Torrestir, a leading express and logistics provider in Portugal, has recorded a slowdown ingrowth during the first quarter of this year due to the difficult economic conditions in the
country but expects to achieve its usual growth of 10-13% by the end of 2011, a senior manager toldCEP-Research.Torrestir is the leading provider on the Portuguese express market, Fernando Manuel Torres,business manager of the family-owned company, said in an interview at the transport logistic tradefair in Munich last week. The main rivals are La Poste’s subsidiary Chronopost and the fourintegrators DHL, FedEx, UPS and TNT.
Founded in 1962, the company offers a comprehensive range of services through its differentunits ranging from door-to-door express delivery within 24 hours, international road transportationto freight forwarding and warehousing. However, the company’s main business is door-to-doordistribution of small packages, pallets etc, he explained.
“In financial terms, last year was better than this year due to the current situation inPortugal,” Torres stated. “Our policy is trying to grow each year by 10-13% and we have managed tomaintain this annual growth rate throughout the years since the company was founded. Confirmingthis trend, we grew 13% last year generating revenues of €110 million.”
“This year, the first three months have been difficult for us with our express businesssuffering the most as people tend to switch to cheaper products in difficult times. But ourlogistics and international units are growing very fast. Our logistics company Torres Log providesstorage solutions and inventory management. We started offering warehousing services two years agoat an area of just over 1,000 sqm which we have managed to expand to nearly 40,000 sqm reflectingthe strong growth in this sector.”
Looking ahead, Torres expects to achieve the company’s usual growth of over 10% by the end ofthis year.
As one of the measures to cope with the difficult situation and with the slowdown in Torrestir’sexpress business in particular, Torres named cost reduction. “One of our main costs is dieselconsumption. To reduce it, we work together with drivers and we give them training so they learnhow to drive more efficiently.”
Torrestir has an extensive international network with partners and agents worldwide and isconstantly expanding its geographical coverage. “In one month, we will start our operations inAngola. Now, we are in negotiations with Brazil for possible acquisitions of domestic companies. Weare also eyeing Eastern Europe for further expansion, for example Poland or Czech Republic where wemight open new offices,” Torres explained.
“On the European level, Germany is a very important country for us where we have been operatingfor 25 years. We also work with UK, France, Italy, Belgium, Poland and other European countriesoperating through agents.”
To expand its domestic operations, Torrestir has started the construction of three newwarehouses in Portugal for road transport and is eyeing new facilities. This adds to its eightexisting warehouses in Portugal, Torres added.
Torres highlighted Torrestir’s service quality and domestic network as its main competitiveadvantages compared to the integrators. “Our transportation software is better. We have our owndrivers and spend a lot of time training them. I think it’s better to have your own drivers andyour own trucks which the integrators don’t have.”
Torrestir Group operates its own different companies comprising Torres Global, Skynet WorldwideExpress Portugal, Torrestir International, Torrestir Transitários, Torrestir Distribution, TorresLog, Torres Pharma, Torres on Trade, Computing and Consultancy and Magnirent.
The express company Skynet Portugal is part of Skynet Worldwide Express providing both nationaland international air express services. Delivery to the main cities in Europe and the United Statesis provided within 24 hours, and within 72 hours for more distant countries. Outside Portugal,Skynet works mostly with agents all over the world operating a large global network. In Spain andGermany, however, the company has its own offices.
Torrestir Distribution provides transportation of less than truck cargo with door-to-doordistribution for all sizes and weights operating a fleet of 400 vehicles for distribution. Itsspecial services in mainland Portugal include next-day delivery until 10 am, 1 pm and 6 pm, nightdelivery between 10 pm and 7 am in the morning, deliveries on weekends and public holidays, sameday collection and delivery of domestic parcels in Porto and Lisbon. The company also providesexpress delivery for urgent shipments with customers defining the time of delivery.
Torrestir International offers a wide range of groupage and truckload shipping to and fromEurope with special transport of garments, refrigerators as well as logistics and distribution inSpain and Germany within 24 hours via its own warehouses.
Torrestir Transitários provides freight delivery to European and world markets by truck, by seaand by air. It is certified as an IATA agent and belongs to the World Cargo Alliance (WCA). Itsagent network is active in over 180 countries.
Torres Pharma takes into account the requirements of the pharmaceutical sector and guaranteestransport and distribution of medication and other health products under appropriate packaging andrefrigeration conditions.
Torrestir Group employs 1,200 staff and operates a fleet of 600 trucks.
