Chairman’s Message

The 20th anniversary celebrations of CSS Group were an auspicious tribute to everyone who contributed to our success. The achievements of CSS have been accomplished through the cooperation of our agents, associates and most importantly our own staff. The boundless feeling of togetherness, that we all embraced during the celebrations, will undoubtedly carry us forward to greater accomplishments and larger rewards.
Looking back over the years, probably the biggest successes lies in the happiness we all enjoy throughout our career.  Borrowing a great thought of Frederick Herzberg, the late American psychologist, who was a powerful motivator becoming one of the most influential names in business management, “In our lives it isn’t  money; it’s the opportunity to learn, grow in responsibilities, contribute to others, and be recognized for achievements which is important”. I believe that, at CSS, we will stick to our core values and principles, providing ample space for our CSS family and friends to earn the larger rewards of life.
The anniversary celebrations provided an opportunity to appreciate and understand the trust and confidence we have engendered in the hearts of our partners and associates. The honourable guests, who accepted our celebratory invitations, resulted from our dutiful deeds and dealings across the business community.  This is a tribute that we value as it provides fundamental motivation for our core values and principles.
As we venture into new projects and diversify, using our established talents, the rewards that they will bring will be spurred on by our ethos; which keeps CSS vibrant. It has been confidence in our own staff members and in our beliefs that has brought us to where we are today. Now with our experience and dynamic enthusiastic hearts, we will sail onwards with an inspired sense of purpose.

Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence



Consolidated Shipping Group celebrated its 20th anniversary of operations in the field of freight forwarding and logistics from March 12 to 14, 2015. The new Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights was the main venue for the functions where the conferences and meetings were conducted. The conference on the 13th March was attended by the Global agents and partners of CSS Group along with the senior management and Sales and Marketing heads from all CSS offices. There were some interesting presentations from guest speakers representing Maersk line, Abudhabi ports authority and Oman International container terminal (O.I.C.T)

On the 14th March a one to one networking session was hosted at Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights. The overseas agents were provided with an opportunity to interact with each and every department of CSS Group and also with the associate and franchisee offices of the company. The agents had to register on-line prior to the event for availing this provision. The day saw some very healthy and fruitful interaction between the delegates.

A company, which was started 20 years back as a small firm with minimum staff strength to cater to the logistics requirements in Dubai, has grown to become one of the most sought after names in the field of freight forwarding and logistics today. With diversified operational presence within the shipping and logistics industry, CSS caters to a cross section of business community around the globe. From NVOCC to Projects and from Relocations to Heavy Equipment logistics, the company with the professional and skilled team designated for each department, touches every point related to shipping and logistics. More than 800 people work with CSS Group today in the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. CSS group offices in the Middle East and the subcontinent joined hands and made the 20th anniversary celebrations memorable.

The senior management and the Chairman of CSS Group, Mr. T S Kaladharan extended gratitude to the Government of the UAE, loyal customers, valued partners, and most importantly, their trusted employees for making this event a successful one.

Gala Dinner in Dubai

DIGNITARIES FROM AROUND THE GLOBE ATTENDED THE FUNCTION

As part of the celebration in connection with the 20th anniversary of CSS Group, events were hosted both in Dubai & Abu Dhabi

A gala dinner was hosted on the 13th March at the Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights which was attended by all overseas guests as well as invitees from the UAE. The night was made memorable by an instrumental fusion by renowned names from the world of music. The team which enthralled the audience included legendary instrumentalists like Gino Banks, Ghatam Uduppa, Purbayan Chatterjee, Mohini Dey & Stefan Devassy.

Carnival Party in Abu Dhabi

THE CLUB, ABU DHABI HOSTED CSS CARNIVAL THEME PARTY

In Abu Dhabi, The Club hosted a carnival theme party on March 14 for the Global Partners and associates of CSS Group. The evening saw a mesmerizing musical performance by the renowned South Indian musical band, Masala Coffee on the stage. There were plenty of other entertainment activities like Samba dance, fair dance, photo booth etc..

