Scaling global exports through a control tower and ocean freight partnership with Denkavit

At a glance:

The challenges:

• Rapid export growth following acquisition increased annual volumes from 700–800 to over 3,000 containers
• Legacy, manual forwarding model lacked visibility and scalability
• Need to retain direct carrier contracts while avoiding additional internal headcount
  

The solution:

• Implemented a control tower model with Zencargo managing day-to-day execution
• Centralised booking, documentation and carrier performance tracking on one platform
• Scaled global operations without expanding the internal logistics team

Following the acquisition of Nutrifeed – which significantly increased export volumes – Denkavit needed a more scalable freight model to manage growing complexity.

Today, the company works with Zencargo as its operational freight control tower for global export logistics, retaining commercial control of its core carrier contracts while Zencargo manages booking, coordination and shipment visibility through a single platform. In addition to managing execution on Denkavit’s contracted lanes, Zencargo also supports ocean freight directly for new trade lanes, capacity requirements and overflow volumes when needed.

We spoke to Logistics Sourcing Manager Gerard van Beek to understand how the partnership supports the team in practice:

“Before the acquisition, we were shipping around 700 to 800 containers per year,” Gerard explains. “We worked in a traditional way. We requested quotes per shipment, agreed a rate, and the forwarder arranged everything from start to finish.”

“After we acquired Nutrifeed, our volumes increased to more than 3,000 containers annually. That model was no longer sustainable. We had to put something scalable in place for the whole company. We wanted one way of working – a structured, data-driven way.”

Why Zencargo stood out

During a competitive tender process, Denkavit evaluated several platform providers. For Gerard, flexibility and control were non-negotiable.

“What stood out with Zencargo was that we could retain our direct carrier contracts for our export tenders. We negotiate freight prices ourselves through annual agreements, and Zencargo manages the operational execution on those lanes.”

“In addition to managing bookings on Denkavit’s contracted carriers, Zencargo also supports the team with ocean freight solutions for new destinations or additional capacity when required.”

“That was important. We didn’t want to hand over commercial control;  we wanted a partner to execute and coordinate.”

“We also wanted everything in one place – bookings, communication, documentation, KPIs. We didn’t want Excel files or disconnected systems to generate reports. We needed proper insight into transit times and carrier performance.”

How the model works day-to-day

“For us, Zencargo is a one-stop shop. We don’t log into different carrier portals; in fact 80% of the time, our team is hardly involved with the process or documentation. The Zencargo team coordinates carrier schedules, bookings and communication through the platform, while also supporting the business with additional ocean freight capacity or new trade lanes where required.”

“All shipment information sits in one place which keeps workflows very smooth and visible. For example, if someone is on holiday, the knowledge doesn’t disappear.”

For a regulated exporter of animal feed, operational clarity is critical:

“Exporting animal feed is not simple. We deal with health certificates and strict documentation requirements. You need a partner who understands that complexity and a team you can rely on.”

The practical impact

“If we were managing bookings directly with each carrier ourselves, we would probably need at least three additional people internally. With this setup, we don’t.”

“We also have access to data: transit times, delays, performance against nominated volumes. That gives us stronger control when we negotiate contracts each year.”

“In the beginning, like with any new setup, we had to align and improve processes. Now the team understands our business – they know what’s important for us.”

A long term partnership

“We are enthusiastic about the way of working. I know the Zencargo team well, including our Customer Success Manager who I have regular contact with; they understand our business and needs. We don’t need to expand our internal team, and we have full visibility.”

“It’s not only about the platform. It’s about the people behind it. If it were only software, you could switch every year. But it’s more than that. We have a long-term partnership with Zencargo and it works for us.”

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