Quehenberger Logistics
Bernhard Kriechbaum, Team Lead IT Project Management bei Quehenberger Logistics
Description
Team Lead IT Project Management bei Quehenberger Logistics Bernhard Kriechbaum gibt im Interview Einblicke in den Aufbau der IT Abteilung, an welchen technologischen Challenges dort gearbeitet wird und wie das Recruiting und Onboarding abläuft.
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Video Summary
In "Bernhard Kriechbaum, Team Lead IT Project Management bei Quehenberger Logistics", Speaker Bernhard Kriechbaum explains that TMS IT is an 18‑person team running transport management systems across IDI/data mapping, IT project management, and backend/web development to automate logistics processes, tracking, and billing (including offer recording). The culture is cross‑functional and hands‑on: IT project management is the central hub aligning developers, IDI and operations, and the team works internationally while using low‑code, software‑specific frameworks, Linux shell scripting, and occasional .NET maintenance. Candidates follow a clear hiring flow (portal/LinkedIn, HR call, Teams interview with the team lead, on‑site tour) and receive a 5–6‑month freight‑forwarding training with shadowing in dispatch, order entry and the warehouse before taking ownership—preparing them for an increasingly connected, data‑rich supply chain.
From Barcode to Ocean Container: Inside TMS IT at Quehenberger Logistics with Bernhard Kriechbaum, Team Lead IT Project Management
Context: DevJobs.at in conversation with Bernhard Kriechbaum, Team Lead IT Project Management at Quehenberger Logistics
In this techlead story, we spoke with Bernhard Kriechbaum, Team Lead IT Project Management at Quehenberger Logistics, about the digital backbone behind transport operations. His team’s mandate is precise and practical: “Our department is called TMS IT.” It is the engine room for Transport Management Systems (TMS) – integrating data, mapping real processes into technology, and making information usable, from barcode scanning on pallets to tracking trucks and vessels.
What stood out immediately is how deliberately cross-functional the organization is. TMS IT pairs hands-on freight forwarding expertise with pragmatic technology: low-coding approaches and software-specific frameworks, Linux shell scripting, and selective .NET maintenance and development. Just as notable is the investment in onboarding: new colleagues receive a full freight forwarding training and spend time on the floor—in dispatch, order entry, and the warehouse—so they understand not only how to build software, but why it matters.
Mission and impact: TMS IT as the nexus of digital logistics
TMS IT is responsible for the Transport Management Systems that power Quehenberger Logistics’ operations. It is where information is collected, transformed, and exposed to the people who depend on it—operations teams and customers alike. In Bernhard’s words, the goal is to translate logistics into reliable, usable technology—scanning workflows, truck tracking, and automated processes, all connected to real-world movement of goods.
A straightforward example illustrates this: automation in quoting and billing. Three colleagues in Offertspeicherung (offer storage) ensure that offers are captured in a way that enables “as much automated billing in the background as possible” to customers and carriers. It’s a tangible reminder that automation here is not an abstract principle; it is how work gets done every day.
Team structure: 18 people, three focal areas, clear responsibilities
Bernhard describes an 18-person department with distinct focus areas, each directly contributing to data integrity, process reliability, and usable output.
1) IDI team – making data usable from CSV to sophisticated XML
Three colleagues in the IDI team manage data mapping and handling. In freight forwarding, data comes in many forms—“from a simple CSV file to high-sophisticated XML files.” The IDI team turns that variability into consistency so downstream TMS processes work reliably.
2) IT Project Management – understanding processes, orchestrating delivery
The IT Project Management team consists of five male colleagues and one female colleague. Their role is to understand logistics processes and “map them technically in the best way,” whether that’s scanning or tracking trucks. The team is closely involved in training and has extended activity to Hungary; one colleague speaks German, English, and Hungarian.
“Especially in IT Project Management … this is the central interface where all information converges.”
3) Development – business logic in the backend, visibility on the web
Four colleagues implement business logic in the backend. Two web developers ensure that, “in terms of digitalization and tracking,” information is presented on the web where it’s needed. This pairing shows the end-to-end focus: accurate data, robust logic, and clear visibility.
