ITALY\\\


Steady progress for Italy specialist


Whilst Italy’s economy isn’t currently growing the impact on trade hasn’t been signifi cant, says John Simkins, general manager at forwarder Transmec UK “We’ve seen small dips in the


past but shipment numbers have always bounced back,” he says. Transmec operates


throughout Europe, However, UK-Italy is Transmec UK’s primary international market and whilst other carriers may dip in and out, it’s one Transmec remains committed to, he adds. Transmec Group operates


from 40 locations in 14 countries. It has branches in eight Italian cities including its headquarters, Modena along with Milan, Turin and Florence. The group continues to be


run by the Montecchi family, descendants of Domenico Montecchi who started the business in 1850. Transmec UK, which was


established in 1990 and now employs 185 people, operates from four depots


at West


Thurrock, Bradford, Redditch and Worcester. Road services between the


UK and Italy operate daily and include double-manned express options. Transmec carried more than 70,000 shipments between the UK and Italy in 2018. The balance of trade is


weighted towards imports to the UK with a split of around 60% imports and 40% UK exports. It’s easier to categorise the


goods moving from Italy to the UK than in the other direction, Simkins continues. Whilst they include high-end engineering products and automotive parts, there are also items that Italy is well-known for, such as fashion, ceramics and leather goods. Transmec also brings in non- perishable supplies such as olive oil for UK restaurants. He adds: “Whilst we don’t carry ice cream, we do transport ice


cream machines manufactured by Carpigiani, who are a long- standing customer. As well as delivering the machines to food and pub chains, Transmec teams have been specially-trained to install them too – this works extremely well.” Technogym is another Italian


client for whom Transmec provides a delivery and installation service, with teams serving the whole of the UK. For other clients it provides pick and pack services, “another example of how we’ve developed to add value to customers by off ering much more than just transport,” says Simkins. Fashion is one of Transmec’s


specialisms and it operates an express, double-manned road service on behalf of luxury and high-street brands. In many cases its logistics


operation is fi ne-tuned to deliver within 24 hours. Whilst operating in both directions between the UK and Italy, it’s focused particularly on importing to serve the London market. Italy is predominantly a road


market but Transmec has seen a growth in rail transport since it launched its own Italy-UK service three years ago. This runs in both directions and now carries around 15% of freight between the two countries. The direct, daily service runs


from Novara, west of Milan, to Zeebrugge with trailers then transported to either Tilbury, for the south and Midlands, or Hull for north and Scotland. With diff erences in transit times of less than 24 hours compared to road, intermodal is well-suited to most goods, particularly those with slightly longer lead times. This growth in intermodal


is expected to continue, particularly as the rail infrastructure improves to allow increased frequency and faster times.


P&O Ferrymasters (P&OFM) general manager in Italy, Sandro Pagani, says that there has been an increase in the use of intermodal solutions in the last few years. He explains: “The introduction


of Huckepack units alongside investment in swapbodies has enabled us to respond to increasing demand for capacity from Italy into Northern Europe.” Customers are demanding


Issue 3 2019 - Freight Business Journal Intermodal is on the up to Italy


lower costs and more capacity, he says: “Intermodal can off er these advantages together with a higher payload at a nearly equal transit time versus road, and in a more sustainable manner.” The decision to develop


company trains was a key factor for P&O Ferrymasters. These provide stable capacity, better control and are a tool to increase capacity rapidly to enhance


modal shiſt . P&OFM currently runs nine


company trains per week between Italy, Belgium and Holland, with further capacity provided by existing shuttle services. P&OFM uses the Novara,


Segrate and Trieste terminals in Northern Italy, and Pomezia, Bari and Nola in the South. Pagani explains: “In these terminals we have capable and reliable partners


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who are able to handle any type of request for us.” The company operates its


own IT portal and in addition has developed EDI connections with its most important clients in the last few years. Customer service has also


recently been reinforced by creating ‘control tower’ dedicated offi ces to host larger pan-European accounts. P&OFM’s main market in Italy


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