauser expects around 900 consignments a month to be delivered by the Wolfurt-based cargo bike.

The cargo bike is used by employees of Integra Vorarlberg, a social organization and work initiative for the long-term unemployed. For Irena Lang, Managing Director of the social integration company, this cooperation is a success in several respects: “In this way, we offer our clients new perspectives and opportunities for development after a prolonged period of job hunting. This is one of our central concerns. And we can contribute to the conservation of natural resources, which is also very important to us.”

Delivery by e-cargo bike is another measure taken by Gebrüder Weiss to make transport more sustainable. The logistics expert is already using various alternative drive technologies in trucks and is currently testing an e-truck in everyday logistics operations in Vorarlberg.

Gebrüder Weiss is increasing regenerative sources to supply energy to its logistics terminals. In October this year, the international transport and logistics company commissioned its latest photovoltaic (PV) system at its Swiss location in Altenrhein. The system has an installed capacity of 270 kW peak, saving 20 tons of CO₂ annually. For comparison: this output could supply nearly 55 single-family homes with electricity.

“The roof of the logistics center is ideal for generating solar power. The new PV installation enables us to meet around 40 percent of the location’s electricity needs,” says Oskar Kramer, Country Manager Switzerland at Gebrüder Weiss. There are already plans to expand the system next year, as well as to build a PV installation at the Basel location.

The latest expansion brings Gebrüder Weiss one step closer to meeting its environmental target of achieving carbon neutrality for its logistics facilities by 2030. Where technically feasible, the logistics company is gradually switching how it generates electricity in its facilities to solar power. By now, solar power systems are a standard feature of new buildings. Twenty-one such PV installations are already in service at multiple locations in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, saving 1,100 tons of CO₂ annually. These existing installations currently cover ten percent of its total electricity requirements in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Read the current Sustainability Report for further information on Gebrüder Weiss’ activities:

Gebrüder Weiss photovoltaic system in Altenrhein:

• Surface area: 1,700 m²
• Solar panels: 693
• Maximum output: 270 kW peak
• Electricity yield/year: 250 megawatt-hours
• CO₂ emissions saved/year: 20 tons

Gebrüder Weiss Corporate Group photovoltaics:

• Total number of locations with PV systems: 21
• Total area of all PV systems: 46,500 m²
• Electricity yield of all PV systems/year: 8,800 megawatt-hours
• CO₂ emissions saved/year at all locations: 1,100 tons

As a modern logistics service provider, Gebrüder Weiss has set the goal of gradually reducing the company’s carbon footprint to zero with its sustainability strategy GWcares, aiming to make the company’s logistics facilities climate-neutral by 2030. This is one of the ways in which the company is facing up to its responsibility and contributing to efforts to meet global climate targets. Gebrüder Weiss will be taking a close look at CO₂ emissions at all 180 locations. The company has quantified the current CO₂ emissions and energy consumption of its locations in its current . These emissions are to be reduced gradually – by ten percent per year.

The sustainability report also outlines important measures to be taken in the quest for climate neutrality and ways in which our modern logistics facilities can harness any and all possibilities available for saving energy and reducing dependence on limited resources. Installing photovoltaic (PV) systems on the roofs of logistics terminals has an important role to play, with 18 such installations already existing at Gebrüder Weiss. Together, these installations generate more than 4,600 megawatt hours of electricity per year and currently meet 18 percent of the group’s electricity needs. The aim is to increase this share by 15 percent each year by further increasing the number of PV installations. Gebrüder Weiss has also installed an energy monitoring system at its locations in Europe to track the effectiveness of these efforts and plans to deploy it worldwide in the coming years.

Investments in alternative drives
Gebrüder Weiss is also increasing the share of alternative drives in heavy-duty transport and developing low-emission solutions for the last mile. In the Greater Vienna metropolitan area, an electric truck is used for short-distance transport, and deliveries are made to end customers in Austria using electric vans. On top of this, one of the world’s first hydrogen (H2) trucks has been in regular operation in Switzerland since January 2021, and there are plans to deploy five more H2 trucks in Germany in 2023. Gebrüder Weiss is also working with partners and competitors in Austria to introduce fuel cell trucks. The Company intends to invest around ten million euros in alternative drive systems by 2025.

Further information on Gebrüder Weiss’ activities in the area of sustainability can be found here:

https://sustainability.gw-world.com/sustainablity-report-2021/

The “Cycling around the World” campaign organized by international transport and logistics company Gebrüder Weiss ended as a resounding success. For six months, cyclists around the world hopped on their bikes and used a cycling app to record and add up the distances covered. The original goal was to circle the globe once, i.e., to cover a distance of around 40,075 kilometers. The result: participating cyclists substantially exceeded expectations by completing a total distance of 247,000 kilometers, more than six times the length of the equator.

