STRECK TRANSPORT HISTORY

In April 1954, the Lörrach District Office received a building permit. A basement warehouse with track connection and freight elevator was to be built. The applicant was, of course, Streck Transport, which had bought a plot of land on Brombacher Strasse from chocolate specialist Suchard. Today, there are 7,000 pallet spaces on 10,750 m² of hall space as well as a hazardous materials warehouse.

The 1960s. Flower power is on everyone's lips, the economic miracle is in full bloom in the truest sense of the word: fresh flowers are in vogue, demand is huge. Good for Streck Transport. Since 1958, the florist business had developed into an important part of the shipping company, including imports of fresh cut flowers from France, Italy and the Netherlands.

1962 eröffnet Streck Transport seinen Standort in Freiburg – eine zweite Heimat ist gefunden. 1977 wird der Neubau am heutigen Standort in der Blankreutestrasse 6 bezogen, 1998 eine neue Halle mit 13 Stellplätzen eröffnet. Die Umschlaghalle wird in zwei Etappen auf heute 15.000 m² ausgebaut. 2003 kommen 1.300 m² Bürofläche hinzu, die u.a. alle Landverkehr- und Logistikabteilungen in einem Gebäude vereinen. 2011 entstehen für rund 10 Mio. EUR neue Flächen – die Ursprungslagerhalle ist heute reine Logistikfläche.

This is how the success story began! In 1963, the first line transport location in Switzerland was opened. Not at today's headquarters in Möhlin, but in Basel. Two men were highly motivated at the start there. What no one suspected at the time: In this way, the company laid the foundation for a network that would continue to grow in the country of the Swiss Confederation in the coming decades.

Four moves in 20 years were not enough: Streck Transport is growing so much that further expansion was required. In 1966, a new office building designed by architect Paul Adler was built in Lörrach at Brombacher Strasse 61. 81 workers, 101 office employees and 11 apprentices are now employed at this location. And two years later, the company name (free-standing) was proudly mounted on the porch.

Wuppertal is home to the famous suspension railway and, in 1971, also to a newly opened Streck Transport site. It lasted for ten years before a new building was built in 1981, which was further expanded in 1988. In 2004, with the permission of Streck Transport, the fire brigade conducted fire drills around dangerous goods on the premises. In 2005, however, it will be: Bye bye, Wuppertal, on to new locations.

In 1971, Streck Transport received a licence from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). As a result, not only the transport of shipments to the plane, but also the direct air freight transport all over the world can be organized and remote destinations around the world are now within reach for Streck customers. The foundation stone was laid for a business field that continued to grow in the decades that followed, and to this day represents one of the mainstays in the Streck service portfolio.

In 1976, the parcel and postal market freed itself from the exclusive control of the Federal Post Office: Together with 17 other forwarding companies, Streck Transport co-founded the first private German parcel service (DPD). Around 1.4 million parcels were delivered in the founding year. Just a few years later, DPD is the market leader in parcel shipping. It was not until 2001 that Streck Transport sold its shares in DPD to the French Post Office – many other, new, exciting logistics projects were imminent.

The success story in Switzerland moved to the next level in 1977: Two new locations, in Möhlin and in Schlieren in the canton of Zurich, started operations. Milestones were set in the years that follow, especially at the current headquarters in Möhlin: on the one hand there were various expansions and on the other hand, the export terminal plus the integrated customs office on site, which provided a variety of logistics advantages, was built in 1991. 

In 1981, the Cheseaux site in French-speaking Switzerland opened. Because this is not only a beautiful spot, it is also the gateway to the important hubs Lyon and Dijon in France for Streck Transport. By the way, our own network would be further expanded. With success: in 1989, growth on the ground progressed to such an extent that the team moved to Aclens near Lausanne, where more space was available and additional space was rented in 2020.

In 1987, Streck Transport moved into its first transshipment hall in Hochdorf, an event with a lot of foresight. Three years later, the company was expanded for the first time on site. But this is far from the end of organic growth: in 1995 there would be another extension. 

In 1996, the Streck Transport company group had a new head: Herbert Boll, a graduate physicist and son-in-law of Karl Streck, succeeded him. At home in Binzen, but with an eye for global logistics, he would henceforth continue the destiny of the company in the spirit of the founder. 

