unitcargo world no. 6/2021
The periodical journal of UnitCargo. We organize Full Truck Loads on the road and in Intermodal Transport. Throughout Europe. Individual, fast and reliable. We believe in a fossil-free logistic world.
The periodical journal of UnitCargo. We organize Full Truck Loads on the road and in Intermodal Transport. Throughout Europe. Individual, fast and reliable. We believe in a fossil-free logistic world.
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<strong>unitcargo</strong><br />
<strong>world</strong><br />
NEWS IMPRESSIONS INFORMATION<br />
No. 6. June <strong>2021</strong><br />
Aim to be the<br />
first CO2 neutral<br />
freight forwarder<br />
FIT4urban -<br />
ways to a climateneutral<br />
city and<br />
the role of logistics<br />
The 3,500<br />
grades of steel
EDITORIAL<br />
Dear customers and partners,<br />
We are proud to present our new edition of<br />
UnitCargo World with a completely new design<br />
and with a new professional marketing<br />
partner who will accompany us for the next<br />
years. Our marketing strategy has also been<br />
renewed with improved quality since the Corona<br />
crisis. As we take our environmental management<br />
very seriously, we will exclusively<br />
send you this issue in digital form. Our CO2mmitment<br />
(this is our newly created word on<br />
the subject of COS) is to be the first CO2 neutral<br />
forwarder by 2030.<br />
In 2020, we had the best financial year in the<br />
company‘s history. My team and I were able<br />
to learn important lessons and implement<br />
the k<strong>no</strong>wledge we gained. We live by our values<br />
<strong>no</strong>w more than ever, supported by regular<br />
internal video conferences.<br />
Our value: COMMUNICATION - due to the<br />
newly learned ability to unite the team scattered<br />
over 6 countries within a short period of<br />
time on screen, we are <strong>no</strong>w truly ONE team<br />
and ONE company.<br />
Our value: EDUCATION - through digital networking<br />
we have been able to increase the<br />
frequency and quality of our UnitCargo Academy<br />
training.<br />
Our value: CREDIT WORTHINESS - as we<br />
have had the best year in our history, our credit<br />
rating has also increased.<br />
Our value: HEALTH AND SAFETY - we successfully<br />
completed the ISO 45001 certification<br />
and are <strong>no</strong>w ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and<br />
ISO 45001 certified. We have recently started<br />
the SQAS assessment for our customers and<br />
partners in the chemical industry.<br />
The list of positive influences on our values<br />
could be extended, but in summary I can say<br />
that the Corona crisis has brought us many<br />
positive things. For all the pain and suffering<br />
that this pandemic has brought and continues<br />
to bring, I still possess the view that this<br />
crisis should be seen as an opportunity. As<br />
I have seen in the example of our company,<br />
forced changes can also be implemented in<br />
a positive way. A term that I think describes<br />
UnitCargo quite well and is especially important<br />
in the supply chain is RESILIENCE.<br />
I wish you good health and hope for your loyalty.<br />
Until the next issue of UnitCargo World,<br />
we will also publish the reports contained<br />
here at regular intervals on our social media<br />
channels so you can continue to stay in touch<br />
with us as well.<br />
with orange regards,<br />
Davor Sertic<br />
CEO UnitCargo<br />
Contents<br />
04<br />
06<br />
08<br />
10<br />
Business: UnitCargo: On the way to<br />
becoming the first CO2-neutral freight<br />
forwarder<br />
UnitCargo Bulgaria: COVID has made us<br />
stronger and more optimistic. Sergey Iltchev<br />
reports from UnitCargo Bulgaria desk<br />
Forum Green Logistics: FIT4urban -<br />
Ways to a climate-neutral city and the role<br />
of logistics<br />
Business: a report on<br />
steel and it‘s transport<br />
by UnitCargo<br />
12 15 UnitCargo Family<br />
Destination:<br />
Plovdiv, a modern city<br />
with an ancient heart<br />
Fun Facts: Want to find<br />
out how much coffee we<br />
consume in just 6 months?<br />
Turn to page 13 for this and<br />
more fun facts about our<br />
growing family<br />
2 3
UNITCARGO BUSINESS<br />
UNITCARGO BUSINESS<br />
UnitCargo: On the way<br />
to becoming the first CO2<br />
neutral freight forwarder<br />
