Oldendorff Centenary Book - Flipbook - Page 7
FOREWORD FROM THE CEO
Dear companions,
It is not evident how difficult it is for a family-run company
to reach the age of 100. The company had to endure world
wars, epidemics, economic depressions, recessions,
globalisation, new government regulations and an everchanging technological evolution.
(Over these 40 years, poor Henning must have seen and
heard many things that made his heart miss a beat. Maybe
this explains why he got grey hair early on, but I suspect
he likes it as it only makes him look more regal.)
The last 20 years have been the most transformative in
the company’s history. As soon as Henning’s vision was
embraced, the company and its people took on a new
life: the Oldendorff Way. We tried to summarise our 15
guiding principles in one of the chapters of this book. To
see how people have grown and developed has been a very
rewarding experience. They know that the innumerable
decisions that each of them makes contribute to the
bottom line and to our unique culture.
Founder Egon Oldendorff and his son Henning have
provided a safe haven for thousands of employees and
their families over the years. Not only has the company
survived, but it has also prospered under their stewardship.
On behalf of all employees, past, present and future,
I want to thank the Oldendorff family.
As for myself, I have only been around for the last 25
years, bearing witness to the transformation of the
company from a traditional German ship owner into a
massive freight and logistics service provider and a dry
bulk market leader in many trades and size classes.
To reach such a status is never the work of one man, but
can only be achieved by planting the seeds that will enable
a company to outperform in the way that we have.
And the business has developed to where our customer
requirements have led us. The company is where it is today
because of this organic growth, the support of our clients
and the hard work of our dedicated people from more than
60 countries.
Henning and I are very thankful. We just hope you have
had as much fun as we have had.
Henning is the one that planted these seeds. Right from the
start, he wanted a company full of people at every level
wanting to achieve more, questioning things, challenging
themselves and others to get to the next level. This could
only work by trusting and enabling the people around him;
in turn, if they did the same, the whole company would have
a DNA that would adapt to the environment with the times.
His persistence proved key, as he needed 20 years before
those seeds finally started to grow and together we needed
another 20 years to get to where the company is today.
Let me finish by congratulating the united family of
Oldendorff Carriers on their 100 year jubilee. If we are to
navigate the next 100 years, we will need good fortune
and good people. Most importantly, we will do it together
as this has proven to be the best way to run a shipping
company.
Peter Twiss
January 2021
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