The combined expertise of a team depends on each member’s willingness to improve his or her knowledge and competencies. As Henry Ford said, "Enterprises that grow through development and improvement do not die." AsstrA experts regularly attend business events to exchange know-how, stay up to date with market trends, and ensure that the company’s service offerings are on the leading edge of the industry.

Vladislav Martin

From September 1-2, RailFreight Summit 2021 took place in the Polish city of Lodz. Representing AsstrA at the event was Vladislav Martin, Head of the EU and China Region Railway Transportation Department. "This year has been declared the European Year of Rail Transport. More and more companies prefer this type of transport, as accelerated container trains continue to prove their competitiveness vs. air and sea transportation. In addition, rail deliveries are an eco-friendly alternative to road transport,” shares Vladislav Martin.

“European governments are paying more attention to the development of intermodal transport solutions. There is growing understanding that the creation of logistics hubs is a long-term investment in Eurasian trade relations. Hungary’s intermodal transit hub, Poland’s dry railway port in Malaszewicze, and Ukraine’s potential as a transit hub alternative to routes via Belarus were all discussed at this event.”

On September 22, Strategic Civil Aviation Forum IX was held in Moscow. This event is  professional platform for logistics professionals to discuss aviation industry development trends and regulatory changes.

Anton Seichasov

In his presentation at the forum, Anton Seichasov, Head of the AsstrA Air Transportation Department, highlighted artificial intelligence as a powerful tool for supporting and streamlining cargo flows: "The digital transformation of civil aviation is not considered a trend anymore – it is a strategic necessity for staying competitive in the cargo transportation market. Events like this Forum offer valuable opportunities to describe our company’s vision around this topic, share perspectives and experience, and meet new suppliers who are ready to use new technologies to grow with us."

From September 24-26, Novorossiysk hosted Foreign Trade Customs Logistics VII - 2021.

Valentin Vakhrushev

At this annual event, customs and logistics service specialists come together to discuss issues related to customs regulation and cross-border business. "The conference’s three-day format allowed participants to discuss key regulatory issues, consider practical case studies, and learn a great deal of useful information from industry experts," says Valentin Vakhrushev, Deputy Chief Operating Officer at AsstrA.

In his presentation at the conference, Valentin Vakhrushev shared practical insights related to handling unforeseen complications with consignment sales. In particular, he covered re-export customs procedures, how to return goods to suppliers, and issuing a refund for previously paid customs duties.

On September 27, Ramilya Akhmetova, AsstrA Almaty Branch Manager, participated in an ad hoc emergency round table addressing rolling stock delays at the Kazakh-Chinese border. On September 26, more than 5,000 wagons were delayed around the Dostyk railway station.

Ramilya Akhmetova

"We discussed concrete steps to help minimize exporters’ time and financial costs. These steps included, for example, overloading into containers and rerouting shipments to the Altynkol border crossing. I was glad to see that Kazakh Railways management was actively responding to this challenging situation and working with businesses to find workable solutions.”