20 Years with CSS Group

N. Anil Kumar, Director Finance & Admin, U B Prince, COO at Twin Info Solutions, the BPO division of CSS Group and Santhosh Kumar, Documentation Head became the most respected personnel of CSS Group when they were honoured for their long standing service with the company during the 20th anniversary celebrations. They were presented with a Gold Pendent and a crystal memento during the gala dinner on the 13th March. The awards were handed over by T S Kaladharan, Chairman CSS Group.

15 Years with CSS Group

The carnival theme party in Abu Dhabi became more colour full with an award function. CSS Group honoured their staffs that have completed 15 years of service with the group company. The Chairman and the senior management distributed the crystal mementos to all the awardees on the stage during the evening party. The staffs that have completed 10 years of service were also called up on to the stage and appreciated. Their gifts were later distributed from the HR department.

CMA CGM Honours CSS Group

CSS Group was recently honoured by the CMA CGM as a top customer for outstanding performance for the year 2014. The award was handed over to T S Kaladharan, Chairman of CSS Group by Mr. Lars Jensen Hojbjerg, Managing Director of CMA CGM- Dubai at the CSS Group Head Office. The recognition was for the consistent performance of CSS Group with CMA for the movement of containerized cargo globally, for the third consecutive year. CSS Group is one of the leading NVOCC in the Middle East and Indian Sub-continent.

“CSS Group is honored to have been awarded with this recognition from CMA CGM and we value this partnership. Such recognitions are motivation for us to perform better and strengthen the existing bond with industry leaders like CMA”, Commented T S Kaladharan at the occasion.

Founded in Marseille in 1978 the CMA CGM Group is the third-largest container shipping company globally. From its base in Marseille, the CMA CGM Group operates in more than 150 countries, with more than 20,000 employees and associates worldwide.

With a young and diversified fleet of 445 vessels, the CMA CGM Group serves 400 of the world’s 521 commercial ports.

“The CSS Group relationship with CMA has been an evolving one, one that has seen an exponential growth in the last 3 years. The fact that we have been honored successively for the last 3 years as a top customer is proof enough that when there is a focused approach the results will come. CMA is an integral part of our recently instituted core carrier program, and we look forward to a fruitful association with them this year and in the future” Commented Ajay Krishnan, Senior General Manager, Freight forwarding and Key Information Department, CSS Group on this achievement.

CSS Group looks forward to see the relationship grow manifold, with CMA CGM in the years to come.

A Visit to Jebel Ali

CH ROBINSON VISITS CSS GROUP FACILITIES IN JEBEL ALI

On an invitation from T S Kaladharan the Group Chairman of CSS, The President of Global forwarding of C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Mr. Stephane Rambaud and the Vice President Mr. Tom Sweet visited the CSS Group offices and facilities at the Jebel Ali Free Zone. They were received by the senior management team of CSS Group led by Raj George, Senior VP Projects Oil & Energy division. The CH Robison officials held discussions with the senior management team of CSS Group.

A day before this visit Stephane Rambaud & Tom Sweet attended the 20th anniversary celebrations of CSS Group which was held in Dubai. The anniversary celebrations consisted of a Golf event at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club on the 12th March and conference and gala dinner at the Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights on the 13th March.

About C.H. Robinson

C. H. Robinson is a global provider of multimodal transportation services and logistics solutions, operating through a network of branch offices in North America, Europe, Asia, South America, Australia and the Middle East. They are a non-asset based transportation provider, who works with approximately 63,000 transportation companies worldwide. They also provide a wide range of value added logistics services, such as supply chain analysis, freight consolidation, core carrier program management, and information reporting.

Consolidated Shipping Group is proud to be associated with a global giant like C.H. Robinson in the freight forwarding business and keeps abreast this valuable partnership as a driving force to maintain quality services that they continuously provide to their customers.

