Intermodality: way out for companies to wiggle out bottleneck
DCI 09/28/10
Logistics companies with strong operation in the road sector bet on other modes of transportation (intermodality) to wiggle out bottlenecks caused mainly by the lack of port infrastructure in the country. The goal is to offer agility to customers. Thinking about that, TNT Brasil launched a service dedicated to the air transportation of heavy cargo, with the forecast that area represents 20% of all the businesses of the company in five years. On its turn, Rumo Logística bets mainly in the railway transportation and with that, the company, which has already invested more than US$ 100 million in the purchase of wagons since last year, allowed Grupo São Martinho to flow 66 thousand tons of sugar from the interior of São Paulo to the port of Santos, in less than ten days.With an eye on the current scenario of the Brazilian economy, with the increase in the imports and exports, TNT, which already operates 47 aircrafts abroad, has launched a new product for the Brazilian market, TNT International Freight, in which will be transported high added value products by air, such as technological and emergency products, and industrial parts and pharmaceutical goods. The service, which will be available only in the State of São Paulo, will interconnect the airports of Viracopos, in Campinas (SP), and Cumbica, in Guarulhos (SP), to Europe, China and the United States, from where the cargo will be distributed by the company itself to the final point. "The operation is based on the heavy cargo air freight. TNT is currently a leader in express freight in Europe, therefore we have a huge air and road network in the continent. Brazil could not stay out of that network, especially at a time in which the national economy is heated", said the Marketing Officer of the Company, Ricardo Gelain.
Initially, TNT will use the partnership with the German airline Lufthansa, taking cargo to Germany, and from there to the main base of the company in Belgium, where TNT will distribute the goods with their own planes and trucks. Gelain, however, does not rule out the possibility of putting an aircraft of the company in connection with Brazil, but he stresses out that will depend on the results achieved with the new service. "We do not rule out the possibility of bringing a TNT airplane to Brazil; we intend to operate cargo aircrafts here, but that depends on the legal parties and also on the growth of the Brazilian economy", he added.
Nevertheless, when asked about a future merger, an acquisition or partnership with a Brazilian airline for the carriage of cargo, Gelain said the company isn't thinking about that now, but that would be an interesting idea. He also talked about TNT entering into a partnership with the rail modal. "We are not studying such a possibility yet because much of the goods we carry are finished materials. But perhaps we will do so, in future", he reflected. Finally, Ricardo Gelain said TNT has studied the Brazilian market a lot before launching the new product, and, with the recent port bottlenecks, clients will have a new option to send and receive their goods with speed and precision.
The carrier Rumo Logística belongs to Grupo Cosan and it is specialized in the logistics of grains and sugar. The company has just gathered the results from intermodality. Nearly 15% was saved, both in time and in transport costs, with a partnership entered into with São Martinho, a producer of sugar and ethanol, for the transport of sugar from the São Martinho plant in Pradópolis (SP) to the port of Santos. In the operation, 70% of all sugar was carried on trains and 30% on trucks, and, according to the President of the company it is a very interesting alternative, since it prevents large lines of trucks at the port, and assure delivery terms.