What went particularly well last year, and in which areas does Militzer & Münch want to expand in the coming months? Alexei Kovalenko, CFO of TransInvest and Militzer & Münch, and Speaker of the Militzer & Münch Group Management, looks back on an eventful 2025 in an interview and gives an outlook on the plans and priorities for 2026.
Mr. Kovalenko, what are the strategic priorities the Militzer & Münch Group has defined for 2026?
Over the past few years, we have successfully established ourselves as a leading service provider for the world’s challenging markets. We are now active in almost 40 countries. We want to consolidate and expand this position. This will also be our focus in 2026.
In Europe, we reorganised ourselves this February and merged the Central Europe and North-East Europe regions. Our newly created Central and Eastern Europe region comprises the country units in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine. Nicolas Chéné, an experienced logistics manager with intercultural expertise, has been appointed Regional Managing Director. We are thus combining the management of two sub-regions into one central management body. Nicolas Chéné is also taking over as Chairman of the Management Board of Militzer & Münch in Germany. In addition, we are pursuing the goal of strengthening cooperation between the German organisations and the South-West Europe/Maghreb region, where we have recently seen very good development and an excellent market position, which we now need to defend.
Which are the markets and areas you are targeting for growth?
Over the past few years, we have driven strong growth in the Southeast Asia – Pacific region. Our new companies in the region are developing very well overall. We are currently exploring options for further expansion in Indochina. What form this will take exactly will become clear in the coming months.
Which geopolitical, technical or other developments are currently shaping your business?
The past year has been marked by conflicts and sanctions, which pose challenges for us as logistics providers. The US trade war has prompted many shippers, particularly in China, to ship high volumes in order to pre-empt any customs barriers. On the other hand, the air and sea freight business in Europe has become more difficult. However, we have a healthy mix across all regions and modes of transport as a group, so the impact of these sub-sectors on our overall business is manageable.
We are, of course, also looking at developments in the field of AI. A current example: our colleagues in China are in the process of developing a solution that we will also be able to use in other companies in our group once it has been proven successful.
Which country units had a particularly successful year in 2025?
Overall, we as The Militzer & Münch Group have achieved what we set out to achieve. The geopolitical conditions were difficult. Nevertheless, we were able to achieve good results, especially in the South-West Europe / Maghreb region, particularly in France and Morocco. In South-East Europe, Greece also ended the year on a positive note.
Let me also highlight Indonesia. We have only been represented in the country with a joint venture since 2024. Nevertheless, Militzer & Münch Indonesia has already become the second strongest country unit in the region after China.
M&M Premium Car Logistics also had a strong year. The joint venture has also been in business since 2024 and has built up a very good customer base during this time and developed very positively.
What makes your company an attractive employer for the next generation of logistics professionals?
Supply chains are of utmost importance to people and economies around the world. We saw this particularly during the pandemic and now again at times of global instability. That is why logistics experts are in high demand. At Militzer & Münch, young employees can experience the importance of the industry first-hand.
We trust our employees and entrust them with operational responsibility right from the start. To this end, we are looking for individuals who not only want to organise one step in the transport chain, but who want to help shape the entire process from start to finish. This holistic approach requires entrepreneurial thinking. This makes Militzer & Münch a particularly attractive employer for those interested in logistics in an international environment.
We also specifically promote talent. With our ‘Talent Management Programme’, we develop the potential of our employees and offer them the opportunity to grow into leaders. In this way, we create an environment in which commitment, personal responsibility and development go hand in hand.