Magli Intermodal Service (MIS) is a leading Italian company in the line of logistics of steel products. As many companies they face the challenge of rising company costs and new channels of supply. To cope with that for Controller Alessandro Sfreddo operating in logistics means implementing more and more efficient and modern solutions that increase the value of the products transported In an interview he shared more about MIS, its respective challenges and most importantly the solutions that support the company’s in its daily work.

Newsroom: Mr. Sfreddo, how long have you been DKV Mobility customer?

Alessandro Sfreddo: "We have been DKV customers for about four years."

Newsroom: What DKV products and services do you use?

Alessandro Sfreddo: "Dealing with intermodal transportation both domestically and internationally, i.e. logistics services using train and truck, our staff uses DKV BOX EUROPE, DKV CARD and DKV LIVE solutions."

Newsroom: What is the size of your fleet?

Alessandro Sfreddo: "Right now, we have 120 tractors and 200 semi-trailers. But the size of the fleet is growing rapidly to follow market demands."

Newsroom: What is the fuel supply of your fleet?

Alessandro Sfreddo: "Our currrent fuel supply is Diesel."

Newsroom: Are you thinking about a transition to electric if not already done? And what are the limitations and concerns that a company faces with regard to a possible fleet transition to electric?

Alessandro Sfreddo: "Our vehicles are deployed on medium to long distance routes so we do not foresee this kind of transition anytime soon. For us, there is no sufficient charging infrastructure and the performance, in terms of battery life/capacity, is not matching our needs yet."

Newsroom: What are the features of DKV Mobility products and services preferred by your drivers?

Alessandro Sfreddo: "One main advantage is the versatility of using DKV CARDs practically on all filling stations in foreign countries."

Newsroom:: What are the features of DKV Mobility products and services preferred by your fleet manager?

Alessandro Sfreddo: "It’s the interconnection of systems in use, which can be managed directly from the DKV COCKPIT portal and the digital assistant DKV LIVE."

Newsroom: How does DKV Mobility support you in simplifying administrative tasks?

Alessandro Sfreddo: "By providing a single, merged view of invoices directly viewable in DKV COCKPIT and implementing VAT refunds that are automatically shown on the relevant invoices."

Newsroom: From your point of view, how has DKV Mobility developed from the time when you became a customer to today? Which aspects have been improved in your opinion and which ones should we still improve?

Alessandro Sfreddo: "It's hard to say, the standard continues to improve since we joined as customers, and the customer support is great."

Newsroom: Would you recommend DKV Mobility to other companies? If yes, why?

Alessandro Sfreddo: "Yes, because the extension of DKV Mobility systems to other companies would increase the user base and the development of new tracking and fleet management technologies."

Newsroom: What are the most pressing challenges and, in particular, changes in light of the covid pandemic and rising energy prices for your industry?

Alessandro Sfreddo: "Operating in logistics means implementing more and more efficient and modern solutions that increase the value of the products transported despite ever-increasing fuel costs and chronic shortages of heavy vehicles drivers and operating personnel. Combine this with the trend of decreasing rates and increasing costs for these types of services and the complexity of a recipe that keeps service quality and return on investment in balance becomes evident. The pandemic highlighted the importance of logistics for all finished and semi-finished product supply chains. It is logistics that supported consumption in the most complex months of the pandemic and still today it is logistics that can ensure competitiveness in markets. Markets that face real paradigm shifts because we are witnessing a re-localization of the production of many goods and semi-finished products as well as new channels of supply of raw materials which are set to avoid the risk related to blockages and congestions in very distant countries as happened recently for many materials imported from Far East or Eastern Europe. Energy price increase is a further pressure for operators, that’s why we continue to push putting more and more commodities on top of trains and ensure a truck delivery model for the last leg mile so that we can better control fuel price increases while at the same time ensuring a better operating and social model for our drivers."

Newsroom: DKV Mobility in a word?

Alessandro Sfreddo: "Useful, very much useful."

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More Information on MIS:

Since 2011, MIS has been offering INTERMODAL transport solutions to provide integrated and sustainable logistics services that contribute to the development of a circular economy model for a strategic sector such as metal alloys and steel products. MIS operates nationally and internationally by acting through an extensive network of infrastructure and logistics services in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Austria and Switzerland and achieved in 2021 a total aggregated turnover in excess of euro 225 million with about 300 people employed. From 2021, through MIS Open Network, the company also operates as a Multimodal Transport Operator (MTO) offering rail transport services to other logistics operators and carriers.