It is also worth mentioning the solutions introduced in the company to at least partially offset the difficulties associated with the shortage of workers in the TFL industry. Raben Group has been consistently investing in Robotic Process Automation (RPA) - by 2022 robots carried out over 140 processes in the company. This solution relieves employees of monotonous, repetitive tasks and allows them to use their potential for more developmental projects.
In parallel with the development of infrastructure, Raben Group continued its extensive project to expand and reorganise its connections on the Old Continent. This endeavour was launched in 2018 in Germany and entered a key phase in 2021 with the inclusion of nine countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Baltic coast. Reacting to the economic situation and the needs of customers, but also taking into account its acquisitions and investments, the operator integrates the distribution networks of the acquired companies into its own system and additionally launches new lines. By the end of 2022, Raben already had more than 600 international connections within Europe, including nearly 180 so-called groupage linehauls running between Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Czechia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. It is worth mentioning that in the last 12 months alone, the Group launched more than 40 new routes in this extremely important European region for the Group. This result was made possible also by opening the smallest branches in each country to direct international volume exchange.
CEE is becoming the strongest area and has overtaken the hitherto prioritised traffic between Poland and Germany, which, despite the first signs of the crisis, managed to close with an almost 10% increase in transported volume. And this is all thanks to nearly 130 daily groupage connections, which we have been constantly monitoring and responding to changing volume flows. - summarises Łukasz Lubanski, Group business development director - Most importantly, however, in the second half of last year we started significant infrastructure investments in Czechia and Germany, which in the coming quarters of the new year are expected to have a profound impact on the company's development and ability to handle exports and imports from Germany to countries like Italy, Austria, Greece, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. It is a response to market and customers expectations in the changing economic climate and a shift in global logistics chains.
By investing in new connections, Raben will reach more places in Europe directly and, most importantly, not only the big ones but also smaller economic centres.
Raben in Germany
The past twelve months in Germany were marked by the further development of Germany's own groupage network, the establishment of new international lines in Europe to tighten the Group's system of connections and the development of infrastructure. In March, construction of a new depot in Herborn, Hesse, stared, which replaced the previous location in nearby Haiger and provided jobs for its staff - a total of 60 people. The logistics centre, which has a total area of 28,360 m2 (including 5,600 m2 of cross-dock area) was commissioned in January 2023.
In Lower Saxony, on the other hand, Raben relocated its depot from Langenhagen to Sarstedt, where a facility with a total area of 35,800 m2 and with 40,000 pallet places was developed, which means a more than tenfold increase in logistics capacity at the new location. The logistics centre offers increased handling capacity for consumers, automotive and chemical goods, as well as ample storage space for contract logistics customers.
Further investments are already underway to improve the international flow of goods within the Raben network.
Raben in Poland
Last year, another point appeared on the Raben map of Poland. This time, the operator opened a depot in Warsaw. In November, Raben Logistics Polska's 7,500 m2 cross-dock warehouse was opened there, equipped with 71 loading ramps and innovative solutions supporting energy efficiency, low emissions and work efficiency (e.g. skylights providing access to daylight, LED lighting controlled by motion sensors, forklifts with Li-lon batteries). Around 250 people found employment in the new depot. It is not only a location for cross-dock operations, but also an international platform – the strating point for trucks with shipments to the Baltic countries and Finland.
Another investment was completed in Grodzisk Mazowiecki in the last quarter of 2022, where a temperature-controlled warehouse was built under the Fresh Logistics brand. As a result of the expansion, the logistics centre has 18,564 m2 of warehouse capacity (3,340 m2 of cross-dock and 15,224 m2 of high-bay warehouse), with the possibility of storing almost 23,000 pallets at temperatures from 0 to +2 °C (Ultra Fresh zone) and from +2 to +6 °C. The warehouse uses a state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly ammonia-based refrigeration system, which simultaneously allows for heating up to 15 °C, lithium-ion forklift trucks and self-supporting loading docks (so-called dock houses).
Raben in Italy
Once again in 2022, sustainability and expansion have been at the heart of the activities of Raben SITTAM, the group's Italian business unit, which has seen further development of its international groupage network over the past twelve months, as well as the emergence of new direct international connections. These include the new daily connection between Cornaredo (MI) and Innsbruck -active since May- and those to the main hubs on the Iberian Peninsula (Barcelona, Madrid, Zaragoza, Irun, Valencia, Lisbon and Porto); and also, from Bologna, two new direct lines to the cities of Gliwice, Poland, and Fellbach, Germany.
There were also numerous investments aimed at improving infrastructure in the territory: from the restyling of the warehouses for Contract Logistics, which, through the modification of the layout and the installation of special shelving, allowed the logistics operator to gain more than 25,000 pallet spaces and a storage space of 20,000sqm (of the 50. 000 total), to the introduction of the latest automation devices - such as the new pondo-volumetric detection system for measuring pallets in transit installed at the Cornaredo hub - that enable further optimization of warehouse management and goods distribution, as well as ensuring greater control of loads, linehauls and last-mile distribution.
Intermodal transport service also received special attention: during the whole of 2022, Raben SITTAM handled more than 1320 intermodal shipments amounting to more than 16,550kg and more than 25,000 pallet places and saved 4519 t of CO2. In addition, a modernization and rebranding of its fleet has also been initiated, which has already involved about 25 trucks, with a focus on the most modern vehicles belonging to the Euro 5 and Euro 6 categories, further evidence of Raben SITTAM's commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.
Also as part of its CSR activities, Raben SITTAM has initiated several virtuous initiatives. It is worth mentioning the one in favor of Banco Alimentare Lombardia, which, thanks to the use of the Raben fleet, has been supported in managing the collection of food products to be destined to the more than 1,100 charitable facilities affiliated in Lombardy, but also the Drive to Bee initiative, an awareness-raising campaign for the protection of the bee population and the improvement of their fragile ecosystem.
Finally, in December, Raben SITTAM welcomed Rolando Bargigia as its new CEO, testifying to the fact that, following the substantial growth and consolidation work in the Italian market over the past three years, carried out with great professionalism by Wojciech Brzuska, the previous CEO, the Milan-based company is perfectly integrated within the Group.
