New Zealand: a. hartrodt successful on the market for 50 years
Exports of wine, food, medical products, and specialized manufacturing are growing.
“Half a century of trusted logistics partnerships built on consistency, local expertise, and a global connection.” This is how Vanessa Burns, Managing Director at a. hartrodt New Zealand in Auckland, sums up the family-owned company’s success story in the South Pacific island nation on the occasion of its anniversary. After the company was founded by Uwe Schmutzler, Vanessa Burns’ predecessor, John Pyman, continued to develop the subsidiary very successfully from 1998 until his retirement. Today, the New Zealand subsidiary employs 19 people in Auckland and four in Christchurch and operates 1,650 square metres own warehouse space.
Withstood all market challenges
Vanessa Burns has worked at a. hartrodt for nearly 33 years, spending much of that time in sales and later as Operations Manager, before taking over as Managing Director in early 2023. She is particularly proud to “see how we have grown and adapted throughout all economic cycles without losing sight of our identity.” Despite changes and challenges in the market, the company has been able to strengthen its long-standing customer relationships.
Flexible storage solutions increasingly in demand
In New Zealand, a. hartrodt is reporting sustained growth in export sectors such as wine, food, medical products, and specialized manufacturing. According to Vanessa Burns, demand for flexible, scalable warehouse solutions has “increased significantly.” She notes that the freight forwarder stands out thanks to its industry-specific, local expertise combined with a global network. Currently, the New Zealand team is working on “increasing efficiency through AI-enabled operational improvements, automation, and enhanced digital visibility.” These efforts are intended to improve service quality and offer customers “even greater flexibility and reliability.”
However, ahead of the parliamentary election in New Zealand in early November, Vanessa Burns observes “significant domestic economic caution.” She also takes a critical view of how geopolitical uncertainties are affecting freight capacity, transit times, and cost structures.