Despite the market falling at double digit rates, BCS Air has been able to maintain its market share, managing director João Ferreira tells Air Cargo Week.
He says both imports and exports have fallen at double-digit rates, with the former affected by political and economic transition, which should resolve itself, and the latter due to the global downturn.
Even exports that usually benefit from a weaker currency including fruit and hatching eggs have been affected.
Ferreira comments: “Despite the current market conditions, we’ve been able to keep and protect the market of share for our principals. Being on the GSSA market in Brazil, for over 25 years, gave us the ability to learn how to navigate during the downturns.”
Being part of ECS Group’s family also helps maintain operations better than the market. Ferreira says: “The strong and well-organised structure of ECS Group combined with a large network plus the technologies and processes developed in-house are truly assets to provide to our principals the best services and the maximised revenues.”
The acquisition was viewed as a success by ECS’s side, with CEO Adrien Thominet calling it a “real milestone for the ECS Group development in Latin America”.
Saying ECS could not have expected a better integration, Thominet praises the BCS team and the management of both companies working side by side to prepare for the integration.
He says: “We are very proud to have such an asset (BCS AIR) in our group and into our network. Indeed, BCS Air represents the future of ECS Group and its expansion in the region, being avant-gardist / pioneer in term of new services for instance.”
Customers in Brazil receive all the services developed and provided by ECS Group including GSSA, ground handling supervision, total cargo management and charter brokerage.
Professional tools back up these services, with the Apollo business intelligence tool providing real-time data analytics and visualisation.
The Pathfinder Track & Trace system has been developed for airlines under a total cargo management system, giving customers real-time status of their shipments.
ECS Group plans to develop services in Brazil through advanced digital solutions and its extensive sales network to help airlines maximise their market share.
Total Cargo Management contracts are being offered, providing complete control of all cargo activities by setting up Total Cargo Expertise.
Thominet says: “It is run just as professionally as the airlines themselves and integrates every aspect of airlines’ cargo activities. Bringing together cargo experts under one roof – coupled with the many human and material investments that ECS Group has already made both in digital transformation and in producing cutting-edge tools – allows us to provide our customers with a tailor-made offering of customised services covering an airline’s every need.”
Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world when measured by landmass and population, with over 208 million people, and is classified as an advanced emerging economy.
Ferreira says Brazil is not really a logistics friendly country but the government privatisation programme for airports, seaports, highways and railways is encouraging for the medium term.
He says: “Airports such as Sao Paulo Guarulhos, Rio Galeao and Sao Paulo Viracopos are already on the right direction, not to mention the ones that have been privatised recently, in the Northeast of Brazil, with its privileged geographical location that might turn into hubs between South American and Europe.”
Ferreira also admits that due to high taxes and bureaucracy, Brazil is not an easy country to do business in, but there is hope.
He says: “With the new ongoing reforms, for the social security, taxes and administration, it shall improve and facilitate for new investors in the country.”
