The Maintaler company really appreciates the conditions offered by the Mercedes-Benz Bank

When Markus Grenzer was asked about the most unusual transport job that he had ever had to carry out, he had to think for a while. Near the top of the list was transporting two luxury cars right across Europe for a current football World Cup champion. "And definitely the teddy bear we had to take to its little owner." Other candidates: the six boxes of iceberg lettuce which had to be transported at lightening speed from Düsseldorf to Berlin – for a fast-food restaurant that, like all fast-food providers, is bound to a particular supplier.

Markus Grenzer is the CEO of Maintaler Express Logistik in the small town of Bruchköbel near Frankfurt am Main. Here you can find the specialists for everything that needs to be delivered quickly and under special conditions. Especially if the cargo is expensive, or perishable, or both. From small rubber parts for a car manufacturer packed in a padded envelope to complete, unpackaged production machinery.

In this business no two days are the same: "About 80 percent of our jobs are ad hoc haulage orders," said Grenzer. "We often have to react really quickly. Sometimes we only have a few hours." The company was set up in 1991 by Markus Grenzer's father Norbert as a transport company for newspapers and magazines and has developed into an internationally active express logistics company with almost a hundred employees at two locations – and they continue to expand.

The path to success is specialisation. "From our early days we specialised in direct and special deliveries, and with time we have mainly concentrated on large-volume, heavy consignments," said 37-year-old Markus Grenzer. And when the profit margins there became smaller and smaller, they searched for other niches and found them: "Since 2011, we have been offering temperature-controlled haulage."

A year later, vehicles transported in closed trailers were added, and since 2014 consignments of valuable freight with a high theft risk have been transported in special high-security vehicles. And if anyone needs personally escorted transportation or even a high-speed consignment by chartered helicopter: Maintaler is there at the ready.

All of this only works thanks to extremely well-trained staff, an efficient IT infrastructure – and a cutting-edge fleet. In addition to numerous cars, this now includes about 60 trucks and vans, all in smart black. 75 percent of the commercial vehicles are from Mercedes-Benz; besides the Actros there are the Atego and the Sprinter. "Our customers value our high-standard fleet with all sorts of special features and our professional drivers," said Grenzer.

In the field of vehicle acquisition, Maintaler has been working with the Mercedes-Benz Bank for a long time. More than 30 vehicles in the current fleet were financed or leased this way. "In addition to the good conditions, it's the smooth service that we benefit from," said Grenzer. On the basis of his investment plan, every year a credit framework is agreed for the coming year. "This means that credit contracts can be processed immediately."

His contact at the Mercedes-Benz Bank, Matthias Oberwinder, is also responsible for CharterWay contracts: "We sign contracts for our 40-tonners, with the "Service Complete" option. Oberwinder appreciates the direct contact with Maintaler. In his function as a bank adviser. And also because he likes hearing about new and unusual transport solutions.

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Photos: Alex Kraus