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Logistics needs and the main challenges of the industry were addressed during the activity carried out at NODUS Headquarters.
In line with its objective of offering services tailored to the specificities of each sector and concrete responses to the needs that arise along with new projects and challenges, Montecon invited the main actors related to the forest industry to share a new working breakfast to exchange ideas.
This initiative took off with a meeting dedicated to the pharmaceutical sector and is part of a strategy carried out by the main operator of public areas, both for containers and for general cargo and cargo projects, to always stay close to its customers. This was explained by Juan Olascoaga, General Manager of Montecon and director of NODUS.
“NODUS has always been closely related to forestry. Montecon has always tried to be very close to customers, to understand their needs and satisfy them. That was the main reason to generate these instances. Forestry is very relevant to the economy of the country, since it represents 20% of exports, and particularly for the movement of the Port of Montevideo, and we want to support it through our services” he said.
During the meeting, the Commercial Manager of Montecon, Julio Branda, presented the main advances in technology, infrastructure and innovation that the company has gone through to enter the digital era.
The platforms that provide customer service, 24 hours a day, from different devices and Blockchain technology were some of the examples mentioned by Branda.
In reference to the forestry sector especially, the Commercial Manager pointed out several features of the service that Montecon provides to its clients for the benefit of the companies with which it operates, such as web and online payments, commercial flexibility, personalized attention through an executive line and the possibility to enter the port at night with preferential authorization, which is an important solution to avoid overlapping schedules for cargo deliveries.
The president of the Society of Forest Producers (SPF), Carlos Faroppa, specially invited to this event, thanked the opportunity and highlighted the importance of the instance to consider and exchange new ideas on the challenges and opportunities presented by the sector.
“Uruguay has two important characteristics: all the export forests are certified and in what refers to pine, all the forests are pruned, an important differential characteristic worldwide. No country in the world has its pine forests as managed or pruned as ours and that opens up markets to the world,” said Faroppa.
As he pointed out, the forestry industry in 2018 represented the first export item in the country and has managed to capture “very interesting” investments. These have gone from being “almost non-existent” to a current projection “of 9,000 million dollars with new projects” and jobs have accompanied such growth.
“We have export percentages of a forest country, like those of Finland. Although we are still not there yet, it is possible that in 2035 we will double the volume of our exports without increasing the work areas, simply by adding value. The key is to add value and better distribute the product mix,” he concluded.
