b'28American Journal ofTransportation ajot.com(ISSUEScontinued fromstandards, airport cargo facil-page 26) ities and infrastructure, staff-director,theAFAhad100ingandhoursofoperation members. Today, it has a rosterand finding solutions for reg-of 225 air forwarding relatedulatory and paperwork issues companies.Theassociationthat clog last mile operations.isalsospreadingitswingsFried,whohashandled geographically.Historically,ittheAFAslobbyingefforts hasbeenadomesticorgani- in the past, says Taylor was zation. Today, it is recruitinghired because under the Biden internationalforwarder-relatedAdministration, a person who firms thatdobusinessinthesits on federal advisory com-U.S.andhasarelationshipmitteescannotlobbyCon-with the British Internationalgress as well.FreightForwardingAssocia- Meanwhile,theAFA tion (BIFA) and the Canadianiszeroinginoncybersecu-InternationalFreightFor- rityaspartofitsmandate warders Association (CIFFA). because many of our mem-bers have been victimized by aFa i ssues cyberransomwareattacks,(KEYcontinued fromremotelyathomeusingtheThey include capital equip-However,FriedisfastFriedsays.Hewasdisap- page 26) same air cargo carrier. menttransportationforthe tostresstheAirforwarderspointedbythe$1.2trillionthanjustdroppingoffsomeThetechnologysectorsemiconductor industry which Association is not a one-manInfrastructure Investment andboxes. Its a complex solu- isthrivingforDHLfromis an expanded emphasis on showcruisingonautomaticJobs Act of 2022 where air- tionwhenyouaredealinglaptopanddesktopcomput- its existing technology sector pilot. I have a board of 16ports were looking for $115with the viability of the vac- ers to mobile phones, Indeed,expertise.Secondischemi-unpaidbossesandaradarbillion and only received $25cine in terms of the numberconsumerdemandforper- calslogisticswhilethirdis screenfullofissues,hebillion.However,theAFAofdaysthepackagingissonaltechnologyclimbedaerospace and airplane parts.told the American Journal ofisfocusedonroadinfra- validatedfor,sheexplains.sharply during the pandemicAll three initiatives involve Transportationinanexclu- structuregiventhattrucksYouvegotsomanykiloswhen office workers left theirmovement of high-value, high-sive interview. Our numberobviouslyfeedairportsandofdryicewhichlimitstheloworhigh-risebusinessyield,time-sensitivecargoes oneconcernistheairportallshippersandconsignees,amountofaircraftthatyouofficesandfurnishedhomewhereskilledhandlingand cargo area congestion issue. he adds. We are constantlycanuse.(Forthisliftandoffices,manyforthefirstspecial warehousing are neces-With forwarders and theirmonitoring things like truck- others,DHLusedtheRus- time, according to Von Pohl. sary if not required.truckers waiting hours to dropingparkingrestrictions,thesian-builtAntonovAN-26Suddenly, demand for ourHowever,itisthelife off or recover shipments andlack of drivers because everytwin-engine turboprop). services was supercharged onsciencesdivisionthathas shipperssteamingoverwaitair shipment starts and endsThe COVID vaccine assign- theimportsidefromEuropecontributed mightily to DHL timesurcharges,theAFAison a truck. ment, which started in Augustand China. We had to deployGlobalForwardingsreputa-doing more than just taking on2021, is still ongoing, althoughdedicatedfreighterstokeeption in recent years and con-the costly challenge of cargoaFa p roaCTive the volumes are lower. up with the demand and sup- tinuestocommandalions congested airports. TheAFAisproactiveinAlthoughDHLstrategi- plementourliftwithspaceshareofitscorporateatten-InMarch,Friedhiredaother ways.Recently, on AprilcallydeliveredCOVID19onAtlasAir,QatarAirways,tion and capital. For example, lobbyist to assume the chores19,itsponsoredameetingvaccine to 120 countries forCathayPacific,andNationalaccordingtoPatriciaCole, of convincing lawmakers andinMiamiforitsmembersthepharmaclient,thecom- Airlines among others. We alsoDHL recently opened a state policymakerstotacklethewhere the TSA was the key- panyhasareputationforhad to hire and train hundredsof the art,18,000 square foot worseningairportproblemnote speaker on transportationbeingselectiveinitscom- of people. Life Sciences certified station and other issues that disruptsecurity strategies, with othermodities and payloads. Whilewith 2 C degree to 8 C degree the supply chain, particularlymeetings planned throughoutit could easily muscle into mar- coolingcapabilityinthe airfreightsecurity. As AFAtheU.Sthissummer.Otherkets given its size and strength,Raleigh Durham, North Caro-executive director, he servesdiscussionswillbecenteredit chooses to make, again, low- lina Research Triangle Park.ontheTSAAviationSecu- onmonitoringdangerousprofile