Davor Sertic, CEO of UnitCargo, was taught to respect nature and it‘s limited<br />
resources by his parents. It is therefore a matter of course for him to act in a<br />
sustainable and considerate manner both in his private and professional life<br />
Over the past decade, environmental<br />
protection has increasingly become<br />
the focus of public attention. Consequently,<br />
the idea of sustainability in<br />
business and politics has gained considerable<br />
importance in recent years and has become<br />
an omnipresent topic in our society.<br />
The current targets of the European energy and<br />
environmental policy, which were adopted by the<br />
European Union in 2018, stipulate, for example,<br />
that greenhouse gas emissions within the EU alone<br />
are to be reduced by at least 40 per cent by<br />
2030 compared to the year 1990. Tougher climate<br />
and environmental policies, rising raw material<br />
prices and changes in logistical competitive conditions,<br />
coupled with the current effects of climate<br />
change, have presented the freight forwarding<br />
and logistics industry with new challenges and<br />
encouraged them to rethink.<br />
EU target: Reduce greenhouse gas<br />
emissions by at least 40 percent by<br />
2030 compared to 1990 levels<br />
In particular, the topics of sustainability and digitalisation<br />
will significantly accelerate and intensify<br />
the transformation of the industry. In this context<br />
however, we do <strong>no</strong>t see sustainability merely as<br />
a trendy buzzword, but rather as a fundamental<br />
corporate value that has been and continues to<br />
be decisive for the actions and corporate success<br />
of the UnitCargo Group since the company was<br />
founded in 2004. The UnitCargo Group‘s business<br />
model is based on the three pillars of „Customer,<br />
Team and Supplier“, which form the core of a sustainable<br />
and environmentally oriented corporate<br />
policy through convergent coordination. UnitCargo‘s<br />
sustainability approach is based on the international<br />
EN ISO 14001:2015 standard. Complete<br />
avoidance of climate-damaging emissions is currently<br />
neither eco<strong>no</strong>mically viable <strong>no</strong>r technically<br />
feasible. However, by investing and participating in<br />
projects in the field of climate and environmental<br />
protection, we have the opportunity to offset these<br />
unavoidable emissions in a sustainable and adequate<br />
manner in accordance with the concept of<br />
„avoid, reduce, and compensate“.<br />
We push the use of Euro 5<br />
and Euro 6 trucks and<br />
minimise empty runs<br />
UnitCargo‘s long-term goal is to become a CO2<br />
neutral company in order to counteract the growing<br />
emission of CO2 and other pollutants. The<br />
overriding goal is to ensure an intact environment<br />
for future generations. The increased use of Euro 5<br />
and Euro 6 trucks as well as integrated route plan-<br />
ning and coordination of our transport flows allow<br />
us to significantly reduce empty runs, which subsequently<br />
leads to a higher transport utilisation<br />
of our vehicles. Through the described approach<br />
of route optimisation (UnitCargo credo for <strong>2021</strong>:<br />
„Connecting the flows with our own capacities“),<br />
the share of climate-damaging CO2 emissions can<br />
be reduced when carrying out transport services.<br />
We are constantly driving<br />
forward the reduction of our<br />
carbon footprint<br />
In addition, in the context of corporate social responsibility,<br />
we are pushing for a reduction of our<br />
Sustainability has been<br />
a decisive factor in<br />
UnitCargo‘s actions<br />
and corporate success<br />
since the company was<br />
founded in 2004<br />
CO2 footprint in the long term through partial work<br />
in the home office, a conscious avoidance of paper<br />
waste (e.g. digital archive, e-invoicing, double-sided<br />
printing, electronic signature), waste separation<br />
and the intensification of virtual meetings in<br />
our branches and at our headquarters.<br />
4 5
UNITCARGO BULGARIA<br />
UNITCARGO BULGARIA<br />
COVID has made us<br />
stronger and more optimistic<br />
Sergey Iltchev from UnitCargo Bulgaria branch office reports on how future-<br />
oriented investments in recent years helped him and his team face and<br />
