The year 2009 is considered by the TSL industry to have been difficult for many companies due to the economic crisis, the effects of which are still being felt today. Some enterprises lost out in price competition while trying to acquire customers, which led to the termination of their operations.
According to analysts at Apreo Logistics SA, at the beginning of 2009, the disparity between supply and demand for transport services was very noticeable due to a 15-20% drop in the number of orders available on the market. The decreasing volume of cargo led to a price war, and drastic reductions in transport rates brutally verified the situation of many transport companies. Consequently, the falling supply of transport means had a positive impact on the profitability of services provided as early as late spring. Stabilization of demand and supply of transport means was noted during the holiday period, followed by the annual increase in demand at the beginning of September, resulting in an increase in freight prices. A return to market equilibrium took place at the beginning of October and has continued ever since. The results of Apreo Logistics SA can be cited as a reflection of market trends. The beginning of the year is usually a particularly difficult period for the entire industry. The annual low number of orders caused a drop in transport service prices last year. There was a reduction in the number of entities, specifically those managed less efficiently.
Polish road transport from a regional perspective
In 2008, the largest number of domestic transports departed from the following voivodeships: Łódzkie, Mazowieckie, and Dolnośląskie. This result did not change in the past year either. Major changes should also not be expected in the case of domestic transport destinations. Most of them went to the Mazowieckie Voivodeship, followed by the Śląskie and Łódzkie Voivodeships. The central location of the latter means that a large number of transport companies have their headquarters in this region, and modern warehouse space is increasing here year by year (in the Łódź Special Economic Zone, companies such as Dell and Gillette produce their goods, among others). Nearly one in five transports goes to Warsaw and its surroundings, although this share fell by less than 4% in 2009 compared to 2008. The largest increase in the number of orders in this category can be noted in the Dolnośląskie Voivodeship – 83%, while the largest decrease was in the Lubuskie Voivodeship – 17%.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 1/2010.