Actus des entreprises
GEFCO FORMS NEW CZECH REPUBLIC-SLOVAKIA-HUNGARY STRATEGIC CLUSTER
GEFCO, a global multimodal supply-chain expert and a leading provider of automotive logistics in Europe, has formed a new strategic cluster for its business in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Aleksander Raczynski, the former General Manager of GEFCO Czech Republic and Slovakia, assumed the leadership of this new unit on December 1.
In effect, Hungary joins the Czech Republic-Slovakia cluster created by GEFCO three years ago. “The merger of our Czech and Slovak management and strategy has proven successful and is one of the reasons we decided to add Hungary on December 1,” said Aleksander Raczynski, CEO of the cluster.
Whereas integrating the Czech and Slovak businesses was logical in terms of the common history of both countries, as well as their virtually identical commercial cultures and positions on their local markets, Hungary joins the cluster as a younger and smaller business with a previously limited portfolio of services. Describing the benefits for customers, Mr. Raczynski added, “The main reason for adding Hungary was the high degree of cooperation between all three markets. Thanks to the cluster, customers can now access a wide range of unified services across the region through a single contact.”
Apart from sharing know-how and providing a broad portfolio of services in all three markets, the aim of the expanded cluster is to strengthen GEFCO’s position in international tenders and increase its buying power to provide customers with increasingly competitive logistics solutions.
Replication of services on the Hungarian market
Thanks to the cluster, new services will be introduced to Hungary over the next few months. “GEFCO has been operating here for 10 years, specializing primarily in overland transport services and warehouse logistics,” added Mr. Raczynski. “It’s a market with great potential and untapped opportunities, where we plan to quickly replicate our comprehensive know-how and strengthen our position.”
Efficient management of the multinational unit
Employing a total of 1,500 logistics professionals, GEFCO’s expanded cluster will be in good hands. As the former head of GEFCO Czech Republic and Slovakia, CEO Aleksander Raczynski is a GEFCO veteran with experience in developing business across several European markets. He also contributed to the successful creation of GEFCO subsidiaries in Bulgaria in 2011 and Russia in 2008.
Meanwhile, Ladislav Balogh, the Air & Sea Manager for GEFCO Slovakia, will be responsible for defining and implementing strategy for the Air & Sea division in the Hungarian market. Zafer Özkök, the General Manager of GEFCO Hungary, has been appointed Sales Director for the cluster. And Miloš Mrázek, the FVL Director for the Czech Republic and Slovakia, will manage finished vehicle logistics throughout the region.
“Changes in top management proved successful for us three years ago when we created the first Czech Republic-Slovakia cluster,” commented Mr. Raczynski. “As a result, we have been able to ensure closer cooperation between markets, greater efficiency and more sophisticated logistics solutions for the benefit of our customers and partners.”