Boosting growth through teamwork

“Our growth focus is on the intra-Asian market,” emphasizes Thorne Laudy, Managing Director of a. hartrodt logistics (Vietnam). Therefore, he initiated a regional meeting in Ho Chi Minh City in October to collaborate more closely on tender management and key accounts. More than 20 colleagues from China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, and Germany exchanged ideas. Because Asia is a. hartrodt's second-strongest sales region after Europe, Managing Partner Felix Wenzel also attended. “Since Vietnam's textile exports to the US have been declining, business in Asia has become more important,” says Thorne Laudy.

ASEAN: Trade volume expected to almost double by 2050

Vietnam is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). According to the ASEAN Secretariat, most of its exports in 2024 went to its own region (22 percent), followed by China (16 percent). In terms of imports, China leads (24 percent) ahead of the ASEAN region (21 percent). The International Transport Forum predicts that the association's trade volume will “almost double” by 2050 and that intraregional trade will grow the fastest.

Vietnamese talent for North America, Europe, China 

In light of this development, Thorne Laudy is also promoting intercultural cooperation on other levels. For seven years, a. hartrodt has been providing apprenticeships in accordance with German standards in collaboration with the German Chamber of Commerce (AHK Vietnam), and the number of places is set to increase from three to five in 2026: “After completing their apprenticeship, we will send two junior staff members to North America, Europe, or China.” For the destination country, a. hartrodt offers language courses, work visas, and multi-year contracts. Thorne Laudy emphasizes the competitive advantage: “We send someone who knows Vietnam to get to know the overseas business.” The country is gaining importance as a production location for the China-plus-one strategy of many companies.

Since 2023, a. hartrodt's shipment volume in Vietnam has doubled annually, and the number of employees has risen to 36. The country headquarters in Ho Chi Minh City will move to a larger office at the end of 2025. By mid-2026, a location in Da Nang is planned to open in addition to Hanoi and Vung Tau.