Lübeck forwarding company ECL celebrates its 25th anniversary

From forest products specialist to intermodal provider: IHK congratulates

(Lübeck, 18 July 2024) Lübeck-based freight forwarder European Cargo Logistics (ECL), a subsidiary of Lübecker Hafen-Gesellschaft (LHG), celebrated its 25th birthday on 1 July. To mark the occasion, representatives of the Lübeck Chamber of Industry and Commerce presented the company with a certificate yesterday.

A look at the company's history reveals that its roots go back much further. It all began in 1970. Back then, the Finnish paper and cardboard industry founded a company called ‘Impaka’, which took care of the distribution of its forest products from the port of entry in Lübeck to the European end customers. In the meantime, the shareholders renamed the company ‘Warico’.

Finally, in 1996, the Finnish group UPM Kymmene took over the company and appropriately renamed the new subsidiary UPM Kymmene Distribution. On 1 July 1999, UPM brought LHG on board in order to further consolidate the long-term cooperation in the forest products business. A new name was agreed that promised neutrality: This was the birth of European Cargo Logistics GmbH (ECL). LHG now holds 100 per cent of the shares.

Over the years, the former paper logistics company has broadened its base and developed expertise, particularly in the intermodal sector. Shifting freight transport from road to rail has been ECL's goal for many years. It has a high priority in the company's mission statement. With its ‘One-Stop-Shop’ network, ECL helps its customers to save hundreds of tonnes of CO2 equivalents every day compared to equivalent road transport. In addition to traditional forest product logistics, the company also offers conventional rail and road transport, lorry part loads and short sea transport.

The following also applies to our forwarding services: transport should be as environmentally friendly as possible. It is not for nothing that ‘green’ is one of ECL's corporate colours. Modern Euro 6 vehicles and efficient route planning with few empty runs are the building blocks for fulfilling this claim. But it also includes fully offsetting the emissions caused during transport.

A few years ago, the freight forwarder relocated its offices from Lübeck to Travemünde, to the harbour house on Skandinavienkai. Here, the ECL team is close to a unique logistics hub for RoRo transport, forestry products, new vehicles, heavy goods transport and, of course, intermodal transport. These run via the rail terminal of Baltic Rail Gate, the 50 per cent subsidiary of LHG and Kombiverkehr.

Managing Director Jörg Ullrich is expecting a further boost for his own business from the track extension, which BRG is currently pushing ahead with. ‘Existing transport services can then be handled even more smoothly, but above all we will have much more room for manoeuvre when it comes to developing new lines,’ explains Ullrich. If everything goes according to plan, trains of up to 740 metres will soon be able to run there. Thanks to the possibility of longer trains and a third crane system, the capacity will increase to 240,000 transport units, usually trailers or containers.

‘It remains exciting. These are not easy times for medium-sized haulage companies, but I am optimistic that we will also master the next 25 years well,’ says Ullrich.