LAGO Express 01/2019 EN

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Digitisation – Full speed ahead

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Orneule and LAGO have found their common thread

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The journey of an amusement ride across Europe

A MAGAZINE FOR LAGO LOGISTICS’S STAKEHOLDERS IN 1/2019

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FINLA

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- EUROP E

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EXPRESS

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LAGO A long history of forwarding

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AGO’s predecessor, T a m p e r e e n Express-Huolinta, was established in 1984 as a forwarding agent with a comprehensive service portfolio. In addition to customs clearances, the company managed its customers’ purchasing contacts in Italy, which at that time was an important target country as Finnish shoe and furniture factories used vast amounts of Italian leather as well as shoe and furniture parts. A continuous caravan of trucks rolled from Italy to the shoe factories in southern and south-western Finland.

In the 1980s, the Iron Curtain still divided Europe in two, and there was nothing like the Schengen agreement in place. Hence, there were plenty of borders to cross with the respective formalities, resulting in copious amounts of work for transport coordinators.

Nevertheless, logistics experts such as Express-Huolinta managed to set the wheels in motion and ensure that goods from the Mediterranean reached their Nordic destination.

The depression in the 1990s was obviously difficult due to the downturn in economic activity and the wave of bankruptcies that hit customers. With

perseverance, the company made it through the recession.

In 1995 , Finland became a member of the European Union and entered its internal market. As a result, Tampereen Express-Huolinta switched focus from customs activities to selling transport services. Thanks to timely preparations, the change was smooth and the company was able to transport the fruits of the economic growth around Europe with less effort than before.

In 2003, Express-Huolinta Oy and its long-time partner Scortrans S.r.l incorp orated a new company called ScortExpress Oy to handle imports from Italy. Nowadays, the company also m a n a ge s f reig ht transport from Spain and Portugal.

In early 2 017, Express-Huolinta formed a subsidiary, L AGO Logistics Sp.z o.o., in Poland, to further develop the fruitful existing

collaboration with a long-term Polish partner. In December that year, Tampereen Express-Huolinta Oy changed its name to LAGO Logistics Oy to better reflect the international nature of its operations.

Currently, the 35-year-old LAGO Logistics is in better shape than ever.

During its existence, the company has survived a major recession and adapted its operations to EU membership, the internet era and digitisation, while creating a vast network of contacts. Through thick and thin, LAGO has maintained its focus on personal service and long-term customer relationships that are based on trust.

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Editorial

Contents

Life is short, the hockey season is long

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LAGO – a long history of forwarding

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LAGO was incorporated in 1984. In the autumn of that year, the latest hockey season in the Finnish Hockey League began, with Tampereen Ilves eventually winning the championship.

Since then, LAGO has had numerous successful financial years,

Digitisation – Full speed ahead

whereas the success of the Ilves hockey team has mostly been

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less than impressive. We have had our share of difficulties as well – think about the recession in the 1990s – so we know how it feels to be bringing up the rear, fighting for your existence.

Right now, business is better than ever for us, we organise

Orneule and LAGO have found their common thread

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goods transport around the continent, and we even take the other local team Tappara’s gear to their Champions Hockey League games. While LAGO performs consistently, it makes us uncomfortable to see the noble lynx, or Ilves in Finnish, flounder

BOOM – the journey of an amusement ride across Europe

on the ice.

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Arto Hyödynmaa Managing Director

Profile

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ScortExpress specialises in all things Italian

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Motologistica

Layout and editing Marketing Communications Agency Mainio www.mainiota.fi Print PK-Paino Tampere, Finland November 2019 500 copies

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Are you looking for a reliable partner for freight transportation between Finland and the rest of Europe? We can offer safe and precise transport services at competitive prices. Our services cover all types of road transport of parcelled goods, partial loads and full truckloads across Europe. We can also handle express and specialist haulage tasks.

We always want to offer the best possible service to our customers. The only way to achieve that is to be a pioneer in the industry and to constantly look for new solutions to our customers’ needs. Our experience of more than 30 years forms a solid foundation for understanding current and future challenges in managing parcel flows.

