In 2018, transport and logistics company Express Trailers founded its Italian venture Express Trailers S.r.l.u. specifically to establish a more solid foothold on mainland Europe. It then onboarded a logistics team based in Genoa to oversee all operations and the acquisition of a site in Genoa where to build its new hub.
In less than five years, Express Trailers’ venture not only completed its €6 million investment in a brand new 4,500 sqm logistics hub in the port city but the company is also one of the 21 founding shareholders in GOAS Consortium Limited, a Forwarders Association established in 2019 with the common goal of enhancing, increasing and making the Genoese cargo sector more efficient.
“Although the project is still in its infancy, the results are very encouraging and promising which indeed have far surpassed our expectations,” says Etienne M Attard, the newly appointed CEO of Express Trailers.
“The group’s decision to establish a physical foothold in Genoa was a strategic one, based on long years of operations which continued to confirm Italy as our best European gateway and Genoa as the most important and better located port from where Express Trailers has been nurturing its European network since its inception.
“With Malta as an important cluster for the handling of international trading companies’ distribution in the European market, experience kept showing us how choosing Genoa as our main hub on mainland Europe presented a competitive advantage to all our clients who sought to develop their commercial presence in Europe,” added Attard.
The Express Trailers Logistics Hub in Genoa is one of the group’s most ambitious projects to date, effectively making Express Group an international company with growth prospects for further internationalisation.
“Our internationalisation efforts reflect our strong values and a clear and well-shared vision that reflects our company’s ability to understand the evolution of modern supply chains, of how markets are operating and to plan our business growth accordingly. Genoa was a strategic choice because this location now enables us to operate our network of depots across Europe in a more optimised manner, not only more efficiently but also in a more sustainable manner, now that we obtained Customs clearance to operate as Bonded Warehouse and VAT Bonded Warehouse at our hub in Genoa,” added Attard.
Express Trailers’ Logistics Hub in Genoa is being managed by an experienced Italian logistics team led by managing director Luciano Bacigalupi, a veteran in the shipping, transport and logistics sectors in Italy where he has worked for more than 35 years in the industry and is an active member of Genoa’s shipping community.
“Our Logistics Hub is mainly focused on the setting up and managing of tailored logistics projects in Italy for our international accounts,” explains Bacigalupi. “We can cater for niche activities such as special and project cargo and consolidation, as well as multimodal and rail transportation. In fact, our strong network in Italy and abroad allows Express Trailers S.r.l.u. to optimise its logistics and act as a reliable point of reference in Italy for all customers and agents around the world.”
“Although we are established leaders in transport and logistics, we cherish the art of customisation, teamwork, and the ability to cooperate with clients on any project, putting our experience and flexibility at the service of our clients. Having a logistics hub in Genoa finally enables us to offer a stronger and more efficient service,” added Bacigalupi.
The Express Trailers Logistics Hub in Genoa also came at the right moment, when the European Union had started imposing stricter laws through new mobility EU regulations that required logistics companies to ensure that their drivers avail themselves of adequate rest.
“The Hub satisfies our obligation to comply with these recently enacted mobility regulations and allows our drivers to enjoy their much-needed rest in between trips. However, we also wanted this Logistics Hub to be another comfortable home for our international drivers and have equipped it with all necessary facilities including kitchen, laundry, living room, bedrooms and a gym. We have also included facilities where our drivers can keep being provided with their important ongoing training,” added Attard.
Beyond its operations, Express Trailers S.r.l.u. now continues with its strategic vision to strengthen its presence in Genoa as one of the 21 founding shareholders of GOAS Consortium Limited. Spearheaded by Spediporto, the Association of Freight Forwarders, Couriers and Transporters of Genoa, GOAS was established in 2019 as a consortium of Companies, to combine the experience and skills of its associated companies to strengthen and revitalise the Genoese cargo sector through more efficiencies.
All 21 companies which, together with Spediporto, participate in GOAS, are strongly rooted in the territory and employ over 730 employees, with a turnover of over 370 million euros, boasting many years of experience in the field of logistics and international shipments with an extensive and consolidated international network of offices and agents.
Express Trailers will be able to sell first-hand its services to direct customers and other forwarders and directly participating and steering the new company’ policy.
“What we are doing with Express Trailers S.r.l.u. including the newly created efficiencies and optimised operations, reflects what we want to do with Genoa’s cargo sector. We have a lot to bring to the table in terms of experience and we are sure that our work will eventually bring more value to all those clients who work with Express Trailers,” added Luciano Bacigalupi who is also a member of the board of GOAS.
GOAS has now entered the airport logistics business with a project for the creation and management of a logistics hub for Genoa’s Airport to support the increase of cargo traffic aviation but also to the integrate the movement of goods between the port and airport areas.
“Through data sharing systems between logistics operators, an improved airside & landside physical infrastructure, GOAS is now better positioned to offer services with high value for any type of air transport, including the management of special commodities, such as regulated goods, works of art, perishables, large cargo and pharmaceuticals,” he explained.
“Most importantly, we are working on controlled logistic customs corridors to facilitate the movement of goods in the cargo cities through a simplified free trade zone,” added Bacigalupi.
“Our Express Trailers Logistics Hub is located within the area expected to become a Customs Corridor and Free Trade Zone and since the company is also an authorised bonded warehouse, this puts us in a position to freely move bonded goods between port-airport and our Hub.”
