Philippine freight forwarding company Alphacon Logistics International Corp. (Alphacon) continues to flourish five years after its inception and, according to CEO and COO Gerry Foliente, they are just getting started.
“To say that the Philippines’ shipping and freight forwarding sector is highly competitive is an understatement,” said Foliente as he highlighted the country’s thriving logistics industry.
According to a 2021 report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the country’s logistics and freight forwarding sector was valued at around $11 billion, or about 4% of the country’s gross domestic product. The same report also said the freight forwarding market was valued at $201.6 billion in the same year and is expected to reach $284.4 billion by 2030.
What sets Alphacon apart in this cutthroat industry? Foliente told GMI POST the company differentiates itself through its three core values.
First is character
“Despite being a relatively new player in the logistics industry, we’ve managed to build a reputation that’s rooted in integrity through our proven track record of honesty and transparency,” said Foliente, who was aware that trust was a cornerstone of the logistics sector and prioritized building a clean name for the company since Day One.
“It’s really simple: You won’t get new business if you don’t gain the trust of your clients. So, we are proud of the good reputation that we have in the market and will strive to continuously earn the trust of existing and new clients,” he added.
The second is competence
“I've gained 30 years’ worth of experience in the logistics and shipping industry. Each of my managers has an average of 20 years in the industry. But even though we’ve got all of this knowledge and experience, we don't stop learning,” said Foliente.
According to him, Alphacon’s service is marked by a combination of experience and a hunger for continued learning and upskilling. Foliente also pointed out that technology integration is important in the logistics industry, which is why he said Alphacon deems it necessary to always keep up with what's happening in the industry and around the world so they won’t get left behind.
Lastly, a strong and wide network
“In the decades that I’ve been in the industry, I’ve seen how important it is to build and maintain relationships,” said Foliente as he shared that he has developed strategic connections worldwide in both the public and private sectors.
According to him, relationship building and networking have also been an effective and organic marketing strategy for Alphacon.
“As we develop new connections, we get referred to new clients through word of mouth. Because of our brand of service, we have clients who recommend us to other businesses as a trustworthy provider,” said Foliente.
Asked what makes the Philippines an attractive investment destination, Foliente answered, “Filipinos are world-class. Given the opportunity, we can compete with the best in the world, not only in logistics but in multiple sectors.”
Established in 2019, Alphacon is a freight forwarding company in the Philippines, a non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC), a GSA for BTC Aviation Services (aircraft chartering company), a cargo sales agent for AirAsia Philippines, and a hander of project shipments.
It has partnered with leading local and foreign air and sea carriers, including Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Qatar Airways, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Turkish Airlines, and Ocean Network Express (ONE).
