In detail, the following six countries can be pleased about this great success:

• Germany
• Belgium
• Netherlands
• Sweden
• Slovakia
• Switzerland

Reliability in unsteady times

The major changes in the customs sector, such as those caused by Brexit, but also the crises of recent years have proven how important it is to be able to rely on a committed team with a great sense of cohesion. Only in this way is it possible to defy all challenges and ensure the well-known service quality of Gerlach Customs now and in the future. That is why Gerlach’s top priority is to actively promote the well-being of its own employees.

Ultimately, this is the only way to be able to demonstrate top performance in day-to-day business. And: If you want to win over talented people today, you have to respond to their needs and offer them a working environment in which they can develop.

Against this background, it is no surprise that Thomas Weins, VP Customs & CEO Gerlach Germany is particularly pleased about the award: “For the first time, Gerlach Customs can be pleased about the award as Top Employer in 6 countries. This shows us that we are on the right track as a company – because I am sure that if our employees are satisfied, our work is all the better.”

About the award

Once a year, the Top Employers Institute honors national companies with more than 250 employees or international companies with more than 2,500 employees. The basis for the award is a best-practice questionnaire with over 600 practices and ten topics from the HR area. In order to receive an award, certain scores must be achieved here accordingly.

Overview of the ten topic areas:

• Talent strategy
• Workforce planning
• Acquisition of junior staff
• Application and induction processes
• Training and development
• Performance management
• Leadership development
• Career and succession planning
• Salaries and benefits
• Culture

There are numerous ways for companies to create a productive work environment for employees that is defined by appreciation, commitment and cohesion. At Gerlach, these initiatives pay off every day in our day-to-day work – and now in the form of the Top Employer Award.

In the meantime, this donation has been transferred and the entire Gerlach team is happy to be able to support the important work with and for children in this way.

The Immersatt Kinder- und Jugendtisch e.V. has made it its goal to support disadvantaged children and young people. The association takes care of the healthy, physical well-being of children and also offers various educational programmes. The aim is to provide them with all-round and, above all, sustainable support. The association is financed exclusively by donations.

Gerlach wishes you a Merry Christmas. Thank you very much for the trust of our customers and their positive response to our fundraising campaign this year. We would also like to thank our employees for their dedication and commitment. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and look forward to a good cooperation in the New Year.

Kim: It was a great event, with more than 200 people coming together and sharing news and insights on customs topics. We had this year also our own booth at the fair to present and talk also about Gerlach and our services and solutions.

Alexander: Yes, but we also have to admit that compared to the last Tulldagen in 2019 there were less visitors due to the Covid restrictions. But it was anyway great to meet in person and network.

What were the main topics discussed at the fair?

Alexander: The topic of digitalization of customs was very much in the foreground. We gained some insights on what upcoming customs projects the customs authorities are planning. Also, the HS Codes updates that apply from January 2022 were presented and discussed.

Kim: Another topic was related to Trade Compliance and on “Combiterms” – why it is so important to have the buyer and seller roles and responsibilities in mind.

What are your two main take aways for Gerlach Sweden?

Kim: Firstly, I think we had quite intense and good dialogue and exchange which was of high value for us.

Alexander: True! And secondly, I would add, that it again highlighted the importance of having our digital projects and ambitions as high priority as we want to shape the future with best solution for our customers.

I have worked in Freight and Customs area for the last 20 years. Lastly before joining Gerlach, I was also responsible for Customs and Brexit, building up the Customs product and ramping up teams in the light of Brexit.

On my first day at work it was really a special day. We celebrated Gerlach’s 140th birthday and I was received very warmly by the team. My Managers came over from other countries to give me a personal introduction. I was really very honored by that.

My first impression of Gerlach was what an impressive company with such a long history. Not many companies can look back on 140 years.

"The way the team has mastered the challenges with Covid and Brexit makes us all proud."

Let us speak about Brexit: a short review from you and what is still to come?

I think for many companies the new customs formalities were a big challenge. Not only to name the problem side… I also see a lot of the positive side.

Some companies in the UK are now better positioned for international trade, they have better and more compliant processes in the Supply Chain.

From 1 January 2022, Goods vehicle movement (GVMS) will be in place for all imports and exports at GB port locations who have chosen to use it. GVMS is a UK Government IT platform for moving goods. In short, all customs declarations must be completed before the truck arrives at the border. It is very important for us and our customers to stay informed about these changes.

For me, in my role as Managing Director, the most important thing is to build a structure in our organization in the UK. We have grown very quickly and now need to organize ourselves effectively in order to be able to continue our growth. At the same time, we are also looking at automation and digitization and will be tackling projects in this area.

We are still recruiting and now is a great opportunity for newcomers to join us, we are looking for innovative, committed team members who want to grow quickly and help shape a company.

What makes you proud of your team?

Our team is simply incredible: Dedicated to their jobs, enthusiastic, resilient.