overcome the challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic<br />
COVID-19 changed the whole <strong>world</strong><br />
within one year. Many people lost<br />
their jobs, some even their lives. In<br />
general, we can say that the attitude<br />
in Bulgaria is <strong>no</strong>t overwhelmingly positive<br />
due to the consequences of the pandemic<br />
as well as the prevention measures. Just like for<br />
everyone else, COVID was an extreme challenge<br />
for the team in Bulgaria. Nevertheless, today the<br />
atmosphere at UnitCargo Bulgaria is great, which,<br />
unlike in the rest of the country, has never been so<br />
positive. This is <strong>no</strong>t a coincidence, but the result of<br />
dedication, diligence and insight.<br />
The agreement on the EU<br />
Green Corridors was partially<br />
due to Bulgaria<br />
Last year, when almost the whole <strong>world</strong> went into<br />
lockdown in March/April, everyone was shocked.<br />
We at UnitCargo could <strong>no</strong>t be immobilised, but<br />
had to act immediately. Trucking is about moving,<br />
<strong>no</strong>t being stagnant. When Hungary closed its<br />
borders at the beginning of the COVID 19 crisis, we<br />
immediately contacted the haulers’ associations<br />
in Bulgaria. They had already requested a meeting<br />
with the Transport Minister. Bulgaria was one<br />
of the first countries to ask for a unified European<br />
solution at the online EU summit. In the end, the<br />
agreement on Green Corridors for freight transport<br />
was accepted by all EU Member States.<br />
Truck logistics is the<br />
blood in the veins of the<br />
European Union<br />
The pandemic has shown that <strong>no</strong> European country<br />
can function on its own, sealed off from the<br />
rest. Europe is an organism that only functions<br />
when all elements work together. Truck logistics<br />
is the blood in the veins of this organism. We are<br />
very proud to be able to make a contribution to the<br />
well-functioning blood circulation.<br />
Last year, we felt that we had been preparing for<br />
this COVID crisis throughout our professional careers<br />
in the forwarding industry. It was a very tough<br />
time, in which permanent changes demanded flexibility.<br />
But we were well prepared for this, as we<br />
had a sustainably built team of professionals who<br />
always knew what had to be done. Thanks to future-oriented<br />
investments in recent years, a smooth<br />
switch to home office was possible overnight for<br />
all employees in the six UnitCargo branches. Great<br />
importance was attached to stability and security,<br />
so that the high UnitCargo quality standard for<br />
customers and suppliers could be maintained without<br />
hindrance.<br />
Numerous quality assurance measures have already<br />
been implemented in all branches in recent<br />
years, including action plans for such situations.<br />
This has enabled the entire UnitCargo Group to<br />
guarantee the safety of customers, employees<br />
and suppliers at all times.<br />
The safety of customers,<br />
employees and suppliers was<br />
guaranteed at all times<br />
Weekly Zoom meetings with the management<br />
teams of all branches became a valued tradition<br />
throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This gave<br />
us the feeling of being together in one room and<br />
<strong>no</strong>t scattered across six countries. This close exchange<br />
of information and experience on Zoom<br />
has given us even more confidence and made<br />
UnitCargo even stronger internationally. I would<br />
like to take this opportunity to thank my Bulgarian<br />
colleagues for their unconditional commitment.<br />
2020 was UnitCargo Bulgaria‘s most successful<br />
business year and <strong>2021</strong> looks <strong>no</strong> worse. The entire<br />
team has recognised the great importance of<br />
truck logistics and its employees for the European<br />
eco<strong>no</strong>my. Through our professional work, we have<br />
ensured that the supply chains of our clients and<br />
their customers are <strong>no</strong>t jeopardised at any time.<br />
No employee was dismissed in Bulgaria, even<br />
better, new ones were hired and all suppliers were<br />
paid on time. Some customers have expressed<br />
their gratitude for the exceptional performance<br />
last year. This makes us very proud and happy.<br />
