The Europe traffic is intensified

Scandic Trans’ international transports have increased considerably the past years, after efforts on the European market – both from the head office in Finland as well as from the subsidiary Scandic Logistics on the Swedish west coast. Despite the fact that a pandemic came in the way and temporary lowered the volumes, it looks like 2021 will be a very good year for the new routes.

Text: Anna Sand • Picture: Linda Svarfvar

The focused sales work started three years ago, and since then one has gone from zero to notable and regular volumes when it comes to both import and export. – We have greatly focused on new procurements and quotations, which has led to a successful result. Previous customers have chosen to continue to employ Scandic Trans and new have been added since they have been so pleased. Thanks to Scandic Trans many have experienced a new level of reliability, states Richard Romar, project manager within market development at the head office.

Also Joakim Lassen at Scandic Logistics in Helsingborg have reasons to be pleased. – We went out with a very aggressive budget for 2020, then completely unaware about what to except in the spring. Despite the decline that the pandemic caused during the first part of the year we made a positive result and then 2021 got off to a flying start – one of such magnitude that we now will have to revise this year’s budget, Lassen says.

From Sweden there are weekly solid flows between among other Poland and Scandinavia, and fortunately these are clients that have not been affected by the pandemic. – We are of course thankful for the fact that our biggest client has not been affected – this is also reflected in our turnover, Lassen further states.

Ever since February, ten trucks are weekly loaded for export of ADR-classified goods, dangerous goods that is, to a new client in southern Europe. – This meant a very nice start of the year for us, and we are now talking such volumes that we plan putting in our own trucks and trailers on this route. – We have also received a number of other, smaller European clients, Lassen continues, and we also continue to work with the same haulage contractors as earlier. We now have solid flows to all of the Baltic countries, he adds.

Richard Romar, to the left and Joakim Lassen.

Scandic Trans has during the past year been able to use their own cars for part of the European traffic, since the total amount of export has increased.

The effort to increase the amount of returning goods is constantly ongoing and new relations are built all the time, for example also in Hungary and Romania.

Maintaining good relations with the customers is vital according to Lassen – something he however feels has been much more challenging during the past year. – Business trips and customer visits are currently a thing of the past, and for me personally it initially felt very hard to meet the customers only digitally. Electronic meetings do however save a great deal of time and effectivity, and they are also good from an environmental point of view. But I hope that they will not replace physical meetings altogether – I feel that they are extremely important.

Lassen also cares about building collegial relations and striving towards mutual development with the haulage contractor one collaborates with. – We have strengthened the collaboration with our European partners, we have focused on open relations with them and that in turn has created a synergy effect. We have more and bigger procurements going on and it looks like 2021 is going to be a very good year. During the year they have also been able to use their own trucks and trailers for part of the traffic in Europe, since the total amount of export has increased. – The goal is to double the turnover the coming two years, Romar tells us. A great deal of building material has for our part been added to the export traffic, as well as plastic products. When looking at import we have among other a new, exclusive big client in the Baltics when it comes to frozen goods.

There are permanent, regular flows to France, Germany, the Benelux countries and northern Italy, while temperature controlled food has the biggest growth potential. – The world moves on and people consume – in spite of the pandemic, Romar states.

We have greatly focused on new procurements and quotations, which has led to a successful result. Previous customers have chosen to continue to employ Scandic Trans and new have been added since they have been so pleased.