If the culture of a company is defined by its leaders, Hactl is flying

News last week that Hactl, Hong Kong’s largest independent cargo handler, had launched a voluntary scheme to help its SuperTerminal 1 cut its carbon footprint comes as no surprise whatsoever. 

The Green Terminal Pact, which has seen Hactl install smart meters, provide incentive schemes and qualitative measurements, is but one sustainable initiative by this extraordinary company. 

It has spent the past few years redeveloping its offices and terminal – the former a far cry from the traditional image of a handler’s den: sleek, smart and beautifully designed, it features cargo art; up-cycled furniture and sculptures; and an all-purveying sense of calm.

But from the lofty walls of glass, the SuperTerminal stretches out in front of you on one side, with its constantly moving cargo, while waiting freighters line up airside on the other. It is literally the definition of a ‘hub’. 

And the views, whichever way you look, are fantastic. But why invest so much into an interior office space? 

Perhaps part of the answer lies in Hong Kong itself. As we know, China, from tip to toe, had a tough Covid. Staff were hugely affected by quarantine, rampant infection and very strict laws which went on far longer than in the rest of the world. Companies, especially in aviation, have had to work hard to retain staff. But they also want them to be comfortable, and happy. Some 50% of Hactl’s staff have worked there for more than 10 years. 

If you ask Hactl’s executive director, Winnie Chan, who appears to be the brains and drive behind the company’s ethos, what one word would sum up the culture of Hactl, she says “equality”.

Staff from the depths of the cargo floor to the top of the boardroom have access to all manner of treats: squash and tennis courts; ping pong tables; a library; and perhaps best of all, masseurs, provided by the Hong Kong Society for the Blind (HKSB), a neat double-win both for staff and the charity, and one which fosters relationships between Hactl and its home city. It also provides free sanitary products for its female staff and collaborates with charity Free Periods Hong Kong.

“I was very embarrassed by it all to begin with,” laughs CEO Wilson Kwong, “but Winnie has shown me that it’s normal, and OK to talk about.” 

And then there are the uniforms. Hactl needed to update staff uniforms – but didn’t want to waste the old ones. Again, working with a local charity, it up-cycled 8,000 disused ones into shopping bags, table mats – and teddy bears. It has recently completed its second ‘Hactl teddies’ world tour photography contest for staff’, resulting in some amazing images (see below).

(And some altogether less-amazing images by The Loadstar) 

You may think none of this is important; but, as many handling companies will know, staff, of which Hactl has more than 2,000, are key to the business. You need their approval for overtime, you need their flexibility – and you need to keep them. As far as Hactl is concerned, it’s also about Hong Kong itself, which is central to its character – hence the outreach to various Hong Kong charities and associations. 

But, as Mr Kwong likes to joke, Hactl also does some cargo handling – in fact, quite a lot. The concerns about Hactl’s future when Cathay Pacific migrated to its own terminal in 2013 are long gone. It works with more than 100 airlines and 1,000 forwarders. It has Hong Kong’s largest handling facility, with 3.5m tonnes annual capacity. But its financial results are not made public.

Innovation is not restricted to the offices.  

Currently under trial is the world’s first intelligent cargo thermal detection system, checking the heat inside shipments as they leave the terminal for the aircraft.  

“It allows you to see any uneven heat distribution across the surface of a pallet or a container. If there is an unusual heat map or an unusual heat distribution, then it may indicate an issue,” explained Mr Kwong. “It’s an additional layer of comfort. We want to mitigate risk as much as possible. Hactl has a role to play in that.” 

Earlier this month, Hactl opened its new Cool Chain Complex, again the largest at Hong Kong Airport, which even includes a climate-controlled facility for storing dangerous substances  – “some medicines are classified as dangerous goods, for example,” explained Mr Kwong. The complex has its own direct airside access, its own trucks and three temperature zones.  

There is also an ‘animal limo’, to keep flying beasts healthy and happy, with another on order.  

Hactl also has developed its own in-house software, with its 200-strong team of IT experts. COSAC-Plus links the handler with all the relevant stakeholders. Its control room, or nerve centre – filled with screens showing cargo throughput, expected deliveries, temperatures and all manner of useful information – is particularly impressive. 

As one long-term customer said, Hactl and its staff are efficient, helpful and among the best in the business. 

All of this is a testament to the leadership. Mr Kwong credits the shareholders – Jardine Matheson, Hutchison Port Holdings, The Wharf and CNAC – with agreeing to his many and varied requests, however far they may seem to stray from the actual business of cargo handling.

But most obvious is the leadership of Mr Kwong and his team. It’s said that the culture of a company is defined by its leaders, and if the friendliness, helpfulness and apparent happiness of the staff is anything to go by, Ms Chan, Mr Kwong and the team have made their mark.  

There is really only one question left. Where do I sign up? 

Photos: Hactl staff

Photos: The Loadstar