We have recognised the great<br />
importance of truck logistics<br />
and its employees for the<br />
European eco<strong>no</strong>my<br />
Seeing what we are able to achieve under the<br />
most difficult conditions and how important this<br />
is for the entire European eco<strong>no</strong>my inspires us to<br />
continue on our successful path with enthusiasm.<br />
We at UnitCargo Team Bulgaria are optimistic for<br />
the future.<br />
6 7
UNITCARGO BUSINESS<br />
UNITCARGO BUSINESS<br />
FIT4urban - Ways to a<br />
climate-neutral city<br />
and the role of logistics<br />
... are we still training, or are we already fit?<br />
The Forum Green Logistics is a forward-looking,<br />
sustainability-oriented k<strong>no</strong>wledge and networking<br />
platform that focuses on the transport industry<br />
and logistics. In the long term, the forum is intended<br />
to contribute to making freight mobility<br />
• greener,<br />
• more social and<br />
• more efficient<br />
by raising awareness towards the associated processes<br />
and tech<strong>no</strong>logies among all stakeholders<br />
and strengthening the industry‘s image. The Forum<br />
Green Logistics was founded in 2015 by Davor<br />
Sertic (CEO of UnitCargo) and has been based at<br />
the Institute of Production Management and Logistics<br />
at the University of Natural Resources and<br />
Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU) since 2016. The focus<br />
„Our goal is to bring<br />
people from logistics together<br />
and address in dialogue <strong>no</strong>t<br />
only factual issues, but also<br />
issues that affect us all every<br />
day - to cooperate and learn<br />
from each other - to use our<br />
strengths and work together,<br />
<strong>no</strong>t against each other.“<br />
Davor Sertic,<br />
Founder Forum<br />
Green Logistics<br />
of the forum is on strengthening interdisciplinary<br />
and cross-industry cooperation at a national and<br />
international level with a clear view to the future.<br />
The Forum Green Logistics is a long-term project<br />
for creating sustainable awareness and improving<br />
the image of the transport industry and logistics,<br />
which connects decision-makers and experts and<br />
accompanies them on their journey all the way<br />
into the year 2030.<br />
The event will take place on 7 September in Vienna<br />
and will be organised for the first time together<br />
with the Austrian Transport Science Society (ÖVG).<br />
This year‘s thematic focus is: FIT4urban - Ways to a<br />
climate-neutral city and the role of logistics.<br />
Currently, the Corona pandemic still holds us in its<br />
spell. But there is already a vaccine. There is <strong>no</strong><br />
vaccine against climate change! It threatens the<br />
very existence of all of us - <strong>world</strong>wide!<br />
Austria‘s 2030 climate<br />
target for the transport sector<br />
The European Commission‘s Green Deal aims to<br />
make Europe climate-neutral by 2050. Austria<br />
wants to achieve this as early as 2040. In order to<br />
be able to achieve these ambitious climate goals,<br />
we must avoid, but more importantly continuously<br />
improve transport in the mobility sector, because<br />
after all, with 24 million tonnes of CO2 emissions,<br />
transport makes up 30% of CO2 pollution in Austria<br />
(40.8% in Vienna). Austria‘s climate target for the<br />
transport sector in 2030 is 15.7 million tonnes of<br />
CO2. The transport sector currently emits 8.3 million<br />
tonnes more than the 2030 climate target.<br />
What do the climate targets<br />
mean for the future?<br />
What must be done today,<br />
tomorrow and the day after tomorrow?<br />
The signs are all pointing<br />
towards change. The transformation<br />
process towards sustainability should make<br />
our cities fit for the future. This process is already<br />
underway and if we look closely, we can already<br />
recognise what changes are in store for us.<br />
Cities as hotspots<br />
of change<br />
Cities are the hotspots of change. The high volume<br />
of processes that make up our daily coexistence<br />
offers optimal framework conditions for testing in<strong>no</strong>vations<br />
and making the resulting<br />
changes quickly visible and tangible.<br />
But they also bring out those<br />
challenges first for which new solutions<br />
are needed.<br />
