Shaped by foresight

In a ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of the Heidelmann companies, the tradition-conscious family business was duly honored. Numerous guests of honor, including well-known politicians and big names from the business world, as well as customers and partners of the European Food Network attended the celebration. Due to the Corona pandemic, the anniversary could finally be celebrated appropriately two years later.

For a good 77 years, the Heidelmann family, or Bischoff since the 3rd generation, has been writing a success story within the logistics industry with its company based in Schwalmstadt. On May 1, 1946, Martha and Willy Heidelmann laid the foundation stone for the Heidelmann logistics company. Initially, the haulage company mainly transported building materials for the reconstruction of Germany, which had been destroyed after the Second World War. Even in the days of the economic miracle, the founders proved that they could quickly identify growth areas in logistics and provide appropriate logistics services. In the 1950s, the years of awakening in Germany, they were already developing a new business field together with their son Hans: furniture and removal transports. At that time, the company was still known as Heidelmann und Sohn OHG. At the beginning of the 1960s, at a time when Germany was on its way to becoming a dynamic industrial nation, it was once again evident that the family understood its business and had the right instinct for promising services in logistics. Between 1960 and 1980, the Schwalmstadt-based logistics company specialized in the transport of temperature-controlled goods.

Specialization in focus

After the founding of Spedition Heidelmann GmbH in 1984, the company increasingly focused on temperature-controlled transport logistics for foodstuffs under the leadership of Managing Director Hans Heidelmann. As early as 1985, the first cold storage facility in the company's history was put into operation. Only four years later, the foundation stone was laid for the first temperature-controlled high-bay warehouse at the new company site. This is further proof that with appropriate foresight - coupled with entrepreneurial courage - the course is set for a solidly growing business at Heidelmann. In keeping with the family tradition, Hans Heidelmann handed over the management of the company to Ute Bischoff - his daughter - in 1993.

In order to be able to offer customers a holistically oriented logistics service package in the temperature-controlled sector, a strategically decisive and important partnership in food piece goods distribution was initiated in 1995 - from then on, Heidelmann acted as an independent correspondent partner of DACHSER Food Logistics. Another milestone in the history of Heidelmann.

Alfred Miller, Managing Director DACHSER Food Logistics: "We pay particular attention to our mutual reliability as partners and our decades of cooperation, which is characterized on both sides by the highest quality standards and great trust and appreciation."

Focus on innovations and new markets

Heidelmann pushed ahead with further diversification in 2006 by specializing in pharmaceutical logistics and focusing accordingly on the new business area. The service portfolio also expanded significantly in the food logistics segment. As a founding member of the European Food Network in June 2013, Heidelmann Spedition was able to offer its customers real added value because general cargo shipments could be made to the farthest corners of Europe via the strong network.

"The Bischoff family has played a decisive role in the development of the European Food Network. They were a pioneer at all times, always ready to break new ground and actively shape it, such as process optimization, advancing digitalization or initiating sustainable projects," says Alfred Miller, the founding father of the European Food Network.

At the beginning of 2020, three high-bay warehouse units, an office building, a technical building, and a truck washing facility were built in the new Schwalmstadt industrial park "In den Sauren Wiesen West" in addition to a 4,500 m² cross-docking hall, which means that Heidelmann now has a storage capacity of approximately 50,000 temperature-controlled euro pallet spaces. In addition, the foundation stone for the construction of a new plasma logistics center for CSL Plasma was laid in March 2022. The medium-sized logistics company currently has over 300 employees, more than 100 modern trucks and its own truck workshop.

Its customers include global corporations as well as regional companies from the food and pharmaceutical industries, which use comprehensive logistics services geared to their respective business areas, such as full or partial loads, cross-docking, warehousing or special transports for plant supply as well as customer-specific, individual solutions.

Celebration in a family atmosphere

It is hard to believe when you look back at the early days of the company and realize that at the beginning, this small company in Horschmühlenweg in Treysa mainly transported building materials. It goes without saying that a family and company history that has been crowned with success for more than three quarters of a century will be duly celebrated on the occasion of the 75th anniversary. The guest list also makes it clear that the Bischoff family runs an exemplary company in its region.

The guests included District President Mark Weinmeister, District Administrator Winfried Becker and Schwalmstadt Mayor Tobias Kreuter, as well as Horst Knauff, a representative of the Kassel-Marburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce. The latter presented Heidelmann with an award for entrepreneurial achievement in the form of a certificate of honor.

In addition to the highlights from the history of Heidelmann humorously presented by Ute Bischoff and the exciting outlook of her son Till Bischoff into the future of logistics, which from his point of view is particularly influenced by sustainable concepts, the greetings of the guests of honor were a formative part of the official program.

Alfred Miller and Stefan Krautwurst-Leister, Head of Sales European Food Logistics, from DACHSER added a special touch during the celebrations. The Bischoff family was presented ahead of time with a signed cooperation agreement that had been extended until the end of the decade. Last but not least, Andreas Kiermeier, authorized signatory and branch manager of the Goldbeck Group, which has been implementing Heidelmann's construction measures for many years, handed over a symbolic key for the new cold store 5.

After the official part of the celebration followed the summer family festival with games and enjoyment. The attractions of the colorful program - face painting, children's carousel and table soccer. Food and beverage stands offered ice cream and sweets, coffee and cake, among other things. A successful celebration for such an impressive company history. The Bischoff family is very sure: that they can look back on such a successful company history is due to the loyalty as well as the loyalty of the employees to the company, who have accompanied the path of success with their commitment, dedication and knowledge. "That is why they deserve a big thank you," says Ute Bischoff.