4) Offertspeicherung – enabling automated billing
Three colleagues in Offertspeicherung structure offers so downstream billing can run largely automatically—to both customers and carriers. It’s a crucial link between operational pricing logic, data quality, and a clean, auditable process.
Technology approach: Pragmatic low-coding, framework-driven, plus scripting
TMS IT leans into low-coding with software-specific frameworks. The team “does not work on the base structure of various programs,” focusing instead on configuring and extending existing platforms to deliver business value.
- Low-coding within established software frameworks
- Linux shell scripting for tasks at the system level
- selective .NET maintenance and further development “from time to time”
- close cooperation with the software manufacturer (release updates, patches)
In an environment where many systems meet, this pragmatism pays off. The team reuses solid building blocks, concentrates on meaningful business logic, and delivers visibility through web interfaces.
Collaboration and interfaces: IT, IDI, and operations at one table
A recurring theme in the conversation is IT Project Management as a true hub. It’s where software developers, IDI colleagues, and operations continuously align. The target is never a feature in isolation—it’s an operational outcome that works at the site level, from scanner workflows to shipment tracking.
“You need the software developer, you need the IDI colleagues, you also need the operations, with whom alignment is always done.”
By design, this setup keeps requirements grounded. Work is scoped and prioritized together, and then executed with the right technical approach. The output is not just software—it’s freight forwarding value: clean data in, stable processes, and results that are visible and useful.
Hiring: A transparent process with real on-site insights and fast feedback
Candidates meet a structured, respectful process from first contact to on-site visit.
- Apply via the company portal or be proactively approached by HR (e.g., LinkedIn)
- Initial call with HR: expectations, short introduction, “a brief job description”
- Teams interview with the team lead, HR, and the candidate
- On-site visit at a branch: tour, time with the team, and a look into the systems
- Feedback “within a week”
What’s distinctive here is the emphasis on authenticity. Depending on timing, candidates often spend “an hour or two” with the team and look directly into systems and day-to-day flows during the first visit. It’s a clear signal: see the real work as early as possible.
Onboarding and growth: freight forwarding training, practice first, and the “why” behind the “how”
One of the strongest statements from Bernhard is about how TMS IT brings people on board. No one is handed a specification and sent off alone. Instead, “you also receive a complete freight forwarding training.”
“The onboarding process may take a bit longer for us, about five to six months. But colleagues then know why they are programming it.”
This philosophy is deliberate: if you build it, you should feel it. Concretely, onboarding includes:
- days in dispatch, order entry, and the warehouse
- observing processes, not just reading documents
- seeing real examples—like barcode scanning on pallets
Bernhard makes it tangible with a simple example: an IT technician ensures the barcode is in the system. That can be shown to developers so they see why a specific field from an interface file must be captured.
“It doesn’t mean they have to shift pallets … but at least they should see the processes. And that’s very important to us.”
Team-wise, the rule of thumb is: during the first six months, projects are “always done together.” After that, you “learn to walk yourself,” with the team always in the background when needed.
Team diversity: technology meets freight forwarding
Not everyone in TMS IT has a formal technical education. “We also have freight forwarders who taught themselves development or IT over the years.” This blend pays off directly in product quality: technical solutions that respect operational reality, and operational know-how that gains leverage through software.
The team is also expanding its international presence—“we have now extended our team to Hungary.” Language capabilities (German, English, Hungarian) support collaboration across locations and reflect the global nature of supply chains.
Breadth of work: From CSV to XML, from backend logic to web tracking
What makes the work varied is the spread of responsibilities across data, process, and delivery:
- IDI: data mapping across “simple CSV files” to “high-sophisticated XML”
- IT Project Management: understanding, scoping, prioritizing, and training for real processes
- Backend: implementing business logic as a stable core
- Web: presenting information for digitalization, tracking, and access
- Offertspeicherung: creating the foundation for “as automated as possible” billing workflows
The guiding question is consistent: how can information be provided so it creates value? Whether for dispatch, warehouse operations, or customers, data must arrive in the right form at the right time.