“We would like to thank each cyclist for supporting our campaign. Our aim was to set an example of sustainable mobility. “Cycling around the World” will see a comeback next spring,” says Frank Haas, Head of Corporate Brand Strategy & Communications at Gebrüder Weiss.

The immense success of the campaign is also beneficial for the reforestation project supported by Gebrüder Weiss in cooperation with sustainability partner natureOffice in West Africa. The logistics company financed planting one tree for every 40 kilometers cycled. Thanks to the cyclists’ efforts, the corporate forest in Sokpokopé, Togo, now comprises 5,000 trees and has reached its maximum capacity. The company also donated 20 bicycles to local school children, enabling them to reach a secondary school in Kpalimé every day which would otherwise have been difficult due to the lack of transportation infrastructure.

The German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) has awarded a gold certificate to the Gebrüder Weiss logistics center in Kalsdorf near Graz for its particularly resource-saving and eco-friendly building and operating concept. During the evaluation, ecological, economic and social aspects were taken into account, as were technical features. “This certification is the best proof that integral sustainability requirements have been implemented in the project with success,” says Johannes Kreißig, Managing Director of DGNB.

“The standards implemented in Graz allow us to set a group-wide quality benchmark for sustainable building at Gebrüder Weiss. An ideal working environment for our employees is just as important to us as is resource-saving construction and state-of-the-art energy management, which optimizes energy consumption and reduces operating costs,” explains Wolfram Senger-Weiss, CEO of Gebrüder Weiss. For many years, the company has taken sustainability aspects into account when planning its logistics centers. In future, the group plans to obtain certification for other facilities as well.

The high standard includes among others the efficient use of high-quality building materials and the use of wood from sustainable forestry. Another criterion is the property’s conversion capability: the facility in Graz is designed in such a way that it can also be used for other purposes, as well as enlarged or downsized module by module. A photovoltaics plant produces a maximum amount of electricity of 460 megawatt hours per year. Enough to meet around half of the energy needs of the entire location.
The logistics center in Graz has been operated by Gebrüder Weiss since 2021. With a 16,500 square meter logistics hall, a handling space of 6,500 square meters and 180 employees, the location is a central hub for transports to South-Eastern Europe.

On April 1, the logistics company Gebrüder Weiss launched a bike campaign entitled “Cycling around the World,” open to cyclists around the world. Cyclists use an app to record and count the kilometers covered through the end of September. The original aim was to cycle a total distance of 40,075 kilometers throughout the campaign – the same as the length of the equator.

The campaign goal was reached just 45 days after it began. The Earth was circled for a second time in mid-June, so Gebrüder Weiss set a new goal: to circle the Earth for a third time covering a total of 120,225 kilometers. A reforestation project in Togo, West Africa, is also benefiting from the sporting ambition of the cyclists: for every 40 kilometers cycled, Gebrüder Weiss, in cooperation with the campaign partner natureOffice, finances the planting of a tree. Two thousand trees will be planted now, and after covering enough kilometers to go around the world three times, the corporate forest will grow by 3,000 trees.

 “We are delighted by the great response to the bike campaign. We certainly believed that the participants would manage to circle the globe together. Still, we never thought they would manage it so quickly,” says Frank Haas, Head of Corporate Brand Strategy & Communications at Gebrüder Weiss. “As a logistics company, we are very supportive of people who set themselves sporting targets and get things moving of their own volition. The campaign also dovetails well with our sustainability strategy of promoting environmentally-friendly mobility. Gebrüder Weiss has also been very close to cycling for many years, being a logistics partner in numerous cycling events,” says Frank Haas, explaining the idea behind the campaign.

Cyclists from inside and outside the company are invited to participate in “Cycling around the World” through the end of September. Participants can choose from six challenges of different lengths, covering distances between 60 and 6,000 kilometers. Gebrüder Weiss is offering prizes for each challenges. 
See here for more information about the campaign:

The international transport and logistics company Gebrüder Weiss posted preliminary net sales of 2.54 billion euros for the 2021 financial year. This translates into a year-over-year rise of 43 percent (2020: 1.77 billion euros). More than 70 percent of this increase was generated by the Air & Sea business. The global shortage of cargo capacity resulted in shipping companies and airlines repeatedly raising their rates. The fact that these costs were passed on became a key contributor to the upsurge at Gebrüder Weiss, although this also created special challenges.

