IBERIA\\\


international transport activity. As well as the forwarding arm, Norbert Dentressangle also offers its Red Europe pan-European groupage service to all Spain’s major EU markets such as the UK, France, Italy and Germany. Fruit and vegetables, textiles


and car components are the traditional mainstay of Spanish


exports, but building products and machinery are also growing. “The internal market is dead, so the only choice for companies is to go international,” Pradilla explains. The recession has taken some


competitors out of the market but price competition is fierce among the survivors so the freight market isn’t exactly healthy at the


Issue 7 2013 - FBJ


Exports help liſt Spanish economy out of trouble


moment. “Prices are going down and it’s destroying the market,” Pradilla comments. Nevertheless, with the backing


of a strong international group, Norbert Dentressangle is investing its network in Spain, refurbishing existing depots and building new ones – for example, a new 17,000sq m facility north of Barcelona last


31


year. It has also bought other local forwarders including Fiege in Spain and the smaller Tilar operation. Norbert Dentressangle could be in the market for further acquisitions, but they would have to be the right companies that would add value or fill specific niches.


‘Export or die’ was coined in a cash- strapped post World War II Britain but it applies equally to modern day Spain as the country grapples with an unprecedented economic crisis. With the domestic market on the floor, Spanish firms are increasingly


turning to sales overseas or to other EU countries


in order to survive, says Alberto Pradilla, commercial director of Norbert Dentressangle Gerposa, the Iberian arm of the French owned transport and logistics giant. Fortunately, that ties in well


with the Group’s aim of increasing its freight forwarding and


Speeding to Spain and Portugal


Davies Turner is another freight operator planning to step up its Spanish services soon. Head of European network, Danny Southby says that services to Irun and Madrid, currently operating at two departures a week, could be stepped up to three times a week from early next year. They would thus match the existing shuttle service from the UK to Barcalona, which is already three times a week.


Spain is the UK forwarder’s


fourth-busiest European market and while it has gone through very tough times lately, there is some “cautious optimism” that things have turned the corner, Danny Southby says. “Unemployment is starting to fall, taking seasonal factors


relatively well in the recent climate,


because average shipment


Danny Southby adds, size


has been reducing. Collection and delivery is


offered anywhere in the UK and Spain, in the latter by Spanish partner Salvat. Traffic is a real mixture, including garments, shoes, idnustrial machinery and chemicals, plus traffic for the holiday resorts in season. As Spain exports its way out of trouble traffic on the northbound leg is naturally somewhat higher than in the southbound direction. Trucks generally operate


into account, although


our Spanish colleagues would probably want to see the recovery continue for a good 3-4 months before they can be confident that a recovery really is underway.” Davies Turner did though show


some confidence in the market in stepping up its shuttle service between Dartford and Barcelona 18 months ago. This takes only 24 hours from depot to depot, thanks to the triple-manned operation, in which each cab is manned continuously manned by two drivers, backed up be a third driver who takes over en route – thus ensuring that the wheels keep turning 24 hours a day. Groupage traffic has fared


via the Tunnel or short-sea crossings to France. Timings of the direct ferry services from the UK to Spain are not ideal and they would increase journey times over the direct road service,


Southby points out.


When and if the French Ecotax is introduced, “we will have to evaluate that” but it would take a lot to persuade Davies Turner to relinquish its current high speed operation. Davies Turner also serves with twice weekly


Portugal


departures to Oporto and Lisbon (the midweek one is oſten combined). Transit time is 48 hours and again, partner UGL covers the whole country. This is another country


that has suffered badly in the recession, but there may be signs of a recovery.


European Road Freight Transport Specialists


Since our foundation in August 2000, we have become recognised as a leading logistics provider of International road freight services to and from Italy and Western Europe.


Our success can only be attributed to our guiding philosophy of providing a quality of service above and beyond industry expectations.


l Hazardous goods capabilities on most departures, in compliance with ADR and IMDG rules. Documentation checking service and advice from our on-site DGSAs.


l Trailer groupage services to and from Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece.


l Freight forwarding services between Western, Central and Eastern Europe.


l Deep sea and air freight services worldwide.


l Twice winners of the BIFA European Services Award and finalist in 2012.


Hazardous & Dangerous Goods Specialists


FOR RATES & BOOKING CALL 0845 450 7893 Leestone Road, Sharston Industrial Estate, Manchester M22 4RB Email: email@ital-logistics.com www.ital-logistics.com


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