Southeast Asia’s strategic location, enhanced infrastructure, and skilled workforce have made it increasingly important to global supply chains. In Thailand, the aerospace manufacturing sector continues to advance at a rapid pace fueled by the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), a flagship project of the “Thailand 4.0” strategy.

AviusULD operates at the center of these developments. With a fifty-year legacy of engineering excellence, the company specializes in certified Unit Load Devices (ULDs) and safety-critical cargo solutions. With advanced R&D and commercial operations in the Netherlands and large-scale precision manufacturing and engineering in Thailand, AviusULD functions as a seamless global entity.

In this interview, Charles Drummond, CEO of AviusULD, discusses the leadership and business strategy behind the organization’s global success. He provides insights into the future of air cargo—spanning digitalization, sustainability, and safety—and shares his perspective on how to create an effective talent strategy and collaborative culture that transcends borders.

Interviewing:

1. Leading Across Borders: How do you ensure cultural and strategic alignment across your global operations?

At AviusULD, we are fortunate to have exceptional talent across all regions — with Product Development, R&D, and part of our Sales organisation based in the Netherlands, and world-class operations, engineering, and manufacturing expertise in Thailand. The success of our business depends on how seamlessly these teams collaborate as one.

The key to that alignment is a shared understanding of our Mission, Vision, and Values, combined with clarity on our company objectives. These elements form our common language — they ensure that whether someone is developing next-generation SmartULD technology in Europe or optimizing manufacturing processes in Bangkok, they are contributing to the same purpose and priorities.

“The bridge between our European and Asian operations [is] built on shared purpose, structured alignment, and continuous dialogue.”

Our AviusULD Ascend Programme is the cultural enabler that makes this real. It ensures alignment through Strategic Kaizen and the Hoshin Kanri matrix, translating our long-term strategy into actionable goals for every team and function. Each year, we hold a joint alignment session that brings together leaders from both regions to review direction, challenges, and focus areas. This creates a shared sense of ownership and focus that carries through the year — reinforced continually through regular communication, leadership engagement, and transparent performance reviews.

Ultimately, the bridge between our European and Asian operations isn’t just built on systems or reporting lines — it’s built on shared purpose, structured alignment, and continuous dialogue.

2. Global Market Strategy: How does AviusULD tailor its commercial offering to different regions?

At AviusULD, we tend to classify our customers primarily by type rather than geography — namely Airlines, Integrators, and ULD Management Companies. Each group has distinct priorities and operating models, and our commercial approach is tailored accordingly.

Within our airline customers, there are, however, noticeable regional nuances. In the Americas, carriers often place high value on relationships and product features, appreciating technical reliability and responsiveness from partners they trust. In EMEA, there are significant differences between European, Middle Eastern and African customers. European airlines are increasingly focused on sustainability, lifecycle value, and total cost of ownership; Middle Eastern carriers value long-term framework agreements, relationship depth, and bundled programme value; while in Africa, collaboration and support remain the cornerstone of successful partnerships. Across Asia, the market dynamic is typically more project-based, with procurement driven by annual tenders and specific initiatives rather than long-term frameworks.

Our Sales Team adapts its approach to fit these differing contexts. What remains constant is customer focus and relationship-building — both central pillars of our culture. Through the AviusULD Ascend Programme, we reinforce these principles across our commercial organisation, ensuring alignment through shared objectives, transparent communication, and continuous improvement.

No matter the region or customer type, our goal is the same: to build long-term partnerships grounded in trust, performance, and shared success.

3. Navigating Organizational Change: AviusULD became a standalone company in 2023. How do you honor your 50-year history while establishing a new identity?

Throughout our long history — and across the various chapters of ownership — one thing has always remained constant at AviusULD: our foundation of engineering and technical excellence, our commitment to innovation, and our strong customer relationships. Those core strengths have never changed; they are deeply embedded in who we are.

However, emerging from the ownership of a large aviation conglomerate and becoming a standalone company gave us a unique opportunity to define our own identity. It was a moment to reflect on everything that had made us successful, and to shape that heritage into a forward-looking brand with its own clear purpose.

At the heart of that transformation was the definition of our Vision, Mission, and Values — the guiding framework that now connects every part of our organization. We invested significant time in developing these collaboratively, involving our teams from across regions and functions. This inclusive approach ensured that our identity as AviusULD wasn’t just written by leadership, but co-created by the people who live it every day.

The result is not a break from our past, but a continuation of our heritage — redefined for the future. Our Vision gives us direction, our Mission drives our daily actions, and our Values shape how we work together.

4. Driving Successful Innovation: SmartULD’s Kinetic Energy Harvester is a game changer. Looking at the R&D of that product, what are some key lessons on successful innovation?

The development of SmartULD, and particularly the Kinetic Energy Harvester, has been one of the most exciting and instructive innovation journeys in our company’s history. Looking back, three factors stand out as critical to its success.

