This spring is special in Europe for a variety of reasons. The primary one is that almost all EU countries have loosened Covid-19 restrictions after two years of the pandemic. People are finally able to gather in group of any size and talk to each other without masks covering their faces.

This spring has also been rich in meetings for logistics professionals. AsstrA France Branch Manager Anne-Laure Berger shares her thoughts after attending several of these meetings in France:

SITL Transport and Logistics Innovation Week is an important industry event established in 1983. The SITL agenda covers a wide variety of innovative products and services in the freight, logistics, and supply chain sector, and I was able to meet many of our transport partners and discuss European transport market trends. Sustainability was top of mind for this year’s attendees, and many discussions focused on ecological ways to deliver goods. The shift towards environmental friendliness is well underway, and carriers who are not on board risk being excluded from the market. Increasing the use of biofuels is at the heart of multiple regulatory initiatives intended to improve the efficiency of vehicles.

The transition to greener logistics has been particularly visible in maritime transport. Many large European ports have switched from fossil fuels to hydrogen, which can power virtually any type of equipment. Combined rail-road transport is also an increasingly popular alternative to road-only solutions. To fully leverage this approach, however, a reorganization of the logistics chain is necessary.  It was nice to meet colleagues and get industry updates during this year’s SITL.

I also attended France Innovative Plasturgie (FIP), another high-profile industry initiative. This is the premier event for French manufacturers of plastic-based products in many sectors, from consumer goods to high-tech. This year’s FIP was a particularly valuable opportunity to connect with current and potential customers. Here I was able to get acquainted with their manufacturing processes and where they ship their products. To properly transport clients’ goods, you must have a strong understanding of their businesses. What could be better than entering their world to talk to them directly? That’s why face-to-face meetings are so important!