Looking ahead: more digital, more connected, and more informative
Where is logistics going? Bernhard is clear:
“I believe the journey will become even more digital—these networked systems.”
That direction has concrete implications:
- Connectivity and interfaces will matter even more—and the IDI team may grow in the future.
- Information presentation and provisioning will become “even more important.”
- On-demand queries are the norm: “When will a truck arrive and where is my goods currently, at what temperature is it carried?”
- Beyond road, ocean matters too—customers want to know “on which mile the vessel with the respective container is.”
Delivering on this requires the right software and “reliable partnerships.” There are many factors and interfaces at play, and both technical and operational know-how are essential. The complexity is real—and that’s exactly where technology-minded people can have impact.
Why TMS IT at Quehenberger Logistics is compelling for tech talent
Our takeaways from the session point to a clear value proposition for engineers and tech-minded professionals who want their work to matter in the real world:
- End-to-end understanding, not isolated tasks: a 5–6 month onboarding designed to anchor the “why.”
- Visible impact: from barcode and scanning to tracking—results are concrete and verifiable.
- Collaboration by design: IT, IDI, and operations as a “central interface” where you “learn a lot.”
- Pragmatism in the stack: low-coding, frameworks, scripting, and selective .NET—focus on business logic and outcomes.
- Data as a core competency: CSV to XML, mapping and handling as daily practice.
- Web orientation: putting information where users need it.
- Deep automation: Offertspeicherung enabling “as automated as possible” billing in the background.
- International collaboration: activity extended to Hungary and multiple working languages.
- Transparent hiring: portal or HR outreach, HR call, Teams interview, on-site insights, feedback within a week.
- Supportive start: “always together” for the first six months, with the team in the background as you grow.
- Multiple role paths: IDI development, IT Project Management, backend, and web.
Role contours: What the work actually looks like
Bernhard’s account makes it easy to see the roles without forcing artificial boundaries between “tech” and “business.”
IDI development
- Map data across diverse formats, from CSV to sophisticated XML
- Manage interfaces in highly connected systems
- Safeguard quality and consistency so processes remain stable
IT Project Management
- Align requirements across operations, IDI, and development
- Translate processes (scanning, tracking) into robust solutions
- Drive training and introductions across sites and countries
- Operate as the “central interface”: gather, structure, and facilitate decisions
Backend and web development
- Implement and maintain business logic in the backend
- Shape web presentation and tracking for practical usability
- Combine low-coding frameworks and scripting effectively
- Maintain and extend .NET components where needed
Offertspeicherung
- Structure offers so downstream billing can run largely automatically
- Manage interfaces between operational pricing logic and IT
Learning in the process: What onboarding means on the ground
The strongest theme is the tight coupling of technology and reality. Onboarding means:
- Seeing processes: dispatch, order entry, warehouse
- Experiencing practice: e.g., barcode scanning on real pallets
- Understanding connections: from a field in an interface file to a line item in billing
- Being accompanied for months: “always together,” then increasingly independent
“You then learn to walk yourself … but as mentioned, the team is always in the background.”
It’s a demanding model: it asks for curiosity, precision, and a willingness to engage with operations. But it rewards you with deep expertise and a work environment where impact is visible and measurable.
Conclusion: Technology that carries weight—and a team that shares knowledge
Our session with Bernhard Kriechbaum, Team Lead IT Project Management at Quehenberger Logistics, highlights a clear playbook: TMS IT builds technology that carries processes—not technology for its own sake, but software that makes freight forwarding reliable and transparent. Low-coding frameworks, scripting, and selective .NET are tools; what matters is the ability to connect data, represent processes well, and provide information where decisions are made.
“Networking and information presentation and provisioning … I believe this will become even more important.”
If that excites you, bring two things: a love for disciplined, data-driven implementation and a desire to engage with real processes—from barcode to ocean container. At Quehenberger Logistics, you’ll find a team that treats collaboration seriously, views training as an investment, and keeps its focus squarely on meaningful outcomes.
