Six new gateways for European transport

The structure of Raben Group in Europe has been reorganised recently. Six warehouses have been assigned the function of Eurohubs, which are central points in the Raben network and are responsible for the consolidation of groupage cargo for European line traffic. They have been designed to complement the regular and direct transport routes of the company and to guarantee a well-timed   connection between all the warehouses in Europe.

The Eurohub structure allows us to respond more flexibly to changes in freight volumes and, above all, to reduce lead times. We can offer all our customers the added value of reaching all European destinations as quickly as possible - within 24 to 96 hours, depending on the distance. This organisation of processes according to the lean philosophy ultimately translates into a more efficient and reliable supply chain. We are closer to the customer and we are designing a delivery network with greater resilience -  explains Ewald Raben, CEO of Raben Group. - An additional benefit is the reduction of CO₂ emissions, which is also very important for us as a sustainable company.

New status has been assigned to the following locations: Sarstedt (routes to Scandinavia), Mönchengladbach (northern France, Benelux, UK, Ireland), Fellbach (Spain, Portugal, rest of France) and Aichach (Austria, Italy, Poland, Czechia) in Germany, Legnica in Poland (connections inside this market and to the Baltic countries) and Rokycany in Czechia (south-eastern Europe). The implementation of the Eurohub concept will further strengthen the logistics operator's presence in Germany - one of the strongest economies in the European Union - while securing the strategic role this market has to play in Raben's European network.

Eurohubs are characterised by significantly higher capacity, excellent location and infrastructure. The foundation for operations and future success is, among other things, more than 130 direct connections between the aforesaid locations, a total of 600 connections per day, 40,000 m² of capacity for cross-dock warehouses alone and full traceability supported by a single Transport Management System (TMS). This applies to the whole of Europe, i.e. both markets where Raben has its own transport network and those where the company operates through its reliable partners.

All these changes have been made possible by the achievement of milestones that the company has been working towards in recent years. Systematic acquisitions have enabled the company to enter new markets (Austrian freight forwarder Bexity in 2022; Greek logistics provider Intertrans in 2021) and to strengthen and densify its national networks. This also applies to Raben's home region - a fourth depot in the Netherlands, in the Maastricht area, was opened at the beginning of April 2023.

Four out of the six Eurohubs are located in Germany, Europe's largest market, where Raben Group has been operating with its own general cargo network since 2018. A major direct contribution to creating the Eurohub network has been made by investing in infrastructure in this country.

Sarstedt is Raben Group's new and also key warehouse in Germany - the operator moved there from Langenhagen in 2022. With a total area of up to 27,000 m² (5,500 m² of capacity with 52 cross-dock ramps), this facility has allowed the logistics capacity to be increased more than tenfold compared to the previous location. Earlier this year, a new depot was opened in Aichach, north-west of Augsburg. The new location with 25,000 m² capacity (of which 4,000 m² with 42 cross-dock ramps), operating from the start as Eurohub, is located directly near the A8 motorway and is an important hub of the European network Raben uses for its daily connections to Southern and Eastern Europe. The same is true of the Rokycany facility in Czechia, which started operations in April this year. The warehouse covers 6,000 m² of cross-dock capacity sand has 56 ramps to facilitate the handling of goods, including those covered by the ADR convention on the carriage of dangerous goods and cargo by road. The site is located in close proximity to the D5 motorway and provides a fast connection to Germany and other European road networks. It has the potential to significantly accelerate and improve the flow of shipments and, thanks to its flexibility, to contribute to the future development of connections not only in Czechia and Slovakia, but also in other Raben Group countries: in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria or Greece.

For Raben Group, the Eurohub concept is a priority. For the time being, the company is not focusing on further geographical expansion, but on the densification of its existing network and investment in digitalisation. The project for the development and reorganisation of the international connections in the 15 Raben countries is still the priority.

Through targeted and systematic cargo consolidation, we want to stimulate the expansion of the network and the development of Eurohubs, as well as the comprehensive integration of all European regions. This will ensure that we can make better use of existing resources and thus make our transport operations more economically efficient and environmentally friendly - concludes Ewald Raben.