Lufthansa Cargo broadens digitalization efforts with cargo.one investment

Lufthansa Cargo is further ramping up its foothold in the tech sphere by increasing its cooperation with Berlin-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider, cargo.one. This week, it acquired a minority shareholding in the one-year-old cargo-booking startup.

The platform allows carriers to digitally host and market airfreight capacity to forwarders. To date, some of cargo.one’s customers include industry giants Agility, Hellmann and Dachser.

Peter Gerber, CEO of the Lufthansa Group said that the investment is another step toward the company’s goal to lead digitalization in the air freight industry. “We are impressed with the technology and user-friendly product,” he said. “Our customers’ overall experience is now strongly improved by being able to more efficiently book air cargo capacity.”

Lufthansa began its relationship with cargo.one in July of this year, following its announcement in March to charge an extra €12 processing fee per transaction for customers that choose not to opt for its electronic air waybills. Such moves are part of the carrier’s “strategic commitment to elevating the air cargo industry to a higher level of digital maturity,” said Boris Hueske, the head of digital transformation at Lufthansa Cargo.

The German carrier has fostered relationships with other tech startups over the year, including an investment in Fleet Logistics, a Portland, Ore.-based digital marketplace that serves to match carriers with customers, and a cooperation with a California-based accelerator, Plug and Play, which has a focus on supply chain-oriented startups.

“The close cooperation between Lufthansa Cargo and technology startups melds comprehensive air cargo experience with a technology-driven, fresh view of global logistics processes”, Hueske said, although the details of Lufthansa’s partnerships with the two above-named organizations has not been made explicit.

Those interested in learning more about the digitalization of the air freight industry are invited to join us Cargo Facts EMEA, to be held 4-6 February at The Westin Grand Frankfurt. Register before 14 December to take advantage of early bird rates. To register or for more information, visit www.cargofactsemea.com.