FAM Group was established in 1991 as three industry veterans recognized Colombia’s need for a full-service logistics and transport provider. Today, it is among the country’s leaders in terms of volume of containers and container inland logistic control movements.
As the Colombian agents of American President Lines and Singapore Airlines Cargo, FAM Group has navigated its way to continued growth amid intensifying competition and rapid changes in the global industry.
“Colombia is unlike other Latin American countries. Our largest populations live in the mountains, far away from the coast. Any kind of logistics or maritime transportation must have a road mentality and inland locations to manage the business. Our strength is local knowledge. We know exactly how things work here,” explained President Carlos Guillermo Aragon Farkas.
FAM Group’s attentiveness to global trends has also put it ahead of the competition and in a better position to serve its clients, many of whom are Japanese.
“Nowadays, maritime transportation is a highly globalized concept. The system is based on very big cargo. These large carriers can obviously not cover every port. This is where feeder services come into play. This is where we, as small investors, are looking to contribute. If a shipping line wants to be in the global picture, they must have a foot in Japan,” stressed Aragon, who has nurtured a deep fondness for Japan after having lived in the country for many years.
“I think it is much more difficult to transact with the West than it is with Japan. The moment the Japanese say ‘yes,’ you can count on that commitment to last. The bond goes beyond price and results. We have true partnerships, real friendships. I know that I have friends in Japan, and I can assure them that they have one here in Colombia,” he added.
