Case Study

Dachser (A): Intelligent logistics

28 pages
January 2022
Reference: IMD-7-2313

The case, based on extensive interviews with top executives and two generations of Dachser family owners, documents the genesis and spectacular growth of the global logistics specialist, a group that now has close to 400 locations on all five continents and employs 30,000+ people. Despite its global footprint, Dachser stayed loyal to both its core business – intelligent logistics – and to Kempten, a picturesque town of 70,000+ inhabitants and the center of gravity for Dachser’s operations and the place the Dachser family owners call home. Dachser received the IMD Global Family Business Award in 2019

Learning Objective
  • Provides rich settings to discuss the operational, strategic, generational and governance challenges of one of the leading logistics companies in the world at a critical time for the industry – the COVID-19 pandemic, which inevitably wreaked havoc on supply chains around the world.
Keywords
Logistics, Supply Chain, Sustainability, Freight Transport, Container, Shipping, Road Transport, Warehousing, Family Business, Growth Management, Succession Planning, Value, Mission, Philanthropy, Responsible Consumption, Responsible Production, Strategy, Operations
Settings
World/global
Dachser, Logistics and Supply Chain
2019-2020
Type
Field Research
Copyright
© 2022
Available Languages
English
Related material
Teaching note, Video
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Contact

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This case study is part of a series
  • Dachser (A): Intelligent logistics
  • Dachser (B): Putting intelligent logistics to the test
Selected for the 2023 Schlesinger Global Family Enterprise Case Competition
This case study is part of a series
  • Dachser (A): Intelligent logistics
  • Dachser (B): Putting intelligent logistics to the test
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Dachser (A): Intelligent logistics
By Benoit F. Leleux and Marta Widz
Case reference: IMD-7-2313 ©2022
Summary
The case, based on extensive interviews with top executives and two generations of Dachser family owners, documents the genesis and spectacular gro...
Selected for the 2023 Schlesinger Global Family Enterprise Case Competition
Reference IMD-7-2313
Copyright ©2022
Copyright owner IMD Copyright
Organization Dachser
Industry Logistics and Supply Chain
Available Languages English
Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Dachser (B): Putting intelligent logistics to the test
By Benoit F. Leleux and Marta Widz
Case reference: IMD-7-2314 ©2022
Summary
This brief B case dives into how the governance model withstood the COVID-19 crisis.
Reference IMD-7-2314
Copyright ©2022
Copyright owner IMD Copyright
Organization Dachser
Industry Logistics and Supply Chain
Available Languages English
Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications