Autoverslas expands in Klaipėda FEZ

The UAB Autoverslas group, which operates in the transport and logistics services sector, has completed a development project in the Klaipėda Free Economic Zone (FEZ), which is comprised of 10,000 square meters of warehouse space, cross-docking infrastructure and over 25,000 square meters of open spaces. The 5 million euro investment project will help the company strengthen and expand the general cargo logistics services for importers and manufacturers.

This September Autoverslas expanded its 7 thousand square meter logistics centre that has operated in Klaipėda FEZ since 2008 with an extra warehouse spanning 10 thousand square meters, the cross-docking infrastructure and the open spaces for light and heavy transport vehicle storage and parking,. Autoverslas is also planning to extend an extra railway stretch to the object by the end of the year. There are further plans to develop and widen the spectrum of the logistics, stevedoring, marking, packaging and sorting services in the expanded Autoverslas logistics centre in Klaipėda, focusing mostly on other logistics operators, importers of goods, wholesale trading companies, traders as well as producers of construction and industrial goods.

Valdemaras Zakarauskas, the board chairman of UAB Autoverslas, comments that the group’s investment in Klaipėda FEZ will help expand its spectrum of operations and the range of clients.

“The modern warehouse with advanced management systems and a railway branch in Klaipėda alongside the largest port in the region will ensure an even closer synergy with our branches in Vilnius and Vievis. We also hope to grow by increasing both cargo volumes and types. We see the most potential in the goods importer and producer segment. We plan for the new warehouse to recruit new logistics specialists by the end of the year so the total number of people working in the Klaipėda logistics centre will exceed 50,” V. Zakarauskas says.

According to Zakarauskas, the location for expanding in Klaipėda FEZ was chosen after considering operations in the territory thus far, its geographic positioning and the already developed infrastructure, but Autoverslas also values the active and cooperative business community in the territory, as well as partnerships with companies operating nearby.

Eimantas Kiudulas, the head of Klaipėda FEZ, applauds the development initiative of Autoverslas during this special time. According to him, the company’s step further illustrates opportunities which the pandemic has opened up for manufacturers and logistics providers in our region.

“With production and logistics chains realigning in the world, we have already witnessed the first investment in seeking to return manufacturing closer to Europe and our logistics sector is discovering new opportunities for service exports. I have no doubt that the new and modern warehouses of Autoverslas, which have been fully integrated into the land, rail and sea transport networks, will allow for the creation of even more value, which is relevant for both our country and the entire region’s companies,” E. Kiudulas states.

The Autoverslas group was founded in 1995 and began its operations from an automotive logistics service business. Currently the group includes thirteen companies which operate in areas such as transport, logistics, customs mediation, trading and services and employs more than 200 staff.

Across the three logistics centres in Vilnius, Klaipėda and Vievis, Autoverslas manages 48 thousand square meters of modern warehouses, the most advanced car storage and pre-sales infrastructure in the Baltic region, as well as five railway stretches.

The customers of Autoverslas’ include the Lithuanian and foreign retail and wholesale trading companies, producers and other logistics operators.

In 2019 the Group’s revenue reached 23.4 million euro and was 2% higher than the previous year.