Columbus Transit is a forwarding company that has been growing for 21 years at the Port of Barcelona, is among the latest companies to obtain Port of Barcelona Efficiency Network quality certification.
The company was founded by a group of professionals from one of the first major freight forwarders in Barcelona, called Zuazu, S.A. Its manager, Emilio Sanz, remembers his very positive experience in this business. "We had all the experience and knowledge we had gleaned at Zuazu, which was like a school for us, and taught us our working methods. When Zuazu closed down, we wanted to provide continuity of service to our customers and the Mestre Group, with whom we had previously had a long professional relationship, accepted our proposal."
"We are the only forwarder within the Mestre Group, but 90 % of our work comes from outside. We work in tandem with other the companies in the group, helping each other with the services we generate. Being a part of the Mestre Group boosts our services: We have a fleet of 110 trucks, a large warehouse in the Port of Barcelona, etc."
Oversized loads with a high engineering factor
The company has gradually specialised in certain types of traffic to meet the needs of its customers, such as oversized loads. "Right from the start we have had customers who are machinery manufacturers and engineering companies, which often require complex logistics services involving the installation of a complete turnkey production chain."
"An operation of this kind requires special transport equipment, with containers such as open tops or flat racks, where often it is impossible to see the container under all the cargo carried on it. Port operations are also complex, since much of this maritime transport is made by car carriers and loading and adaptation are performed using mafis".
Projects involving the assembly of production lines or civil engineering works in which Columbus Transit participates may involve volumes of 150 or 200 containers, with their corresponding ground transport and assembly on arrival. They come from many different points of origin, both from various parts of Spain and the rest of Europe. After years of working in this type of highly specialised traffic, the company has created a network of agents, especially in the centre and north of the continent, that are also specialised in oversized loads and project cargo.
The director of Columbus Transit says "we have learned to find the best solution for each type of project, and our customers appreciate it and know they can trust us, however complex the operations are. Fifteen years ago we were working with two major engineering companies that went bankrupt and caused the sector to split into small companies engaged in developing various projects. All these small businesses have continued to work with us to this day."
Columbus Transit has other specific services, such as groupage with the Dominican Republic. "If we count the time we were with Zuazu, then we are surely the only company in Barcelona to have maintained a regular consolidated service with the same destination. We have been operating a consolidated service every 10 or 12 days with the Dominican Republic for 36 years, usually with more than one container each trip" says Emilio Sanz.
