Contract logistics as a growth driver

The international roll-out for customers who are entering new markets with Quehenberger Logistics is contributing to the current expansion course, explains CEO Christian Fürstaller. The company is also successful in cross-selling because, for example, existing transport customers increasingly want to implement contract logistics with the same logistics partner. The combination of standardized processes and IT with individual, flexible modifications depending on customers and markets leads to success. "The basis for this is created by the Group-wide Contract Logistics Competence Center, where all the information comes together and is incorporated into the project design," says Fürstaller.

About Quehenberger Logistics

Quehenberger Logistics is a holistically oriented logistics partner for industry and trade with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe. The owner-managed, medium-sized company based in Straßwalchen near Salzburg employs 2,700 people at 85 locations in 17 countries. Digitalization and automation are at the heart of the quality-oriented corporate strategy. Quehenberger Logistics is a company of the Augustin Quehenberger Group.

RomaniaTotal warehouse space: 100,000 m2 Ten locations in Bucharest, Timisoara, Cluj, Oradea, Arad. Industries: Fashion, consumer goods, beverages, tires Employees: 750

CroatiaWarehouses in total: five in the greater Zagreb area and one in Split. Industries: Consumer goods, textiles, food, beverages, tires Employees: 400

SlovakiaWarehouses in total: two in Senec Sector focus: tires and automotive Employees: 80

He also observes that customers' expectations of successful outsourcing are changing with the dynamics of the markets. The focus is not on undifferentiated cost savings, but on efficient support in dealing with performance peaks and the precise processing of ever shorter order lead times. "An external partner can handle these situations better than our own organization, which usually has less experience in dealing with such flexible solutions. This ultimately results in cost savings, but also leads to a higher quality of service," explains Fürstaller. This is why his company is already planning further projects in Budapest, Bucharest, Sofia and Zagreb.

Leading in Romania

View of a Quehenberger tire warehouse.

With around 100,000 square meters of warehouse space, Quehenberger Logistics is already one of the leading logistics providers in Romania. This size is now a driver for growth in contract logistics. This is why the company is successful in this field in Croatia, but also in Russia, says Fürstaller. The outsourcing boom in south-eastern Europe, from which Quehenberger Logistics is also benefiting, is mainly due to the fact that more and more western manufacturers are selling their products in these countries and need logistics partners for distribution. In addition, the first domestic suppliers of consumer goods are appearing on the local markets.

In Romania, Quehenberger Logistics focuses on its core sectors of fashion, retail, consumer goods and tires. In 2017, a newly built central warehouse was put into operation for a large Romanian textile retailer, from which distribution takes place in Romania as well as to Bulgaria and Moldova. In addition, the e-commerce warehouse of a well-known German shoe retail group is operated for Romania and Bulgaria, and work is underway to set up a central warehouse for the same customer in Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey. Quehenberger Logistics is also opening a new warehouse for a globally active brewery group in Timisoara in fall 2017.

Successful with high flexibility

Quehenberger has also significantly expanded its activities in Croatia, Slovenia and Macedonia. For Christian Fürstaller, this is a logical step towards sustainable growth: "Central and Eastern Europe is our core region." In Croatia, Quehenberger already operates five warehouses in the greater Zagreb area and one in Split with around 400 employees and serves the branch logistics of an international food retailer, among others.

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