First, having an excellent technology partner in eLoc8. Their deep expertise in energy harvesting and sensor integration brought technical capabilities that perfectly complemented our own. It is a true partnership — not just in technology development, but in shared problem-solving and mutual trust.

“SmartULD succeeded not because of any single breakthrough, but because the right partners came together — each bringing excellence in their domain.”

Second, our own in-depth understanding of how the technology would be used in real-world ULD fleet management. Innovation only succeeds when it solves operational challenges, and our decades of experience in ULD design and ULD network management allowed us to shape SmartULD around the realities of airline and cargo operations — ensuring it added genuine, measurable value.

And finally, having an exceptional development partner in DHL. Their willingness to collaborate closely throughout the process — from early trials to validation and feedback loops — was invaluable. This open, iterative collaboration allowed us to refine the product rapidly and ensure it met the highest standards of performance, reliability, and usability.

The key lesson for us is that innovation is a collaborative process. SmartULD succeeded not because of any single breakthrough, but because the right partners came together — each bringing excellence in their domain — to deliver something that truly advances the industry.

5. Future Frontiers: AviusULD has a history of industry firsts. What do you see as the next disruptive innovation in ULDs?

From a digital perspective, geolocation is only the beginning. While location tracking replaces legacy, manual approaches to ULD network management, it’s just the foundation of something much bigger — a fully interconnected digital logistics ecosystem. The future lies in seamless data exchange between ULDs, aircraft systems, and ground operations, enabling real-time visibility, predictive maintenance, and automated decision-making across the entire cargo chain. SmartULD is the first step toward this vision of a truly intelligent, self-reporting logistics network.

On sustainability, the conversation is shifting beyond recyclability or weight reduction to encompass total cost of ownership and full environmental impact. The next generation of ULDs will need to deliver not only performance but also lifecycle efficiency — lighter, stronger, and more durable materials that minimize energy use, extend service life, and reduce emissions throughout their operational lifespan. This requires both robust design and advanced lightweight engineering, two areas where AviusULD continues to lead.

Finally, safety remains the cornerstone of everything we do. The growing risk of lithium battery fires in air cargo demands both preventative and containment solutions. AviusULD’s Fire Resistant Containers (FRCs) provide proven containment capability, while our innovative Fire Tag technology detects damaged lithium batteries and provides up to two hours of early warning of a potential thermal runaway event. Together, these solutions represent a holistic approach to cargo safety — preventing incidents where possible, and protecting lives and assets when prevention isn’t enough.

6. Responding to Disruption: With the continued rise of cross-border e-commerce, how is AviusULD anticipating the changing needs of cargo operators?

E-commerce is reshaping global logistics. Operators now prioritize real-time visibility, temperature control, and fire safety even for short-haul, high-frequency routes. AviusULD is responding with SmartULD-enabled fleets, data-driven lifecycle management, and fire-resistant solutions that balance safety, sustainability, and speed. We’re preparing for a world where cargo moves as fast as data, and the SmartULD enabled ULD is the interface between physical goods and the connected supply chain.

7. Aerospace Growth in Southeast Asia: With the industry growth across Southeast Asia, is the region becoming a talent hub for aerospace manufacturing?

Bangkok and the wider Southeast Asian region are increasingly recognised as an emerging hub for aerospace manufacturing. Thailand, in particular, has made strong progress through initiatives such as the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), which is attracting high-technology industries and creating a growing ecosystem of aerospace component and supply-chain companies. The region benefits from a solid industrial base, good infrastructure, and a workforce with the adaptability and technical skill needed for precision manufacturing.

That said, it’s important to recognise that the regional aerospace industry is still developing rather than fully mature. While there is strong Tier-3 and Tier-4 manufacturing capability, the more complex aerospace R&D and systems-level engineering talent remains in shorter supply.

At AviusULD, we sit squarely in that regional picture. We are an aerospace manufacturer, but not in the highly complex aircraft systems space — our focus is on Unit Load Devices (ULDs), where precision, reliability, and consistency matter most. As an SME, our success depends less on volume recruitment and more on finding and developing people with the right mindset and attitude.

We look for individuals who are curious, committed, and collaborative, and then we invest in their growth through structured development, cross-functional learning, and mentoring. This approach has enabled us to build a team that not only delivers technical excellence but also fits with our organisational culture.

8. Talent Acquisition and Retention: Aerospace demands highly niche skills. What is your strategy for attracting and retaining specialized talent?

At AviusULD, we believe that attracting and retaining specialized aerospace talent starts with creating an environment that people genuinely want to be part of. While we are a specialist SME rather than a large aerospace corporation, we offer something that many people value deeply — a clear vision for the future, a sense of purpose, and a culture built on openness and respect.

Our Vision and Mission set out an exciting direction for the company — to lead the transformation of ULD technology toward a smarter, safer, and more sustainable aviation industry. People are inspired to work where they can see their contribution making a tangible difference, and at AviusULD, that impact is visible every day in the products we design and deliver.

