Spanish family business Serveto and Luxembourg share similar ambitions: Serveto aspires to become a key intermodal logistics operator in Europe, while Luxembourg, with its strategic location near major ports and economic hubs, stands as a crucial European logistics hub facilitating efficient multimodal transportation across the continent and beyond.
In its early days, the company primarily focused on road transportation. However, over the years, it has steadily broadened its portfolio to encompass intermodal transportation, forwarding, warehousing and distribution services. In 2020, Serveto ventured into intermodal activities and established its first subsidiary in France. This year, it added another office in Luxembourg to enhance operational efficiency and leverage the Grand Duchy’s strategic location and extensive logistics capabilities.
It is a terminal with several connections per day or per week in Europe and offers rail transportation that connects with Spain and the rest of Europe.
At present, the company boasts a fleet of over 450 trailers and 250 trucks, with 11 of them registered in Luxembourg and operational since July this year. The Luxembourg office staff members manage daily operations, serving as a vital contact point for its 11 drivers also employed here.
Choosing Luxembourg: A strategic decision
After consultations with the Spanish government office, the company was introduced to Ana Coelho, Director of ACCIÓ, the Catalan Government’s agency for business competitiveness based in Belgium, who engaged the company in discussions about their intention to set up shop in the Benelux region. While initially considering Wallonia as a potential location, Serveto eventually opted for Luxembourg.
Investing in our own tractor units in the country will allow us to act as a specialist in transportation in Northern Europe.
Agustí Ardiaca, Business Development Manager at Serveto, explains the choice of Luxembourg, saying, “We decided to establish the company in Luxembourg because the CFL multimodal terminal that we use every day is based in Luxembourg. We preferred to have an office just next to the terminal where our drivers pass through daily. It is a terminal with several connections per day or per week in Europe and offers rail transportation that connects with Spain and the rest of Europe. Most of our traffic comes through this terminal.”
A central logistics hub
Luxembourg serves as a vital nexus for various modes of transportation, including trucks, trains, ships, and planes. It is home to Europe’s largest cargo airline, Cargolux, boasting a fleet of 30 Boeing freighters that serve more than 75 destinations worldwide. Additionally, the renowned Bettembourg-Dudelange CFL intermodal terminal, where Serveto now operates from, is a key facility located at the Eurohub South logistics park. This terminal plays a pivotal role in transporting commodities across Europe and is managed by CFL Terminals, a subsidiary of CFL Multimodal.
The Bettembourg-Dudelange terminal handles a wide array of cargo, from containers to swap bodies, as well as cranable and non-cranable semi-trailers. It also offers advanced technology for weighing and state-of-the-art safety and surveillance systems.
We decided to establish the company in Luxembourg because the CFL multimodal terminal that we use every day is based in Luxembourg.
In collaboration with its sister company CFL Cargo, the CFL Multimodal group offers a wide range of services, including combined and conventional rail transport, wagon maintenance, warehousing, road and charter transport, custom logistics solutions, customs agency services and more. Luxembourg’s Single Window for Logistics further enhances the support available to logistics operators in Luxembourg by providing a single point of access for electronic exchanges connected to international trade flows, making it a prime choice for Serveto’s expansion efforts in Europe.
Enhanced operational efficiency
Serveto’s operations remain predominantly centred at its headquarters in Lleida, Spain. However, establishing a local presence in Luxembourg offers other distinct advantages, including the ability to bypass operational restrictions that can arise when utilising trucks from other European countries.
Josep Serveto, the company’s CEO, emphasises this point, stating, “Investing in our own tractor units in the country will allow us to act as a specialist in transportation in Northern Europe. Serveto firmly supports intermodality, something we are demonstrating with the implementation of our own resources in Luxembourg, and which will ensure quality service to our customers.”
Photo credit: Serveto