Logistica Management interviews Marcello Corazzola

Marcello Corazzola, Board Member and Managing Director of the Group, was interviewed by the magazine Logistica Management as part of the 2024 edition of “Inchiesta Logistica”.

General Scenario

Question: In general terms, the scenario is undoubtedly complex – wars, international crises, resource shortages, global supply chain dynamics… How would you describe it from your vantage point? What obstacles arose during 2023? Which factors, on the other hand, generated positive impacts or new opportunities? How have they evolved in recent years? And what are the outlooks for 2024? Have we arrived at a new normal after these crises?

“The past year was certainly difficult and challenging. We experienced several phases. Following a strong start that suggested a continuation of the positive trend seen in 2022, we then saw freight volumes drop across the market. In addition to this market instability, there are widespread challenges we are all aware of, such as the shortage of warehouse staff and drivers, which made the situation difficult to manage.

It should also be noted that in 2022 GRUBER Logistics significantly increased its turnover and acquired Universal Transport, a German transport company with over twenty branches located in various countries, including outside the EU. For us, 2023 was therefore a unique year in which we had to manage the immediate situation on one hand, and commit to the integration process on the other. Restructuring an organisation and undertaking such a major integration are not tasks that can be completed in a single year; therefore, our commitment on these fronts will continue into 2024.

Although challenging to navigate, changes also bring great opportunities, particularly arising from new relationships that can be built both among colleagues and with new clients. We do not expect 2024 to be easy. We are not entering a period of “normality” in the sense of a “quiet phase”; rather, we believe that the new normal is constant change. The fact that GRUBER Logistics managed to double its turnover in just three years is down to having understood before others that the rules of the game had changed and that we will not easily return to the steady growth of a few years ago.”

— Marcello Corazzola

Logistics and Society

Question: While until recently logistics was the great unknown of our economy, today things are changing. Warehouses that are increasingly modern, larger, or closer to urban areas; last-mile services on which brand credibility hinges; and, not least, what we witnessed during the pandemic years with the surge of e-commerce across all sectors. Do you agree with this rising visibility? And how do you plan to further strengthen or improve this relationship, helping to connect logistics with society across various dimensions—from employment and technological development to urban planning and transport infrastructure?

“The logistics sector remains, in every respect, ‘less visible’ and less discussed than it should be. For ordinary people, their only interaction with logistics occurs when they receive a parcel at home, completely unaware of what goes on behind the scenes. However, the fact that logistics is perceived as detached from society is something for which the logistics sector itself is largely responsible.

Public discussions surrounding logistics are essentially geared toward industry insiders, preventing broader public awareness of logistics from developing. This is a paradigm that we at GRUBER Logistics have sought to challenge by bringing logistics into theatres and cultural festivals. Throughout the year, we organised and took part in events where key logistics topics were discussed with young people and the general public, in order to foster a widespread culture of logistics.”

— Marcello Corazzola

Logistics, human resources and legality

Question: Logistics is a highly labor-intensive sector: over the years, however, the workforce area has often been treated more as a resource to exploit, including through practices bordering on legality, rather than to nurture with a view to genuine company growth. At the same time, a shortage of personnel suited to the tasks to be performed is also emerging in the logistics industry. How are you addressing these issues? Which solutions might be most effective: a technological path, for example, or an organizational one? In that case, does a tool like the “Dashboard” proposed by Assologistica seem effective to you, or are there alternative options?

“The fact that there are increasingly more media reports where logistics companies are found guilty of workforce management irregularities has both negative and positive aspects. On the negative side, there is certainly the risk that logistics as a whole is viewed unfavorably, the classic ‘tarring everyone with the same brush’; on the positive side, it is a sign of change.

It is unthinkable that the world’s eighth-largest economy bases its logistics on price wars rather than on the value that logistics and logistics professionals can deliver. The foundation to build upon lies in auditing irregularities, which must necessarily involve clients as well, also with regard to related media repercussions. From there, we must promote value-driven logistics where people are placed at the heart of projects and technology serves to make their work easier, faster, and safer. These are concepts that we at GRUBER Logistics have sought to implement ever since we brought our approach to logistics to Italy three years ago.”

— Marcello Corazzola

ESG – Sustainability, people, organizations

Question: What is your approach to sustainability, considering the three key aspects summarized in the ESG acronym? Given the requirement to work towards a progressive decarbonization of the economy and society, on which fronts are you working and where do you expect to achieve the most tangible results? How do you plan to resolve the main dilemmas associated with sustainability?

“Developments around sustainability topics are extremely rapid, yet two distinct approaches can still be clearly identified: ‘those committed to taking action’ and ‘those lost in storytelling’. I believe today is the time to take the path of ‘action’ and move away from approaches based on who talks the most or on sustainability ratings based on paperwork rather than substance.

Do we manage our employees with respect? Are we making tangible commitments toward more environmentally sustainable logistics? Do we actively promote respect for diversity? These are questions we ask ourselves every day, aware that sustainability is a journey of continuous improvement.

Just to give a few examples, every year we undergo a bottom-up assessment process on our employees’ well-being, and the resulting evaluation must lead to concrete improvement actions across every branch. Another example regarding environmental sustainability is that we are the only Italian company to have implemented its own platform for calculating emissions and to have developed a certified insetting system. This allows us, even in a market segment such as LTL and Groupage, to offer our customers tangible emission reduction solutions.”

— Marcello Corazzola