The history of TRANS AURIGA begins at a major logistics company. This is where project coordinator Tobias Pisall and BA student Timo Wittmann meet for the first time. They size each other up – and approve of each other. It is love at first sight. It soon becomes clear that they are too creative and ambitious to be “just” employed. They establish TRANS AURIGA so that they can make their ideas a reality and achieve their goals by being self-employed. At that time, they had a strong silent partner as the majority shareholder.
This is the beginning of a success story – because the pair succeed in filling a niche in the logistics industry. They handle major projects but still always remain personal points of contact. Meaning that every customer gets the very best treatment and isn’t just an anonymous number at a large logistics company. Timo Wittmann and Tobias Pisall are like a small, flexible speedboat successfully creating waves in an industry that is often dominated by large, stately tankers.
The company grows more and more over the years within the partner’s corporate group. Which brings one or two advantages in its wake. But also a few disadvantages. It becomes increasingly difficult to be fast, free and independent. And that troubles the pair more and more. So they dare to make a fresh start. They re-establish TRANS AURIGA. As a totally independent company, which belongs to them and them alone. So that they can preserve all the values that are important to them in the future. And so that TRANS AURIGA once again does what it used to: creating waves in the industry.
TRANS AURIGA. Maybe it sounds a bit like a spaceship? You’re not actually that far off. But first things first: the first part of the company name probably doesn’t need much explanation. “TRANS” for transport. Okay so far.
But “AURIGA”? Well, it doesn’t have anything to do with aura or the aurora. Tobias and Timo heard the word in a science fiction film: “Alien Resurrection” takes place on USM Auriga. They liked it. And after a quick consultation of Wikipedia, the decision was quickly made.
The Latin word “Auriga” is the name of the helmsman constellation. What could be more suitable? After all, the lads from TRANS AURIGA like to reach for the stars. And when it comes to managing logistics processes, nobody can fool them.
Incidentally, the constellation can also be found in the company’s logo – Auriga is actually part of the “winter hexagon”. Which is lucky because otherwise someone might have come up with the idea of creating a logo in the shape of a spaceship.
There are some things that are better explained by those who know them well. And who better to explain what TRANS AURIGA offers than TRANS AURIGA itself? Exactly! So this is what Timo and Tobias have to say.
The big question: how do we do it? Shall we use some foreign words and current lingo? Or shall we be unpretentious and call things by their classic names? It’s not about proving that we were paying attention at uni. It’s about explaining what we can do. What we can do for you.
Our solution: do one without neglecting the other. After all, we want you to be able to remember the concepts. And that works quite well with the current lingo.
But one thing at a time. We are a logistics company. And yes, that does mean we transport things from A to B. But it also means a lot more than that. We can be your logistics partner – from a one-off consulting commission to an entirely outsourced logistics department. Our customer portfolio includes small companies as well as SMEs and corporate groups – we can develop solutions for everyone. Bespoke, of course.
Roughly speaking, our services can be broken down into four sectors:
No glitter, no ribbons and no other chichi either. Pure logistics. TRANS AURIGA transports something from A to B on your behalf. Or from K to P. Or even from Q to C. It could be a pallet, a container or even just one parcel. It might contain rubber seals, a whole machine or a pile of cotton balls. It doesn’t actually matter. What does matter is that we find the best / quickest / cheapest / safest route. Just as you like. By road, rail, water or air. We will find you a route – and achieve your goals.
The task: you want to transport various components from different locations in Europe to a factory in China. Which means: lots of coordination, endless paperwork and a few grey hairs. The simplest solution: let us take over. We will take care of everything. Packaging, supplier call-offs, cranes, documentation, assembly and construction logistics – whatever comes up. We will work out an individual concept with you that we can implement flexibly and in close coordination with you. And we won’t let matters rest until it is quite certain that every last tiny little screw will arrive in China as requested.
This is not meant to sound smug, but we do have a lot of experience and know-how in logistics. And it is available for purchase. Perhaps you have your own logistics department but it could do with a bit of fresh input from outside? Or you have a forwarding agent but an unusual project is coming up and you need some additional expertise? Or you just want to put the logistics processes in your company to the test? We are happy to advise you. Large or small-scale. Simply avail yourself of our knowledge.
For logistics fans like us it is hard to understand: but there are supposed to be some people out there whose eyes don’t light up when they read a consignment note. Who want to have as little as possible to do with the whole subject. We even have the solution for such cases: we could be your logistics department. Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean you have to clear some office space for us or even make staff redundant. But it is often the case that a company grows and prospers. And the logistics? Well, the intern does it along with everything else. Or even the boss. That’s just how it has evolved. But it’s definitely not the ideal solution. We can take over as a neutral service provider, we can optimise processes and even handle the operational business – always in close coordination with the customer, of course. Then you can concentrate on your core competencies.