Shipping Company of The Year

SCATA AWARD FOR CSS GROUP

Consolidated Shipping Group was honored to be the proud recipient of this year’s SCATA award, in the “Shipping Company of the Year” Category. Representing the CSS Group Management, Siby C Kurian Senior General Manager Sales & Marketing, received the award in a grand function on the 22nd of April.

The award was presented by Mr. Esam Ahmed, Account Manager- Break & Bulk Cargo DP World, UAE Region.

The ninth annual Supply Chain and Transport Awards (SCATAs) took place at the Inter Continental Dubai Festival City, honoring leadership and innovation in the regional logistics industry.

A total of 15 trophies were handed out at a gala dinner in celebration of the Middle East logistics industry’s achievements over the past 12 months.

The event was organized by ITP, the publisher of Logistics Middle East magazine and ArabianSupplyChain.com.

Winners for the other categories

Shipping Port Operator of the Year  Gulftainer
Cargo Operator of the Year
Etihad Cargo
Express Logistics Provider of the Year  FedEx Express
3PL Service provider of the Year
Agility
Supply Chain of the Year  
Landmark Group
Logistics Hub of the Year
Jebel Ali Free Zone
General Sales Agent of the Year
Dnata Cargo & Logistics

CSS Group at GPLN

12th GPLN ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

GPLN concluded successfully their 12th Annual General Meeting at the 5-star Landmark Hotel in Bangkok from February 08-10, 2015 where a multitude of GPLN members and sponsors attended. The record breaking attendance of over 170 GPLN delegates is the highest in GPLN history and speaks itself for the quality of the network and their highly skilled project forwarders
GPLN brings together project cargo experts and independent project logistics specialist companies from around the world, all of whom have an expert focus on project logistics. This general meeting allows the participant the face-to-face contact with your GPLN partners where you are able to efficiently build professional relationships in the most lasting and cost effective manner.
Raj George, Senior Vice President, Projects, Oil & Energy, CSS Group, Narayan RT, General Manager CSS Bahrain and Renjith Pillai, Branch Manager, CSS Abu Dhabi represented  CSS Group during the three day GPLN Annual Global Meeting.
“GPLN is always a wonderful platform that provides great opportunities to discuss and formulize new ideas related to projects forwarding. We have pleasure in being a part of this network and gain a lot of mileage from attending the annual meet regularly,” Raj George mentioned.

CSS Attends Intermodal

THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION FOR LOGISTICS, CARGO TRANSPORT AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE

CSS Group represented by Siby C Kurian, Senior General Manager for Sales & Marketing, attended the Intermodal Exhibition and conference this year which happened from 7-9 April, 2015.

More than 48,000 qualified professionals from logistics, cargo transportation and foreign trade industries gathered in Sao Paulo for the most comprehensive event in Latin America. The venue of the Trade Show, Fair and Exhibition was the Transamerica Expo Center.

“Exhibitions such as Intermodal provide the perfect platform for any logistics company to showcase their products and service offerings to an international audience. Here we get the opportunity to network and share ideas with professionals from across the globe which is a great advantage for a growing company like CSS” mentioned Siby.

Latin America is one of the fastest growing regions for the logistics, cargo transportation and foreign trade industry worldwide. Brazil alone accounts for more than 350 billion dollars of the region logistics revenue and more than doubled its activities during the last decade.

FPS Sales Conference 2015

CSS GROUP ATTENDS FPS CONFERENCE IN CEBU



The 2015 FPS Group Sales Conference contrasted sharply with 2014’s event, with a record turnout of 39 delegates from 22 countries. The event was hosted by FPS Philippines, and took place at Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa, Cebu, from March 16-18.

