The Waldbach Logistics Group, based in Melle, tailors its personnel and tour planning specifically to the needs of female and male drivers. The focus is on the compatibility of work and family – also in commercial freight transport. An example of the implementation of this approach is Sabrina-Maria Klocker-Klöpfer. The 39-year-old mother of three has been driving for the company for almost four years and benefits from flexible working conditions: a four-day week, a fixed truck and daily return home are a fixed part of her daily work routine.
With the yellow-red MAN TGX to school
Her workday usually begins between 7:00 and 7:30 a.m., after she has taken her eleven-year-old daughter to school by
truck. During school holidays she starts earlier to maintain the family organization. By 7:00 p.m. at the latest, her workday ends. The truck – a yellow-red MAN TGX – is reserved for her. She has set it up to her own preferences and, with a wink, calls the cab her “teddy bear hell.” On the front passenger seat sits often a plush bear named Friedhelm – unless her daughter accompanies her.
40-tonner, customers and colleagues under control
The presence of a woman at the wheel of a 40-tonner still attracts attention from customers and colleagues. The reactions are, according to Klocker-Klöpfer, predominantly positive. She, however, points to the necessity of being able to assert oneself
in a male-dominated environment. She developed her career aspiration early: her father was a long-haul driver himself; she often accompanied him on tours. She obtained her truck driving license in 2018, when her three children – now 11, 18 and 20 years old – were older. She therefore entered the industry only relatively late.
Background: Waldbach Logistics Group
The Waldbach Logistics Group was founded in 2012 and employs around 170 employees. The medium-sized, owner-managed company operates at six locations – including Melle, Lübbecke, Preußisch Oldendorf and Crailsheim – with more than 60,000 square meters of logistics space. The range of services includes storage including best-before date (MHD), batch and serial number management, picking, packaging, shipping
and returns logistics. All processes are certified to IFS, ISO 9001 and Bio at a “Higher Level.”
For the transport between the locations as well as to external customers, the sister company WTL Transport – Logistik GmbH is responsible. The fleet comprises around 50 pulling units – from small vans to 40-tonne tractor-trailers. The portfolio includes full and partial loads as well as refrigerated, thermo-, building-material and special transports. The Waldbach Logistics Group shows how modern logistics can be combined with flexible working models – also at the wheel of a truck.
The company has long been systematically investing in the equipment of its trucks to improve working conditions for drivers and strengthen employee retention.