We live in a closed system and it is inevitable<br />
to integrate a holistic understanding<br />
of our decisions into our thinking<br />
and actions. Far too often in the past, we<br />
have only taken responsibility for partial<br />
aspects of our decisions. Striving for<br />
further development is an innate desire<br />
for human beings. Tech<strong>no</strong>logical developments<br />
have created new potential.<br />
What can be digitalised will be digitalised<br />
and humans must find their role<br />
anew in this digitalised <strong>world</strong>.<br />
... it is in our hands!<br />
These are the questions that<br />
will be discussed and debated<br />
this year:<br />
• What are the biggest<br />
hurdles to overcome for a<br />
city to become climate<br />
neutral in logistics?<br />
• Which concepts are already<br />
working and which are on<br />
the verge of becoming<br />
functional?<br />
• What can be implemented<br />
in the short and long term?<br />
• What framework conditions<br />
are needed for a climateneutral<br />
city of tomorrow?<br />
Numerous competent speakers<br />
from home and abroad<br />
have already confirmed their<br />
attendance.<br />
VIENNA<br />
07.09.<strong>2021</strong><br />
8 9
s,<br />
or<br />
UNITCARGO BUSINESS<br />
The 3,500 grades<br />
of steel<br />
Steel plays a very important role in almost all areas<br />
of everyday life. Whether in construction, infrastructure,<br />
tools and machines or transport, it is impossible<br />
to imagine our lives and civilisation without<br />
steel. It is an essential factor in our prosperity.<br />
As a durable material that can be recycled again<br />
and again without losing its properties, steel is ideally<br />
suited for the circular eco<strong>no</strong>my. This saves resources<br />
and protects the environment and climate.<br />
Steel is ideally suited<br />
for the circular eco<strong>no</strong>my<br />
In 2019, more than five times as much steel was<br />
produced <strong>world</strong>wide than plastic: a total of 1869<br />
WHAT<br />
MAKES<br />
UP OUR<br />
STEEP USE<br />
Source: <strong>world</strong>steel.org<br />
BUILDING &<br />
INFRASTRUCTURE<br />
ES<br />
52%<br />
L2%<br />
T<br />
3%<br />
A healthy eco<strong>no</strong>my needs<br />
a healthy steel industry<br />
Steel is essential to our society. As a permanent material<br />
which can be recycled over and over again without losing<br />
its properties, steel is also fundamental to a successful<br />
circular eco<strong>no</strong>my. From transport systems, infrastructure<br />
and housing, to manufacturing, agriculture or energy, the<br />
industry is continuing to expand its offer of advanced highstrength<br />
steels which reduce the weight of applications and<br />
encourage circular eco<strong>no</strong>my practices.<br />
For society, the benefits include durable products, local jobs,<br />
reduced emissions and the conservation of raw materials for<br />
future generations.<br />
A healthy eco<strong>no</strong>my needs<br />
million A healthy<br />
What tonnes. eco<strong>no</strong>my<br />
makes Around up half needs<br />
A a healthy steel eco<strong>no</strong>my industry needs our of this steel is produced use by<br />
China a healthy and 8.5 steel % by the industry<br />
a healthy steel industry European Union. With steel<br />
consumption at 159 million tonnes (2019), the sturdy<br />
ferrous alloy is one of the most important eco<strong>no</strong>mic<br />
goods in the EU, needed in many places in<br />
10%<br />
the Union.<br />
However, <strong>no</strong>t all steel is the same. Depending on<br />
the chemical composition and the stage in the<br />
value chain, there can be differences in hardness,<br />
metallurgical quality or mechanical strength. There<br />
are more than 3,500 grades of steel, three quarters<br />
of which have only been developed in the last<br />
20 years.<br />
Despite the „diversity of steel“, one common de<strong>no</strong>minator<br />
What makes can be up up found our steel with regard use<br />
to its<br />
What makes up our steel use<br />
trans-<br />
Steel is essential to our society. As a permanent material<br />
Steel<br />
which<br />
is essential<br />
can be recycled<br />
to our<br />
over<br />
society.<br />
and<br />
As<br />
over<br />
a permanent<br />
again without<br />
material<br />
Steel is essential to our society. As a permanent material losing<br />