This year’s event adopted a new format in line with Member suggestions. Commencing with welcome cocktails and dinner on Monday the 16th evening, the following day was taken up with a Sales Training Seminar comprising eight sessions. The next day began with a seminar on IT as a Marketing/Selling Tool. The IT session was followed by four hours of intensive one-on-one meetings between the delegates, providing an ideal opportunity for discussing mutual business potential. The evening saw delegates attending a farewell dinner at The Golf Helipad Garden. This was a special event, which also celebrated FPS Philippines’ 20th anniversary with a firework display, and the signing of a commemorative plaque by all present.

CSS Group was represented by Fida Asghar from CSS Dubai, Dean Landers from CSS Kuwait and Asghar Malik.

When Choosing The Right Removal Company Becomes Your Responsibility…

Removals and relocations are never easy. Removal companies’ step up to ease the process but looking for the right company can be a painful job. Some basic considerations can make the choice easier.

Start from your social circle. Ask your friends and your relatives that have hired a company before. Learn about their experience and take notes. Their recommendation plays a key role in your search. But do not follow their recommendation blindly, as their circumstances may differ and have played an important role in their satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Look for a Right Removals and Storage Company with a proper back ground and infrastructure and choose a company who provides the complete package of Moving and Logistics and can manage your shipment completely. Rather than just packing and Moving and handing your shipment to some other company to ship out if moving international. Find a company who is giving complete package/services and who are providing professional services at the destination if moving internationally.

Scour the internet. Go online and search the web for removal companies. Check online directories and their websites to make a preliminary list of options available to you. Go through forums, blogs and other online sources to learn more about your shortlisted companies. Be on the lookout for list of served clients. Reading testimonials and interacting with a satisfied/dissatisfied client is another good way of doing a detailed background checks and short listing the right candidates. Look for a Right Removals and Storage Company will insure a hassle free move.

Contact the shortlisted companies. Once a preliminary list has been made, call or visit the company. Ask them to pay a visit for better estimation. If the company estimates without visiting, then you should consider it as a red flag. The only exception is if the company charges by hour, irrespective of the weight or items.

For a Right Removals and Storage Company ask questions. When a listed removal company agrees to visit, ask them: If they are certified for the job, legally and check the company background and for how long the company is providing services in the market and specially ask about their staff.  To look for a Right Removals and Storage Company you must ask these questions.

  • How long you are in the market
  • What’s the strength of your company
  • Are your packer’s experience
  • Do you have your own trucks
  • About complete paperwork
  • Ask about the timings
  • About their insurance coverage
  • About the transportation facility offered
  • About their measures to ensure safety of your possessions
  • About their packing material
  • About the staff handling your possessions
  • If you can monitor them during each moving step
  • If you can access your goods during the transit
  • If they are providing any value added services
  • About hidden costs or special terms and conditions
  • About the price quoted after their thorough estimation
  • What documents are required if moving international


Do not cheap out. Remember, the cheapest company is not always the best company, and neither is the costliest. A cheap company may mean substandard equipment’s and unprofessional staff. Similarly, the most expensive company will not always guarantee the best staff, or the equipment. Look for a Right Removals and Storage Company with a proper background.

Be wary of much lower estimates. If one company gives much lower cost estimates than its competitors, don’t jump on the opportunity without doing your research. This could mean an inaccurate or dishonest estimate, or lower quality service that could damage your household items. In the worst case scenario, it could be a scam that steals your possessions or holds them ransom for additional fees. Never use a mover without an in-house estimate! You can be charged much more than you expect if you received an estimate based on a verbal description over the phone or email, instead of a thorough investigation of your goods.

You can determine the quality of the company by the appearance of the surveyor and the way He or She explain their services and do the discussion regarding your move.  Make sure not to use any third party to do your move or provide you with the quotation always contact the company directly. And choose a company with proper background and who is providing complete services as door to door service.

Make your decision. Make the call after making a detailed analysis and carefully considering all of the facts. Once again, consider your friends when opting for a certain company. If they have benefited from certain company, and your analysis suggests the same, then it might be a safe and a right decision.

