Lidl subsidiary Tailwind Intermodal expands its offering 12/12/24
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Lidl subsidiary Tailwind Intermodal expands its offering
The operator is strengthening its connections on the route between Koper and Graz. But the discounter's subsidiary does not want to leave it at that.
The Tailwind train on the route between the Cargo Terminal Graz and Koper. (Photo: Edvard Pufler/Tailwind Intermodal)
December 12, 2024 | by Michael Cordes
The operator Tailwind is expanding its service between the Adriatic port of Koper and the Graz cargo terminal. From December 15, the Lidl subsidiary is expanding the connections to a regular ten to twelve weekly round trips. The shuttle currently runs five to ten times a week as scheduled.
Further departures planned
Tailwind launched the traffic between Koper and Graz in September of this year under the name "Panther Shuttle Service". According to Tailwind, the freight is forwarded to Enns in Upper Austria and to the Polish cities of Zduńska Wola and Poznań via high-frequency antennas. Another connection to Upper Austria is planned in the short term.
"From the timetable change in mid-December, we will be offering our customers up to two daily departures to Koper," said Tailwind Intermodal Managing Director Christian Steindl. Tailwind Intermodal has also expanded its sales team to include two colleagues with shipping and freight forwarding experience: With the addition of Andreas Gräf and Sabine Faix, the company has grown to ten employees within just a few months. A further increase in staff is planned for the coming year.
Transit times are normally eight to ten hours
According to Steindl, the Panther Shuttle leaves Koper every evening and arrives in Graz in the morning. Conversely, it leaves Graz in the morning and arrives in Koper in the evening. "The transit times are normally eight to ten hours - currently, until the end of 2026, it is around 20 hours due to construction work," Steindl told DVZ. The construction work, including the complete renovation of the route, will be completed by the end of 2026.
"All trains can also be booked by third parties. There is sufficient capacity available for third-party customers, especially for exports," says Steindl. Tailwind Intermodal handles the forwarding to Enns and Poland with two cooperation partners and is also available to all customers.
Tailwind wants to further expand its offering: "With a stable rail system, we have now laid the foundation on which we will continue to expand hinterland traffic and frequencies for our customers," said Steindl. On its train connections, Tailwind Intermodal says it primarily transports imported products to Europe with high value and tight delivery dates. Exports to Asia include raw materials for industry, such as parts for mechanical engineering, as well as wood, fibers and paper.
Tailwind Intermodal is a subsidiary of the Lidl Foundation and a sister company of the shipping company Tailwind Shipping Lines. The company is based in Kalsdorf near Graz in Austria. The company describes itself as a "neutral logistics service provider" and is primarily responsible for hinterland traffic from the seaport of Koper. The shipping company transports non-food goods from Asia to Europe and calls at the Mediterranean ports of Barcelona and Koper.