“We invest heavily in their growth through on-the-job learning, mentoring, and cross-functional collaboration.”

We also place great emphasis on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) — ensuring that how we do business reflects our values. Our employees take pride in being part of an organisation that is actively contributing to environmental sustainability, community development, and responsible business practices. This commitment strengthens our sense of shared purpose and belonging.

When it comes to talent development, our approach mirrors our scale and philosophy. We focus on recruiting people with the right attitude, curiosity, and drive, then invest heavily in their growth through on-the-job learning, mentoring, and cross-functional collaboration. Our goal is to help each individual build both technical competence and leadership capability over time.

9. Leadership Culture: How do you create a culture where senior leaders feel comfortable being transparent about failures in such a high-stakes, compliance-driven industry?

At AviusULD, our leadership philosophy is deeply collaborative. Each member of the AviusULD Leadership Team carries not only a defined functional responsibility — such as Operations, Engineering, Sales, or Finance — but also a shared responsibility for the key dimensions that define our success: employee engagement, CSR, business results, customer satisfaction, organisational culture and values, and continuous improvement.

This dual focus ensures that our leaders think beyond their departmental scope and make decisions that serve the whole organisation. It also creates alignment between our strategic direction and our daily actions, reinforcing that leadership is a collective endeavour rather than an individual exercise.

In addition to our regular performance reporting forums, we hold frequent Round Table discussions where topics are discussed openly and candidly in a no-blame, shared-responsibility environment. These sessions encourage transparency, trust, and collaborative problem-solving, allowing us to address challenges proactively rather than reactively.

“We promote an environment where ethical behaviour, transparency, and accountability are non-negotiable.”

Our AviusULD Ascend Programme and Strategic Kaizen approach provide the framework for ensuring that we remain aligned on priorities and focused on continuous improvement. They help us maintain clear visibility of our goals while giving teams the autonomy to drive improvement from within their own areas.

Equally, compliance and integrity are absolute cornerstones of how we operate. In a highly regulated and safety-critical industry, there is no substitute for doing things the right way — every time. We promote an environment where ethical behaviour, transparency, and accountability are non-negotiable, and where raising concerns or learning from setbacks is viewed as a sign of strength, not weakness.

10. Future Talent Needs: What skills and competencies do you see as vital for your organization when thinking about 2030 and beyond?

Looking ahead to 2030 and beyond, the future of AviusULD will be shaped by people with the right mindset, attitude, and cultural fit. Technical skills can be taught, but mindset — curiosity, accountability, and collaboration — is what drives sustainable success. That principle remains central to how we recruit and develop our teams.

Our partnership with JacksonGrant is critical in this process. They understand our culture and long-term vision, and work closely with us to identify and attract individuals who not only have the required capability, but who also embody our Values and fit the AviusULD culture.

As we continue to expand into new product areas — including digital solutions, smart ULDs, and service-based offerings — we are complementing that cultural foundation with targeted expertise. This includes bringing in specialists in data analytics, connected systems, and software integration, alongside our traditional engineering and manufacturing strengths.

We also recognise that the next wave of competitiveness will be shaped by artificial intelligence. Developing our AI competence — both within our own teams and through partnerships — is essential to unlocking predictive analytics, operational optimisation, and new insights for our customers.

Learn more about AviusULD by visiting their website: www.aviusuld.com.

5 Key Learnings on Global Leadership

1. Culture as the global connector

Managing high-level R&D in the Netherlands alongside large-scale manufacturing in Thailand requires more than logistical coordination; it demands a shared cultural language. Drummond emphasizes that a unified Mission, Vision, and Values system co-created by employees worldwide is the essential “common language” that aligns diverse teams across continents toward a single purpose.

2. Operationalize strategy

To bridge the gap between long-term strategy and daily execution, AviusULD created the “Ascend Programme” that utilizes the Hoshin Kanri matrix. This framework translates high-level corporate objectives into actionable goals for every function, ensuring that continuous improvement is embedded in the company’s DNA.

3. Innovate through ecosystems

Successful R&D is often made possible by collaborative ecosystems. AviusULD partners with leading technology organizations, along with clients who can provide rapid feedback, to combine external capabilities with their operational and technical knowledge.

4. Build shared responsibility

Leaders at AviusULD not only carry functional responsibilities but also have shared responsibility for key priorities including employee engagement, CSR, customer satisfaction, and organizational culture. Regular round-table discussions encourage transparency and a “no-blame” approach to problem-solving.

5. Invest in your talent

AviusULD prioritizes hiring for mindset—curiosity, collaboration, and accountability—over technical skills that can be taught. This talent strategy is complemented by recruiting targeted specialists and investing heavily in cross-functional training to build technical competence.

During the IIC Partners Global Conference and AGM in Bangkok, we visited the AviusULD factory to learn more about the organization’s advanced manufacturing operations. Thank you for sharing your industry expertise and leadership insights.

About IIC Partners

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