“2021 was another exceptional year and characterized by great volatility. The imbalance between low cargo capacities and high demand had a huge impact. It required considerable effort and dedication for us to deliver suitable transport solutions to our customers despite the bottlenecks. I am proud of everything our employees have achieved under these difficult conditions,” says Wolfram Senger-Weiss, CEO at Gebrüder Weiss.

To meet its customers’ needs in 2021, the company organized additional air freight charters by implementing “preighters,” i.e., converted passenger aircraft. The acquisition of the Ipsen Logistics operations in Germany, Poland, and Malaysia at the end of 2020 marked an important step forward for the global network. In total, the Air & Sea and Logistics division reported annual sales of 1,030 million euros (2020: 470 million euros).

The Land Transport and Logistics division succeeded in closing the year with sales up 16 percent to 1,277 million euros (2020: 1,104 million euros). To boost efficiency, Gebrüder Weiss deployed innovative technologies and strategies to handle transport planning, dispatch, and freight measurement; an intermodal link from Vienna to Germany’s Ruhr region was established. All of the Land Transport product groups set new records for consignments.

Via its Home Delivery service, Gebrüder Weiss transported some 1.74 million shipments to end consumers in Austria and multiple eastern European countries, further extending its market lead in this segment (2020: 1.37 million consignments). DPD Austria, partly owned by Gebrüder Weiss parcel service, delivered more than 66.5 million parcels in 2021. This corresponds to a 16 percent year-over-year increase; it was powered mainly by strong private-consumer business.

Robust market position in central and eastern Europe
In Bavaria, Gebrüder Weiss consolidated its southern German land transport network with a number of acquisitions. These were flanked by takeovers in Bulgaria and Turkey, while new locations were established in Hungary, the Czech Republic, and South Korea. All told, the logistics company invested 112 million euros in new construction and the expansion of existing sites (2020: 75.6 million euros) – the highest investment volume in the company’s history. The augmented network also required a larger workforce: the headcount rose by 8 percent and now totals nearly 8,000 employees.

14,500 users tap into the new myGW portal
With the goal of optimizing logistics processes for its customers, Gebrüder Weiss is turning increasingly to digital tools: “Expectations regarding speed, efficiency and transparency have risen enormously throughout the supply chain. The international rollout and further development of our myGW portal represent a major milestone,” says Wolfram Senger-Weiss. The digital platform offers customers real-time information on the flow of their goods and is already being utilized by more than 14,500 users across 19 countries. At the same time, several supply chain management projects were realized for high-profile customers. The logistics organization plans to continue growing in this area and enlarging its palette of digital services. “The Covid crisis has, however, also exposed the importance of controlling physical infrastructure. Our ‘Best of Both Worlds’ strategy – modern digital tools on the one hand and logistics facilities, cargo capacity, and well-trained employees on the other – has once again proven the right way forward,” says Senger-Weiss.

Carbon neutrality by 2030
The logistics specialist intends to achieve CO2 neutrality at its locations by 2030. In moving toward that goal, last year alone, eight photovoltaic systems were installed at logistics terminals in Austria and Germany. Further locations are due to be added this year. The company is also implementing new technologies: one of the world’s first hydrogen-powered trucks has already demonstrated its value in logistics operations, while other alternative drive technologies using liquid gas and electricity are in service for heavy goods and Home Delivery shipments. Gebrüder Weiss introduced a zero-emissions program offering its customers the option of paying a surcharge to offset the carbon emissions of each logistics service they use. These funds go towards supporting certified climate protection projects.

After one year, the transport and logistics service provider Gebrüder Weiss awards the first hydrogen truck in its fleet a good interim report. The Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell stationed in Altenrhein (Switzerland) is used on a daily basis in short-distance general cargo transport and has proven itself there in all seasons. Even on uphill stretches, the electric motor, which draws power from a fuel cell, retained full performance. The utility vehicle saves around 80 tons of CO2 emissions per year.

Since taking delivery of the 36-ton truck in January 2021, the vehicle has covered around 70,000 kilometers. Consumption was even lower than the value specified by the manufacturer, and in one year, there was only a single visit to the workshop for the technical inspection. “The purchase was a worthwhile investment in resource-saving road freight transport. The truck is well received by the drivers and, above all, by the customers,” says Peter Waldenberger, Head of Quality and Environmental Management at Gebrüder Weiss.