LAGO LOGISTICS OY – FORERUNNER IN ROAD TRANSPORTATION

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Digitisation Full speed ahead

“The transport industry is being digitised rapidly, but there is still a long way to go before everyone knows how to best use electronic environments, ensuring they benefit all parties.

LAGO has invested in the development of its own IT system to be able to serve its customers digitally,” says LAGO’s Chief Business Development Officer Antti Hyödynmaa.

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igital systems are gaining in popularit y in the logistics sector, and Finland is one of the forerunners in this development.

Electronic consignment notes are becoming increasingly common in Finland, but many Eastern and Central European countries still require physical consignment notes, and in some countries, accounting legislation may require physical copies of documents.

“Finnish legislation is up to date in this aspect, but we have to keep improving the efficiency of our operations to remain competitive. This is where digitisation plays an important role. It is important that the various operators communicate using electronic means,” says Antti Hyödynmaa.

According to Antti, phone and email play a central role in everyday communications. He explains that email is a handy tool that ensures that both parties have the communications in written format, whereas the phone plays a key role in the personal customer

service that LAGO wants to offer its customers, even in the digital era. Direct information exchange systems that are linked to each other are becoming more and more common every day. In logistics centres, for example, the consignments can communicate automatically with the central system in the terminal using RFID tags, which can significantly speed up the transport process.

“I believe that within the next ten years, European operators will switch to using electronic consignment notes and other documents only, although it also depends on the development of legislation in various countries. People are so used to quick customer service and electronic data exchange that I think it is funny that in our industry, you still have to take a pile of papers from one counter to another.”

In-house IT system improves service LAGO has started developing its own IT system in collaboration with a notable Polish software house, with the aim of being able to serve customers even better

in all phases of the process.

“With the help of our own system we can adapt to our customers’ needs, and not the other way around. Our state-of-theart IT service will take the speed, ease, precision and efficiency of our service to a whole new level.”

But how will digitisation affect everyday operations in logistics? When, for example, will autonomous lorries operate on European roads?

“One day, ‘robotic’ lorries will be business as usual, but it is too early to say when. This development is already underway and progressing fast. In fact, most of the necessary technology already exists, and it is currently being tested and improved. It is possible that soon, transport between logistics centres and ports or air terminals will no longer require drivers. In road transport, I would say that the next step will be autonomous platooning systems in which people monitor and control short convoys of autonomous trucks. Nevertheless, it is difficult to predict, especially the future.”

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Orneule and LAGO have found their common thread

Orneule Oy, which operates in Orivesi in Western Finland, has collaborated with LAGO Logistics since 1984. Over the years, the world has changed and walls have been torn down, but the partnership between the companies has only grown stronger.

Trust

is the number one priority A continuous partnership of 35 years is something unusual in today’s hectic business life.

What is the secret behind the collaboration between Orneule and LAGO? Let’s hear what the CEOs think.

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stablished in 1978, Orneule Oy is the largest producer of knitted fabrics in Finland. The company, located in Orivesi near the city of Tampere, produces more than half a million kilos of knitted products a year.

Orneule’s customer base consists of companies and institutions located in Finland and abroad. Exports account for about 20% of sales. The most important

destination countries for exports are Russia, the Baltic countries, Sweden and Germany. Orneule and LAGO have already collaborated for 35 years. In fact, the partnership started as soon as LAGO’s predecessor, Tampereen Express-Huolinta Oy, was established.

The managing director of Orneule Oy tells us about their history: “The company is a family-owned

Jyrki Uotila

“ We have always valued L AGO’s straightforward, agile and flexible approach to business. They do not pass you around from one department to another. They operate as a one-stop shop where you always get to do business with the same person. This also makes communication flow smoothly. When you know your partner, it is also easier to find creative solutions to exceptional situations, which is not always possible with a large and inflexible company.”