The 20th Anniversary Golf Event Organized By CSS Group in Dubai




As part of  CSS’s 20th anniversary celebrations in the UAE the company organized a corporate golf day at the Dubai Creek Golf and yacht club, which was attended by the overseas agents of CSS Group and golfers from the UAE Forwarding and Logistics community.

CSS chose Dubai as the venue for this event as it’s known to be one of the best golf courses in the region. The course was not only appealing for the golfers taking part, the event was a curtain raiser for the get together which followed the days and nights after wards

The players enjoyed a round of golf at a sporting oasis in the heart of the city which has a distinct aura of a delightful journey across the fabled landscape of Dubai, a city that thrives in all seasons.

Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club – Well-groomed fairways lined with date palms, attractive water body and shrubbery lends a tropical air to the Club’s 18-hole, par-71 championship course that rolls into thousands of undulating yards.

The majestic Clubhouse – its design mirroring the sails of the traditional Arab dhow – has been one of the most photographed landmarks since it opened in 1993, capturing the essence of Dubai’s seafaring traditions and presenting the perfect fusion of heritage with modernity and style.

The Game

The CSS golf event was based on a Texas scramble team event whereby the players were randomly put amongst overseas guests and local dignitaries, as this event was an ideal opportunity for the attendees to meet each other and interact.

Prizes were as follows:

Longest drive was won by Brett Todd Manager Execujet
Nearest the Pin was won by Ken Dinnadge VP CSS Group

Ist Team-Winners

Barry Operations Manager CMA-CGM
Ger Regan Senior Manager Ritchie Brothers
Sid Savage Senior Project Manager Sohba Group
Brett Todd Manager Execujet



Runner up Team

Dirk Van Den Bosch Commercial Director DP World
Stephane Rambaud President C H Robinson Global Forwarding
Tom Sweet Vice President C H Robinson Global Forwarding
Ken Dinnadge Vice President Business Development CSS Group



Third Place

Mathias Brosowsky Managing Director NGL Germany
Rohit Gupta Managing Director NMT
Peter Schulte Owner JPS
Phyllis Schulte – JPS



Everyone who participated enjoyed the day which was followed by a welcome dinner and presentation ceremony which was attended by The Chairman of CSS Group T S Kaladharan and selected staff of the company. All overseas dignitaries were also invited to attend the function. The event was sponsored by CSS India. Jairam K R, Director CSS India distributed the awards.

Saif Zone Calling

CSS GROUP WILL SOON BE OPERATIONAL FROM SAIF ZONE

CSS Group in collaboration with Kingston Holdings will soon begin operations from the SAIF Zone in Sharjah. The new company will be known as CSS Kingston Logistics, and will have its own operational facilities and warehouse within the free zone.

The Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF-ZONE) was set up in 1995 n the Emirate of Sharjah ,a key industrial and manufacturing hub in the UAE.  As a leading free zone service provider, The SAIF-Zone offers its services and facilities to over 2,900 companies.  Strategically located at the cross roads of major trade routes linking the east and west, the SAIF-Zone is a business hub that offers access to more than 2 billion consumers across the GCC, CIS, Indian sub-continent, parts of Africa and the Mediterranean. The strategic presence in SAIF zone will empower CSS Group to cater to a wider market including Sharjah , the Eastern and The northern Emirates.

Breakbulk Middle East

CSS GROUP TO TAKE PART IN BREAKBULK MIDDLE EAST, 2015 IN ABU DHABI
CSS Group will be participating Breakbulk Middle East, from 26- 29 October 2015, in Abu Dhabi. Breakbulk Middle East 2015 attendees will benefit from unparalleled networking opportunities with project cargo owners, freight forwarders and transportation specialists. The four-day event offers industry workshops, two conferences featuring leading breakbulk and project cargo experts and an exhibition showcasing a range of both international and regional companies. CSS Group invites you to booth No. 1206 for a personal interaction with professionals handling breakbulk services & project cargo. At the Breakbulk Middle East Exhibition opportunities galore to network and connect with over 200 exhibitors and sponsors that provide specialized services.

