WOF Interview with Christine (Mair) Coufal, Country Manager of Hartrodt Austria
Christine Coufal has had a distinguished career in the logistics and freight forwarding industry. Starting her journey in 2003 at GSSA M. L. Vesely Transportagentur GmbH, she served as an operations and sales agent for a decade. She then moved to GSSA Globe Air Cargo in 2013, where she managed operations for IAG Cargo, covering British Airways and Iberia.
In 2015, Christine transitioned into the freight forwarding industry with UTI Logistik, marking the beginning of her focus on comprehensive logistics solutions. Later that same year, she joined Bolloré Logistics Austria GmbH. Her expertise and leadership were recognized in April 2023 when she was appointed as the Country Manager of Hartrodt Austria.
How does your company differentiate its market strategy compared to competitors in the industry?
Our values are the foundation of our success. The focus is always on the customer as a person. We don’t want to find just any solution, it is important to us to fulfill the customer’s goals and ideas to their complete satisfaction. Transport solutions with the support of our worldwide network from door to door are our specialty
You will be attending the upcoming WOF SUMMIT Vienna 2024. What was the main reason for you to decide on your participation and what are your expectations from the event?
The main reason for us to participate the WOF SUMMIT Vienna 2024 was that a. hartrodt is still new to the Austrian market. It is a great opportunity for networking and to be available for our customers.
You will be participating in the discussion panel focused on e-commerce. Has Hartrodt taken any specific measures to excel in this niche?
Hartrodt moves with the times. Our services and systems are constantly evolving to ensure optimum customer care. Recently, a Global tracking Portal was developed that allows customers to view their shipments in real time.
Digitalization and technological advancements are changing the industry. Can you share your attitude towards this trend and planned investments in technology to enhance your logistics operations?
Digitalization makes many things easier and more transparent. All players in the supply chain could be connected to our processes at any time via IT. Inquiries and bookings are stilled done personally to be able to advise the customer in the best possible way and to find a customized solution, but an online booking system is being considered, maybe for addition. Customs clearance runs smoothly. We can integrate you by setting up an interface and are open to any standard – with more than 80 IT employees, we ensure the flow of data and information in our logistics for you, worldwide. Our teams work in development, application consulting and system administration.
The pressure of the EU towards decarbonization is starting to become more and more obvious. How is your company progressing towards achieving the climate-neutrality goal?
As a globally active company, we are aware of our responsibility for the environment. We are sensitized to solutions that are as resource-saving as possible. Environmentally friendly implementation plays an important role in each of our transport and logistics solutions. Ecological standards are our top priority and we can offer alternative solutions to our customers as well as CO2 calculations and comparisons between the different transport modes.
a. hartrodt offers you the complete range of services for efficient international transport and logistics services from door-to-door. Our more than 2,000 employees, in over 100 of our own offices worldwide, are always there for you, to provide a tailor-made solution for even the most challenging of your requirements. Transport is our Business – We take over and manage all the transport and logistics tasks associated with your business. Worldwide. From door to door.