Interview of the week – Asia Imperial Cargo Logistics – China

Tell us about AICL. Who owns the company?

AICL (Asia Imperial Cargo Logistics) was founded in November of 2000 under the philosophy of providing highly-efficient and tailor-made transport services to satisfy each client’s needs. AICL is privately owned by me and a few shareholders. I am also the Manager Director of this company and run the management of all our stations.

Where are your offices located?

Our head office was founded in Taipei in 2000, and due to the transition in global logistics market, AICL has set up fully operational offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, and Qingdao. Through a complete network in Taiwan & China, plus powerful agent alliances around the world, AICL is able to provide our clients with the best transport solutions, both domestically and internationally.

What can you tell us about your experience, your expertise and your business in general?

We are specialized in project cargo having more than 20 years of experience in the areas of China and Taiwan. That is our expertise in this industry.

Which is AICL’s specialty and service range?

AICL is divided into two sectors, one is the general cargo department for both sea and air freight; the other one, which differentiates us from the general forwarders, is that we specialize in oversize cargo, Break Bulk and project cargo. Not only do we cover sea and air freight, but also inland transportation, customs, ports operation and offloading on assigned places. 

Which projects have you handled recently?

During covid-19 lockdown period, our staff continuously worked 24/7 and finished delivering 38 units of transformer from Taiwan to Western, Nebraska, in early May. More than that, we also helped a client export 6 machines for masks by air to Canada for free handle, to prove that “Taiwan can help, AICL can help as well”!

Which are the main industries served in China?

Power Plant, Transformer, Petrochemical, Offshore and Yacht.

Which are the main ports used for serving breakbulk project cargo in China?

China is a large developing country with a vast territory. The main ports for breakbulk cargo vary, but mostly are Shanghai, Tianjin and Qingdao. In Taiwan, we usually use Taichung and Kaohsiung ports for project cargo.

Is special transport a competitive sector in China? How do you ensure that you will stand out?

We certainly are doing general cargo but since there are more and more newcomers that join the logistics market, it has turned it into a red sea market. We never wanted to be the forwarder who loves to “shop around” and destroy the market prices, we would rather be the one who always puts cargo safety as the first priority and provides the best service, so our clients can be 100% comfortable to leave their cargoes to AICL. The quality of our service has been well recognized in the transportation field and enjoys outstanding reputation among our clients.

What made you join the industry?

As mentioned, China is a large developing country with a vast territory and a large population. The regulations and rules in each county are various and depend on the local government. There are many forwarders in China and the quality of service can vary and be uneven. Most of the time it can be a headache for foreigners to do business with Chinese forwarders. Therefore my intention is to provide solutions for our foreign agents, to be their strong backup in China. Through our complete network, we can pay great attention to detail for you, and you won’t regret to choose to work with AICL. 

What do you like the most about your business?

What I like the most about our business is that you will face different kinds of people and challenges every day. Some people might find challenges annoying, but I do not. Challenges are the nutrition, they help to improve yourself and the team to a higher level. Once you conquer, you seem to conquer the world and be a pro!

Who should be approached in AICL for inquiries?

You may contact our overseas supervisor Ms. Selina Chen ([email protected]) and Ms. Jean Yuan ([email protected]). You are very welcome to copy me ([email protected]) in the inquiries as well.