which its properties, can be recycled steel is over also fundamental and over again to without a successful losing<br />
which can be recycled over and over again without losing<br />
its circular properties, eco<strong>no</strong>my. steel From is also transport fundamental systems, to a infrastructure<br />
successful<br />
its properties, steel is also fundamental to successful<br />
circular and housing, eco<strong>no</strong>my. to manufacturing, From transport agriculture systems, infrastructure<br />
circular eco<strong>no</strong>my. From transport systems, infrastructure<br />
or energy, the<br />
and industry housing, is continuing to manufacturing,<br />
and housing, to manufacturing, to expand agriculture<br />
agriculture its offer of or<br />
or advanced energy, the<br />
energy, the highstrength<br />
is industry<br />
industry is steels continuing<br />
continuing which to reduce expand<br />
to expand the its<br />
its weight offer of<br />
offer of applications advanced highstrength<br />
advanced highstrength<br />
encourage steels<br />
and<br />
steels circular which<br />
which eco<strong>no</strong>my reduce the<br />
reduce practices. weight of applications and<br />
the weight of applications and<br />
encourage circular eco<strong>no</strong>my practices.<br />
encourage circular eco<strong>no</strong>my practices.<br />
For society, the benefits include durable products, local jobs,<br />
For<br />
For reduced society,<br />
society, emissions the<br />
the<br />
benefits<br />
benefits and include the include conservation durable<br />
durable<br />
products,<br />
products, of raw materials local<br />
local<br />
jobs,<br />
jobs, for<br />
reduced<br />
reduced future generations.<br />
emissions<br />
emissions<br />
and<br />
and<br />
the<br />
the<br />
conservation<br />
conservation<br />
of<br />
of<br />
raw<br />
raw<br />
materials<br />
materials<br />
for<br />
for<br />
future<br />
future<br />
generations.<br />
generations.<br />
METAL<br />
PRODUCTS<br />
10%<br />
METAL METAL<br />
PRODUCTS<br />
PRODUCTS<br />
MECHANICAL<br />
EQUIPMENT<br />
OTHER OTHER<br />
TRANSPORT<br />
OTHER<br />
TRANSPORT<br />
5%<br />
5%<br />
5%<br />
16%<br />
BUILDING &<br />
INFRASTRUCTURE<br />
DOMESTIC<br />
APPLIANCES<br />
BUILDING & &<br />
INFRASTRUCTURE<br />
AUTOMOTIVE<br />
2%<br />
ELECTRICAL<br />
EQUIPMENT<br />
3%<br />
12% 3%<br />
4 5<br />
2% 3%<br />
MECHANICAL<br />
MECHANICAL<br />
EQUIPMENT<br />
EQUIPMENT<br />
16%<br />
10 4<br />
4 5<br />
5<br />
11<br />
DOMESTIC<br />
APPLIANCES<br />
AUTOMOTIVE<br />
52%<br />
port process: The loading and unloading process<br />
is usually carried out with appropriate industrial<br />
trucks and handling equipment, whereby product-specific<br />
load securing is of great importance<br />
here. In line with the uniform industry standard, the<br />
UnitCargo Group also carries out a large proportion<br />
of its steel transports with semi-trailers with<br />
and without coil trough, whereby globally there<br />
is a balance in terms of transport demand in both<br />
the FTL (Full Truck Load) and LTL (Less Than Truckload)<br />
sectors.<br />
DOMESTIC<br />
APPLIANCES<br />
2% 2%<br />
52%<br />
UnitCargo mainly uses<br />
semi-trailers with and<br />
without coil trough<br />
However, before the aforementioned goods transports<br />
can take place, the material steel goes<br />
through a complex production cycle. The production<br />
of steel can be divided into several stages,<br />
whereby the first step is the formation of pure pig<br />
iron. Subsequently, the molten iron is converted<br />
into pure steel, which is then refined by machine.<br />
ELECTRICAL<br />
EQUIPMENT<br />
ELECTRICAL<br />
EQUIPMENT<br />
3%<br />
ELECTRICAL<br />
EQUIPMENT<br />
12%<br />
4 5<br />
UNITCARGO BUSINESS<br />
By adding certain chemicals, the desired properties<br />
of the steel product can <strong>no</strong>w be created. In a<br />
final production process, the steel is cast and the<br />
manufacturing process of „rolling“ is used. This<br />
ultimately gives the steel product its final shape<br />
(long product, wide product, flat product, etc.).<br />
In the context of global value creation, products<br />
are delivered by first-tier suppliers to manufacturing<br />
or processing companies. In this segment, the<br />
UnitCargo Group specialises above all in crossborder<br />
steel transports of the Scandinavian market<br />