Would you like to meet Timo Wittmann? Then please don’t go to the TRANS AURIGA headquarters by any means. You’re better off going to an airport. Atlanta. Beijing. Rio. Anywhere in the world really. Your chances would be better there. Because Timo is the salesman in the TA management duo. Always on the move, looking after customers, acquiring projects and visiting trade fairs.
But Timo does have other qualities too. Numbers are his metier, his will often moves entire container ships – and nobody kills the Excel files set up so pedantically by his colleague Pisall quite as skilfully as he does. But he is never angry with him about it for long because Timo always creates a good mood in the office with his positive streak.
And what does the professional globetrotter do in his spare time? Travel, of course. Timo is happiest travelling around the USA with his wife and two children. And when he is given a proper barbecue and fine wine in his beloved Southern States, then this restless man might actually sit down for a while. For a couple of hours, anyway.
If Tobias Pisall was a character in a Quentin Tarantino film then he would play the problem solver. It is his prime role. At least there hasn’t been a single dilemma so far that he couldn’t find a way out of. His logistical creativity knows no bounds, he boldly navigates around every obstacle.
Tobias is also the captain on board the TRANS AURIGA. And he makes sure that everything runs without a hitch, not only on the bridge but also in the engine room. His duties include project conceptualisation and operational handling as well as administration. Which means that his job suits his pedantic tendencies wonderfully.
Privately, Tobias is a connoisseur. A beautiful day with his wife and children and/or a glass of 2014 Hipperia Red Blend can make him a happy man. He is not quite so choosy when it comes to his favourite football club. But Borussia Mönchengladbach has to have its fans too. He can experience success when he is solving logistical problems, after all.
We have a confession to make: Andreas Weschenfelder comes from the Baden region, with which we still maintain a humorous rivalry to this day. So now everyone knows. But that is the only item on his list of shortcomings. And his strengths? That list is a bit longer. The top three: a vast amount of expertise in sea and airfreight, a huge workload – and impressive patience when it comes to tolerating silly jokes. As we already mentioned, Andreas does come Baden…
But he has also coined his own phrase: “Just one more file”. Whether it’s 6 o’clock in the morning, 10 o’clock at night or in the middle of a thunderstorm on a campsite. He always keeps the flywheel going at TRANS AURIGA – and makes a congenial duo with Heiko when it comes to communication.
And if he does occasionally leave the files for a while? Then Andreas only has one thing in his head – apart from his wife and his two daughters: his passion for amateur football. He is on the board of FC Karlsdorf and is a fan of 1. FC Nuremberg. (Yes, that was mean.) To keep it short: He comes from Baden, works in Swabia and is a fan of Franconian football. Some things are almost unimaginable. But Andreas makes them a possibility.
Nordic by Nature, or in other words: Fooke Becker. This Hamburger is a northern boy. Having been born in the Hanseatic city, his connection to the sea is of course inevitable. Combined with his passion for logistics, there could only be one job for him: sea freight expert. And where better to pursue this than at TRANS AURIGA?!
Fooke’s career is more like a sailing voyage with a clear destination than the odyssey of Christopher Columbus. Following his vocational training to become a wholesale and export clerk and a bachelor’s degree in logistics, he set sail for the shipping industry. And the hardest test? He stood firm under the critical eyes of Timo and Tobias, although the two of them did have a handicap as they had already worked with him at another company. So the course was already set for TRANS AURIGA early on.
Fooke also remains faithful to the sea outside of work. Sailing and rowing are high on the agenda in his free time, preferably with his family. His perfect way to end the day is with a cocktail and a steak. So what is his big dream? To have his own herd of Galloways one day. Presumably he whispers into his wife’s ear before Christmas: Please can I have some cattle, darling?
The service gene is a valuable and rare thing. Heiko Pollich has it for sure. With a sympathetic ear, a broad smile and a good mood that is more catching than the flu, he listens attentively to each and every one of his customers. Expertly using his communication skills, he always finds the perfect solution based on detailed analysis. You will never hear him say “that’s impossible”.
Having trained as a shipping clerk and being crowned as a qualified transport manager, Heiko discovers that he has two more rare genes: the sea freight gene and the air freight gene. They allow him to work for forwarding agents, later manage a branch himself and ensure he ends up at TRANS AURIGA. His realm here is called “Operations”: he looks after the entire process, taking care of the booking as well as invoicing and while doing so, he also makes sure that everyone is happy and fully satisfied.
And how does the professional perfectionist with the permanent smile relax? Together with his wife he likes to hike and to listen to the sound of the sea. Apart from that, he also looks after their dog with total devotion. And Heiko is a passionate biker. His smile gets even broader when he is conquering the winding roads at lightning speed.
With the arrival of Irmgard Doods, the team at TRANS AURIGA can finally have their cake and eat it! Not just because she is a qualified pastry chef, but also because she takes the burden off the team’s shoulders with her open nature. As an inconspicuous steward, she takes care of all those tasks that are often overlooked – yet are so important.
