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Over the past 15 years, Integre Trans has provided its clients with exceptional transportation and logistics services. During this time, the company has achieved several important milestones, the latest of which revolves around its carbon footprint. Managing Director for Poland Martyna Grala and CMO Kristina Černiauskienė explained more about the steps the company is taking to promote sustainability and expand its global reach. Report by Imogen Ward.
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After an impressive year of 33 million kilometers worth of deliveries, equating to more than 125,000 order shipments that weighed a total of 1.035 million tonnes, Integre Trans has made itself well-known as a leading provider of transportation and logistics. With such impressive results, it is clear why the company is dedicated to further expansion. However, this is not the only area at the forefront of its objectives.
Over the past four years, Integre Trans has been on a journey to improved sustainability. “We partake in a number of emissions-reducing activities, including offsetting,” Managing Director for Poland Martyna Grala said. “We have invested in a project based in Mexico which is constructing and operating wind farms. This has successfully offset 9,000 tonnes of CO2. We also utilise 100% green electricity in all our offices in Lithuania and Poland, and we aim to become climate neutral by 2050.”
From its various hubs around the world, Integre Trans directly serves around 850 clients with efficient transportation solutions and high-quality service.
Transporting far and wide
In 2016, driven by the demand from larger organisations, Integre Trans began its journey towards the continuous expansion of its market presence, capabilities and capacity.
“Our expansion phase entailed being in closer proximity to our clients, offering localised services and ensuring swift response times,” CMO Kristina Černiauskienė explained. “Additionally, catering to specific customer requests became paramount. Our German and French customers preferred communicating in their native languages, so we sought to employ local staff in these markets.”
In 2017, an Integre Trans branch was set up in Germany, and the following year, an additional office was also established in Paris, France. With business booming, the company made a further crucial investment. In 2020, Integre Trans made the strategic decision to open a new warehouse in Épône, France. This modern 6,500sqm facility led to the development of the company’s new contracts logistics service, which has been very successful so far.
“We have also set up two branches within Poland,” Ms Grala said. “One in Warsaw in 2019, and the second space in Wrocław opened this year. This second branch is not just another location; it is incredibly important to help strengthen the relationships that we have built with customers, both existing and new. It holds a big purpose because the Central European market is quite new to us, and our presence here really highlights our desire to grow and explore new markets, and also bolster our reputation as a reliable partner.”
Since the company first set out on its journey of growth and development, it has witnessed an impressive jump in turnover. In 2022, the Integre Trans group’s turnover grew by 59%, while its number of employees increased by 50% in the year.
To accommodate this increase of sales, Integre Trans is in the process of relocating its headquarters in Lithuania. The new 5,500sqm building will hold an additional 200 workstations and was designed with employee input.
Steering to a greener future
Although the company has an ongoing commitment to expansion, it is dedicated to achieving this in a strategic and sustainably responsible manner.
“Our commitment to sustainable logistics is very much rooted in the belief that we have a responsibility to minimize our environmental impact, whilst also providing efficient and reliable services,” Ms Grala said.
During 2021 and 2022, Integre Trans purchased 20 LNG trucks. Currently, the company maintains an impressive fleet of 1,400 trucks and 1,700 trailers and is planning to purchase more electric vehicles in 2024.
Since 2020, the company has published three sustainability reports. With each additional report, Integre Trans tracks its emissions reduction progress and measures CO2 emissions from freight transport, which it reduced by 4% last year, and is well on track to increase that figure by the end of the year.
“These reports transparently communicate our ESG performance and the progress we’ve made,” Ms Grala said. “In tracking our reports, we have noticed company-wide improvements. We have recently published our third report, which has provided us with more comprehensive emissions information.”
Driving change
Grown from a column within the company’s newsletter, the Think Sustainable programme was implemented in 2020 and has been expanding steadily ever since.
“We are very proud of what we have achieved through Think Sustainable,” Ms Grala said. “The programme revolves around initiatives which address environmental and social responsibility, and safety. We share experiences, informational articles, educational content, and we advise our interns via our social channel as well.
“Last year, we successfully implemented 15 initiatives, including walking and cycling challenges, and we participated in the Vilnius marathon. For 2023, we aim to execute a minimum of 18 social responsibility initiatives.”
One of Think Sustainable’s biggest achievements to-date is the Afforestation Project. This involved more than 80 employees from Lithuania planting 11,000 trees. “By planting a forest in Lithuania we strive to reduce CO2 footprint also closer to our home, and we’re proud to have contributed to mitigating climate change, improving air and water quality, increasing biodiversity, and enhancing the beauty of the area,” Ms Grala said.
The company also raises funds for charitable causes. Last year, Integre Trans supported POLA, the Lithuanian Cancer Patients Association. “Whilst taking care of the well-being of our employees, we also wanted to contribute to the well-being of other people suffering from severe diseases,” Ms Černiauskienė explained. “So, in 2022, we started to provide financial support to POLA by implementing a navigation and sustainable mentorship programme to cancer patients. We provide financial support in 2023 as well.”
Gearing up for digitalisation
Integre Trans has also been busy implementing digitalisation across its operations. Such a step is not only vital to the progress of its carbon reduction, but also provides operational efficiency and enhances the customer experience.
“For transportation companies like us, embracing digital technologies is essential,” Ms Grala said. “It really helps to optimise our logistics processes, improve our quality of service and reduce costs. We have implemented an advanced tracking system, process automation, electronic documentation and invoicing, integration with customer portals, and AI integration.
“All our drivers are also equipped with tablets to allow for seamless communication, which is very innovative within the transportation sector.”
“The company’s CEO, Žana Kel, is very keen on implementing the latest technologies and innovations, to improve business efficiency, as well as customer and employee experience,” Ms Černiauskienė added. “New drivers are always impressed with our digitalisation compared to other companies. It’s easy to forget this isn’t the norm outside of Integre Trans.”
Going forward, as data volumes continue to increase, Integre Trans intends to invest more into automation and AI. The company also plans to expand its fleet by 3,500 additional trucks to support future growth.
“Our corporate philosophy revolves around taking care of our customers and employees first,” Ms Černiauskienė concluded. “We believe this effort encourages employees to go the extra mile for our customers. When people come to us, this culture also really resonates with them and helps to drive the business forward.”
The full magazine can be found here.