and the Benelux and DACH regions.<br />
As the travelling cleric Freidank (12th century) already<br />
remarked, rust eats steel and before that<br />
happens, we prefer to transport it.<br />
UnitCargo specialises above<br />
all in cross-border steel<br />
transports of the Scandinavian<br />
market and the Benelux and<br />
DACH regions<br />
Steel coils ready for transport
UNITCARGO DESTINATION<br />
UNITCARGO DESTINATION<br />
Plovdiv<br />
Miroslava Filipova, from UnitCargo<br />
Bulgaria branch office presents us her<br />
favourite city in Bulgaria - Plovdiv<br />
There are plenty of places to be explored in Bulgaria,<br />
but you can never go wrong with Plovdiv. The<br />
town is just one and a half hours (150km)<br />
away from our lovely capital Sofia, which<br />
makes Plovdiv easily accessible to<br />
most visitors in the country. The second<br />
largest city in Bulgaria was<br />
previously named ‘Philippopolis’<br />
after Philip II of Macedon. This fact<br />
displays how ancient Plovdiv truly<br />
is, to be precise it is over 8000<br />
years old. If you have ever<br />
been in Rome, Athens or Istanbul (Constanti<strong>no</strong>ple)<br />
it is interesting to <strong>no</strong>te that Plovdiv is much older<br />
than those cities.<br />
Plovdiv: a modern city with an<br />
ancient history much older than<br />
Rome, Athens or Istanbul<br />
Walking around the streets of the <strong>world</strong>’s sixth oldest<br />
town, anyone would be fascinated to have the<br />
chance to trace the city’s history from prehistory<br />
to the present day. Keeping in mind that the first<br />
Neolithic settlements within the<br />
boundaries of today’s city<br />
began in the VI millennium<br />
BC and that life<br />
in the city since then has rarely been interrupted<br />
can most likely explain why Plovdiv, together with<br />
Matera (Italy), was the European Capital of Culture<br />
in 2019.<br />
In 2019 Plovdiv was the<br />
European Capital of Culture<br />
In a single day every visitor can feel the vibrant<br />
atmosphere of a town which offers you history,<br />
culture, fusion cuisine, colorful buildings, friendly<br />
people, art and the possibility to hike on one of<br />
the six syenite hills in the town. From up there, one<br />
can enjoy a beautiful view of the town, the Maritza<br />
river and the surrounding Sredna Gora and Rhodope<br />
mountains. A short stay on one of the hills<br />
during sunset will give you the opportunity to see<br />
the two faces of the town as the light goes from<br />
day to night.<br />
BULGARIA<br />
Plovdiv Roman theatre<br />
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UNITCARGO DESTINATION<br />
No matter what type of traveler<br />
you are or what your reason for<br />
being there, you will surely love<br />
the spirit of Plovdiv. Here numerous<br />
nations have left their traces<br />
on the cultural layers of the city. All<br />
of this allows us today, in the time<br />
of COVID 19, when the borders are<br />
<strong>no</strong>t as open as before, to reach a<br />
place like Plovdiv, where cultures,<br />
habits, delicious cuisines and<br />
traditions from the Greek, Roman,<br />
Byzantine and Ottoman times<br />
meet to reveal to us<br />
the magic of the continuity<br />
and the beauty<br />
of the cultural diversity.<br />
K<strong>no</strong>wing that, <strong>no</strong> one<br />
would be surprised to<br />
see placed on the main<br />
pedestrian street, an inscription<br />
in big colored<br />
letters the significant<br />
word “TOGETHER”. The<br />
“togetherness” in Plovdiv<br />
is <strong>no</strong>t only a motto but it is also a way of living<br />
and thinking, which locals are trying to achieve<br />
through culture and arts.<br />
The “togetherness” in Plovdiv<br />
is <strong>no</strong>t only a motto but a way of<br />
living and thinking<br />
This town with a multicultural past and present is<br />
a good example of what we, as citizens <strong>no</strong>t only of<br />
Bulgaria but also of Europe and in general of the<br />
<strong>world</strong>, can be proud of. The beauty of the art and<br />
architecture along with the greatness of the ages<br />
are visualized in front of every visitor who sets<br />
eyes on the Ancient theater, the Roman stadium,<br />
the Roman Odeon, the Agora (Roman Forum), the<br />
late antique building “Eyrene”, the episcopal basilica<br />
