[EN-LOG] "GEFCO" Launches New France - Russia Rail Service

GEFCO, in partnership with Captrain Deutschland and Transcontainer, is launching a rail transport service for SKD automotive components between Vesoul in France and Kaluga in Russia.

The service is the result of one year of studies conducted by the three partners, and is one of Europe's most ambitious multi-modal projects in terms of volume.

Departing from the Naviland Cargo terminal near PSA Peugeot Citroën's Vesoul plant, the rail service heads for Malaszewisze/Brest on the Poland/Belarus border where the containers, supplied by Transcontainer, are transhipped onto Russian wagons and transported to the Kaluga production site.

The 3,000 km journey takes five days.

GEFCO submitted a request for subsidies via the European program Marco Polo (2003-2006), which assists companies seeking to transfer part of their road traffic to more environment-compatible transport modes such as rail.

The Vesoul-Kaluga rail line is an integral part of GEFCO's sustainable development policy, replacing the equivalent of 36 trucks a day and cutting delivery times from eight days to five.

The number of automotive production sites in Russia is increasing as major global carmakers step up their investment in the country. In response to growing demand for logistics services, GEFCO has invested to optimise infrastructures and develop its service range, particularly in inbound automotive logistics.

GEFCO Russia and the government of the Kaluga region have signed a Letter of Intent presenting their collaborative effort on transport and logistics in the region. Kaluga is a nerve centre of the international automotive industry based in Russia.

This year, PSA Peugeot Citroën and Mitsubishi are opening a new joint assembly plant in Kaluga to produce mid-size passenger cars. GEFCO is the exclusive inbound and outbound logistics provider for the plant and will play a vital role along the entire production line.

GEFCO's Kaluga office will provide the group's full range of logistics services, including transport in Russia, customs clearance and warehousing solutions.

The Vesoul-Kaluga line reflects GEFCO's continuing strategic expansion in Russia, which includes the 2008 opening of the Podolsk logistics platform near Moscow and the Domodedovo automotive park project launched in early-2010.

Source : EFT, 06.04.10.