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business established by five brothers in 1978, and is currently led by two cousins from the next generation. I started as managing director in 2008, and my cousin Timo works as our sales manager.

We are a small, agile and flexible operator with the Key Flag symbol for Finnish work. In our company, senior management is very familiar with the everyday operations on the shop floor, and we can actually hear the machines in our headquarters. All of our operations are housed under one roof where we produce knitted fabrics for various uses, such as workwear, sports and leisure, and children’s clothing. Among other things, we manufacture fireproof knits, antibacterial materials, protective fabrics and cut-resistant materials. For instance, we manufacture wrist guards for hockey players using Cutlon knit material that protects them against cuts from skate blades, and chainsaw stoppers for loggers.

As you can see, we have an extremely wide product portfolio. In addition, we also manufacture a variety of merino wool fabrics,” says Mr Uotila.

Rain or shine, Orneule has persisted There has been turbulence in the industry, but Jyrki Uotila believes that continuous product development, continuously high quality and listening to the customers’ needs helped the company stay afloat.

One of the key factors in difficult times was the company’s uninterrupted ability to deliver and their service security.

Thanks to the excellent collaboration with LAGO, Orneule did not have to worry about logistics and was able to focus on its core business.

Respect for Finnish work on a practical level In a global economy, SMEs like Orneule and LAGO have to face competition from multinational giants. Therefore, the CEOs of both companies would like to see respect for Finnish work in practice, not only in ceremonial speeches.

Jyrki Uotila of Orneule would not mind the purchasing agents of major retail chains highlighting other values in addition to price when selecting products.

“In our industry, Finnish products stand out thanks to their top level chemical safety and environmental values, which some competitors in distant countries

Arto Hyödynmaa

“Our collaboration started as soon as we had established Tampereen Express-Huolinta Oy. We have transported innumerable truckloads of yarn for Orneule to produce knitted fabric from – at the best of times, several containers a week and ten consignments of parcelled goods every week.

Our operations have adapted to the varying circumstances. At first, every consignment had to be cleared for customs, and we collaborated to make sure that import taxes were properly taken care of. Due to the interest rates of nearly 20% in the 1980s and early 90s, this method of operation relied on complete trust. There were only a handful of companies in Finland with which we would have worked in the same way. A prerequisite for this kind of longterm collaboration is complete mutual trust combined with the uncompromising completion of every single assignment.”

may not always respect. In Europe, we are monitored by the EU and national authorities, ensuring the safety, ethical aspects and responsibility in our operations.”

Arto Hyödynmaa of LAGO says that buyouts have resulted in a few giants in the logistics industry that can be challenging to compete with.

“Thanks to our customer service and flexibility, we can match any kind of competition.”

These two entrepreneurs are perfect examples of Finnish persistence. Empires thought to be eternal may have collapsed, but nothing was able to stop yarn and fabrics from travelling to every corner of the earth. Nothing probably will in the next 35 years, either.

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BOOM The journey of an amusement ride across Europe

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OOM is the new amusement ride that arrived at Särkänniemi amusement park in 2019. The new tower ride that dominates the skyline of the amusement park reaches up to 68 metres. It hurls the riders up in the air and then back down at full speed while the tower spins around. The ride is complicated and packed with cutting edge technology, which made transporting it challenging.

It was constructed at the Zamperla factory in Altavilla Vicentina in northern Italy, and ScortExpress Oy organised its transportation from the factory to Finland.

Over the years, ScortExpress Oy has organised various challenging transportations to Särkänniemi: examples of the largest rides the company has transported include the MotoGee moto coaster, the disc’o coaster Tyrsky, and the roller coaster Trombi. In April 2019, the newest major acquisition of the amusement park, the ride called BOOM, posed a new logistics challenge for ScortExpress Oy. There were 130 tonnes of complicated technology that had to be transported from Italy to Tampere,

following a strict schedule to enable a smooth assembly of the ride on site.

