PRESS RELEASE
European network strengthened
New GLS partners in Serbia and Croatia
Amsterdam, 7 July 2011. The GLS Group's European parcel network now includes two more countries with new, well-positionedregional partners. In Croatia ZUMEx is delivering parcels on GLS’ behalf, and AKS Express Kurir is doing the same in Serbia. In return, GLS has been delivering parcels for both companies in Europe since June.
Germany, Italy and France are important trading partners for Croatia and Serbia. Around 55 percent of the two countries' trade is with the EU. "To ensure that our customers' parcels reach consignees in the region reliably and quickly we have decided to cooperate with strong, local partners, and in doing so expand our European network by another two valuable components", says Rico Back, CEO of the GLS Group. GLS sees such collaboration as being a good solution for the few countries in Europe in which it is not present with its own companies.
New network partner ZUMEx ranks among the three largest parcel service providers in Croatia, while AKS Express Kurir is the market leader in Serbia for express parcel services. The companies' range of services extend from parcel and express delivery services to warehouse services. ZUMEx operates five sites including a hub, and wants to continue expanding. Five other depots are planned. In Serbia AKS Express Kurir has 20 distribution centres and a hub.
Cooperation with a strategic gain
After rapid customs clearance in the destination countries, the partners deliver GLS' parcels within 24 hours – nationwide. Only delivery to the Croatian islands takes a little longer due to the irregular ferry service. Both companies also deliver on Saturdays. Croatia is connected to GLS' network via the daily long-distance transport services between GLS' Slovenian hub in Ljubljanaand Zagreb,while Serbia is connected to the network via the route between GLS' Hungarian hub in Budapest and Subotica via Szeged.
After GLS began handing over parcels for delivery to the two new partners on
1 April, both partners expanded their range of services to include international parcel delivery. Shipments are fed into GLS' extensive European network, which now covers 42 countries.
"To be able to offer uniform products and services across the whole of Europe is a strategic advantage for us in the market", declares Marko Janković, COOof ZUMEx. Aleksandar Stanojević, Managing Partnerof AKS Express Kurir also emphasizes the growing importance of international connections: "Our customers are increasingly looking beyond the borders of Serbia and expect us as the market leader to also offer high-quality parcel delivery solutions outside the country. By cooperating with GLS we can offer precisely this throughout Europe." Both companies expect additional growth as a result of this step.
Non-stop security and transparency
GLS and its new partners offer customers the same high-quality standards not only in terms of the physical infrastructure, but also in terms of the security,transparency and underlying modern technologythat customers expect from GLS. Specially setup interfaces between the Track & Trace systems mean that consigners can check the status of their shipments online along the entire transport chain. As elsewhere in Europe, parcels in Croatia and Serbia are scanned in transit. To additionally secure the transport chain, ZUMEx and AKS Express Kurir, likeGLS in many countries, use satellite vehicle monitoring.
The GLS Group in Europe
GLS, General Logistics Systems B.V. (headquartered in Amsterdam), realises reliable, high-quality parcel services for 220,000 customers in Europe, complemented by logistics and express services. “Quality leader in European parcel logistics” is GLS’ guiding principle. In this context, sustainability is emphasized at GLS: its Europe-wide Think-Green initiative bundles activities aimed at protecting the environment. Through wholly owned and partner companies, the Group provides a network coverage of 42 European states and is globally connected via contractual agreements. 38 central transhipment points and 642 depots are at GLS’ disposal. With its ground based network GLS is one of the leading parcel service providers in Europe. 13,100 employees handle 363 million parcels per year. Every day 17,100 vehicles are on route for GLS. In the financial year 2010/11 GLS achieved revenues of 1.75 billion euros.
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