Connecting people and goods across the country and beyond, Kuehne+Nagel Australia is internationally renowned for its supply chain optimisation. Francis Murugan, Managing Director, and François Sellin, Global Head of Mining at Kuehne+Nagel Project Logistics, delve into the company’s industry-leading logistics and mining solutions.
SHAPING AUSTRALIAN LOGISTICS
Having established itself as a vital nation for international trade, the Australian freight forwarding and logistics landscape is a mainstay of the country’s economy.
At the head of the industry since 1971, Kuehne+Nagel Australia provides unparalleled freight forwarding and supply chain solutions across the world.
Indeed, its operational expanse is unlocked by the international network of leading logistics provider, Kuehne+Nagel, encompassing over 130 years of expertise.
Established by August Kuehne and Friedrich Nagel in 1890, the humble shipping business has evolved to become a critical global logistics partner that offers highly specialised solutions for major industries worldwide.
Headquartered in Switzerland, Kuehne+Nagel ensures that urgent logistics needs are efficiently met.
“We focus our business on the most essential element – the needs of our customers,” opens Francis Murugan, Managing Director of Kuehne+Nagel Australia.
A similar ethos is expressed by its global mining and logistics arm, which offers unparalleled and forward-thinking industrial project services alongside a vast range of tailored logistics solutions.
“Kuehne+Nagel ensures that mining and energy companies can maintain efficient, safe, and sustainable operations, even in challenging and remote environments,” introduces François Sellin, Global Head of Mining at Kuehne+Nagel Projects Logistics, who is responsible for all the company’s mining projects worldwide.
Indeed, the organisation has successfully developed business in collaboration with a handful of the world’s leading mining companies including Rio Tinto, Glencore, Anglo American, and many more.
“Kuehne+Nagel supports all stages of the lifecycle of mines and provides customised solutions from exploration through to construction, operation, and closure,” he highlights.
“Kuehne+Nagel ensures that mining and energy companies can maintain efficient, safe, and sustainable operations, even in challenging and remote environments”
François Sellin, Global Head of Mining, Kuehne+Nagel Project Logistics
SUPPLY CHAIN OPTIMISATION
Murugan has amassed a vast pool of knowledge from his 30+ years in the industry, collating international experience in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
He was exposed to the logistics from a young age when he worked as an apprentice, providing a cross section of the industry landscape.
As such, Murugan is able to leverage his impressive background and experience to lead Kuehne+Nagel Australia’s strong market position in sea and air freight as well as contract and road logistics.
The company’s unmatched industry position is achieved by providing a highly comprehensive and impartial analysis of customers’ entire supply chains that efficiently identifies opportunities for optimisation.
“No matter which industry you operate in, our team can assist. Our logistics experience and cross-industry know-how give us valuable insights into how to improve customers’ needs,” affirms Murugan.
Indeed, Kuehne+Nagel Australia goes above and beyond to support businesses with both international and domestic supply chain optimisation projects.
From a mining and industrial perspective, Kuehne+Nagel addresses the demands of the mining and energy sectors by offering tailored solutions that emphasise safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
The company’s integrated freight solutions, for instance, provide many multimodal transport options for customers’ supply chains, including break bulk, sea, and air charters that ensure the timely and secure delivery of equipment and materials to remote locations.
Moreover, Kuehne+Nagel’s engineering expertise offers a range of cutting-edge services including 3D model simulations, route surveys, and lifting plans to manage the complexities of transporting oversized and heavy cargo.
The company additionally utilises digital platforms such as its One Global System (OGS) to provide real-time tracking and analytics, enhancing end-to-end operational visibility and aiding decision-making.
Furthermore, Kuehne+Nagel designs and operates supply chains that support clients’ sustainability goals, including reducing carbon footprints and promoting the use of renewable energy resources.
“No matter which industry you operate in, our team can assist. Our logistics experience and cross-industry know-how give us valuable insights into how to improve customers’ needs”
Francis Murugan, Managing Director, Kuehne+Nagel Australia
CONNECTING THE NATION
Comprising a workforce of over 650 dedicated employees, Kuehne+Nagel Australia offers nationwide teams of experts that work with customers across a broad of range of activities, including consumption optimisation, order enrichment processes, multi-country consolidation, value-adding services, and domestic inventory holding, alongside many other distribution solutions.
“We are investing in our network expansion across Australia, especially in regional areas, which allows us to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) deliver against their market growth plans,” Murugan shares.
Alongside helping smaller businesses with their growth aspirations, Kuehne+Nagel Australia is investing expertise in the project logistics space, particularly in the movement of large operations.
As a result, the company has continued to work closely with mining, oil and gas, and infrastructure customers to meet both domestic and global demands.
Regarding the latter, Kuehne+Nagel has recently undertaken numerous initiatives to drive its industrial project capabilities on an international scale.
