Despite a Q1 production downturn in the Turkish automotive market of 59%, finished vehicle provider ANT Lojistik is investing in a new compound and expanding its delivery fleet thanks, in part, to new contracts in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Bulgaria.
ANT Lojistik spokesman, Ceren Eker Buyruk, told Automotive Logistics that the company has acquired the contracts in the last couple of months and is enlarging and rejuvenating its fleet to meet the new demand “which may include new investment plans into car carrier trucks in the final quarter of 2009.”
The company has already enlarged its fleet size to 55 car carriers, most recently in April with the addition of five Mercedes-Benz Actros models with Aksoylu car carrier bodies.
Buyruk said that a significant amount of OEMs are turning their focus on Azerbaijan because it is “a new and unsaturated market for finished vehicles” (read more here).
She went on: “I’m happy to say that we are preferred by most of these OEMs as being specialists in operating in this area with quality standards.
“In the Balkan destinations we cooperate with Hoedlmayr Zastava to collect vehicles [bound for] Balkan countries and deliver them to Bulgaria for further transportation to final destinations.
Internationally ANT moves 10,000 vehicles annually and 30,000 units in the Turkish domestic market but gets 85% of its revenue from the international transport.
In terms of compound investment, ANT is building on its 20km2 garage and stoking compound, which already has a 500 vehicle capacity, with a €500,000 investment in a 60km2 extension, bringing warehouse capacity for 3,000 units. The investment will include a special closed area for motorcycles, a truck manoeuvre area, PDI, offices and an area for assembly of dismantled parts.
“Due to its strategic location, Turkey has a big advantage in transit operations,” said Buyruk, “especially [with regards to] the distribution of vehicles produced in the Far East [which] are delivered to Turkish ports such as Derince and Evyap.”
ANT’s compound in Köseköy Kocaeli is close to both ports which are used by Hyundai Assan, Ford Ototsan and Toyota plants amongst others.
The company provides warehousing services for passenger cars, light commercial, heavy commercial, construction and agricultural equipment, as well as motorcycles.