Gebrüder Weiss plans to use hydrogen trucks in Austria and southern Germany as well in the future, since subsidy programs in Germany make their use north of the Alps attractive. A limiting factor is the availability of hydrogen filling stations, of which nine already exist in Switzerland. In addition to the fuel cell truck, the logistics provider already has several gas trucks on the road in Austria, Germany and Serbia, as well as electrically powered trucks and vans in the greater Vienna area – among others for its client IKEA in the home delivery sector.

Experience the hydrogen truck in motion

For further footage of the hydrogen truck, see this . (Source: Gebrüder Weiss / Medienzoo)

The transport and logistics provider Gebrüder Weiss and consumer goods specialist Henkel have expanded their long-standing logistics partnership with an innovative rail concept. Since May of this year, Henkel detergents and cleaning agents manufactured in the Serbian city of Kruševac have been delivered by train to their European sales markets along the Vienna-Düsseldorf line. This service, which already handles some 750 loads a year, was designed in conjunction with Henkel's logistics center in Düsseldorf. The two partners benefit in multiple ways. "We are circumventing the current shortage in truck capacity and have cut climate-relevant emissions by up to 70% on the Vienna-Düsseldorf route – while matching the delivery times of road transport," emphasizes Roland Raith, Country Manager Serbia at Gebrüder Weiss. The new solution lowers CO2 emissions by approximately 500 metric tons per year.

Formerly transported by truck along the entire route, the products from Henkel's Laundry & Home Care division are now being loaded onto Helrom's horizontal trailer wagons in Vienna. This allows Gebrüder Weiss to use the same trailers that had previously been utilized in road transport. "The loading method is barrier-free," explains Roland Raith. "Thanks to Helrom, we no longer have to use conventional rail terminals. Nor do we need cranes or special craneable trailers. The trailers are simply slid laterally onto the freight wagons using swiveling loading platforms and removed again at their destinations by other tractor units."

The delivery concept was jointly developed and implemented by Gebrüder Weiss, Henkel and Helrom. One particular advantage is that the train is directly connected to Henkel's factory services. "The trailer hub is located right next to our site in Düsseldorf. That means we can unload the products straight from the wagons and shortcut them to our warehouses. The train link enables us to avoid truck transport, decrease CO2 emissions and therefore make our processes more sustainable," explains Patrick Csar, Logistics and Export Manager for Supply Chain Laundry & Home Care at Henkel.

Long-standing logistics partnership
Gebrüder Weiss been cooperating with Henkel for more than 25 years. The logistics provider operates land, air and sea deliveries between various Henkel production and distribution hubs in Europe, Asia and the United States. Gebrüder Weiss is already deploying several low-emission gas trucks for Henkel in its European land transport network.

Products such as the Billy bookcase or the Hemnes bed from the Swedish furniture manufacturer IKEA have been reaching customers in the greater Vienna area in emission-free e-vehicles since October. For the Home Delivery division, Gebrüder Weiss uses 15 new all-electric delivery vehicles from the manufacturer Quantron. Switching to zero-emission vehicles reduces CO₂ emissions produced when delivering to end customers by around 150 tons per year.

In addition to carrying out deliveries with e-vans, Gebrüder Weiss also provides other services with its own staff directly in the IKEA warehouse. This includes, among others, the removal of goods, loading and scheduling of vehicles. Furniture and large appliances are delivered to the end customer by a two-man team, and unpacked and assembled on request. In the greater Vienna area, Gebrüder Weiss delivers around 60,000 consignments per year with the new e-vehicles. The vehicles are charged with green electricity while being loaded at the central warehouse, meaning that the vans are immediately ready for use without any time being lost.

Emission-free delivery
“The launch of our new electric fleet in Vienna means we are one step closer to our goal of becoming a global CO₂-neutral customer delivery by 2025,” says Claes Lindgren, Head of Customer Fulfillment IKEA Austria. Vienna is one of 30 major cities around the world where IKEA is switching to zero-emission vehicles for delivery. Claes Lindgren adds that, with Gebrüder Weiss, IKEA has a logistics provider at its side that has already been enjoying considerable success using various alternative forms of powering vehicles in everyday logistics operations.

“Due to the short driving distances in the Vienna area and the low transport weight, e-vehicles are ideally suited for our home delivery services. E-vans make an important contribution to emission-free deliveries particularly in metropolitan areas with their high settlement and traffic density,” says Jürgen Bauer, member of the Gebrüder Weiss Management Board. In the future, IKEA customers in other Austrian federal states will also receive deliveries by e-van.

