Prihláste sa na odber noviniek
Finished goods logistics for the automotive industry is a complex chain that begins with setting up a car from a production line and loading it onto a vehicle and continues through hundreds to thousands of kilometers to distribution centers or ports to end up with customers around the world. Only the best companies in the industry handle this difficult task excellently. At ZSSK CARGO, these companies have found a reliable subcontractor who secures the essential first kilometers by rail on the long journey of cars to their new owners.
From the point of view of the European and world logistics market in automotive, the Slovak ZSSK CARGO is only a small part of the chain and therefore it focuses on its best expertise: a high degree of reliability and quality in transport across Slovakia to its borders. At the same time, wherever there are possibilities and added value for the customer, ZSSK CARGO expands and secures the transport beyond the borders of the country. Even the biggest players in the industry know that they will find a stable partner in ZSSK CARGO.
The Importance of Automotive for the Slovak Economy
A single number is enough to understand the importance of the automotive industry for the Slovak economy: the share of the automotive industry in the total industrial production of Slovakia is 47.7%. So almost half of all the country's industrial production. At the same time, Slovakia has long held its unique position in the world, with the largest number of cars produced per capita here every year. In 2021 it was 184, while in the neighboring Czech Republic it was just over a hundred vehicles. In January 2022, a total of 15 million vehicles were already produced in Slovakia, with more than a million new cars leaving the production lines of four car manufacturers every year. The percentage of sales on the domestic market is negligible, so most go to exports - and without railways, this would mean replacing every single train with up to 30 trucks travelling across Europe.
A Complex Logistics Chain
ZSSK CARGO is just one link in a complicated automotive logistics chain. For simplicity, it can be said that the logistics giants order services from large transport companies, which then contract services at ZSSK CARGO so that they have strong links in their supply chain in the Slovak section. The country's automotive industry is concentrated in the west. Therefore, the distances in the Slovak section are not long, but they are interesting for their volumes. They go to the border crossing stations of Rusovce, Bratislava-Petržalka, Kúty, Lúky pod Makytou and Čadca and subsequently to the ports in Koper, Slovenia, in the German tripod Emden - Bremerhaven - Cuxhaven, and in the Belgian duo Zeebrugge - Antwerp. Special vessels, referred to as RoRo (roll-on / roll-off) or PCC (Pure Car Carriers), cruise from ports of the world's seas and distribute vehicles, also made in Slovakia, to all continents of the world.
Traction Abroad, as well as Siding Services at Home
ZSSK CARGO also provides traction rail vehicles for foreign sections for selected automotive transports to German ports, but also to destinations on the French-German border. Vectron multi-system locomotives cross national borders without the need for locomotive changes at border crossing stations and when voltage systems are changing. This achieves a higher transport speed and one locomotive stands at the head of the train on the majority of the transport route - only the drivers on the road change.
For one of the car manufacturers, respectively for the commissioner of its siding, we also provide complete siding services, which are an essential part of the chain. We serve the remaining car manufacturers from/to delivery points on their sidings or up to their loading tracks. The delivery of empty wagons for loading and dispatch of loaded ones must be in line with the overall logistics timing.
Diverse Locomotive Fleet
Logistics companies can also rely on ZSSK CARGO thanks to its diverse locomotives pool.
You will find various types of locomotives in Slovakia heading the automotive trains. In addition to the already mentioned Vectrons, it is especially the Class 363 locomotives that smoothly manage the transition between the two voltage systems in Slovakia. In addition to them, there is also a long-standing Class 240 locomotives that deliver trains full of cars from manufacturers in southwestern Slovakia to the border, complemented by diesel locomotives. Diesel locomotives are mainly used for the first kilometers, especially when it is necessary to deliver unit trains from the non-electrified station to the main line, where these trains are taken over by electric traction.
But in order for a million cars to be shipped smoothly, logistics companies have to rely on their partner to be able to provide solutions even if shipping across the usual border crossings is not possible. This happened at the beginning of 2022 when the commonly used Bratislava-Petržalka crossing remained almost impassable and trains had to be led by diversions through Devínska Nová Ves and Marchegg in diesel traction. In the case of diesel locomotives, Class 751 and 742 locomotives most often appear at the head of trains, with an addition of the modernized Class 756 locomotives.
Automotive Is Not Just about Finished Cars
When we talk about automotive logistics, it is more than "just" about transporting new finished cars from manufacturers to distributors. For some destinations, it is more advantageous from a customs point of view to deliver vehicles in a disassembled state ready for final assembly. In this condition, they are usually transported in covered wagons.
And last but not least, it is also the import of components that car manufacturers obtain not only from Slovakia and surrounding countries but also from overseas, especially from Asia. From the point of view of ZSSK CARGO, the most important container flows are from the port of Koper. The container train is taken over at the border station by one of our electric locomotives and leads it to the station closest to the car manufacturer.
Suspended Shipments to Ukraine
Before the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, at the turn of October and November 2021, five unit trains were transported to Ukraine under the direction of ZSSK CARGO. They transported new vehicles assembled by two Slovak car makers. ZSSK CARGO also participated in the transport of disassembled vehicles from the Czech carmaker to the Ukrainian border, specifically the Solomonovo station, for final assembly. Unfortunately, these transports have stopped as a result of the ongoing conflict, but ZSSK CARGO is ready to deploy its capabilities immediately after demand resumes. The conflict has also a significant impact on the supply of components such as wire harnesses, of which Ukraine has been a major supplier, leading to a further reduction in production this year, despite high demand for new cars across the world.
Our sales managers Mikuláš Sabó (+421 903 644 072) and Marcel Minich (+421 903 721 636) are always ready to respond to your inquiries in the automotive and foreign companies’ segment. Therefore, do not hesitate to contact them with your need to solve your transportation needs.
Photo: Michael Goll, Adam Komara, Matej Pleško, Timotej Hrin
