Refrigerated transport is key to the success and sustainability of commercial relations. The expansion of Murcia's fruit and vegetable crops has promoted the refrigerated transport sector's growth. Goods can travel two or three days to the Netherlands or four or five days to Ukraine. For many customers, the driver is the first point of contact with the Spanish producer and thus an important link in the chain.
"The pace slows down in summer, but it never stops," stated José Miguel Martínez, Export Manager at Orvipal. The Murcia-based company transitions seamlessly from one crop to another. "We've just finished with citrus, peppers, and broccoli. Now we're transporting potatoes, melons, watermelons, and stone fruit," Martínez stated.
"We supply supermarkets, as well as large wholesalers in Dresden and the Ruhr Basin, which are also regular customers. Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, and the Czech Republic are our most important markets," he added.
"Anything can happen after the truck leaves the facilities. We might face roadblocks in France protesting the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), or extreme weather conditions like the cold drop in Valencia in October 2024, which forced us to change routes for two months. There are many things that we don't control," Martinez said.
"We have to strike a balance between a loading location that depends on the weather and a supermarket in Germany that demands punctual deliveries. As carriers, we have to deliver no matter what," the export sales manager stated.
Martínez knows what he's talking about. "I started as a driver myself," he says. "I still remember a Christmas stuck in the UK with a group of truckers. We celebrated Christmas together, as best we could. Being a carrier is tough, but you get to see the world. I always try to stick to the positive. It keeps you moving and being helpful to customers."
For more information:
José Miguel Martínez, export sales manager
Orvipal
M.: +34 611 69 50 51
Email: [email protected]
www.orvipal.com