By Investment Supported Development

The Czech branch of the Austrian transport and logistics concern, Gebrüder Weiss, achieved a turnover of 53 million EUR in 2007. This constitutes growth of 31 percent in comparison with 2006. The results of the Czech branch significantly contributed to the entire concern’s good results – an increase in the overall turnover by 9 percent. The transportation and logistics specialist realised a total turnover of 950 EUR in Central and Eastern Europe with a stable of cash flow of over 55 million EUR.

Increased logistic solutions
Gebrüder Weiss operates five branches in the Czech Republic with 240 employees and 14,000 m2 of storage area. All of the profit areas contributed to the fast development of the branches: as well as land transport, these also included comprehensive logistics solutions and sea and air transport. In total, the Czech branch of Gebrüder Weiss transported more than 500,000 consignments with a total weight of around 300,000 tonnes in 2007. It also renewed its TAPA certificate in the Czech Republic.

From the point of view of the entire concern, international transport had the greatest share of turnover with 30 percent, but the area of comprehensive logistics services played an increasingly strong role with a 28 percent share. The Manager, Harald Prohaska, sees the reasons as lying in the increased market requirements and the stronger competition, with which customers are confronted: ”Our logistics solutions help our customers to reduce costs and to optimise the processes within the framework of the supply chain. That is our competitive advantage. We have the know-how and a network, so that we can develop and set up individual logistics solutions for our customers.”

Strength in the regions
After an investment offensive at the amount of 150 million EUR from 2005 to 2007, we have a further 51 million EUR available for Eastern Europe which will help to bring us closer to customers. Further investments involving the building of offices not only in the Czech Republic, but also in Bulgaria, Croatia and Slovakia, have been planned for the purpose of increasing the density of the GW network. We also plan to build forwarding terminals in Rumania and Slovakia.

”We are investing in Eastern Europe so that we can offer our customers more routes to the solutions within our seamless organisation”, said the Regional Manager, Reinhold Grasser. ”In the forefront, there is a technically strong and efficient logistics network. It is our company culture to support it. GW has maintained its activities in the spirit of a family company – even though we are a global player. For us, people, such as the customers and our employees who play the greatest part in our success, are at the centre of our interest”. In 2007, the more than 500-year old company created 300 new jobs.

Worldwide growth
The Air & Sea Manager, Heinz Senger-Weiss, was very satisfied with the development of his branch: ”In association with our partner Röhlig, we have managed to create a turnover of 270 million EUR. All of the sections of our worldwide network are developing satisfactorily.” Our network is constantly expanding. The 30 employees of the Air & Sea Divisions in Prague, Brno and Ostrava achieved a turnover of over 20 million EUR for the first time in the history of the Czech organisation, which is 45% higher than in the previous year”, said Senger-Weiss.

The Gebrüder Weiss Concern
The Gebrüder Weiss Concern with its headquarters in Lauterach (Vorarlberg) employs over 4,700 employees in 132 offices throughout the entire world. In Central and Eastern Europe, GW is represented in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Rumania and in the Ukraine. In the 2007 business year, the logistics company achieved a turnover of 950 million EUR.