Business North March 2023

56 | Substantial growth for company The Aion Cargo Solutions (ACS) team outside the Airpark Drive complex. Aion Cargo Solutions CONTRACTING Karen Phelps Aion Cargo Solutions (ACS) has become a leading logistics provider since it was established in New Zealand in 2004, growing from an e-commerce parcel shipping service into a sea and air freight forwarding business that is growing at an exponential rate. ACS forged a trusted reputation in its parcel shipping days, shipping initially to Korea then developing a market in China. ACS managing director Kiyung Lee says by 2010, ACS expanded into the freight forwarding sector. “We had previous experience in doing parcel deliveries for the New Zealand dairy industry, and dairy companies became our major clients for freight forwarding,” he says. “There are a lot of requirements around the transportation of dairy products and we knew them all, so we were able to facilitate the import and export needs of our clients.” ACS achieved substantial growth during this period and by 2019 was in the top 10 in air freight and sea freight in New Zealand. Just prior to the Covid lockdown in March 2020, ACS had completed an extension to its Airpark Drive warehouse that quadrupled the size of the premises. Kiyung was really concerned about what the pandemic would mean for his growing business, but the subsequent challenges in the logistics industry actually provided a huge growth opportunity for ACS. “Our commitment to client services and strong in-house operational capability meant we could excel during these abnormal situations. We managed to secure space for our clients and helped to manoeuvre their cargo through supply chain chaos.” With that, ACS managed to secure more and more clients over the past three years, and has grown so quickly it reached place 47 on the Deloitte Fast50 index for 2021 with growth of 109%, and place 11 on the Deloitte Master of Growth index for 2022 with 212% growth. “In 2021, we sent about 10,000 containers, and then in 2022 we sent 15,000,” Kiyung says. “We would like to express our sincere appreciation to our clients, partners, employees, friends, and families who have been supporting us all the way.” Kiyung says price is always a major key to opening the door to new clients in the freight forwarding business, but also a high-quality, trustworthy service is the only enduring value in the freight industry. “We have about 70 staff in three countries who are very committed to providing superior service to our clients, and that makes our clients feel safe when they work with us.” Over 19 years of development, ACS has built strong in-house operational capability and know-how, enabling the company to deliver tailored logistics solutions with great value to its clients. ACS’s trusted associations with bond warehouses, domestic warehouses, and trucking companies allow the company to provide its clients with the most robust, economical, and scalable location and distribution services over multiple areas. “From small to oversized products, we have a team of experts that is capable of handling items safely and securely, for the peace of mind of our customers, exceeding their demands and expectations.” Supply and Install | Compliance | Repairs and Maintenance Project Management | Dismantles and Buy Back of Racking “Optimise your space, grow your business.” Your Premier Pallet Racking Partner since 2001

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