May 2018 – Demand
Interview with Natalia Makurenkova, branch manager at Universal Transport in Moscow and St. Petersburg
Mrs. Makurenkova, please tell us something about yourself and Universal Transport Russia.
I have been active in the logistics industry since 2003 and have been working for a freight forwarding company that has planned and carried out heavy transports, among other things. For example, we transported yachts and boats with the companies own vehicle fleet. During this time, I have gained a lot of experience with heavy transport and with the coordination of an own vehicle fleet. Since the end of 2016 I am using this know-how and my extensive network at Universal Transport. The company has been operating in the Russian market since 2013 with a branch in St. Petersburg and, since last year, with a second branch in Moscow.
What is your work in Russia like and what services do you offer?
First and foremost, we want to publicize the Universal Transport brand and its values in Russia. That’s why we travel a lot and present our services, for example at trade fairs. We offer the unique combination of high German standards combined with extensive experience and contacts in the Russian market.
In the first instance we focus on project forwarding, working closely with Züst & Bachmeier, among others. We are already handling major projects for Russian companies in import and export. In doing so, we are responsible for the implementation of complex logistics chains.
The potential in Russia is enormous. Many major projects – from wind power to industry to agriculture – are planned and implemented in the future. The sector wind energy is still in its early stages in Russia. We are close to the market and monitor these developments closely to play our part in the successful implementation of these projects.
The world is talking about the upcoming World Cup in Russia. Has football fever caught you yet?
It’s going to be an exciting time. The games take place in St. Petersburg and Moscow, where we are represented with our branches as mentioned beforehand. We are looking forward to having the world as our guest in Russia. We Russians are very hospitable and want to present our country in all its facets. For most people, it will probably be the first visit to Russia. Personally, I’m fortunate enough to get hold of tickets for a World Cup match. I have not thought about the outcome of the tournament, but I hope that the Russian team will show good matches.
