Situated in the Kigali Special Economic Zone – a 276-hectare stretch of land reserved for foreign direct investment – the warehouse represents the AGS Group’s first opportunity to own a local facility since beginning operations in the country in 1996.

“This building is a sign of our commitment to our Rwandan clients,” says AGS Group Business Development Director, Samuel Mergui. “It is an expression of our trust in the future development of the country.”

With an average annual GDP growth rate of 7.1% since 2000, Rwanda has one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. The new facility will increase the Group’s capacity to absorb the business of the growing local removals market.

In line with international standards, the warehouse will be outfitted with comprehensive security, including full perimeter fencing, CCTV, an on-site security presence and armed response.

The project forms part of the AGS Group’s larger plan to expand its removals operations in Africa. Additional facilities are planned for the Ivory Coast, Madagascar and Zambia in 2021.

As son and grandson of the founders of the MOBILITAS Group, Alain Taïeb and his nephew, Cédric Castro, were invited to speak at the latest Family Business Network (FBN) event, held virtually on 17 September 2020. The FBN is the first global network dedicated to family-owned businesses and their shareholders, and the two gentlemen were honoured to share their thoughts on running their family business under the motto Preserving the Present to Ensure the Future.

Cultivating resilience by putting family first

Since its foundation in France in 1974 by Alain’s parents, Isaac and Sarah Taïeb (Le Point September 2016), the MOBILITAS Group, then known as AGS, has grown from an SME into a mid-sized multinational group. To achieve this, the family first expanded their core activity of removals beyond French borders and then embarked on a strategy of diversification by adding complimentary services to the AGS portfolio. Today the group is active in 98 countries with four areas of focus:  international removals, relocations, records management and heritage digitisation.

The reason behind this approach to growth? Family, of course.

“Building for the future – the next generation – has always been a priority for our family business,” explains Alain Taïeb, Chairman of the MOBILITAS Supervisory Board. “If we have always been able to bounce back and be resilient, it is thanks to this principle and the resulting strategy, which is based on three pillars: the family entrepreneurial DNA, a diversified geographical presence and the addition of new activities to minimise risk.”

President of FBN France, Philippe Grodner, confirms: “Thanks to their long-term vision, family-owned businesses have shown that their performance is often superior to that of traditional companies. The family’s values act as an essential glue that binds all employees and stakeholders together.”

This sentiment is echoed in a report published by Centennial Family Companies, in which 86% of family-owned businesses feel that their strong culture and values set them apart.

Adaptability is key

Cédric Castro, Chairman of the MOBILITAS Management Board and the third generation of the family to be at the helm, believes it is the focus on longevity and family values that has allowed the group to remain sustainable in these uncertain times.

“The importance the family places on the future has been absorbed at every level of our operations. Our teams’ daily activities form a continuous momentum that builds on what we have already achieved and lays the foundations for our upcoming plans. Our other strength is being able to adapt quickly. At each critical moment in the life of our group, we have been able to be flexible and adjust. This allows us to continue to develop, diversify and consolidate,” he says.

As such, the adaptability and diversification of the MOBILITAS Group enables it to withstand the current crisis well. “Our archiving and heritage digitisation activities are well-received. We manage archives for banks, government administrations and private companies, and through our company Arkhênum, we also offer heritage digitisation.  Just recently we have worked with a prestigious cognac brand and digitised valuable museum print collections,” Cédric continues.

It’s a fact. More and more companies want to preserve their heritage as a way of safeguarding irreplaceable know-how while strengthening their identity and their brand. This is illustrated by the testimonial of Hélène Galzin from the Renault Group, which has just carried out a great project to preserve its heritage, comprising an art collection, vintage cars and a collection of archives of inestimable value (discover the video).

MOBILITAS knows that conserving knowledge and strengthening brand identity are key activities for any business, which is why they offer digitisation services to their clients. Internally however the company also achieves these objectives through family involvement, building on the present through resilience and adaptability to ensure the future for the next generation.

The ISO 9001/2015 standard defines the requirements for a quality management system and assists us to constantly improve and sustain the quality of our services.

Audited by SGS, the AGS Group has renewed its ISO 9001 certification with the new 2015 version.

