By Karen E. Thuermer, AJOTThe freight forwarding industry is in a state of mergers and acquisitions, thereby creating mega-companies—some of which no longer resemble the original company from which it was created. While shippers have fewer choices when selecting a freight forwarding company, and employees may risk losing their jobs due to staff redundancies, the trend has been good for some medium-size freight forwarders such as Freeport, NY-based EMO Trans Inc. Jo Frigger, EMO Trans Chairman and CEO, comments that this development has been especially advantageous for his company. “Large mergers always leave something on the table,” he says. “There’s a lot of frustration among the personnel of those affected companies. Some employees and customers do not necessarily like these mergers.” Consequently, EMO Trans has been able to attract good talent that has chosen to depart the large agencies as well as shippers who prefer the personal service they receive from a mid-size forwarder such as EMO Trans. EMO Trans operates as an international freight forwarder and global logistics provider, offering air and ocean freight services to its customers for direct, intermodal, and consolidated cargo for import and export shipments. EMO Trans also provides warehousing, distribution, packing, insurance, letters of credit, customs brokerage, and chartering. EMO Trans’s project division, PLI, compliments their service with turnkey solutions for specialized projects. Developments of consequenceCoupled with an improved economy, Frigger sees other developments which have had a huge impact on the industry, such as new information technology (IT). “What has expanded is the use of systems for customers and carriers along with the efforts of CARGO 2000 to improve and measure the operational process for airfreight shipments, but the industry needs to do more.” Frigger says. “EMO Trans will continue investing in our IT system to help us maintain and improve our interface service levels, in conjunction with providing our customers with updated shipment information, EDI connections from the shipper’s letter of instruction to track and trace capabilities; all while sustaining our high security standards in close cooperation with TSA and US Customs.” CARGO 2000, in particular, is an IATA Interest Group that brings together some 25 major airlines and freight forwarders with the unique goal of implementing a new quality management system for the worldwide air cargo industry. The objective is to implement processes, backed by quality standards that are measurable and supported by data, thereby improving the efficiency of air cargo, enhancing customer service levels and reducing operational costs. “Some carriers are not as advanced as they should be in electronic booking, and IT functions” Frigger comments. “But their process is complicated by pricing structures. We have a lot of spot pricing in the market.” Evolutions Over the years, Mr. Frigger, who is from Germany, has seen the freight forwarding industry change, especially since he first entered the industry in 1958 with Haniel, in Cologne. In 1969, Frigger took a position with Deugro in New York where he held the title of Vice President - Managing Director USA. Three years later, in 1972, he started EMO Trans USA with partners Eckart Moltmann and Paul Bayes. Today the company operates 30 offices in the United States with over 250 employees. Revenues for 2005 exceeded $150 million. “Since its inception the company has always been driven to expand organically,” Frigger says. “In 2001, Eckart Moltmann, the original Chairman retired, and subsequently I became the Chairman and CEO of EMO Trans Inc., while promoting Olen Wood, former Vice President - Southeast Region and partner of EMO Georgia to President and COO,” Frigger explains, “This enables me to concentrate on long-term planning for the company.” The last two years have been especially successful and positive, thanks to the many offices in which the company has invested. In 20