Oostende based Europa Road Belgium is celebrating a strong three months, following the extension of its road freight services.
The operator has recently invested in the business, expanding its services in September as well as rebranding – moving from Continental Cargo Carriers to Europa Road. It also announced its ambition to be the operator of choice between Belgium and the UK.
Optimising services
Europa Road has now transitioned from an established unaccompanied cargo carrier of full and part loads to one that specialises in optimising the transport of full, part and groupage loads to and from the UK.
The company is reporting positive market response, with customers specifically interested in both its DAP and DDP products, with the latter providing pre-Brexit delivery times. Europa’s parent company developed the innovative DDP product 12 months before the end of the transition period. It invested 5.8m euros in the development and delivery of the DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) product, which manages customs formalities without the need to engage the buyer, so goods are not delayed by additional paperwork, and customers are not faced with unexpected additional fees.
A Brexit-beating system
The provision of a product which optimises the flow of goods post-Brexit is essential. According to a recent report from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), EU exports to the UK would have been 20 per cent higher if the UK had not left the EU and Belgian exports specifically would have been 26 per cent higher without Brexit.
Europa’s DDP system means import clearance information is entered into the consignment, prior to goods arriving, so that as soon as goods are unloaded, they are submitted for import. The popularity of this seamless, stress-free service mitigates Brexit issues of increased costs, paperwork and border delays.
Already an established player in the un-accompanied trailer market, Europa Road makes 20,000 North Sea crossings per year, has access to 400 trailers and is the third largest trailer operator from Zeebrugge. It has its own trailer network for part-loads and full-loads to from the Benelux and groupage distribution in Belgium as well as an inhouse customs agency.
Carlo Turner Non-Network and Continent Director of Europa Road Belgium comments
“The market response has been very positive, there has certainly been an increase in shipments. Every day we’re expanding, collecting more goods from across Belgium into our single hub. From there our fleet of accompanied trailers ship to our state-of-the-art groupage hub in Dartford, Kent (UK) which in turn connects out to each of our 16 distribution platforms. I am pleased that already consignments figures are increasing to the UK every single day.”
Carlo manages a growing team of 47 staff, based locally in both Belgium and the UK, he is also looking to expand the local team in Oostende with the introduction of market managers in strategically important hub locations.
Europa Worldwide Group has three divisions – Road, Air & Sea, and Warehouse – and an ever-expanding global footprint. This year internationally the Group has expanded into the Middle East and Asia, with new sites in Shanghai and Dubai.