AELER Sustainable Logistics on the fast track

AELER's global network of partners is growing by the week. As Naïk Londono, co-founder and co-CEO, explains, the company has been particularly focused over the past year to boost the development of its partner network. So far, this has proved highly effective with 6 partnerships signed in 4 months.

AELER aims to modernize the infrastructure of global supply chains by creating an ecosystem of technologies around the shipping container. It's interesting to note that 80% of the world's goods transit through a container. Yet containers haven’t changed in 60 years with many businesses having to fit inside this box. Until the arrival of AELER and its containers: stronger, insulated, intelligent, more durable and with a higher payload, to the benefit of all kinds of industries.

The young Vaud-based company already has 7 major customers, including Procter & Gamble, an early believer of the solution. Particularly enthusiastic about its collaboration, the multinational is heavily involved in communication and co-marketing efforts, demonstrating its commitment to greater sustainability.

Talking about AELER's customers, the co-CEO explains that the startup's containers are particularly well suited to transporting bulk liquids (e.g. chemical or washing-up liquid), temperature-sensitive goods (e.g. pharmaceuticals or coffee beans) and high value-added goods (e.g. electronics, raw materials for consumer good production).

The current international context is fueling demand for more efficient and sustainable shipping, making AELER's offer more competitive. To meet the growing needs of its customers, the startup is currently raising CHF 20 to 25 million in a Series A financing round. The startup based at EPFL Innovation Park aims to put several thousand containers into circulation this year. The current value of goods transported for its customers this year is CHF 350 million.

(Eugène Schön)