The transportation was planned according to the detailed instructions from the factory where BOOM was manufactured. It took two specialist haulages to transport the large pressure tanks, and securing the necessary permissions with the Italian authorities required the kind of expertise and local knowledge that ScortExpress can offer.

It was also necessary to find out about any special characteristics, such as any restrictions to heavy transport or bank holidays in the transit countries that may affect the schedule. The oversized loads travelled through Germany by road, across the Baltic Sea by ferry, and again by road from the south coast to Tampere.

The journey took a total of seven days.

The rest of the ride’s structures took up a bit over six regular truckloads, and they were transported by road through the Baltic countries, which took five days.

The trucks arrived at Särkänniemi over a period of three days. ScortExpress informed the assembly staff on site about the contents and schedule of each

It is great to have a reliable partner to handle our transportation needs. We can always rely on ScortExpress to deliver every single switch and button right on time,” Jarmo Körkkö says.

truckload. The experts at Maintpartner assembled the ride according to the instructions from the supervisor, who arrived from the Zamperla factory. A crane was obviously used in the assembly works. Jarmo Körkkö, maintenance supervisor at Särkänniemi amusement park, praises the project for keeping to schedules and for the smooth exchange of information throughout the process.

“BOOM was first assembled in the factory for testing, then dismantled and loaded onto trucks to be transported to Finland. After the assembly on site, the ride was meticulously tested under the supervision of several engineers from the factory. The long journey from production line to a ready-to-use ride requires the efforts of numerous people.”

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Road transport from Spain to Finland and Italy to Finland

Being a small and agile company, we can offer quick and flexible customer service.

In addition, our pricing is competitive.

Several departures each week from our terminals in Vicenza, Milan and Barcelona ensure that our customers receive their parcels on time.

SCORTEXPRESS OY Mätäsperä 3 C FI-33100 Tampere, Finland Tel. +358 10 30 93 600 scortexpress@scortexpress.fi scortexpress.fi

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Profile: TEEMU YLISALMI

PATRYK LEJMAN

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

At work, I always strive to be sharp, and with friends I’m easy-going. In new social situations I tend to watch the situation first, but thanks to my good sense of humour and sociability, I adapt to the situations easily.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I have an entrepreneurial mindset, I’m creative, friendly and positive, and I get along with people easily.

Which part of Finland are you from?

I was born in Rauma on the west coast of Finland, where my parents worked, but we moved to Tampere when I was 7 years old. I’ve lived here ever since. I haven’t forgotten my roots, though, and I’m a fan of Rauman Lukko hockey team.

How long have you been in the logistics industry?

From the very beginning of my career in 2005. During my Bachelor’s studies in Business Administration I did an internship here, and after mutual positive experiences, I got a job here immediately after I graduated.

What is your role at ScortExpress?

My title is Traffic Manager. In practice this means that I manage the freight transportations between Finland and Italy as well as Finland and Spain. I’m also involved in invoicing, handling complaints, and sometimes even sales work.

Do you have a family and what are your hobbies?

I live with my partner, and we have two daughters who are seven and nine years old. I like to spend time at our summer cottage with my family, and I sometimes play golf.

Have you got any dreams that you would like to make come true?

I dream of a holiday somewhere far away, either in North America, Japan, or Australia and New Zealand.

Which part of Poland are you from and how did you end up living in Finland?

I’m from Wrocław in south-western Poland. When I was ten, my mother got a job at Nivala College of Music in northern Finland. We moved because of her job.

When and how did you start in the logistics sector?

Last year, around the turn of the year, I was offered a job at LAGO because of my language skills – Antti Hyödynmaa and I had some common friends so we knew each other.

I decided to switch from film editing and teaching to logistics. At the moment, I’m LAGO’s Traffic Manager for Eastern Europe.

How would you compare Finnish and Polish people?

To exaggerate a bit, you could say that Polish people are more open, flexible, exuberant and much more social than Finns, and they have much tighter relationships with their family and friends. Finns are punctual, and they make a point of keeping their word. Finns trust the system, and they make up for their lack of flexibility by always showing up on time. I think I am a bit of both, although I would say that I identify myself more as a Finn.

