As Turkey’s leading brand in intermodal transport, Sarp Intermodal continues its equipment and vehicle investments at full steam. To retain its status as a pioneer in intermodal transport between Turkey and European and North African countries, the company invested in 950 units of 45’ HCPW containers in 2021.
Established in 2014, Sarp Intermodal quickly became one of Turkey’s most competent intermodal transport companies and has increased its shipment volume, turnover, and human resources with each passing year. The company continuously expands its sphere of influence and achieves its goals quickly with new investments while growing by 30 to 40 percent every year.
Bolstering its equipment and vehicle investments in the last two years, the company invested in 950 units of 45’ HCPW containers in 2021. Consequently, the company’s total number of containers has reached 1,950. The company aims to increase this to 2,500 by the end of 2022. Speaking on the investments, Sarp Intermodal CEO Onur Talay said: “The equipment of our business partners provided us with the opportunity to directly access almost 5000 containers. We are now closer to our target of 2500 containers for the end of 2022.”
Following investments in semi-trailer trucks, Isotanks and containers, the company has recently added a further 22 trucks to its fleet. The trucks are fully capable of ADR transport and will be used primarily for transporting shipments of liquids and chemicals.
Record Growth During the Pandemic
Onur Talay noted that the ability to provide equipment amid the pandemic-induced slow international trade and container & equipment crisis put the company one step ahead in the international market.
Highlighting that Sarp Intermodal is the first company in Turkey to be established with a focus on intermodal transport, Talay said: “Since our establishment in 2014, we have grown rapidly, yet realistically. Interest in intermodal transport was already growing with every passing year, and the pandemic has accelerated this process. Last year, we doubled our growth rate compared to 2019. We have expanded our vehicle and equipment fleet with significant investments. We have also increased the number of our employees by 25 percent.”
Stating that their investments are just as important to their customers, Talay noted that the company is taking firm steps towards its goal of providing environmentally friendly and cost-effective operations by introducing more companies to intermodal transport.
European Green Deal to Further Strengthen Intermodal Transport
Emphasizing that intermodal transport, also known as green logistics, will become more popular with the European Green Deal, Talay commented that investments for increasing the share of maritime and rail transport will be prioritized since the carbon emissions per unit in road transport are higher than other modes.
Noting that “This will allow the star of intermodal transport to shine even brighter,” Talay also mentioned that they have prepared a Green Deal Action Plan to support the transition to a green economy and ensure trade continuity with the EU, Turkey’s most important trading partner.
Faster Processes with Stronger Digital Infrastructure
Talay stated that, in addition to equipment, the significance of digital infrastructure has become increasingly evident during the pandemic, adding: “No matter how much equipment you have; if you lack the digital infrastructure to manage it, you will not be able to move from point A to point B. In this process, we also increased our digital investments in parallel with our equipment investments.”
In an effort to control their workflow, Onur Talay said that the company is focused on minimum physical effort and maximum efficiency to interpret data correctly and maximize security.
To monitor and manage finance and operation processes from mobile devices, the company also emphasizes smart business intelligence. Onur Talay states that their tracking systems facilitate the instant monitoring of their containers, Swap Bodies and trailers all around the world.
Strong Organization in Turkey and Europe
Sarp Intermodal boasts a strong organizational structure in Europe, particularly in Turkey. The company has offices in Izmir, Mersin, Bursa, Ankara, Adana, Kayseri and Gaziantep. This organizational structure allows the company to strengthen ties with manufacturers and introduce them to cost-effective intermodal transport.
Having also developed its organizational structure in Europe, the company has an office in Italy and operates in Bulgaria with Sarp Intermodal Bulgaria. Additionally, it has been serving in Germany under the name Sarp Intermodal GmbH since 2019.