IKEA partner in Austria and beyond
Gebrüder Weiss has been one of IKEA’s logistics partner since 2017. In addition to Austria, the logistics company serves IKEA’s home delivery customers in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia. These countries are also set to switch to delivery by e-vans in the medium term. Gebrüder Weiss has been operating several IKEA pick-up stations in addition to its home delivery services for almost a year now in Austria. With 220,000 consignments every year, Gebrüder Weiss is the largest logistics partner of the Swedish furniture company in Austria.

The international transport and logistics service provider Gebrüder Weiss has reached another milestone on its journey to climate-neutral logistics facilities. At the beginning of August, the logistics company commissioned a photovoltaic installation at the Graz location (Kalsdorf in Austria) capable of generating over 460 megawatt hours of electricity every year, enough to meet around half of the energy needs of the 27,000-square-meter logistics center. “The roof surfaces of our logistics centers are ideally suited for generating solar power, which is why we included energy-efficient and, by extension, climate-friendly, concepts when planning the new logistics terminal,” says Markus Nigsch, Head of Facility Management at Gebrüder Weiss.

The logistics company already uses solar power at five other locations for lighting, air-conditioning, and charging e-floor conveyors, thereby enabling it to meet ten percent of the current energy needs of all of its logistics locations in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Gebrüder Weiss plans to equip an additional four branches with solar installations by the end of 2021. Once installed, all its facilities will produce a total of 8.5 gigawatt-hours of electricity (GWh) and save around 1,050 tons of CO2 every year. Gebrüder Weiss uses most of the energy for its own needs directly on site.

CO2 footprint is shrinking
Making the gradual switch to renewable energies is one of the core elements of the company’s sustainability strategy. The aim is to run the entirety of its logistics buildings with electricity from renewable energies by 2030. Gebrüder Weiss has been helping to improve the green credentials of the electricity mix in Germany since 2011 with its wind farm in northern Germany. The logistics organization is also making use of various low-emission trucks powered by natural gas (LNG, CNG), electricity or hydrogen (fuel cell).

Gebrüder Weiss Graz photovoltaics:

• Area of photovoltaic installation (PV) in Graz, Austria: 2,600 square meters (m2)
• Number of solar modules in Graz: 1,500
• Maximum output in Graz: 500 kilowatt peak 
• Electricity yield/year in Graz: 460 megawatt hours 
• CO2 emissions saved/year in Graz: 36.8 tons

Gebrüder Weiss Corporate Group photovoltaics:

• Total number of locations with PV installations: 9 (end of 2021: 13)
• Total area of all PV installations: 46,000 m2
  
  • For own use: 24,000 m2
  • For third-party use: 22,000 m2 (rented roof space)
• Electricity yield of all PV installations/year: 8,400 megawatt hours 
• CO2 emissions saved/year at all locations: 1,050 tons

Efficient and sustainable transport solutions are key concerns for the logistics provider Gebrüder Weiss, and now they are being systematically rolled out in Central and Eastern Europe as part of its overall sustainability strategy. Since the start of June 2021, Gebrüder Weiss has been deploying an electric truck to deliver technology products for the computer and printer manufacturer HP. This is the second zero-emissions truck in the company's fleet. Manufactured by MAN, the vehicle produces some 50 metric tons less emissions than a conventional diesel model over the course of a year. Capable of traveling up to 150 kilometers without recharging, it runs daily services to electronics wholesalers.

"By incorporating an electric truck to deliver our products, we are taking a further stride with Gebrüder Weiss towards creating a more sustainable, net zero emission supply chain. Our long-term partner Gebrüder Weiss is supporting us with its high-quality logistics expertise and laying down a marker when it comes to cutting emissions in our European operations," says Michael Smetana, Managing Director Austria at HP.

Partners for a quarter-century 
Gebrüder Weiss has been working for HP since 1996, managing numerous supply chains in Europe either as a conventional freight forwarder or a lead logistics provider. In this capacity, the company performs various services under its own brand and also coordinates third-party providers. More than a tenth of the transport services have been designed to optimize life cycles across different transport modes.

Alternative drive innovations boost sustainability
With its first electric truck, Gebrüder Weiss successfully trialed the new technology in Greater Vienna over a period of several years. Equipped with a second electric vehicle, the company is now making further advances in embedding sustainable drive technologies in its supply chains. In addition to the fully electric models, which are charged with green electricity, the logistics professionals have a hydrogen-fueled vehicle and several natural gas-powered trucks in service. By tapping this and other initiatives, Gebrüder Weiss is aiming to achieve climate neutrality by 2030.