EVENT
LOGISTICS
time, making sure that
the products arrive in the
right physical and financial
condition.”
Rock-it has even moved
into project work in the energy
sector, which is managed from
its office in Houston. “We’re
not looking to be the next
Panalpina. We’re not going
after large customers with
RFQs,” he stresses. Most of
this work has been for jobs
that require bespoke solutions
and a quick response, such as
moving generators to a disaster
area.
“You never want to
stray too far from your
core competence. We are a
specialised, niche, critical
logistics provider. We don’t
do small parcels and we’re not
going to get into final mile
e-commerce,” he maintains.
One of the objectives for
2020 is to reflect the range
of the company’s activities
better in its brand image. The
Rock-it moniker does not portray the size and scope of the group
accurately, according to Martins.
The name certainly does not trigger associations with classic
cars, but the company has a division called Cosdel International
Transportation that is very active in that arena. Last autumn it
moved 447 valuable vehicles with a combined insurance value
of US$122m from the US and Canada to Saudi Arabia for an
exhibition and sales auction that invited bids from a global
audience. The project required 250 ocean containers, with the first
batch of cars sailing in early September 2019.
Nor does the relentless drive towards ever more elaborate shows
and the associated amount of equipment and decor to be shipped
from one venue to the next signal much thought about sustainable
logistics. However, this is very much on the company’s radar.
In December Dietl International, the group’s specialist
in shipping artwork, moved art from galleries in Germany,
Switzerland, France and the UK to Miami for an exhibition. In
total it transported 167 tonnes for the event, which included a
B747 charter. The project created 644 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
To offset this, the company worked with Sustainable Travel
International and purchased carbon credits in support of an
environmental programme in Brazil.
“In the art world, this has become a hot topic,” observed Fritz
Dietl, President of the art logistics specialist. “However, for it to
work, we need to be able to offer cost-effective green solutions.
Galleries have such small profit margins that it has to make sense
for them, or they won’t buy in.”
This is rather a lot to convey beyond the punchy Rock-it brand
– but it cannot be overlooked.
FOUR DECADES OF
ROCK
During its 40 years of operation,
Rock-it has grown to 32 locations
around 12 countries, and musters
over 400 employees globally.
It currently has offices across
South America, around Europe, in
Australia, Japan and in China.
Life would be a lot simpler if
concert equipment was of a
standard size - but it isn’t
26 February 2020 www.airlogisticsinternational.com
/www.airlogisticsinternational.com