We stick together very closely as a team and don’t let anyone fall. The way the team has mastered the challenges with Covid and Brexit makes us all proud. I am very grateful to be part of this great team.

ISO 14001 is the globally accepted and applied standard for environmental management. It sets requirements for an environmental management system that enables companies to improve their environmental performance, meet legal and other obligations and achieve environmental goals.

The goal of an energy management system according to ISO 50001 is the continuous improvement of energy-related performance.

Quality and customer satisfaction as well as efficiency and responsiveness are among the decisive factors for a company’s competitive success. By introducing a reliable quality management system, Gerlach can better optimise the necessary processes and procedures and make the demands on the organisation and management more efficient. This is precisely why Gerlach was certified with ISO 9001. The certification shows that Gerlach has developed management systems to subject its services to a continuous improvement process. And above all, it is a good confirmation for customers that they have joined exactly the right customs service provider.

The ISO 45001 standard, for which Gerlach has also been certified, deals with the topic of occupational health and safety. It confirms that Gerlach lives up to its social responsibility and does everything in its power to demonstrably reduce the risk of injuries, accidents and work-related illnesses among its employees.

“I am particularly proud of the ISO certificate in the area of quality management, because it confirms something from a neutral side that has top priority for us. Namely, to offer our customers the best possible, fastest service they can expect from a customs service provider through expertise and efficiency,” says Thomas Weins, Managing Director Gerlach Germany.

Freshly awarded four ISO certificates, Gerlach will continue to be the all-in-one solution for its customers when it comes to importing and exporting their goods – no matter how complex the requirements.

Gerlach is the leading neutral provider of customs services in Europe. With our network of 170 offices in 27 European countries and more than 1000 customs experts, we cover the entire spectrum of customs services: From import, export and transit customs clearance to complex customs solutions, supply chain assessment and customs consultancy.

Felix Zeller: I started my training as a forwarding agent at DHL Freight in Maintal in 2011 and then the opportunity arose through a contact to start at Gerlach. In the meantime, I completed a degree in business administration.

When I started at Gerlach, the customs issue was completely new to me. I had had little contact with customs before. Through experienced colleagues and according to the motto “learning by doing”, I was able to acquire the knowledge.

Today, I am the head of customs clearance at the Frankfurt/Main location, and at the same time I train apprentices here at our branch.

Gerlach: What do you like about your work at Gerlach and especially in the customs department?

Felix: In the area of logistics and customs, you experience trade at first hand. And above all, you come into contact with many current topics.

Last year, for example, in connection with the pandemic, we took over the import of masks. Or I remember cases and exports of dual-use goods for the German armed forces. Those were very complex procedures.

At Gerlach, I also see myself to some extent as a translator between the customers and the customs authorities. Often, for example, the clients don’t know what customs consequences their handling entails. Terms and procedures such as inward and outward processing, for example, are not known to everyone. You have to listen very carefully and help the customer choose the right procedures.

Gerlach: Why do you recommend that young people start working for customs?

Felix: If you want to do an apprenticeship in the field of forwarding and logistics services, customs is certainly demanding from a technical point of view. It is the supreme discipline within logistics – I would say. And you can’t do without customs. All large companies operate globally today.

If you choose Gerlach and customs as your focus, I see many opportunities for development. De facto, customs experts are rare on the market. In addition, we as Gerlach are internationally active and are looking for professionals with customs knowledge in many countries.

The important thing is to enjoy the subject and be open to it. The rest you learn as you go along.

Stroke of fate becomes a new opportunity

Only 5 years after the company was founded, a catastrophe followed: Jean Arnaud Gerlach, his eldest son and also Gerlach’s business partner, the Jewish merchant Jacob Baruch, died shortly after each other. The only one in the family who was now able to continue the business was Arnaud, Gerlach’s youngest son, who attended a commercial college in Amsterdam. He had no choice but to drop out of his studies at the age of 17 and continue the business. Arnaud led Gerlach Zolldienste to many more successes and consistently drove expansion. After his death in 1929, his wife and two other business partners took over the management of the company, which by then already employed 200 people.

Reconstruction in the post-war period

The Second World War was a disaster, both in human and business terms. After the war, the two sons Arnaud (A.J.) and Willem (W.H.) took over the business and had to do a lot of reconstruction work. Only 16 employees had survived, 50% of the buildings were destroyed or damaged. But Gerlach started all over again and continued to expand – a short time later the company was represented in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Austria.

Today, the company still operates under the Gerlach name as a leading neutral provider of customs services in Europe. The company’s 140th anniversary was celebrated yesterday by the employees at a virtual event.

On the occasion of this great event, Gerlach has also published a new image video. Feel free to have a look here:

GERLACH is the leading neutral provider of customs services in Europe. With a network of 170 offices in 27 European countries and more than 1000 customs experts, the company covers the entire spectrum of customs services: From import, export and transit customs clearance to complex customs solutions, supply chain assessment and customs consultancy. A development that has only been possible since 1881 thanks to Gerlach’s employees. They are the ones who have ensured that the company has always stood for expertise in the field of customs, and who work hard and give their best every day.

