 | industries / distribution & logistics |
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Port of Koper Facts & Figures in 2006 Number of companies: 1,694 Number of employees: 22,960 Revenue (in EUR): 2.5 billion Exports (in EUR): 1.1 billion (Source: AJPES, 2007) Key services: Testimonial »Slovenia lives to the promise of being an excellent location with its well-developed transport infrastructure that enables fast access to other European markets. As traffic jams are an exception, Sunday trips to the places of interest or a ride to the coast do not take long on the road.« Johannes Hoedlmayr, CEO Hödlmayr International AG Quality Infrastructure Slovenia has all the attributes of a distribution and logistics hub: top geographical position at the heart of the region intersected by traditional trade and transport routes – location of choice for international companies planning their future regional distribution set-up. Two Pan-European transport corridors (No. 5 linking Barcelona and Kiev and No. 10 from Salzburg to Thessalonica) intersect at Ljubljana. An excellent track-record of Slovenian companies in of the logistics business coupled with modern transport infrastructure is a proven recipe for high-quality and cost-competitive services tailored to clients' needs. As a member state of the EU, Slovenia is a gateway for Asian and EU manufacturers and traders to faster and more reliable trade routes that meet at fully equipped logistics centres. Shipping to Slovenia’s only cargo port - Port of Koper - means gaining 7 to 10 days for ships arriving from Asia compared with sailing Europe’s northern ports. Its total maritime throughput is about 15 million tonnes and if the current trend continues, its throughput will be close to 300,000 TEUs by the end of 2007. There are currently 11 modern and fully equipped terminals specialised for various types of goods, storage faculties for general cargo and several special warehouses. Special advantages are available in 4.7 sq.km. of the port’s economic zone with 324,000 sq.m. of covered and sheltered warehouse facilities and slightly less than 1 mn sq.m. of open-air storage. The expansion of facilities includes a new car storage building and new inland terminals to be followed by the extension of the Pier No. 1 and a new container terminal to be constructed at the third pier. The largest increases have been recorded at the container, car and general cargo terminals. Container freight and vehicles in 2007 rose by 44% and 28% year-on-year. The motorway density in Slovenia is higher than EU-25 average and the links with the neighbouring EU Member States and the southeast Europe equally good. In other words, you will easily reach Slovenia from anywhere in Europe by car or lorry within a day or two. Currently, there are over 500 km of well-maintained motorways and 1,050 km of trunk roads. The completion of the extended motorway network is scheduled for 2013. Productivity/value added per employee in 2006 Source: AJPES, 2007 As railway service is regaining its importance, infrastructure modernisation is one of national priorities. Freight traffic is well developed, and the rail links between the Adriatic Sea and the landlocked CEE countries offer plenty of opportunities. Both freight and passenger service with southeastern Europe has grown over the last few years. The national rail operator Slovenian Railways (SŽ) runs both passenger and freight service and operates railway infrastructure including 60,000sq m of warehouses. Three international airports provide easy access by air to Slovenia. The central Slovenian airport and cargo is Aerodrom Ljubljana 25 km from the capital. Scheduled flights operated by several airlines carry passengers to important European destinations. The airport has been recently renovated, its infrastructure extended and the cargo terminal modernised. Maribor Airport mostly handles cargo transportation whereas Portorož Airport has facilities for smaller planes only. Leading domestic and foreign-owned companies Faculties, research institutions, associations and clusters Quality Link to Regional Markets Slovenia is well situated to serve markets of central, east and south-eastern Europe. Thanks to its strategic geopolitical position and decades of close economic ties with its neighbours, the Slovenian companies are real “connoisseurs” of the regional markets. This also includes knowledge of the languages, distinctions in legislation, and particularly, a mentality along with a business culture in specific areas, which originates from personal ties over many years. Transit traffic has always played an important role as the traditional transport. As traditional trade routes are being reopened, there is a clear upswing in road and rail transport services. Furthermore, the Slovenian transport and logistics companies have been pro-active over the past few years in exploiting investment opportunities in the markets of southeastern Europe where Slovenia is one of the most important foreign investors. Slovenian freight forwarders, carriers and warehouse operators have up-to-date fleets of vehicles and mechanised and computerised warehouses with state-of-the-art technology. A growing number of firms offer customers modern logistic hubs, along with the possibility of outsourcing total logistics services. The number of companies specialised in transport services forging strategic links is rising and focus on transport is broadening to include a full range of logistics activities. Slovene logistics companies and related organisations are joining forces in the Slovenian Transport Logistics Cluster. New warehouse facilities and distribution centres are being built to meet the needs after Slovenia’s accession to the EU as warehouses in the areas bordering on other EU countries are being used in the transit business. Quality Workforce Slovenia’s asset and its key competitive advantage are its people. Workforce is well educated and highly skilled. Education and ongoing training are seen as necessary for success by an average Slovenian. Slovenian workforce also takes pride in its high business ethics and flexibility. Computer skills are strong, professional ethics and loyalty match western values. Productivity in Services, 2006 Related GDP (PPP) per person employed in services (in EUR) Source: IMD - World Competitiveness Yearbook, 2007 Language skills are well developed in Slovenia and most people can speak at least one foreign language. There is growing awareness of the need for communication in foreign languages. Language schools are busy year round and companies encourage staff to brush up on their language skills on a regular basis. In the sector, there are over 22,000 employees in over 1,600 companies. Some 2,400 students are enrolled in undergraduate courses for transport and logistics engineers. The number of students in secondary school for transport and logistics is 2,450. Estimated gross annual labour costs in logistics and distribution for 2008 (Total cost per employee in EUR) Source: Adecco & JAPTI, 2008 |
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JAPTI - Public Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Entrepreneurship and Foreign Investments disclamer |