Lufthansa Cargo is stepping up its cooperation with online airfreight booking portal start-up company cargo.one and has acquired a minority shareholding in the Berlin company – part of its digital transformation strategy.
Cargo.one was founded in 2017 by Moritz Claussen, Oliver T. Neumann and Mike Rötgers. The start-up has developed a platform for booking and marketing air cargo capacity. Through its focus on offering spot rates and enabling their booking, cargo.one is the first platform of its kind.
Lufthansa Cargo chief executive officer and chairman, Peter Gerber said: “Cargo.one is another important step towards the digitisation of our industry. We are pleased to have been one of the first airlines to recognise the potential of this multi-airline platform for our customers and to have made ourselves compatible.
“We are impressed with the technology and user-friendly product. We are also driving digitisation in our industry through cooperation with startups and financial investments such as that in cargo.one.
“Our customers’ overall experience is now strongly improved by being able to more efficiently book air cargo capacity.”
Claussen said: “The investment in our technology signals to our customers that cargo.one is a strong partner with which to join forces to drive air cargo digitisation. Air cargo capacity worldwide can be made available online through our innovative distribution technology.
“Accordingly, we want to grow to become a global leader. The minority investment by Lufthansa Cargo now also demonstrates that even a star player in the industry is impressed with our technology”
Lufthansa Cargo already invested in a technology start-up – Fleet Logistics – based in Portland, USA, back in early 2018. Founded in 2014, Fleet Logistics acts as an online marketplace, matching customer demand for cargo services with free capacity provided by logistics companies.
Lufthansa Cargo has also been cooperating since February 2018 in the role of anchor partner with technology accelerator Plug and Play based in Sunnyvale, USA. This, the world’s largest technology accelerator, brings technology start-ups and established companies together.
Lufthansa Cargo head of digital transformation, Boris Hueske said: “The close cooperation between Lufthansa Cargo and technology startups melds comprehensive air cargo experience with a technology-driven, fresh view of global logistics processes.
“By acquiring a share in cargo.one and Fleet Logistics, Lufthansa Cargo is emphasising its strategic commitment to elevating the air cargo industry to a higher level of digital maturity.”
