Martin Bartens in conversation: 25 years of "No Road Is Too Far for NST" – Quality. Personality. Reliability.

From Founding to Management: 25 Years of NST from a Co-Founder's Perspective

Mr. Bartens, you have been with NST not only from the very beginning but are also a co-founder. How has your role in the company evolved over the years – and what were significant milestones for you?

I vividly remember our beginnings almost 25 years ago. As a co-founder, I started as a dispatcher for European traffic – focusing on the Netherlands and France. It was an incredibly intense, demanding, and exciting time: I dispatched during the week and did the accounting on weekends. We practically worked around the clock because we were fortunate to experience very positive customer demand right from the start.

A milestone for me was the year 2013, when I gradually handed over my traffic responsibilities and focused more on sales. Direct and personal customer contact still brings me great joy. My experience in operations helps me immensely because I can better assess our customers' challenges and thus find suitable solutions.

Another developmental step was my move into management in 2021. It fills me with pride to actively shape NST's entrepreneurial development and write the next chapters of our success story.

People Make the Difference

Looking back on 25 years of NST: What do you consider the company's greatest strengths – and how does NST differ from the competition?

Our greatest strength is our employees. They embody NST's values and vision every day – with passion, reliability, and a high degree of personal responsibility.

For our customers, this means: dedicated contact persons who accompany the entire order from start to finish, short decision-making paths, high flexibility, and – if necessary – creative solutions to ensure every shipment reaches its destination reliably and on time.

Logistics in Transition – With Foresight and Groundedness

How has the logistics market changed in recent years – and how has NST managed to develop dynamically and sustainably?

The logistics market has always been in flux – and over the past 25 years, we have always managed to adapt flexibly. We don't want to chase every short-term trend, but rather consistently focus on developments that are sustainable and future-proof.

A central theme in recent years has been digitization. In the past, much was still done via telephone and fax – today, we communicate with our customers mainly via email, Teams, or Zoom. This change brings advantages in speed but also the challenge of maintaining personal proximity and genuine customer loyalty. This is precisely where we see one of our strengths: Despite digital channels, our support remains personal and binding.

Currently, we are facing the next major change: the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence. As a medium-sized company, it is important for us to find the right balance – to integrate innovations meaningfully without losing sight of feasibility and personal character. This balance will be crucial to remain dynamic and successful in the future.

Reliability as a Lived Attitude

NST stands for reliability and efficiency – even in a highly competitive market. How do you manage to meet this claim every day?

Reliability and efficiency are not just buzzwords for us, but everyday practice. To meet this claim daily, we continuously invest in our team – through training, modern systems, and a strong network that has proven itself and evolved over 25 years.

Especially in a highly competitive market, it is crucial not to lose sight of one's own direction. While competitors come and go, we focus on consistency: reliability, personal service, and cooperative collaboration.

Our goal is not to be the cheapest provider in all areas. Much more important to us is building sustainable customer relationships that endure even in challenging times. This stability and reliability are what define NST.

What Customers Expect Today – and How NST Responds

What do customers expect from a modern logistics partner today – and how does NST adapt to these requirements?

The demands on a modern logistics partner are incredibly high today. Almost every shipment has a fixed deadline – often even a precise time-definite appointment. Behind this can be production processes or the start of a major sales campaign in retail. Especially under today's conditions with traffic congestion, jams, and construction sites, this is a major challenge.

To meet these demands, we continuously work on optimizing our network and consistently conduct error analyses. Transparency is particularly important to us: If a deadline cannot be met, we communicate this proactively and work with the customer to find a viable alternative.

It is precisely this interplay of reliability, honesty, and solution-orientation that our customers particularly appreciate about NST.

Digitization, AI & Process Quality: The Next Stage of Evolution

Digitization and process quality are playing an increasingly important role. Where do you currently see the greatest leverage for innovation and added value at NST?

Digitization and process quality are important topics that also play a central role for us. They are a decisive lever for efficiency and customer benefit. That is why we are intensively examining where the use of artificial intelligence and digital tools is truly meaningful for NST.

It is important to us to develop solutions that tangibly help our customers and our team in their daily work and make processes more efficient. At the beginning of this year, we therefore created a new position that exclusively deals with the topics of digitization, AI, and process quality. This ensures that we not only observe developments but also purposefully deploy them where they fit NST and create real added value.

“No Road is Too Far for NST” – More Than a Motto

What does the phrase "No road is too far for NST" mean to you personally – and how does it influence your daily actions?

"No road is too far for NST" initially describes our self-image as an international forwarding company: We drive almost everywhere and find the right solution even for exotic routes. For me personally, however, the phrase means even more. It stands for the attitude of not shying away from challenges, but embracing them – be it in dealing with customers, within the team, or in the further development of the company.

In everyday life, this thought influences me in that I always try to remain solution-oriented and to go an extra mile even in difficult situations. This very attitude has characterized NST for 25 years.

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