The opening of a new branch in Valencia, Spain, is the occasion to outline with Andrea De Zolt, managing director of Central Cargo, a detailed overview of the activities and new projects of the Tuscan shipping company. In this interview with SHIPPING ITALY, De Zolt recounts the evolution of the company, whose success is based on three pillars: the enhancement of human capital, innovation, and the ability to seize growth opportunities.
The opening of the office in Spain is only the latest step in a path of significant growth for your company. What has driven this important development?
“From a small team of three people in 2011, we have grown in fourteen years to reach a staff of almost ninety colleagues. Our development is based on the will to invest consistently. Today we have eleven offices in Italy, three in the United States, and, since last June, our branch in Valencia. But the plans do not stop here: in September we will open in Denmark, and in October in China and Bangladesh. The opening in Denmark makes us particularly proud because it reverses the trend of Danish companies acquiring European companies, particularly Italian ones.
With our new branches, we are creating a network that allows us to best manage the exchange of goods that are manufactured in Asia and shipped to Italy, Spain, and the United States, countries where we are already present, thus optimizing our offering. In parallel, we are also investing in Italy: in September we will move our historic headquarters from Prato to Campi Bisenzio, in the province of Florence, to a new facility designed to support our future growth.”
What are the services that characterize you and make you unique in the market?
“We define ourselves as generalists, but with a particular attention to the diversification of services to optimize every phase of the supply chain. Our services range from traditional shipping to project cargo, and are distinguished by a focus on speed and alternative solutions. The goal is to reduce transit times from the production site to the final recipient, offering a range of flexible options using the experience of our specialists in every field of action.”
Can you give us some concrete examples of these alternative solutions?
“In maritime shipments, we offer “charter” services that reduce the number of port calls and shorten transit times. For groupage, we propose a “charter” service that guarantees faster transit (10-14 days), also available for smaller volume shipments. We manage project cargo for exceptional shipments.”
In land shipments, we have specialized in complex and alternative routes, such as truck connections from China and Vietnam. These services represent a valid alternative to the sea-air mixed transport and air connections that we regularly manage, particularly from the Far East, the Indian Subcontinent, and Southeast Asia.
We consider intermodality fundamental: we integrate different means of transport with our mixed services and train shipments, both for full loads and groupage. Managing three logistics facilities in Prato, Cavezzo, and Campi Bisenzio directly, together with internal operations that also include customs activity at Malpensa airport, allows us to offer a complete and 360-degree service.
At the foundation of all this there is always a thorough preliminary analysis of the client’s needs, which is fundamental to offering the most effective solution in terms of cost and time.
A company is not just made of numbers, but of people. Is this also the secret to Central Cargo’s success, in addition to the services you described?
“The true value of our company is its people. We are convinced that a team that works well together, with open and transparent communication, offers a superior quality service. For this reason, we have integrated into our staff professionals we call “facilitators”. They work with all company levels, from operations to management, to improve group dynamics and prevent friction. Throughout the year we organize themed team building for work groups: this allows us to improve the quality of the service offered because, simply put, working together we work better. In addition to valuing our personnel, we focus heavily on internal training. Unlike in the past, when one learned “on the job” with no small amount of difficulty, today we work with the perspective of dedicating one day a week to training at all levels, with internal instructors supported by external professionals for the various specific areas (communication, legal, etc.) to ensure the continuous improvement of our resources.”
You have also created “operational hubs”; what is their purpose and how do they fit into your structure?
“It is a solution that is giving us great satisfaction. These hubs allow us to bring together the experience and professionalism present in the company with innovation, to ensure a high-level service. At the same time, they become a meeting place where we can provide targeted training for younger resources, who are the true protagonists of our sector’s future.”
What were the key steps in the corporate reorganization to manage such rapid growth?
“Our path involved not only an increase in responsibility and delegation with the creation of new departments (commercial, logistics, customs, etc.) but also the introduction of a key figure: in October we will have a Chief Operation Officer who will work cross-functionally across all areas to support and supervise processes, and will guarantee fast and efficient responses to clients.”
In a market of industry giants, how do you turn your flexibility into a concrete competitive advantage?
“Competition pushes us to always do better, but we also see it as an opportunity for collaboration, working, in some areas, in close contact with other companies to exchange services and support each other. Our real strength, however, lies in our agility and speed of response. Not having a huge structure, we are much leaner and capable of finding solutions in a short time, unlike the big players, always keeping the ‘dream workshop’ open.”
What are your prospects for geographical expansion, particularly in new markets like Africa?
“Geographically, the areas that engage us the most are Northern Italy, but we are also looking with interest at the South, where we plan to invest with a project starting from 2026.”
Importing from Turkey, the Far East (China and Taiwan Area, China), Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Thailand), and the Indian subcontinent (India and Bangladesh) is fundamental for us.
Regarding new markets, Africa is an area we are monitoring with great interest. There is significant development, driven especially by China, which is organizing itself very quickly. We believe that Africa, and in particular Morocco, will experience considerable growth. We are already thinking about a serious project in that area, which could materialize between 2026 and 2027. Our strategy is to have Italian figures overseeing our offices abroad, to bring our know-how and our mindset.”
To conclude, how would you define your company philosophy?
“We have a proactive approach: in our vocabulary, we have eliminated words like ‘yes,’ ‘no,’ and ‘problem’ to focus solely on solutions. In a period where maritime transit times are lengthening, our priority is to offer alternatives and work with the utmost attention on processes to reduce the time needed for customs operations and the delivery of goods.”
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