All inclusive for Rimowa
When the dream of flying became a reality, a new age began. There was now a new dimension to human movement. The new means of transport meant a change in the requirements for travellers and their luggage. Richard Morszeck was quick to draw the right conclusions.
On the 7th of March 1932, the three-engine Junkers 52 set off on its maiden flight. It made aviation history, as it was the first civilian aeroplane to be completely made of a novel material: aluminium. The light metal that was processed into corrugated sheets gave the plane extraordinary stability combined with a low weight. So the days of using wood, leather and linen were now over.
- The Morszeck family has been manufacturing
suitcases in its own factory since 1898. The
founder’s son gave the brand his name:
Richard Morszeck Warenzeichen (brand) –
RiMoWa. In 1950 Rimowa built the first
suitcase with the grooves. Since 2000
Rimowa has also been offering suitcases
made of polycarbonate besides its classic
aluminium suitcases.
As early as the end of the 1930s, Richard Morszeck realised that this development was not limited to aircraft construction. The son of a Cologne suitcase manufacturer designed the first piece of luggage made of aluminium. In 1950 Richard Morszeck put the first suitcase, called Rimowa, with the typical grooves onto the market. Just like the aircraft on which it was based, the suitcase was lightweight but also indestructible.
From the whole world to the whole world
Initially a particular favourite of flight crews and airline passengers because of its lightness, the sturdy, stylish suitcase now accompanies travellers around the globe. Rimowa, the Cologne family business, has been a global medium-sized enterprise for many years now, with production sites in Germany, the Czech Republic and Canada, suppliers in Europe and Asia and buyers all over the world. Rimowa made around 750,000 suitcases where in the world, and our production and sales are internationally networked”, says Stephan Hansen, the CFO of Rimowa. “This is exactly the competence we also expect from our logistics partner.”
- Football clubs such as 1.FC Köln or the
German national football team travel
exclusively with Rimowa suitcases made
especially for them.
Movable supply chain
The Rimowa suitcases are globetrotters even before their owners set off with them for the first time, as the supply chain is spread over several continents. A Rimowa suitcase is made of up to 250 individual parts. Rimowa sources some of its telescopic handles, fabrics and accessories such as shoe bags or shirt compartments from Asia. Logwin ensures that the parts from the Far East are available at the production sites in Pelhrimov (Czech Republic) and Cologne (Germany) in good time. “Depending on the desired delivery date, we choose the carrier – sea freight, air freight, or our combined sea-air transports via the Logwin hub in Dubai“, says Rached Naji, branch manager of Logwin at the Cologne/Bonn Airport. Rimowa can find out the status of a delivery at any time during the whole transport. “The seamless transparency makes it far easier for our staff to plan production”, says Sabrina Maischak, Dispatch Export Rimowa.
- Rimowa also produces custom designs,
such as for star violinist David Garret,
who packs his Stradivarius in a Rimowa
suitcase.
Logistics Interface
The Rimowa luggage is available almost everywhere, whether it be Australia, Asia, Europe, North or South America. And no matter where a customer rolls his Rimowa suitcase out of a shop, it is highly likely that Logwin brought it there. Logwin receives the order for the distribution directly from Rimowa. The logistics staff prepare for the export, organise the equipment for the transports and forward the delivery data to their colleagues in the destination country. Then the journey starts. Logwin picks up the suitcases from the factories in Pelhrimov and Cologne and transports themby rail or truck to the port of departure or airport. Logwin takes the suitcases originating in Pelhrimov to Hamburg and the suitcases made in Cologne to Rotterdam. They are shipped from these ports by sea container. Logwin sends air freight consignments mainly from the Cologne/Bonn airport around the world. In the destination country, it is Logwin staff once again who receive the shipments and complete the customs import formalities. They then transport the suitcases to the respective wholesalers. “Demand is particularly high during holiday periods and the Christmas shopping period. In addition we have plenty of special offers throughout the year”, says Sabrina Maischak. “Accordingly there are variations in our orders in terms of the number of items and the delivery period. That means that Logwin’s central control of procurement and distribution is particularly important.”
On a historic mission
Beside the import and export routes, Logwin also takes on special assignments for Rimowa. “From time to time we organise advertising or promotional events”, says Stephan Hansen. “Then we commission Logwin to do the necessary transports at short notice.” Thus Logwin made a joint event by Rimowa and a company that also owes its success to the JU 52 possible. The aluminium aircraft was Lufthansa’s standard plane for years. An exclusive toilet bag that Lufthansa distributes to first class passengers on its flights is a reminder of this connection between the two companies. Logwin transported the polycarbonate half-shells for the so-called Amenity Kit to Asia, where they were processed. Logwin then transported the kits back to Cologne in time for the start of the event. And all this was done – how else – by air freight. Another special event took Logwin in the opposite geographical direction. “Logwin picked up Rimowa suitcases from the 1960s and 70s from the company headquarters, sent them by air freight to the USA and on to the shop in Beverly Hills”, says Stephan Hansen. Rimowa’s modern “suitcase models” also travel with Logwin.
For the photo shoot for the current product catalogue, Logwin flew the special designs to Australia and delivered them directly to the set free of charge. After the shoot, Logwin flew them back to Cologne. “Even with short-termorders, we can rely 100 per cent on professional and punctual service”, says Stephan Hansen. “With Logwin as our logistics partner our customers don’t have to wait for their suitcases in the shop. The only place they may have to wait is at the luggage conveyer belt.“
