Slovakia - Easy, Smooth and Cost Effectove Logistics
- Excellent location - in the heart of Europe
- Springboard to future markets
- Well established infrastructure and available space
- Cheap & experienced logistics workforce
Slovakia is strategically positioned in the heart of Europe, connecting the former Soviet Union countries such as Ukraine and Russia with the Western world. Its capital, Bratislava, seemingly a suburb of Vienna, Austria, is split by the DanubeRiver which connects the two with Budapest, Hungary. Bratislava has its own international airport, train and bus stations, and a port on the Danube River, making it perfectly suited for a logistics and distribution hub covering the four countries of Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. Bratislava is only 40 minutes away from Vienna, 2.5 hours from Budapest, Hungary, 3 hours from Prague, Czech Republic, and just 5 hours from Munich, Germany. All of these cities are connected by a network of excellent highways.
Today’s high demands on cost cutting and maximizing profit margins make efficient logistics and streamlined production a necessity for staying competitive in the market. Slovakia offers the lowest labor costs in the Eurozone, one of the lowest rental costs, geographical proximity to the Eastern and Western markets and future manufacturing facilities in the East.
In the past, Slovakia offered only low quality former industrial halls as logistics spaces. Today, the situation is completely reversed. The country, as of June 2008, provided roughly 660,000 m2 of industrial logistics facilities. 180,000m2 is under construction. And another 3 mil. m2 is in the pipeline to be built. In 2007, there was only 14% of unutilized warehousing capacity; the remaining 210,000 m2 was rented out 42-48/m2 per year which represented a great return of investment. So, logistics opportunities exist on both ends – real estate developers can benefit from high occupancy rates and logistics operators from available capacities.
The labor skills and capabilities necessary for performing logistics functions in the country are at a very good level. Extensive automotive and electronics industry operations in Slovakia encouraged the people to quickly acquire knowledge and practical experience necessary for the highest logistical demands. Newcomers would benefit from utilizing the high standard of services already established in the country.