With the ground-breaking event on August 30, international transport and info-logistics provider cargo-partner celebrated the official start of construction of its modern warehouse facility near Ljubljana Airport. The iLogistics Center will provide 25,000 m² of storage space and is scheduled to take up operations in 2019.
The ground-breaking celebration was organized in cooperation with the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKO) and held at the construction site at the “L8” business complex on August 30, 2018. The event was attended by the Minister of Economic Development and Technology, Zdravko Počivalšek, as well as the Director of ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA Ljubljana, Dr. Peter Hasslacher, representatives of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce in Slovenia and other representatives of local politics and media. Stefan Krauter, CEO of cargo-partner, and Viktor Kastelic, Managing Director of cargo-partner in Slovenia, were also present at the event.
Stefan Krauter, CEO of cargo-partner, explained his motivations behind the project as well as his hopes for the future: “We are investing here in Slovenia because we believe that this special location near the ports of Koper and Trieste will remain an important gateway to Asia and the Mediterranean Sea as well as to former Yugoslavia, Transylvania, Hungary, Austria, Southern Germany and parts of Northern Italy. We have a very diligent and professional planning phase behind us, which will now be followed by a very productive construction phase. We want to build something which we can all be proud of and which will be the best recommendation for any logistics requirements in the region.”
Viktor Kastelic, Managing Director of cargo-partner in Slovenia, elaborated further: “Slovenia is located right at the crossroads between Western and South Eastern Europe – you can’t get around it. Luka Koper is a main gateway for goods coming from Asia to Central Europe, and Fraport Airport in Brnik is the second most important hub in the country. In recent years, the state has recognized the opportunities offered by logistics as a strategic industry at the highest levels, and is beginning to make investments to fully utilize this potential. Our iLogistics Center is just one stone in this mosaic of opportunity!”
Zdravko Počivalšek, Minister of Economic Development and Technology, likewise commented on the investment’s significance for the local economy: “I am pleased that Slovenia, thanks to its favorable geostrategic location and its connection to regional markets, is gaining importance as a logistical vantage point. This is thanks in a large part to investments like the cargo-partner iLogistics Center, which bring higher added value and follow sustainable principles. cargo-partner has chosen Brnik, one of the most important entry points, and we sincerely wish for this location to continue to flourish in the future. This development will be supported by investments made in the area, which will also significantly contribute to the global competitiveness of the Slovenian economy.”
The new iLogistics Center will contain over 20,000 pallet slots on more than 25,000 m² of storage space and will also include a 6,000 m² small parts and single pick area, 5,000 m² of cross dock and block storage space and 4,000 m² of office space. Located directly next to Ljubljana Airport, approximately 20 minutes from the city center, it will offer a direct connection to the motorway (A2). With 44 truck docks, the facility is well equipped for daily pick-up and distribution from and to the surrounding area. The iLogistics Center will create over 100 new jobs and will strongly contribute to the further development of the region.