Good is never good enough for Streck Transport. This is why the services for shipping to and from France were also optimized in 1997: “Lotrex” introduced an exclusive pallet service for distribution, with fixed lines, timetables and daily loading to all French trading centres. This optimized the timelines, lowered prices and delighted customers in one of the most important markets for Streck Transport to date.

On July 30, 1998, Streck Transport lost the company founder and management figure Karl Streck. Born on November 8, 1912 in Lörrach, the trained freight forwarder lived through difficult times in the post-war period. Undeterred by this, he overcame a variety of obstacles to set up his shipping company. Stamina that is rewarded: On August 1, 1946, he founded Streck Transport and led it to international greatness.

In 1993, Streck Transport was certified according to DIN ISO 9002 and became a member of the France Étoile network. This was to pay off by June 2000 at the latest, when the transport sector in France experienced an unprecedented increase in demand. Thanks to the strong networks, the flexible, proprietary fleet and Freiburg's excellent connections to all French economic centres, France is rapidly becoming one of the most important markets. 

Since July 2000, Streck Transport in Frankfurt has been offering an Outback Express Service to Australia in cooperation with Emirates Skycargo. Shipping takes place via the specially opened location in Kelsterbach. Soon, the space would no longer be enough and the employees would move into offices on the airport premises. In 2013, the site moved to the northern runway of Frankfurt Airport in Raunheim, where employees had their own handling area with special ramps for air freight containers, a freight X-ray system and a gas chromatograph. 

Cooperations account for a large part of the business volume And so, in 2001, Streck Transport was consequently a founding partner of the network association System Alliance, which operates throughout Germany. This also includes the Research and Development Company for Transportation (FORTRAS), which Streck Transport also co-founded. A success story – because in 2013, System Alliance was awarded as the best general cargo logistics company in Germany.

Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Munich: Streck Transport opened this illustrious trio of new air freight locations in 2003. In this way, the site network was further consolidated. The pandemic of 2020, when three million masks were flown in from Beijing, shows the importance of this impact, to the delight of emergency services, hospitals and pharmacies.

The denser a network, the stronger and more secure it is. This also applies to the logistics sector. And that is why Streck Transport would open further Swiss locations in 2009, this time in Lucerne and Bern. Operated by independent partners, the typical strengths and services that customers of Streck Transport appreciate so much were offered from a single source. At the same time, the two locations helped shorten the last mile to the customer once again. 

In the fight against terror, air freight requirements became increasingly stringent after 2001. In 2010, Streck Transport therefore set up its own x-ray system at the Freiburg site for €300,000. A second plant was to follow at the Raunheim site in 2013. The "Secured"seal of the pre-checked air freight saves up to 18 hours of inspection effort at the airport. With up to 12,000 tons of air freight per year, a very worthwhile investment! 

In 2013, two new locations opened their doors: The Greven location near the international airport of Münster-Osnabrück generates comprehensive logistics solutions in terms of air, ocean freight and courier services for regional SMEs. And the location in Pfungen, Switzerland, ensures that customers in the Zurich/Eastern Switzerland region can be served as quickly as possible, with the highest levels of quality and efficiency.

In 2017, a thoroughbred professional becomes the new CEO: Dipl.- Business economist Bernd Schäfer, born in 1962 and for many years in a leading position in the shipping and logistics industry, succeeded Herbert Boll. "I would like to prudently manage and further develop the group of companies with the support of all those involved," Schäfer emphasised at his inauguration. His resolution succeded both with regard to recruiting new employees and optimizing processes.  

Due to the Corona pandemic, the company's 75th anniversary is celebrated with a one-year delay: All employees and their families are invited to a big summer party at the Freiburg site in July. And the weather is kind: 36 degrees in the shade and bright blue skies create a great atmosphere.

Streck Transport takes over the groupage division of the Fecht freight forwarder in Meßkirch on June 1, 2023, further expanding its market presence in southern Baden-Württemberg. The connection to Streck Transport's European overland network as well as to its globally operating air and sea freight division with a subsidiary at Frankfurt Airport now makes it even easier for companies in the Lake Constance-Upper Swabia region to connect globally with their customers.

To accommodate the increased volume of shipments, a separate sea freight office opens in Hamburg. It is located in the direct vicinity of the port and can therefore actively intervene if necessary should problems arise in the handling there.