DB Schenker Logistics - certified quality for land transport products

New product management system goes beyond ISO 9001

Berlin/Essen - DB Schenker Logistics recently commissioned Bureau Veritas to audit its quality management system for European land transport. The system focuses on customer requirements and on the operational processes and elements that have an impact on quality. The certification company confirmed that the system is able to meet the high demands made of it.

“Our integrated quality management system has three overriding objectives”, says Karl Nutzinger, the member of the Schenker AG Management Board with responsibility for land transport and the European regions. “Consignments and information must be delivered within the agreed time frame and arrive complete and undamaged, and the invoice must specify the agreed services and prices. Provided we keep achieving these objectives, we can continue to build on our market-leading position.”
DB Schenker’s land transport organization in Europe has been certified to ISO 9001 since 2002. The national companies in the various countries have long had the relevant certificates and management systems. “Our analyses show that we have achieved a good standard. But to ensure we have satisfied customers, we need to go a step further and invest in the quality of our services over the long term”, explains Nutzinger. “That’s why we have now had our product quality certified.” The network certificate is valid for the next three years. Bureau Veritas will carry out further audits in the relevant countries during this time in order to verify independently that the processes and guidelines are being adhered to.

A European quality manual with process descriptions and standards for the products DB SCHENKERparcel (consignments of up to 30 kilos), DB SCHENKERsystem (general cargo), DB SCHENKERdirect (without transshipment or terminal handling) and DB SCHENKERhangartner (combination of road and rail) sets out all the requirements and is the basis for matrix certification. It is binding for 36 national companies. In addition, land transport quality is monitored constantly by means of operational key performance indicators on the basis of the three quality objectives. The analysis of these indicators, which is also part of the auditing process, provides the basis for constantly improving and further developing the production processes and thus the quality of service. Last year, over 70 million consignments were delivered to their recipients by DB Schenker’s land transport in Europe.