25 years of the logistics company Vlantana: from a local company to international recognition
JSC Vlantana – one of the most innovative logistics companies in Lithuania this week is celebrating its 25th year anniversary. At the beginning of its activity, the company with local geographic coverage in over two decades has gained recognition in international markets, has grown into one of the best-known brands in the logistics sector and now it is among the largest employers in Lithuania.
Vladas Stončius, the founder of the company remembers that the company started its activity with a team of only six workers and three vehicles. Today Vlantana is part of a corporate group uniting seven companies that are constantly growing and active in international cargo transportation and logistics, providing 3 PL and warehousing services, and which significantly expanded within last year after the construction of one of the largest logistics centres in Western Lithuania.
“I have been a part of this company since its first days, i.e. – a quarter-century in business. Those decades of building the company were full of challenges and the need to make unique decisions so we could survive in a changing competitive environment. We have always paid much attention to the environment; therefore, since the start of a business activity we have been using ferry lines in order to reduce the emissions, and in 2010 we were one of the first companies in the Baltic states to start intermodal transportation by rail. Today we can confidently claim that the youthful persistence and courage of that time, intertwined business development ideas, innovative solutions, and business strategy resulted in that today we are one of the leaders in our sector and well known in Lithuania and Europe,” V. Stončius shared his thoughts.
The company‘s geographic scope of transportation is extremely wide. Professional transportation services are provided throughout Europe, Russia, and Central Asia: the routes run from Scandinavia in the north to Spain in the south, and from Morocco in the west to Vladivostok in the east.
2550 employees work in this company and its fleet consists of 1550 trucks and almost 1650 semi-trailers. Vlantana is among the first companies in Lithuania which have tried using trucks that are powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). Currently, the company operates one of the largest fleets of trucks powered by the cleanest fossil and biogas fuel LNG/LBG (liquefied biogas) not only in Lithuania, but also in the Baltic states, and this year the company plans to increase this number several times. Furthermore, the company is preparing to set up LNG/LBG gas filling stations in its territory close to Klaipėda, nearby the main highway of the country A1.
“As the whole world becomes more and more vocal about sustainability in business and in everyday life, the tendency of coherence is becoming one of the priority areas in the logistics business as well. Therefore, when developing our activities, we pay particular attention to sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions. By increasing the fleet by vehicles powered by LBG we aim to contribute to the reduction of environmental pollution. Currently, more than the third of all transportations made by the company are performed by intermodal type of transportation, where ferry and rail lines are used for freight transport. It is estimated that this helps to avoid emitting 36 thousand tons of CO2 per year,” says Tomas Stonys, the CEO of JSC Vlantana.
As the company’s management understands the significance of change and innovation, it links the future not only to sustainability, but also to digitalization, artificial intelligence, and smart technology solutions. A lot of time, effort, and money have already been invested in the optimization, efficiency, and innovation of the company’s management processes. At the end of last year, one of the innovations created by Vlantana was granted a patent, and an innovation incubator was established within the company, where employees shall generate and develop new ideas, test them and adapt them to the company’s activity.
The success of the company is without a doubt determined by devoted, highly qualified, willing to improve, creative employees. They are the driving force of our company. I am proud that with such team we can look to the future with optimism and together we can create a new stage in the history of our business activity,” claims T. Stonys. The long-term strategy of the company aims to focus more on sustainable solutions, efficiency of transport management, employees’ competence and professionalism development, as well as on assurance of service quality, and security through digitization and IT.