Social diversity through the Delhi Youth League

In New Delhi, Payal Singh, Manager of AGS Movers India, has chosen to sponsor the Delhi Youth League, an organisation that aims to develop soccer among young people aged 6 to 19, from all social, cultural and religious origins. With the motto “the best teaching is the game itself”, the Delhi Youth League brings together children from underprivileged backgrounds supported by NGOs who play for free, as well as students from international, public and private schools who pay to play. Through soccer, children discover teammates that they would never have encountered in their everyday lives. In addition, every week during the season from September to April, budding players participate in matches and learn the discipline and rules that govern the competition.
 

AGS presents the Most Valuable Player of the Year Award

Throughout the year, following every match, each coach selects the “Most Valuable Player” (MVP) of the match in the opposing team. The MVP is not necessarily the one who scored the most goals, but the one who contributed most effectively to the team’s performance. At each game, AGS offers a soccer ball to both players. On 27 May, the league recognised, in each age group, those who had been designated MVP most often during the year. AGS sponsored this award and Payal Singh was there to present the award at the ceremony at the British School in New Delhi.

Established in 2012, the league has experienced a growing enthusiasm as evidenced by the 1000 youths playing across six age groups during the 2016-17 season. Thanks to soccer and the values associated with sport, the league offers young people from very different backgrounds, opportunities to express themselves, to better understand each other and to become agents of social change.

Six age groups were rewarded:
Under 7, U9, U11, U13, U15 and U19 with AGS India Manager, Payal Singh.  

AGS’ boxes are understandably close to the hearts of our staff and our clients.

Countless journeys have started with households’ possessions being gently packed into them, and their unique white colour is symbolic of AGS’ commitment to quality and professionalism.

Now, however, we are proud to reveal that AGS’ packaging materials – including our boxes – will be phasing over to a brown colour, while guaranteeing the same level of protection and security on which AGS’ reputation is based.

As much as we loved our white boxes, AGS’ new packaging will not require bleaching, and is therefore in line with our global commitment to environmental sustainability.

Rest assured that all our packaging materials continue to be stringently quality-wwwed, delivering the same high levels of protection.

Learn more about AGS’ packaging solutions.

AGS wishes them all professional growth and all the best in their new positions.

AGS’ services are frequently utilised due to the company’s commitment to superior quality. This was a prerequisite when AGS Warsaw was tasked with an extremely delicate removal: moving World War II museum pieces from the Auschwitz Museum to an exhibition in Rome. AGS applied their meticulous packing techniques, and transported the items safely via airfreight to and from Italy.

AGS Movers Tarbes
Branch Manager
Henri de Volontat

With Jean-Pierre Labescat retiring after 23 years’ loyal service, Henri de Volontat has taken over as Branch Manager for AGS’ branch in Tarbes, France. Previously the Branch Manager for AGS’ branch in Auvergne Limousin from 2001, Henri has now returned to his roots after first starting as a Trainee Manager for AGS Tarbes in 1996. Other positions he has held with AGS include Trainee Branch Manager for AGS Movers Gabon and Branch Manager for AGS Movers Mali, before he was sent to AGS Movers Lyon to establish the Auvergne Limousin branch in February 2001.

“I work closely with my staff because they represent our front-line of attack. My management style is client-focused and orientated towards the interests of the Group,”

explains Henri, adding that he is very happy with his new appointment to Tarbes and that he looks forward to continuing the branch’s growth.

“I am very attached to the AGS brand image and I am a firm believer in professionalism; we never miss a chance to show it – through both the administrative and the technical side – because this is our best advertisement,” Henri concludes.

AGS Movers Kiev
Branch Manager
Illia Rokun

With effect from June 2014, Illia Rokun has assumed the responsibility of Branch Manager for AGS’ branch in Kiev, Ukraine, replacing Karim Sikias. Illia obtained his Master’s Degree in Business Administration in 2010 through the University of Nantes, immediately commencing an internship as a business analyst in Brussels. Following his internship, Illia returned to the Ukraine and joined a Kiev-based company specialising in supplier and counterfeit part risk mitigation, before joining AGS Kiev as Sales Manager in mid-2011. After being selected to participate in AGS’ Branch Manager Training programme in 2013 – which saw him travelling to Prague as well as Bucharest to receive tutorship from Samuel Barrois and Gratiela Lascu – Illia returned to Kiev to complete the programme under the guidance of Karim Sikias.

As a key player, AGS continually meets the changes and challenges in the industry by expanding its businesses, geographically and in the services it offers, through the connections initiated with hundreds of professionals. AGS is always delighted to be involved in such events and aims to attend future exhibitions and conventions throughout 2014.