HOW THE WAR CHANGED THE ENTIRE TSL INDUSTRY – TRANSPORT, FREIGHT FORWARDING AND LOGISTICS

100,000 Fewer Drivers

Logistics is a sector of the economy that was the first to be affected by changes

in the international market. First, it had to adapt to the set of regulations contained

in the Mobility Package, which came into force on August 20, 2020, and then deal with the consequences of the global pandemic. To top off all the misfortunes, the war in Ukraine broke out. According to the Association of International Road Carriers in Poland (ZMPD), approximately 100,000 drivers in Polish transport companies are Ukrainian citizens who returned to their homeland to fight for it.

Polish Ports Replace Ukrainian Ones

The war in Ukraine has severely and in many ways affected Polish road transport companies, as these firms specialize in serving the eastern direction, with some exclusively handling this route. Additional challenges arose from the closure of many of the largest seaports in Europe. Transport traffic remains blocked, so Polish logistics has been additionally burdened with exports and supplying the Ukrainian market. As a result, cargo handling in Poland has increased, as goods for the Ukrainian domestic market — previously sent through the largest Ukrainian ports (now closed, such as Odessa, Mariupol, Mykolaiv, and Chornomorsk) — are partly handled through Polish ports to meet demand on the Ukrainian market. Currently, 20% of the turnover of major companies serving retail trade in Ukraine comes from transshipment in Poland.

Changes on the Silk Road

All branches of transport have been more or less affected by the ongoing

war, and supply chain logistics has likewise been severely disrupted.

The withdrawal of many companies from the Russian market has led to a drastic reduction in supplies, while ongoing fighting is causing changes in transport processes. Each successive week of the war in Ukraine brings further disruptions to supply chains across all transport sectors, higher freight rates, and longer delivery times. On top of this come the sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus and the retaliatory actions of these countries.

In the current situation, Poland's role in the logistics sector has grown. The volume of cargo transported for clients has increased, despite higher prices and reduced vehicle availability. Compared to

January and February 2021, in 2022 the industry recorded growth of 30–40%, and the potential for transport inquiries was even higher. On the other hand, significant losses stem from the fact that Poland had previously been a transshipment hub for east–west transport, as a transit country on the Silk Road and a port country due to the container port in Gdansk. The war in Ukraine has caused Polish territory to be bypassed, with European transport companies choosing alternative routes through Turkey, going directly to Western Europe.

Gain Flexibility

The cessation of operations by even one large company creates an immediate market effect in the form of empty production halls and warehouses, the halting of component production, the halting of goods sales, the halting of logistics services and component transport, and ultimately — employee layoffs. That is why the best solution is cooperation with employment agencies such as Gremi Personal, which take on the burden of recruitment and hiring and supply workers only when they are truly needed. Outsourcing with Gremi Personal works like this: when our Client needs fewer employees at a given moment, we find them other work, and all the formalities and paperwork related to changes are on our side. We simply take on the problems associated with seasonality. Sounds convenient, doesn't it?

Work on Loyalty

Many years of experience with workers from the East have led us to develop effective ways to reduce employee turnover. At Gremi Personal, we focus on building long-term relationships. We take care of the worker from the very beginning of their stay in Poland and help them adapt to new conditions. In addition, we run a loyalty program for them, prepare gifts for holidays, and organize events, and for the most talented children of our employees, we have a special scholarship program. All of this makes workers trust us and enjoy working with us.

See Challenges Instead of Problems

The war in Ukraine caused thousands of men to disappear from the Polish labor market. A problem? For us, it was a challenge. We asked ourselves who said that only men can operate forklifts in warehouses? In our own training center, we run courses for women who receive UDT (Office of Technical Inspection) certificates free of charge. The first women are already on the job, filling staffing shortages. And that is not all — we are looking for male workers in new markets, inviting them from Asian countries and South America.

Our database contains 120,000 people, and years of work have given us a wealth of experience and the knowledge we need. If you want to learn more about how we operate and what we can offer our Clients, take a look at our offer: https://gremi-personal.com/logistyka-i-magazynowanie/