Biz life interview - Nenad Zdravković, member of NO Milšped Group

1. How would you describe the year 2023 and how challenging was it compared to the year before?

The operation of the entire logistics industry has faced unique challenges in recent years. The dynamic business environment has brought a number of factors that have affected the ability of companies to efficiently deliver products to end users, such as disruptions in the supply chain, capacity constraints, then a sharp rise in fuel prices, as well as challenges in finding an adequate workforce.

However, our commitment to our clients remains unchanged. Working closely with them, we have adapted to the changing spectrum of risks, providing them with support and innovative solutions during these challenging times.

2. If we look at your investments, it is noticeable that you have achieved significant success this year. Can you tell us more about that?

This year has been very successful for our business. At the heart of our achievements is the expansion of 30,000 m2 of warehouse-business space in Krnješevci, which adds value to our existing warehouse capacity of over half a million square meters, as well as the increase of the fleet by 100 trucks of the latest generation.

Also, a significant step for us was the implementation of solar panels on the roofs of our warehouses, which contribute to reducing electricity consumption from the grid by as much as 34%. This initiative is part of our wider engagement within the ESG strategy, which focuses on environmental protection and reducing gas emissions.

Last, but not least when it comes to investments, is the intermodal terminal M-BOX near Niš, which marked one year of successful business this year. In this way, we provide clients with savings, since the terminal offers new efficient and environmentally friendly intermodal solutions that were not possible in southern and central Serbia until now.

3. When we are already talking about the warehouse, we cannot help but point out that the Milšped company constantly invests in the implementation of robotic storage of goods. Tell our readers to what extent this type of innovation facilitates your business?

The robotic storage of goods at the company Milšped significantly facilitated our business in several ways. First of all, robots enable uninterrupted warehouse operation, which increases productivity and accelerates the realization of our clients' requests. This non-stop activity also results in cost reductions and storage capacity has tripled, meaning we can deliver significantly higher volumes compared to traditional warehouse process management methods.

We believe that robotization is not only an answer to the challenges in the logistics industry, but also a key factor that confirms our position as a leader in a dynamically changing market, and that is why we will continue to invest in new innovative solutions when it comes to this business segment.

4. Milšped Group, as a leading logistics and transport company, is present on three continents and 14 different markets. The group consists of numerous members, but their number is still increasing. What is the secret to the constant expansion of your business?

After nearly thirty years of working in this company, I can freely say that the key to our success lies in a strong tradition and a unique spirit of togetherness that reigns among our work teams.

Commitment and adaptability to constant market changes allow us to grow and succeed, while expanding the scope of business, as well as investing in the expertise of our teams, are key factors in continuous growth, which resulted in the company's revenue increasing tenfold over the last ten years, and our revenue in the past year exceeds the amount of half a billion euros.

This year, new member companies in Hungary and Romania also started operating, and we became present in 14 different markets, which marks only the beginning of our ambitious plan for further growth.

5. Why is Milšped's MBASE educational center important and what makes it unique in this part of Europe?

With the desire to provide its employees with the opportunity for constant learning and improvement in addition to good working conditions, Milšped Group decided to establish a unique educational center within which we organize various educational programs adapted to all levels of employees with the involvement of top experts from the profession. Among other things, I would like to single out the “Transformational Leadership and Emotional Intelligence“ program, which is organized with the help of eminent experts through licensed programs, and which attracted the most attention of our employees.

M Base learning center is a unique concept of its kind in the environment focused on strengthening leaders and employees through inspiration, intellectual stimulation, motivation and commitment. We believe that people are our most valuable resource, and by investing in them we invest in a successful future.

6.The company Milšped launched the integrated logistics E-commerce service M-ONE three years ago. Are you satisfied with the work so far and what are the future plans for that business segment?

Responding to the expansion of online shopping and following world trends, we founded the M-ONE member company, which has been providing modern and efficient logistics support services for e-commerce businesses for three years, providing a comprehensive solution for deliveries both in Serbia and in all European markets.

In accordance with our plans, we are focused on sustainable business, and we recently started the implementation of electric vehicles in the M-ONE fleet, contributing to environmentally responsible transport. This initiative is only one of the contributions of the Milšped company when it comes to reducing the emission of harmful gases and noise pollution.

7. Milšped Group celebrated three decades of successful business this year. When you summarize everything, how do you evaluate the past thirty years of the company and what are Milšped's plans for further business?

For us, thirty years represents a time of great achievements, but also a time of continuous growth, innovation and commitment to our clients. From a small office with only a few employees, we have reached an impressive number of 3,500 employees in 14 countries on three continents. A large company causes great responsibility and the aspiration that everything we do is at the level expected of the Milsped Group. We assess the time behind us as challenging, but extremely fulfilling because we have built strong partnership relationships and achieved significant goals. When we talk about the future, we will continue in the direction of innovation, sustainability and efficiency, all with the aim of justifying the epithet of a leader in the field of transport and logistics, even with the upcoming challenges.