Well planned and delivered on time
In order to enable Montana's customers to reliably plan their projects, it is of the utmost importance that they can rely on confirmed delivery dates. Montana's logistics department works closely with logistics companies to ensure a safe and reliable transport process. The advanced lorry combinations of the two long-standing forwarding agents, Harry Suter Carreisen und Transport and A. Meier Transport Wohlen GmbH, are used daily for our customers in Switzerland.
How did Montana transport its products in the early days?
Montana had its first own lorry as early as the mid-1970s. A driver was employed specifically for this purpose. However, when the lorry was getting on in years in 1995, the strategic decision was made not to buy a new one and to rely solely on external haulage companies.
Over the years, various partnerships have been forged with logistics companies such as Knecht-Müller from Döttingen and Schmid Transporte AG from Wettingen. The collaboration with Schmid Transporte AG also included the use of a lorry with a crane for around a year. However, this co-operation was discontinued due to a lack of profitability.
The collaboration with Harry Suter Carreisen und Transport began in autumn 1983, and they took on their first assignments for Montana as early as January of the following year. Harry Suter himself often worked as a driver for Montana in the early years and still occasionally assists with deliveries today.
Stickers with the Montana logo were affixed to the trailers early on. From 2001 onwards, the company began to use the tarpaulins on the trailers as advertising space. Initially, the focus was on simple designs with a large logo and profile designations, before more colourful concepts with profile illustrations followed later. Today, the tarpaulins present impressive reference objects in a standardised design.
Have you already seen these vehicles on Swiss roads?
Times have changed
Harry Suter remembers the days of yore with a smile: ''There were hardly any rules on safety clothing when loading. People didn't wear helmets, shorts were part of the summer outfit and some even stood on the loading area in the comfortable "Holzzoggeli". Beat Hediger, a now retired employee of the Montana forwarding department, adds: ''The coffee room in the forwarding area didn't even have a roof back then and the goods crane was positioned directly above it.'' He also adds: ''There were always a few cold beers in the fridge... for the employees from the offices too, of course.
The two also remember the old work processes. "Transport orders were all written by hand," says Harry Suter. "And any changes were simply crossed out and corrected. Payment was made per unloading and kilometre, whereas today, daily flat rates are agreed."
"In the beginning, the profiled sheet packages only had simple wooden intermediate layers and were stacked loosely in the production hall," says Beat. "The drivers had to tie them together and secure them on the lorries themselves."
Beat also remembers the loading days: "As there were no layers in stock, the lorries often had to be loaded on Saturdays. But that wasn't a problem for us. We just turned up the music on SWR 3 and the good mood came naturally."
From a lone lorry in the 1970s to the modern advertising spaces on today's vehicles, Montana has undergone a remarkable development in logistics. Despite all the changes, one thing remains the same: The good spirit and positive energy that accompanied the loading of the vehicles every Saturday back then. Montana promises to continue to be on the road for its customers with a smile and full commitment!