Kromer Print: growing together
Dietikon, 8 February 2022
Kromer Print and Planzer Parcel are two businesses that were destined to work together. When it comes to providing services, both understand the big picture. Both are Swiss, family-owned businesses with a long tradition and exceptionally high standards. Both are people-focussed. Both are committed to sustainability. And both have big plans.
Delivered to your doorstep
The ‘e-’ prefix has become increasingly ubiquitous in recent times: e-commerce, e-mobility, e-pay, ESG, etc. With pandemic-driven digitalisation, we have seen online retail skyrocket and the parcel market expand exponentially. It’s not just home consumers who have changed their behaviour over the past few years – business customers have too, switching to ‘just in time’ production and ordering, reducing stock, increasingly placing small batch orders and having these delivered directly to the end customers.
As pioneers in their fields, both partners spotted and adapted to this trend. Kromer Print expanded its range of services to include printed business materials management, storage and JIT distribution, and created the Printlogistik® trademark for individual supply chains. Planzer set about establishing the parcel delivery service Planzer Parcel. And that’s how the two businesses found each other.
How it all began
The collaboration between Planzer Parcel and Kromer Print began in mid-2019. It was an informed and sensible choice, even though Planzer Parcel had only been established a few months earlier. Nils Planzer made a promise to Andy Amrein, CEO of Kromer Print, right at the outset: ‘This parcel service is still going to be around in five years’ time.’ Nils kept his word – and Amrein cancelled the contract with the company’s previous parcel delivery service.
A wealth of good reasons
It wasn’t just the prospect of a secure investment that convinced the Kromer management team. Planzer’s sophisticated parcel logistics, simple, individual solutions, outstanding value for money without the annoyance of surprise automated additional charges, in-house team of drivers, intelligent IT, minimal red tape and people-centred approach all instantly appealed to those in charge at Kromer. Read more about the reasons for switching to Planzer Parcel here.
Expanding horizons
In the early stages, collaboration did not always run smoothly. There were mistakes and differences of opinion. But thanks to short decision-making channels, capable and consistent contacts, pragmatic approaches and a touch of creativity, the partners found a solution to every problem. ‘The collaboration with Planzer Parcel works so well because we get along on a personal level, even when the schedules are hectic,’ explains Andy Amrein. Over the past few years, both companies have gained a better understanding through their mistakes and have learned to expand on their success together.
Putting the customer first
‘Kromer Print AG’s customer focus is extremely strong. For us, that means that if anything goes wrong with a single delivery, there’s an instant reaction,’ explains Jakob Nielsen, Director of Planzer Parcel. Here too, the customer is at the centre of everything we do. That’s why our drivers undergo regular customer relations training. It’s why our customer service centre is there to help with any questions about deliveries. And it’s why we developed an intelligent algorithm that allows us to take account of customer preferences, such as a new delivery date or a new delivery address, right up to shortly before delivery.
Exceptionally high standards
Today our drivers deliver around 1,500 parcels for Kromer Print every month to private and business customers throughout Switzerland. Delivery requirements are not always straightforward, for example, when delivering parcels to small hospital sites with several drop-off points. Kromer customers include canteens and restaurants with a hectic weekly schedule. And due to the over 100 online shops that Kromer Print manages via the Printlogistik® portal, the range of delivery addresses is huge. But this type of complex task is exactly what we need. After all, if it was too easy, there would be no challenge.
Vital generational issue
The two quality-focussed service providers are both committed to the goal of sustainability. At Kromer Print, sustainability is more than just lip service – it’s a strategic focus and central to the company’s operations. The same is true at Planzer Parcel. That’s why around 60% of consignments make the brunt of their journey by eco-friendly rail. The state-of-the-art Planzer Parcel delivery vehicles only step in to make the ‘first mile’ and ‘last mile’ deliveries from our ten railway centres to the customer’s door or the recipient’s reception desk.
‘Since its foundation, we have found Planzer Parcel to be a credible brand with a consistent market presence, flexible solutions and professional expertise.’
Andy Amrein, CEO, Kromer Print AG
By the way
How often do we pick up printed materials, glance at the pictures, skim the headlines and throw the product away unread? Next time you’re about to do that, think for a moment about the amount of production, administration and logistics work that went into creating it, and the analogue and digital expertise behind that piece of paper. Spare a brief thought for Kromer Print and Planzer Parcel.
Kromer Print AG
A family business with a long tradition, Kromer Print AG was originally founded in 1898. It specialises in the manufacture and distribution of printed and electronic products. Production, logistics and administration are based in Lenzburg and the business has sales centres in Wettingen and Sursee. Production continues 24 hours a day, six days a week. The business has a workforce of around 100, including 14 apprentices in seven different professions in the graphic arts industry: kromerprint.ch
