Laude Group, a Polish logistics operator, has transferred EUR100m worth of assets from Russia and Central Asian countries to Ukraine; the company plans to invest another EUR250m in an economic exchange program between Ukraine and the EU, Laude’s press service said.
“Laude Group is expanding its potential in Ukraine. The logistics company from Torun (Poland) has transferred its assets worth EUR100 mln to Ukraine over the past few months. These are all assets that were previously located in Russia and Central Asian countries,” the statement said.
It is noted that among other things, the move included 510 specialized railway platforms and several thousand containers, which are actively used to transport products from Ukraine to Europe.
The company plans to increase investments in Ukraine by purchasing locomotives, railcars and containers.
“We decided to implement an investment program worth about EUR250 million aimed at economic exchange between Europe and Ukraine. Railroads here are a key element for both exports and imports and the company is an important operator,” the statement quoted the company’s CEO Marcin Witczak as saying.
Laude said it received approval for cooperation with Ukrzaliznytsia JSC in May after a thorough and lengthy review. “This is a key agreement which means that we are very closely linked to the Ukrainian market,” commented Vitchak.
At the same time, Laude’s development plans go further than expanding its logistics systems. “There are many specialists from Ukraine among the company’s several hundred employees. We are working on a training program for machinists from Ukraine,” said the CEO of the company.
Laude emphasized that it did not stop operations in Ukraine after the full-scale invasion. The company stopped operations in russia. “According to the legislation in force in this country, Laude must obtain a decision from the Russian authorities that confirms the sale of the company, which previously operated in the Russian market. Although the Russian government is not seeking to facilitate the transaction for Polish entrepreneurs, the company hopes to finalize the process and achieve de-registration in the coming weeks,” Witczak said.
In its logistics operations, Smart Intermodal, a member of the group, uses a modern rail terminal in Zamoscie, located on both wide and narrow “European” rail lines and adapted for handling and transshipment of cargo (containers) through the Izow-Grubieszów border crossing (located 60 km from the terminal). Laude’s terminal in Zamoscie can handle 10 trains per day and up to 15 thousand TEU of containers per year.
Laude Group of Companies belongs to one of the largest importers of steel from Ukraine to the EU, ATS S.A. Laude is active on international markets through its companies, connecting eastern and western transportation routes through Poland. The company’s activities over the last 15 years have been carried out in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Moldova (formerly in the Russian Federation). The company cooperates with contractors from Turkey, China, India. During the last years it has been actively investing in the development of Laude in Germany.