Have you got family?

I have a wife, a seven-year-old daughter and an eight-yearold son.

What are your hobbies?

I’m a keen motorist, and I love riding my enduro bike on dirt roads.

Have you got any dreams that you would like to make come true?

I would like to take some time to travel around the world and get to know different cultures. I dream of travelling for two or three years.

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WESTERN HARBOUR

KOVERHAR HARBOUR

OUTER HARBOUR

Port of Hanko Ltd. Western harbour, 10900 Hanko, Finland tel. +358 10 2355 000 www.portofhanko.fi

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ScortE EXPRESS

ScortExpress Oy was established in 2003 when Tampereen ExpressHuolinta Oy and Scortrans s.r.l., partners since 1989, founded a new, equally-owned company that would focus on freight transport between Italy and Finland. From the very beginning, ScortExpress Oy has offered excellent customer service, flexibly serving the needs of each customer with care. In Italy, the company’s terminals and offices are located in Vicenza, Milan and Florence.

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n 2015, ScortExpress Oy expanded its operations to cover Spain in collaboration with CosmoPartner S.A., offering transport services between Spain and Finland as well. In Spain, the company has offices in Barcelona and Tarragona and a terminal in Barcelona.

In most parts of the country, deliveries within Finland can be arranged within 24 hours of the shipment arriving in Finland.

The Track-and-Trace service makes it possible to track the shipment in real time.

After delivery, the signed consignment notes are archived electronically and kept for the customer’s future needs.

“We import about 15–20 truckloads of parcelled goods and full truck loads a week from Italy. The cargo contains many products and materials for the machine industry, leather for shoe and furniture

factories, yarn for the knitwear sector – in other words, we transport a very wide portfolio of different products. Northern Italy is a hub of industry, so there is plenty to transport from there,” says Teemu Ylisalmi, Traffic Manager, ScortExpress.

There are two main transport routes from Italy to Finland: the most frequently used r o u te r u n s t h r o u g h Eastern Europe and the Baltic countries to Tallinn and Helsinki.

On the other route via Central Europe, the freight is transported as intermodal transportation, in which it travels through Germany on a train and a ferry from Rostock to Hanko, from where it is transported further on a truck.

If it fits, we transport it In addition to regular transport, ScortExpress can also arrange express and specialist haulage. “ We c an basic ally transport anything that can be loaded on a truck. For example, we have transported amusement rides from Italy to Särkänniemi amusement park in Tampere, which goes to show that we have extensive experience of

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Express EXPRESS

specialises in all things Italian

unusual assignments as well. International specialist haulage tasks require expertise.

After all, the processes may take some time while subcontractors arrange local permits, which can sometimes result in delays we cannot do anything about.

These assignments require careful planning and execution and smooth communication between the parties. I enjoy these tasks because in them, you have to put all of your skills to good use,” Teemu explains.

A cornerstone of ScortExpress’s operations is versatile and personal customer service.

“We stand out thanks to our availability and the fact that you will always reach the same person on the phone. We inform our customers quickly about everything, including delays, so that they can prepare and inform their customers as necessary.

Open and prompt communication builds trust, and this is something our long-term customers praise us for.

During peak periods in particular, when schedules are tight and everyone is in a hurry, smooth communications give our customers peace of mind in terms of transport. We are particularly busy around Christmas, and towards the end of July when people in Central European are preparing for their summer holidays: factories want to have their warehouses

empty and retailers look to replenish their inventories before the holidays.”

Continuously good news from Spain We expanded our operations to Spain in 2015, and currently we transport up to three truckloads of cargo a week from the Iberian peninsula. The operations are growing, and Teemu Ylisalmi is optimistic about the future of the route. After all, a variety of industrial goods and furniture are imported from Spain to Finland.

ScortExpress is also expanding its presence in Florence, where the economy has already been expanding for quite a while. There, the company’s target is to achieve the same volumes as in Milan, where it has had a successful office for a couple of years already.