X Factor ?

It’s over 80 years ago that Sir Noel Coward, an English playwright, composer and performer, wrote:- Don’t put your daughter on the stage, Mrs. Worthington. Don’t put your daughter on the stage. The profession is overcrowded, And the struggle’s pretty tough.

But it appears that very few have taken his advice to heart as The X Factor television talent show, seen in over twenty countries, appears to have changed everything.  Across the world thousands of wannabes turn up for the open auditions.  From Australia to USA, India to UK, they all presumably have dreams of becoming the next multi-dollar international star.  Why is it that they all try when the chances of them achieving their dreams or even surviving, if they get on this showbiz whirligig, is so elusive and onerous? How many winners can you remember and as for those who were runners-up? Of course, as with anything, there is always the exception which proves the rule. In the UK 2010 X Factor whilst 1st place winner was Matt Cardle, runners-up in  3rd place were five guys known as “One Direction” and looked what happened to them!  The X Factor format ran into difficulties in the US, but even now those desperate to appear are signing petitions of support. Elsewhere the show takes on board the cultural and social demands of its TV audience. In the UK celebrity judge Cheryl Cole is compared with India’s judge Sonu Nigam, whilst in the US Britney Spears endeavoured to take on an identical role. From Pop to Punk, Bollywood to Bhangra, Rock to Reggae the show reflects a country’s musical heritage ensuring its mass appeal. Surely it must be true that a bad singer is a bad singer, no matter where you are in the world? So why is it so many want to appear when, in some cases, they just make fools of themselves?

As the impact of X Factor has grown so has the involvement of psychologists giving their views about the dangers of this type of reality TV show. It has been realised for many years that a successful show needs to generate the emotions of “Ooh”, “Arr” and “Ugh”, so as to appeal to viewers and correspondingly increase ratings. Just think of how many emotions a sports fan summons up whilst watching their favourite football or cricket team.

No wonder sports programmes are very popular. Well shows like The X Factor play similarly on people’s emotions, hope and expectations. Contestants, on being asked what taking part means to them, often results in heart-jerking tearful tales.  However after a couple of series we tend to be less sympathetic as we have heard it all before. This is why TV producers keep up the pressure by adding new twists and turns in the on-going format. Contestants equally start performing with more “off the wall” routines so as to attract attention. Eventually we become fed-up and the consequence is that the series starts to lose viewing figures.

So why do singers try to get on the show? Amongst contestants it’s a mixture of ambition, fun and determination jumbled in many variable ways. They have to have a belief in themselves which drives them onwards above everything else. The mass auditions are whittled down to another group, and so on, until only a few are left for the auditions viewers eventually see.  By the time any contestant is seen by the TV judges, they have already been through at least two auditions. The show’s originator and powerhouse Simon Cowell is reported as being upset that there are people who come on the show just because they want fame. They’ll do anything before and afterwards because that is why they’ve entered The X Factor.

So if you are everso slightly tempted to view The X Factor as your road to success and stardom, let’s finish with another thought provoking quote from Sir Noel Coward:-

Work hard, do the best you can, don’t ever lose faith in yourself and take no notice of what other people say about you !

Lucky Winner

As part of our continuous commitment to the freight forwarding fraternity, CSS initiated a thank you scheme over 6 years ago, whereby one lucky name out of the scores of business cards that are dropped into the raffle bowls placed at the Delivery Order Counter will be rewarded with a gift.
The winner picked selected and rewarded for the months of January- February 2015 was Nizar Sharmil from Rain drops excellence who walked away with gift vouchers worth AED 200 from Carrefour, presented by Unnikrishnan G, Head of Marketing & Corporate communications, CSS Group.