Iteco 2013
Holland Transport

News

08 Ago 2019

Logistics sector in Austria and Switzerland stay strong

Transportonline
The_Wels_container_terminal_near_Linz

The Wels container terminal near Linz.

 

Despite a slight economic slowdown the logistics sector in Austria and Switzerland is in good overall shape. In addition to the promising momentum there are also a number of worrying developments that the sector needs to keep an eye on.

 

There is a ring of truth to Spedlog­swiss director Thomas Schwarzenbach’s words that, overall, the logistics sector is closely linked to foreign trade. This is especially true for generally very export-oriented countries, a category that Austria and Switzerland both fall in.

 

In terms of the latest economic forecasts the two countries are practically in step. After a strong 2018 there has been a slight slowdown in 2019. Analysts nevertheless expect GDP to grow by 1.2% in Switzerland and 1.7% in Austria this year. The logistics sector must follow developments especially closely, however; a slowdown can quickly become a downturn.

 

Comparing the logistics situation in the two countries reveals that Austria currently makes a slightly more dynamic impression. The Rail Cargo Group (RCG), the freight transport subsidiary of the Austrian state-owned railway enterprise ÖBB, has developed into an impressive player in the railfreight market in recent years. Right from an early stage RCG banked strongly on the growth potential of railway operations to and from China, and is now busy emphatically advocating the expansion of a broad-gauge option as far as Vienna. If this is realised then the Austrian capital may well become an even more important hub for west – east railfreight traffic.

 

The private players are also in good shape. Road haulage operator LKW Walter wants to further expand its already strong position in the intermodal transport segment, in which it regularly launches new connections. Logistician Gebrüder Weiss’s overall strategy is also rather promising. The Voralberg-based company is continuously expanding its presence in Southeastern Europe and marking a strong presence in areas where competition is still scarce.

 

SBB Cargo looking for its roots

 

The Swiss logistics landscape looks promi­sing, overall. Its advantageous geographical location between south and north, the well-developed national infrastructure and the country’s quite flourishing economy form a fertile breeding ground for logistics success. Nevertheless, there are also matters with some room for improvement.

 

The last few months saw the takeover of the major player Panalpina by DSV. The loss of the long-standing Swiss company’s traditional independence is likely to continue to hurt Basel as a key logistics location for quite some time.

 

Switzerland is a railway country – but railfreight operator SBB Cargo is busy analysing a number of crucial issues at the moment. The firm, which has been indepen­dent since the start of this year, is currently looking for minority investors. To succeed in this endeavour it needs its consolidated result to break even – as has been the case in most of the recent years. It is no cakewalk, however, as SBB Cargo has also lost some federal subsidies of late.

 

Next to the large players the Swiss logistics industry is also characterised by numerous small and medium-sized providers, which have frequently established strong positions in niche markets. Read more

 

 

Source: ITJ

 

 

transportonline

Pubbliconsult Multimedia
VAT N.: 04977270018

© Copyright 1996 - Credits - Sitemap - transportonline.com