"Continuity and planning certainty, which we had for years, simply no longer exist. Even if there is a deal now, we cannot expect that it will stay this way forever. The day after tomorrow something new can come again." When Jörg Mosolf, chairman of the Mosolf Group, describes the uncertainties in global trade in the DFV interview, he keeps Trump's unpredictability in view. He expects that "in the end there will be production relocations." Where the volumes will shift is open – whether from the USA toward Europe or from Mexico to other markets. For the industry this means: routes and volume flows remain unpredictable
Global uncertainty forces internationalization
As Mosolf explains in the interview with the German Transport Forum, he relies on international presence to be prepared.
"We are currently in the process of buying an American company. With that we can assist our customers much better with advice and action, and also help operationally."
This is complemented by an expansion in Shanghai as well as new activities in the Middle
East – steps that show how closely logistics chains are linked to political decisions and how companies respond in order to stay able to act.
Combined transport: rail and ship without reliability
But Mosolf's concerns are not only outward. He would like to see more of this or that from domestic German politics as well. He makes this especially clear in the area of combined transport. His verdict on rail is clear:
"We receive about 30 percent of the goods by rail. But the rail is not reliable and it is not competitive." The consequence: "We once had 250 of our own wagons for automotive transport. We sold them."
Inland navigation also offers only limited opportunities.
There is only one route for automotive transport that makes sense, "and that is the Rhine with Ford's plants in Cologne and Daimler in Düsseldorf."
For the industry this is an important signal: Politically desired shifts to rail and waterways are currently failing against the realities of automotive logistics.
Infrastructure as a decisive location factor
When
asked about the biggest obstacles to his business model, Mosolf answered without beating around the bush:
"For us, that is the infrastructure that has been neglected for years."
Even if the federal government decides on new investments, it would take "at least ten years" before new roads or bridges are built.
With regard to the security-political situation, he emphasized:
"We have today a different scenario, because we also must be militarily prepared. Now no one can avoid the topic of infrastructure around it. How could we defend ourselves if the logistics doesn't even function?"
For the industry this means: infrastructure is not just a cost factor, but a strategic foundation.
Transformation: Electrification through own initiative
The shift to alternative propulsion is already advancing the company.
"We currently have twelve electric trucks in operation; fifteen are planned. We are also building our own charging infrastructure at eight locations for this purpose soon."
Theoretically, the company could then deliver 50 to 60 percent of its goods electrically within a radius of up to 450
kilometers.
The federal government plays hardly any role according to Mosolf: "By the time the federal government has built a public charging network, we will be finished long ago." Instead, he criticizes federal differences:
"What is approved in Baden-Württemberg does not yet go to Saxony. What we need is transparency and clarity."
For the industry it is clear: Whoever relies on electrification must largely build charging infrastructure themselves – and expect bureaucratic hurdles.
Future technologies assessed soberly
He also took a position on hydrogen and autonomous driving. He sees hydrogen trucks at best in the long term:
"Perhaps in ten or twenty years. At present I have no interest in building a second or even third technology."
The same applies to autonomous driving. In closed factory transports it is conceivable, but "outside of such closed systems it always comes down to the question of liability." And as long as liability questions are not resolved: "No."
Thus he provides a clear orientation: Investments should in the short term focus on electric mobility, not