Just like Jean Arnaud Corneille Gerlach once did, who turned a shipwreck into the leading customs service provider in Europe with great dedication and absolute customer orientation. And the company is also very well equipped for the future: Gerlach is consistently pushing ahead with digitalisation and thus continues to keep its finger on the pulse for its customers.

MND D&S supplied the technology to drill a 4.5 km deep well to generate heat for the Eden site. Cold water is injected downwards, the water absorbs heat from the rock and is then pumped back up to the surface at around 180°C. The water is then used to generate electricity and the heat is provided for the rainforest and Mediterranean biomes, as well as for the offices, kitchens and greenhouses. The complete geothermal power project is scheduled for completion by 2023.

As the UK is not part of the European Customs Union anymore, so-called third country customs formalities were required. Gerlach Czech supported this project on export from Czech declaration side, and will also help on customs formalities in later stages when the drilling rig gets returned and an import declaration for Czechia is needed.

Our Gerlach Czech team, being a leader in customs clearance in the Czech market has already done many complex topics, but this was truly an exciting one: 96 trucks were needed to transport the drilling rig from Czechia to UK.

„We standardly clear large disassembled units for our customers, but the drilling rig for the first time. The trucks have been departing individually or in a small groups already from April on. Each truck had a separate customs declaration“, says Luděk Procházka, Managing Director of Gerlach Czech Republic.

“For those kind of complex customs related topics intensive preparation is essential. We have carefully examined the facts and applied for the necessary permissions from customs authorities in the Czech Republic”, says Luděk Procházka.

“We are very proud to be able to help our customers and to be part of such project. It is quite complex, but also great to be an enabler for customer projects, that work towards a better and sustainable future”, says Taťána Procházková, Head of Marketing and Sales at Gerlach Czech.

In case you need any customs related support in Czech Republic, our team is happy to help you. Contact us now.

When goods worth many millions of US dollars are transported, it is important to have competent partners at your side. The Gerlach team in Frankfurt/Main in Germany is already used to customs clearance for high-value goods and thus also created the T1 procedure in Germany for this special cargo.

“With our Gerlach location in Frankfurt, we are very familiar with the customs needs of air cargo due to our proximity to Frankfurt Airport. In many cases it is a matter of transit procedures, as the goods are transported from Frankfurt to other European countries, ” says Wolfgang Reis, Branch Manager Gerlach Frankfurt.

It was precisely this experience that was in demand: a well-known freight carrier (Road Feeder Service / air freight substitute service) in Frankfurt/Main transported a turbo-jet engine from the USA via Germany to Belgium. Value of the goods: 30 million US dollars. As the freight forwarder wanted an experienced and trustworthy customs service provider at its side, it contacted the Gerlach experts, who opened the T1 document in Germany.

“We were very pleased that our customer trusted our expertise for this special assignment. Even though we are familiar with the processes for transit procedures, it is complex for this high value of goods, as guarantees and securities are involved – specifically in the amount of 4.9 million euros,” said Felix Zeller, customs declarant at Gerlach in Frankfurt.

“We coordinated with the customer and stood very closely by their side as a customs service provider during this transport. Orders like this make you realise once again how exciting it is to work in logistics and customs. We experience and enable global trade,” says Wolfgang Reis.

If you need support with your customs matters, contact us! We are happy to help.

T1/TRANSIT PROCEDURE – IN BRIEF:

If third-country goods, such as in this case from the USA, arrive in a country of the EU Customs Union, such as here in Germany, and are further loaded and transported, a T1 document must be opened in the country in which the goods arrived. It is very important that the T1 document is closed again in the country of destination, in this case Belgium

“There is no question that we at Gerlach Germany will help if we are asked,” says Thomas Baumann, Managing Director Gerlach Germany.

In cooperation with Technik ohne Grenzen e.V. and DHL Express, oxygen concentrators were delivered to Bangalore in India. From there, the oxygen concentrators were delivered to the public health system in and around Bangalore, especially in rural areas where the situation is severe.

“For exporting these goods to a third country like India, there is a customs declaration. We have assisted in this project free of cost: Advised on the tariff classification of the goods and also took care of the export declaration at the German customs office,” reports Verena Weise. She has worked at Gerlach Duisburg for more than 20 years as operational manager.

“Even though we have our hands full at the moment due to the high volumes because of the Brexit – we help. There is currently another project coming up in cooperation with DHL. In this case, it’s about shipping masks to India. Here, too, we will support with our customs expertise,” says Verena Weise.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken us globally and was and is a challenge. At Gerlach Deutschland, we always think and live beyond our borders. For us, it goes without saying that we have to think internationally – in a business context but also in a humanitarian context,” says Thomas Baumann.