Leading Hong Kong-based freight forwarding and logistics group BALtrans has opened its first operation in France, based at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.

The latest member of the BALtrans network is headed up by Jean Claude Melin as Managing Director. Jean-Claude Melin has 30 years’ experience in forwarding and logistics.

BALtrans Logistics France provides global freight forwarding by air and sea, and pan-European roadfreight services, utilising BAltrans’ own network of over 60 owned offices in more than 20 countries, and  partnerships and alliances in a further 40 countries. One of BALtrans’ early specialisations in France is inbound consolidations from Hong Kong and China, exploiting its parent’s major presence throughout the Asia Pacific region.

Says Jean Claude Melin: “The French market is one of the biggest in Europe, and the BALtrans network could not afford to overlook this opportunity to capture new import and export traffic. July is our first full working month, and clients are already joining us regularly. Ocean is currently 70% of our business, but we expect the airfreight element to become larger in time.”

He concludes: “Our aim is to be fully operational at all France’s main air and sea gateways at the earliest opportunity. This is an exciting opportunity to build an operation entirely from scratch, based on a very strong and experienced team. We expect our own success – particularly in niche markets such as Aerospace, Automotive and Pharmaceuticals – to reinforce the BALtrans Group’s leading position.”

About BALtrans

Founded in 1982, BALtrans is a leading freight forwarding and logistics group in the Asia Pacific region, commanding coverage of over 60 countries worldwide.  BALtrans’ range of services includes airfreight forwarding, sea freight forwarding, sea-air combination services, exhibition forwarding, air chartering, international household removal, marine insurance brokerage, project shipping and third-party logistics solutions.  The Group’s commitment to providing efficient and reliable services to the shipping public won it the ISO 9002 Quality Management Certification in 1994 and the HKTDC Services Award – Export Marketing in both 1997 and 1998.  The Company was the first forwarding company to go public in Hong Kong, listing on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited in 1992. In 2003, BALtrans successfully acquired Jardine Logistics Limited which became its subsidiary. In 2006, the Group received the “Hong Kong Logistics Award 2006”, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, and the “International Award” in the DHL/SCMP Hong Kong Business Awards. 

For further information, please contact:

BALtrans Logistics France 
Jean Claude MELIN
Managing Director
Telephone: +33 (0)1 48 63 09 69 
jeanclaude.melin@baltrans.com

BALtrans Holdings Limited
Karen Wong
Corporate Communications Manager
Telephone: +(852) 3402 1515
karen.wong@baltrans.com

Or
               
Pilot Marketing Services
Derek Jones
Account Director
Telephone: +44 (0)20 8941 5381
dj@pilotmarketing.co.uk