and the small basilica close to the Dzhumaya<br />
mosque.<br />
Near the ruins and the temples of various religions,<br />
a charming and magnetic place called “Kapana”<br />
is located, which has been a craft district since<br />
the 15th century. The area <strong>no</strong>wadays is filled with<br />
View of the city Plovdiv, Eth<strong>no</strong>graphic Museum and the district Kapana at night.<br />
bars, cafes, restaurants, workshop houses and is<br />
home of many concerts and other art events. The<br />
bright colors of various graffiti create a beautiful<br />
atmosphere while on your way to the old town that<br />
is overflowing with the presence of the large, rich<br />
Revival houses (19th century). Other photographic<br />
places include the Hisar Kapia (one of the three<br />
entrances to the acropolis of ancient Plovdiv), the<br />
Eth<strong>no</strong>graphic museum, the early byzantine south<br />
round tower and the remains of the fortification<br />
walls.<br />
Take a minute, close your eyes<br />
and think of the various cultures<br />
that existed there before you<br />
It’s thrilling to take a minute, close your eyes and<br />
think of the various cultures that existed there before<br />
you, the ancient Greeks, Romans, Ottomans<br />
and Bulgarians. While the aroma of Turkish coffee<br />
intertwined with the scent of Bulgarian rose<br />
and freshly baked Italian pizza surrounds you, the<br />
beauty of the mixed cultural history lives on.<br />
UnitCargo Fun Facts<br />
WE SPEAK 17<br />
LANGUAGES<br />
7 UNITCARGO BABIES<br />
WERE BORN LAST YEAR<br />
1500 CUPS OF COFFEE<br />
WERE CONSUMED AT UNITCARGO<br />
AUSTRIA IN 6 MONTHS<br />
WE OPERATE IN 40<br />
COUNTRIES<br />
2 OFFICE DOGS AND 10 OFFICE FISH<br />
ARE PART OF THE UNITCARGO TEAM<br />
UNITCARGO FAMILY<br />
WE HAVE 100<br />
EMPLOYEES<br />
TEAM<br />
UNITCARGO<br />
AUSTRIA<br />
CLIMBED<br />
60.000<br />
STEPS OF STAIRS IN<br />
6 MONTHS<br />
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UNITCARGO IDIOMOLOGY<br />
We speak 17 languages at UnitCargo and every once in a while<br />
a phrase comes up which when translated, has us in stitches.<br />
Team Austria‘s favourite fun phrase of this edition is:<br />
Att glida in på en räkmacka<br />
To slide in on a shrimp sandwich<br />
(To have an easy life)<br />
From Scandinavia to the Balkans - And Beyond!<br />
We believe in a better logistics <strong>world</strong>.<br />
UnitCargo Speditions Ges.m.b.H.<br />
Hietzinger Kai 13/ Top 7<br />
1130 Vienna, Austria<br />
Tel: +43 1 577 25 03<br />
Fax: +43 1 577 25 03 200<br />
E-Mail: wien@<strong>unitcargo</strong>.at<br />
Unitcargo s.r.o.<br />
Michalská bašta 27B<br />
SK-940 02 Nové Zámky, Slovakia<br />
Tel: +421 35 6444 110<br />
Fax: +43 1 577 25 03 200<br />
E-Mail: slowakei@<strong>unitcargo</strong>.at<br />
UnitCargo Sp z.o.o<br />
ul. Boya Zelenskiego 16/10<br />
35-326 Rzeszow, Poland<br />
Mobile: +48 793 213 247<br />
Fax: +43 1 577 25 03 200<br />
E-Mail: polen@<strong>unitcargo</strong>.at<br />
UnitCargo Sp z.o.o<br />
ul. Tar<strong>no</strong>gajska 11-13<br />
50-580 Wroclaw, Poland<br />
Mobile: +48 576 057 948<br />
Fax: +43 1 577 25 03 200<br />
E-Mail: polen@<strong>unitcargo</strong>.at<br />
Unitcargo Bulgaria ltd.<br />
Bul. „Professor Tzvetan Lazarov“<br />
№ 97<br />
1582 Sofia, Bulgaria<br />
Tel: +359 2 902 4 850<br />
Fax: +359 2 902 4 889<br />
E-Mail: bulgarien@<strong>unitcargo</strong>.at<br />
Unitcargo Romania ltd.<br />
Rezervelor Street № 89, Bl.1,<br />
Ground Floor, Bucharest,<br />
Romania<br />
Mobile: +40 727 855 948<br />
Fax: +43 1 577 25 03 200<br />
E-Mail: bukarest@<strong>unitcargo</strong>.at<br />
Unitcargo Transport Intelligence<br />
D.O.O.<br />
Dr Svetislava Kasapi<strong>no</strong>vića 2b<br />
21000 Novi Sad, Serbia<br />
Tel: +381 21 301 59 60<br />
Fax: +43 1 577 25 03 200<br />
Mobile: +381 60 531 10 40<br />
E-Mail: serbia@<strong>unitcargo</strong>.at<br />
IMPRINT : Media Owner and Publisher: UnitCargo Speditionsges.m.b.H.<br />
Editorial office/ Design and Layout: ADMAN werbeagentur Photos: Adobe Stock, Shutterstock<br />
Contact: UnitCargo Speditionsges.m.b.H., Hietzinger Kai/Top 7/1130 Vienna, Austria<br />
Illustration: Stefan Strasser<br />
Tel: +43 1 577 25 03 Fax: +43 1 577 25 03 200 E-mail: marketing@<strong>unitcargo</strong>.at © www.<strong>unitcargo</strong>.at<br />
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