France: Translog tackles logistics problems

If a grower has the best produce but can't get his product to market, then his efforts are for nothing. Necessary in every step of the supply chain is a solid logistics plan that delivers fruit and vegetables in an efficient, timely and cost-effective manner. At the 2012 Medfel trade fair, Translog Sud de France highlighted how they can provide that to French produce suppliers.

Translog is an association of 80 companies dedicated to providing transportation and logistics solutions to a wide variety of industries. At Medfel, they touted the ways they can help those in the produce industry.

“Produce is a very particular product,” said Anne Baraillé-Combe of Sud de France Development, who accompanies the professional group Translog. “It's a fresh product that is fragile and sensitive, so it's very difficult to organize logistics for this kind of product. What we work to provide is a set of technical solutions to provide logistics for transportation and become a reliable partner for the produce industry.”

Because of the difficulty of navigating different regulations throughout Europe, A. Baraillé-Combe believes they fill an important role.

“There are many news regulations regarding transport via truck,” she said, “and it's hard to know the rules’ evolutions in every country, so sometimes it would be better to use trains. But it might not be performance and cost-effective to use trains if it's a short distance, and sometimes the tracks are different sizes in different countries, so it's tough.” Added to that is the need to coordinate with contacts in recipient destinations which makes the logistics challenge all the more daunting, but one which A. Baraillé-Combe believes Translog can meet.

“We can offer the best logistics organization to our companion producers of fruit and vegetables to facilitate the exchange of their products throughout the world,” she said, “and that's why all the transports and logistics professionals came to Medfel, to reach out to the fruit and vegetable community to facilitate this exchange.”

For more information:
Anne BARAILLÉ-COMBE
Sud de France Développement
Tel: +33 499 642 929
Baraille@suddefrance-dvpt.com