For example, the company has inaugurated a 55,000 square metre (sqm) contract logistics centre in the town of Mülheim-Kärlich in Germany.
“This facility is dedicated to the global spare parts supply for Wacker Neuson Group’s light and compact equipment. It employs advanced goods-to-person technology, utilising over 30 autonomous robots to optimise storage and retrieval processes,” Sellin informs.
Elsewhere, Kuehne+Nagel announced plans last year to develop a 22,915 sqm logistics facility in EZDubai, an e-commerce hub in the most populated city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Scheduled for completion by Q2 2025, the facility aims to provide third-party logistics (3PL), e-commerce, and goods handling services.
“It is designed to achieve LEED Silver certification, incorporating innovative, energy-saving features to support sustainable operations,” Sellin emphasises.
Additionally, the company entered into a strategic agreement with Capgemini in September 2023, working closely to deliver end-to-end supply chain capabilities.
This collaboration combines Kuehne+Nagel’s logistics management and execution expertise with Capgemini’s Intelligent Supply Chain Optimisation (ISCO) capabilities.
Moreover, the partnership aims to provide artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled, data driven decision-making services, enhancing supply chain resilience, efficiency, and sustainability for clients across various industrial sectors.
“These developments reflect Kuehne+Nagel’s commitment to expanding and innovating its industrial project services, focusing on advanced technology integration, strategic partnerships, and sustainable infrastructure to meet the evolving demands of the industry,” imparts Sellin.
ACHIEVING THE HIGHEST STANDARDS
As a world-class logistics provider, Kuehne+Nagel deeply understands the responsibility it has to mitigate the impacts of its vast supply chain and distribution activities.
The company’s dedication is exemplified by its online health, safety, and environment (HSE) tool, a robust system designed to enhance safety, sustainability, and regulatory compliance across its global projects, thus maintaining the highest HSE standards whilst ensuring continued operational excellence.
The state-of-the-art tool includes comprehensive incident management that allows for the real-time reporting, investigation, and resolution of HSE incidents, ensuring prompt action and minimised risk.
The online HSE platform also includes modules for hazard identification and risk assessment, enabling proactive measures to prevent accidents and environmental harm.
Regarding the latter, the tool allows users to track key environmental metrics such as carbon emissions, waste generation, and energy consumption, therefore allowing them to support sustainability initiatives and comply with international frameworks such as the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals (UN SDGs).
On top of this, the tool also facilitates regular HSE audits to facilitate ongoing compliance with internal policies and external standards. As a result, detailed reports are generated for regulatory bodies whilst also ensuring employees are trained and certified in HSE best practices.
The platform notably aligns with several internationally recognised standards, including but not limited to ISO 45001, 14001, and 50001, as well as the commitments of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
“By leveraging the online HSE tool, Kuehne+Nagel ensures a safe, sustainable, and compliant operational framework that aligns with both global standards and customer expectations,” Sellin surmises.
A ZERO CARBON FUTURE
As a world-class logistics provider, Kuehne+Nagel Australia deeply understands the responsibility to mitigate the impacts of its vast supply chain and distribution activities.
“We are addressing carbon dioxide (CO₂) reduction in all our transport and logistics services worldwide,” Murugan states.
Kuehne+Nagel Australia works hard to balance environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments at both a local and global level.
Namely, it strives to maintain effective carbon management across all operations, provide environmentally-friendly solutions and offerings to its customers, and procure logistics services based on stringent sustainability criteria.
To achieve its ambitious environmental goals, Kuehne+Nagel Australia must meet two main targets. Firstly, the company strives to be fully carbon neutral in its direct sphere of influence, whilst also reducing its CO₂ emissions by 33 percent by 2030.
“Our journey to a zero-carbon future also comes with a commitment to our customers by offering solutions that reduce CO₂ emissions in their supply chains.
“We do this by using big data and predictive analytics, as well as digital platforms to support the selection of more sustainable transport routes and modes,” Murugan notes.
In line with its forward-thinking ESG commitments, Kuehne+Nagel Australia also has a strong partnership with Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA).
“This allows us to work with local communities on programmes that are important to them. It lets our people give back to society in the communities that they live and work,” he explains.
CVA delivers numerous large-scale community events across the country, particularly revolving around environmental days such as World Environment Day, World Wetlands Day, and National Tree Day, in which the team gets involved in CVA’s critical environmental initiatives.
For instance, Kuehne+Nagel Australia last year provided support in CVA’s waterways and wetlands activities, which included removing substantial amounts of marine pollution from the beach, planting several wetland sites, removing 1,000 metres of invasive weeds, and helping the company plant 7,600 trees.
Alongside its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies, Kuehne+Nagel Australia continuously strives to go the extra mile for its customers, ensuring that its expert teams remain in close contact with them going forward.
As such, the company will continue to invest in its network expansion and find sustainable solutions for its global customers in 2025.