moves. The total 38,000 square-rityAdvisoryandtheU.S.goods movements, especiallyfootstructureisoneofthe DepartmentofCommercelithiumbatterytransportasp erisHaBlesM arkeT largest100percenttem-Committee on Supply ChainmotoristsacquiremoreandFor example, Miami-basedperature-controlledcooler-Competitiveness. Besides themoreelectricautomobiles,AndreasVonPohl,seniorwarehousesofanyfreight federalcommittees,healsoFried points out. vicepresident-airfreightforforwarder in the U.S. South-chairs IATAs Board of CargoTransportingofoceantheAmericas,toldareportereastregion,sheasserts,and Network Services that repre- freight will get greater atten- in2019DHLwouldslowlyis the centerpiece of a suite of sents forwarder interests. tion by the AFA in the comingmake a controlled entry intopharma solutions.Thelobbyist,MichaelmonthsastheOceanShip- the perishables markets. Today,Indeed,DHLasacom-Taylor,managingpartnerofpingReformActof2022,Von Pohl, who spent 25 yearspany,seesstrongpotential DicksonPartners,willrep- whichaffectsfees,detentionin a similar position with giantgrowth in pharma in both new resent both the AFA and theanddemurrage,experiencesDBSchenkerbeforejoiningVon Pohl, senior vice president-airmedicinesandgeographical NationalCustomsBrokersgreaterenforcement. Aswit- DHL, says we are selectivelyfreight for the Americas opportunities. Were putting andForwardersAssociation.nessedduringthepandemic,engaging with customers in theMorerecently,theDHLemphasiswhereitneedsto His job, says Fried, will be toseaworthy cargoes often movedperishablesspace.Thespe- air freight executive says, thebe going forward, contends greatly enhance our efforts toby air. cific commodities, once more,market is trying to normalizeCole. Clinical trials are not convince members of CongressMeanwhile,theAFAswere not identified. itself. He says demand fellas prevalent in Africa; how-of the urgent need to strengthenexecutivedirectorcontendsAsourceclosetotheoffduringthefirstquarterever, we have built a compe-air cargo, to enable as the criti- wearevery,veryfocusedairlinesaysDHLsperish- after the prior surges. Sea- tency center in Johannesburg cal link it is in the global supplyontheeconomy,onworldables traffic is strong in Latinworthy freight that switchedwithcoolrooms,andwe chain and to protect the manyevents,onthesituationinAmerica but most of the com- to air when ports were con- are investing a lot of time in jobs it created. Ukraine,Russia,andChina.modities are exported to Asia. gested,andcontainersweretraining our teams there.HepointsoutthattheWe try to see things from aAccording to its website,scarce is converting back toColeinsiststhatbesides AIA,theNCBFAAandthemacroperspectivebecauseDHL has two business onlyocean freight. investinginbrickandmortar AirportCouncilInterna- invariablytheywillimpactdivisionsthattargethighAddsVonPohl:Con- facilities,DHLputsexcep-tional-North America jointlyourmembers.Addressingvolume business to businesssumerdemandisscalingtionaltimeintrainingitslife setuptheAirportConges- theLosAngelesAirCargoshipments, such as retail andback, and volumes are softer,scienceslaborforceindocu-tionCommitteein2022toAssociationrecently,Friedtechnologyproducts.Addedbut we see an uptick of newmented pharma processes and conductaninquiryanditsemphasizedourcustomersto its large express division,andexistingbusinessinthespecializedcomplianceover findings were conclusive thatpay us for creative logisticalthecompanycanaddresssecond half of this year. and above straight logistics.investment in air cargo infra- solutions, you need to under- most shipper requests regard- Asaresult,DHLsper-structure at the federal levelstandwherethehotzonesless of size. F oCuss oluTions sonnelthatworksfor200 across the U.S. was vital.are.Indeed,hestressed,During the pandemic, VonStill, DHL isnt just wait- pharmaceuticalcompanies Inaddition,TaylorwillyourentireindustryisonePohltoldtheAJOT,Weingforthegrowthcycletoworldwide, had a very mini-betargetingCongressionalbiglogisticalissuetodayservedthetechsectorwithreturn.Thecompanyhasmallossofpeopleduring membersoftheAppropria- with many moving parts andflexibilityandagility.Intargeted three industry focusthepandemiclockdown, tionCommitteestorelieveknowingwhatshappeningshort,shipperscouldreachareasorcustomersolutioncontends Cole, and a major-congestioninairportcargogloballyandbeingpreparedcustomersandbuyerswhoinitiatives and invested cap- ity of them were rehired and areas by improving technol- foritisessential.Ourcus- chosetostayintheofficeitaltofurthergrowtheminretrained to get current during ogyandautomationservicetomers expect it.oremployeeswhoworkedthe U.S., he says. the time they were off work.'