What is never overlooked is Irmgard’s drive. First as a pastry chef and now, following a sideways move, as an office manager specialising in logistics with us. What was the reason for this change? Instead of routine and tedium, she wanted a new challenge. She is in absolutely the right place at TRANS AURIGA, because we can guarantee it will never be boring here. She just has to get used to two things: the boys’ beloved TA socks and the coffee, which her colleagues drink black – how boring!
Irmgard is happy for things to be a bit calmer in her free time, although that is a matter of interpretation when it comes to riding a motorbike. But at least it’s quiet when she’s hiking or flying model aeroplanes. And when she really wants to be isolated, she climbs even higher – and goes skydiving. She certainly doesn’t want to get bored with all that peace and quiet.
Her work style? That’s a bit up in the air! But only because Jana Seidel is a true expert in airfreight exports. Apart from that, she has both feet firmly on the ground: she trained to become a forwarding and logistics specialist, gained insights into every area of logistics and then picked out the most exciting one. She took the exact same route with employers – and of course landed at TRANS AURIGA.
For Jana, the appeal of airfreight is the momentum and fast pace. Sending something from Germany to the USA, then transporting something else to China. The main thing is that the goods land as quickly as possible where they are needed. No wonder she caught the attention of the bosses at TRANS AURIGA. They only had one choice: to export her from her employer as quickly as possible and import her into their own team.
At least after work, Jana doesn’t necessarily have to be a globetrotter. Instead, she is keen on sports: Zumba and skiing are high on her list. But it doesn’t actually have to be so fast paced all of the time. Then she will while away the evening, relaxing with friends over a glass of good white wine.
If TRANS AURIGA were an American TV series about lawyers, Karsten Kaya would quite clearly be Donna Paulsen from “Suits”. At first sight: a charming “general dogsbody”. But take a closer look and you will see a problem solver, team player and the big bosses’ vital link. TRANS AURIGA without Karsten? Absolute chaos. He holds everything and everyone together.
His professional career is also fit for the silver screen. Having trained as a shipping clerk, he then adds a transport management qualification and works for the competition. At some point, the TRANS AURIGA bosses find it all a bit much. They can only see one solution: head hunt! Successfully. His organisational talent, charming aura and knack for sales make it easy to ignore his strictly pursued credo of “just in time”.
You can’t please everyone. But you can offer them a cocktail. At least, that’s what Karsten thinks. The keen bartender will skilfully shake up a Mojito, Painkiller or Swimming Pool. If there is no event around the corner, Karsten will turn his full attention to music. The keen traveller is very happy to sit in a deckchair on a beach somewhere, sipping a drink that he has magicked up himself, with the right sounds in his ears.
Are you looking for someone for those big things in life? Then Markus Strotmann is your man. The former lorry driver who used to be a commercial manager does not think there is “anything extraordinary” about himself. Which is a classic case of understatement. Nobody can fool him when it comes to heavy haulage or abnormal loads.
You could say that this man can and does do everything. Costings, organisation, checking routes: this is everyday life for Markus. Calculations, requirements, licences: everything lands on his desk awaiting his approval. He has a talent for mathematics, communication and commerce that allows him to think outside the box. He has a keen eye, coupled with an extraordinary power of deduction, so nothing escapes him. So Markus sees what others fail to notice.
And outside of work? A real minimalist. Markus does not need much to make him happy. A pair of sturdy shoes and a beautiful walking trail: sorted. A smooth alley, a controlled swing and nine skittles knocked over: endorphins are released. A short holiday or quality time with good neighbours: the feel-good factor rises. Minimum effort for maximum success: a true logistics expert.
It might be a banal saying, but it’s true: You always meet twice. Luckily! Because the second time Sven Aust met Markus Strotmann it led him to TRANS AURIGA. Markus didn’t even need to take a second look to recognise Sven’s skills. Markus already brought Sven in when he was at his last employer. And now he has persuaded him to the join logistics paradise as a colleague. At TRANS AURIGA.
Logistics has long been Sven’s line of work. And it was love at first sight! The qualified freight forwarding specialist has been working in the industry for a good twenty years. He has used this time extremely well and become an expert in intra-European overland transport. He is also an expert in global parties – but only in relation to their organisation, of course. Which is why Sven also looks after our special customers in the events sector.
At TRANS AURIGA Sven is also responsible for extraordinary things after hours. So what is the computer expert’s favourite hobby? Online gaming. And if it wasn‘t already apparent: Sven can also take it easy. Then he’ll take his motorbike for a spin or enjoy some free time with his wife and two children.
TRANS AURIGA is taking a stand for the environment and offsetting employees’ work-related flights. 50 trees have been planted in Nicaragua, or more precisely in Boaco, as a result of offsetting for 2019 and 2020. […]
