On August 26, 15 teams gathered in Amsterdam for the official start of the first Peking Challenge 2007 – a charity auto rally that took participants through Europe, Russia, Mongolia and China. The participants arrived safely at the finish line in Peking on September 19 after driving a staggering 11,500 kilometres in 24 days.
A showcase for our overseas logistics solution
Once the participants were safely on board their flights back to Europe, it was up to Geodis Wilson to ship the 14 remaining cars back to Europe (one was claimed by the Gobi Desert during the race). “We jumped at the chance to take on this project as a showcase for our overseas logistics skills,” says Leo van der Pol, National Sales Manager for Geodis Wilson in The Netherlands. “In fact, the project turned out to be a showcase for the entire Geodis Group.”
A truly cooperative effort
Geodis Wilson Beijing/Tianjin arranged the sea freight to Rotterdam. Their team of on-site specialists oversaw the initial contract details and guaranteed the paperwork and customs clearance required to move the cars out of China without delay.
The cars were shipped overseas without incident using seven forty-foot Full Container Loads. Geodis Wilson Rotterdam arranged for local handling and all customs formalities, using in-house specialists to ensure problem-free entry into Port of Rotterdam.
Once in Europe, Geodis Wilson, the Freight Management division of Geodis, cooperated with the Full Truck Loads division to move the cars by truck to a specially cleared warehouse at the Geodis Contract Logistics division site in Rotterdam. There, on November 1, they were met by a ceremonial reception with members of the press on hand to record the event.
Three measures of success
Peking Challenge 2007 was important for the Geodis Group for three very connected reasons. First, the organizers of the event were impressed by the service levels and capabilities they received, “and nothing beats a satisfied client,” says Leo.
Second, Geodis proved its commitment creating one-stop-shop solutions for clients. The inter-divisional cooperation between Freight Management (Geodis Wilson), Contract Logistics and Full Truck Loads also clearly demonstrates that Geodis is right on track with its growth efforts.
Third, the publicity created by this event has helped increase brand awareness, and the spin-off effects have already started to show. Geodis Wilson has been approached by the organizers of similar events who are very interested in what Geodis Wilson has to offer.
Into the future with Geodis Wilson
The Peking Challenge team is already organizing new races for 2008. A second Peking Challenge, with 30 teams, will be held in conjunction with the Olympic Games, and there are plans for races in other continents around the globe as well. “We will definitely keep you posted about future events,” says Leo. “In the meantime,” he adds, “let us give the Peking Challenge 2007 teams and all of the Geodis Group people involved a well-deserved round of applause.”
Read more about Peking Challenge on www.pekingchallenge.nl