Caution! Dedicated logistics expert at work

For nearly twelve years, Albers Logistik in Varel has been undergoing an impressive transformation process, from a traditional road freight forwarder to import logistics company. This development is closely tied to the name Pascal Müller, who initially joined the company as an apprentice and most recently was appointed the managing director.

Steel pipes are being loaded onto a lorry for an importer.

Credits: Albers Logistik

At the end of 2011, Pascal Müller started his freight forwarding and logistics training at Albers Logistik, a course he had begun with a different company that unexpectedly had to file for bankruptcy. Within two years of successfully completing his training at Albers Logistik and his promotion to executive assistant, the management offered him the opportunity to develop the company’s warehouse logistics from the ground up. Shortly before, in 2013, Albers Logistik had acquired a brickworks in Varel with a warehouse space measuring 7,000 square metres in size, which would, in a sense, kick off the activities of the years to come. “I was actually planning to explore the big wide world after my training and go abroad. But I just couldn’t miss out on this exciting challenge,” recalls Müller.

He then developed a comprehensive set of measures for developing warehouse logistics and transforming the company from a traditional road freight forwarder to an import logistics company one step at a time. He then went on to complete a training course in transport management at the German Academy of Foreign Trade and Logistics (DAV) in Bremen. “I view a combination of training and practical experience in road transport management as the best-possible springboard to a logistics career in the SME sector,” says Müller with full conviction. “I had the opportunity to implement a wide range of logistics projects and put my own stamp on them, which was truly exciting.” The fact that Albers Logistik is a family business was a huge benefit. “That ultimately translates to much shorter chains of command and faster decision-making,” says Müller.

Pascal Müller was appointed Managing Director of Albers Logistik Varel on 1 July 2025, which is exactly where he started his freight forwarding and logistics training in late 2011.

With his active support, Albers Logistik was able to expand its warehouse space in Varel from 7,000 to 37,000 square metres today in several stages. This required the purchase of another two sites in the town on Jade Bay in 2016 and 2025, which means there are now three different locations there. Many new buildings have been constructed on these sites and continuously updated to meet the latest environmental standards – whether it is office buildings and workshops fitted with geothermal technology and heat pumps, an in-house vehicle wash facility featuring multi-stage water treatment, or a five megawatt photovoltaic system installed on the roofs. “As far as I’m aware, it’s the largest system of its kind installed on the grounds of a logistics company,” says Müller. “With these investments and our broad portfolio of services all from a single source, from customs clearance to road delivery, we have developed into a unique logistics partner serving the route between the container terminals in Bremerhaven and Wilhelmshaven.”

Drone shot of logistics warehouses with large-scale photovoltaic systems installed on their roofs. Several vehicles can be seen in front of the warehouses, which are located in a rural setting.

Out of sheer excitement for this project, Müller nearly forgets to mention the fact that he was promoted to Authorised Officer for multiple companies in this 2019 phase and that the shareholders appointed him Managing Director of Albers Logistik, as the successor to Jörg Albers, on 1 July this year. He is more interested in underscoring the dynamism of the ongoing transformation process with figures. “When I started the project, we had around 80 lorries and fewer than a hundred importer containers. The fleet has since dropped to 20 lorries, while the number of our import containers has expanded to 4,000. Plus, there are around 4,000 additional containers that we transport regionally for our customers,” says Müller. He goes on to say that this development has brought him very close to his self-imposed aim, which is to achieve a ratio of transport sales to logistics sales of 50:50 for the Varel location. But he refuses to rest on his laurels. In fact, he has already added many additional projects to his to-do list for the next few years.

For example, the company will be expanding its in-house warehouse space by another 8,000 square metres by the end of 2027 – for a total space of 45,000 square metres. He also plans to respond to the trend of improving sustainability at Albers Logistik by electrifying its fleet of lorries, with ten charging stations and storage facilities already in preparation. And, of course, he hopes to pass on his excitement for logistics to the next generation. “I’ve invested around 15 years of energy, hard work and focus in the job. And it has certainly paid off, as I’ve enjoyed a lot of variation in my work, plenty of joint projects with other people and a great local team in return,” Müller adds. (bre)

Facts

Albers Logistik

Takeover of the site: 1984
Core activities: Port logistics,
retail logistics, e-commerce, container transport,
value-added services, customs clearance
Start of warehouse logistics: 2013
Employees: 100
Lorries: 20
Import containers: approx. 4,000
Existing warehouse space: 37,000 square metres

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Caution! Dedicated logistics expert at work

Facts

Albers Logistik

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