ScortExpress connects the Southern European markets with those in Finland, and its business is growing steadily.

Whether you are engaged in exports or imports, ScortExpress is there to assist you!

scortexpress.fi

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Twists and turns along the way Bikers are the only people who enjoy twists and turns along the way.

Motologistica offers an uncomplicated service that paves the way for you to enjoy the twists and turns on your holiday.

Our seamless transport service saves you from long and tiring transit sections, so you can simply enjoy the winding roads at your destination.

motologistica.fi

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Motologistica M

otologistica is a motorcycle transport service provided by LAGO. When travelling, bikers can send their motorcycles to Southern Europe or the UK with Motologistica and travel there without having to ride the transit sections that may be thousands of kilometres long.

The service that transports motorbikes to Vicenza in Italy, Barcelona in Spain and North Weald in England has proven popular. Staff at the destination terminals have been thoroughly introduced to safely unloading the bikes for their owners.

In Finland, Motologistica’s terminal is located in Tampere.

With us, it’s safe and secure!

Teemu Ylisalmi, you work as coordinator at Motologistica.

Where did the idea for this kind of service come from?

Our CEO Arto Hyödynmaa is a keen biker, and he and his biker friends had been playing with the idea of having their motorbikes transported instead of riding the long transit sections.

How do you load the motorcycles and how challenging is it?

Every type of bike poses its own challenges. We use three different sizes of frames for attaching the motorbikes with straps, which ensure the bike will not fall in any circumstances. Experience has taught us the best practices and loading methods for each type of bike.

What kinds of motorcycles do you handle?

We can transport any production motorbike with two wheels.

Start your engine at the destination A loyal customer of Motologistica, promoter Timo Isomäki, books artists for events and festivals. An example of the events he has organised are the two Rammstein shows in Tampere this summer. Now he is heading for a welldeserved biking holiday in Scotland.

Can you tell us about your background as a biker?

I’ve spent nearly all my life on a Harley, particularly after turning 30. I’m on my fourth Harley Davidson at the moment, and I couldn’t be happier riding it.

What made you consider using the Motologistica service?

When a friend told me about the service, I checked the Motologistica website for more information, decided to give it a try and was very happy with the service.

How often have you used Motologistica and to which destinations have you sent your motorbike?

suffered minor damage during loading.

Motologistica took care of the issue quickly and without further ado by replacing the case.

I’ve sent the bike to Italy at least four times, I’ve been to Spain once so far, and now I’m sending the Harley to England because I’m planning to ride the winding roads on the Scottish moors.

Would you recommend Motologistica to other bikers?

What are the benefits of such an arrangement for the biker?

Thanks to this service, you can skip the tiring transit sections and start your biking holiday after you have reached your chosen destination.

Have you experienced any hiccups on the way and how were the issues overcome?

Once in Italy, the top case had

Absolutely! This is a smooth and carefree arrangement, the service is excellent, and the staff take care of everything down to a T.

LAGO LOGISTICS OY – FORERUNNER IN ROAD TRANSPORTATION

FINLAND LAGO LOGISTICS OY

POLAND LAGO LOGISTICS SP. Z O.O.

Mätäsperä 3 C

Gdynia

Bielsko-Biała

33100 Tampere

Adres: ul. Hutnicza 53C 81-061 Gdynia

Adres: ul. Michałowicza 60, 43-300 Bielsko-Biała

FINLAND

Adres korespondencyjny:

Adres korespondencyjny:

Tel. +358 10 30 93 600

ul. Hutnicza 53C, 81-061 Gdynia

ul. Michałowicza 60, 43-300 Bielsko-Biała

POLSKA

POLSKA

Tel. +48 12 259 24 82

Telefon komórkowy: 00 48 720 828 494

Email: gdynia@lagologistics.pl

Email: bielsko-biala@lagologistics.pl

Email: lago@lagologistics.fi www.lagologistics.fi

www.lagologistics.pl