- Interviu
1. You have been in this industry since 2002 and in a short time you have become one of the most important players. How did you achieve this?
My adventure with INELO began in 2004 and I started as a developer in a team of about 30 people. Today, our company has more than 500 employees and continues to grow and expand rapidly. From the very beginning, we have been involved in the development of systems for the analysis of drivers’ working time and the management of processes in transport companies in an effort to create and deliver modern IT solutions.
The first key moment was the introduction of digital tachographs in the EU in 2006. Adapting the TachoScan system to analyse data from tachographs and driver cards allowed for a dynamic development in data analysis and made it possible to deliver the system to the first inspections in Poland, Czech Republic, Germany and Romania. Currently more than 45 inspections in 26 countries are working on our software.
Another milestone was the preparation of the GBOX telematics system for fleet management in transport companies and the establishment of a settlement and support department for transport companies in Poland – OCRK.
From the outset, it was very important for us to support our customers not only technically, but also in terms of content. For this reason, from the very beginning we have actively participated in meetings at EU level and created a team of experts responsible for providing legal and substantive support to our customers.
In my opinion, the main asset of our company is our comprehensive and professional customer service and our readiness to adapt our offer to the needs of the market.
2. INELO is present in 23 countries. How do you compare the Romanian business market with the others markets where you are present?
In my opinion, the Romanian market is very similar to Poland and other countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Our region is developing dynamically and in both countries, the sector of transport companies is showing dynamic growth. Currently, Poland and Romania, due to their resources and the availability of drivers, carry out a significant amount of transport services in Europe. Therefore, the needs of our customers in Romania are changing and they are looking for more and more advanced solutions to manage drivers and vehicles.
The needs of companies are very similar, due to the nature of the services provided and the harmonised requirements resulting from EU regulations. New rules resulting from the Mobility Package are being implemented in Europe, which impose additional obligations on hauliers in all EU countries.
3. What represent INELO for the transport and logistics industry?
We currently offer software and equipment for downloading and analysing data from tachographs and driver cards. The TachoScan system is supplied to both transport companies and authorities. It allows a quick and accurate analysis of drivers’ activities in terms of driving time limits and required rest periods. Last year, we also introduced a new Foreign Salary module to our system, enabling us to identify periods of work in other countries and to calculate minimum salary for this work. This is in response to new obligations for transport companies in Europe resulting from new EU regulations introduced as part of the Mobility Package.
In addition, we are introducing the fireTMS transport management system for transport and logistics companies. This is a modern web-based system for planning transport operations, order management, invoicing and cost analysis. It dispenses with paper documentation and spreadsheets and significantly increases data availability and analysis.
4. How do you intend to develop your business in Romania?
Recently INELO has joined the Eurowag Group and we plan to continue our dynamic growth and expand our range of products and services. Our main focus is the further development of WTM (Working Time Management) systems and further integration with telematics and TMS systems. In transport companies, the automatic collection and processing of data, which until now has usually been analysed and processed manually, is becoming increasingly important.
For example, information on transport operations carried out in other countries (loading and unloading) is necessary for the correct analysis of working time in other countries. This is very important because, according to current legislation, the types of transport operations have to be identified and, on this basis, certain periods are subject to minimum wage requirements in other countries and other periods do not have to be paid according to these regulations.
For this reason, it is increasingly important to integrate with other systems that will enable automatic data analysis and thus minimise additional work and reduce the risk of mistakes. Undoubtedly, the further development of our systems and the automation of data exchange will be a major focus for the development of our business in the coming months and years.
5. Time management is perhaps the most important aspect for transporters. What have been the most important challenges you have faced?
The greatest challenge was to prepare solutions for analysing drivers’ working time in accordance with current EU regulations. Due to the multiplicity of interpretations of individual control bodies and numerous changes in the regulations, they require constant work and development. Participation in meetings at EU level is very important, thanks to which we were and are able to adapt our solutions to current requirements.
It is important to note that the transport market is one of the fastest growing industries in Europe and, for this reason, numerous regulatory changes and additional obligations are being introduced. In my opinion, due to the level of complication of the regulations, especially in the area of weekly rest, it makes their analysis practically impossible without IT systems and providing a comprehensive solution for our customers is crucial and necessary in this regard.
6. How do you differentiate yourself from your competitors?
This is a difficult question to answer unequivocally. To be honest, we do not analyse competitive solutions and we focus mainly on our customers needs and requirements. Often, our competitors follow our solutions, which convinces me that we create very good solutions that are a model for others.
Based on feedback from our customers, in addition to compliance, our solutions are intuitive and easy to use. Keep in mind that this is not an easy task given the amount and complexity of the data being analysed.
7. After the Covid-19 pandemic and rising inflation, what is the development strategy?
Our company provides solutions for the transport industry, which in my opinion was less affected by the pandemic. On the one hand, companies providing passenger transport services were significantly affected by the restrictions and many companies had to close or significantly reduce their operations. On the other hand, haulage companies have operated and continue to operate at a similar level. This is mainly due to the fact that, regardless of the situation, goods have to be transported and delivered to companies and consumers.
For this reason, the haulage industry has continued to grow and cope with further difficulties resulting from the pandemic and rising inflation. Since the end of the pandemic, we have seen further growth in the transport services sector and increased demand for advanced IT solutions.
In an era of rising inflation, our operating costs have also risen mainly due to increases in component costs and wages and we have therefore been forced to increase the prices of our products.
8. The industry is in a mad race to align with new trends – sustainability, digitalisation, artificial intelligence. How is INELO aligning itself with these customer demands, but also with EU legislative requirements.
In every field, it is necessary to continuously develop and adapt products to market requirements and new regulations. This is our main objective, which we have been pursuing for more than 20 years, and for this reason we are constantly actively participating, following and analysing new regulatory requirements.
On the other hand, due to the needs of the market, we introduce new online solutions, which are now becoming standard in many industries. For this reason, we have introduced an online version of the TachoScan system in the form of the TachoScan Web system and we are also introducing the aforementioned fireTMS system. This is our response to the changing situation and new market needs.
9. Which is the main project on which you focus your energy?
We have now launched a promotion of our main TachoScan system, together with the new Foreign Salary module, which enables the settlement of minimum salaries in accordance with the new requirements arising from the Mobility Package. As part of the promotion, we also offer our devices for reading tachograph and driver card data, which are highly appreciated for their reliability and intuitive operation. You are therefore warmly invited to contact us and visit our website.
My main focus is business development and for this reason I am focusing on the further development of our products offered to transport companies and enforcement authorities. This requires constant involvement in projects to provide new solutions and adapt them to the needs and requirements of the market. Following on from previous questions, we are focusing on online solutions that will enable greater automation and integration of collected and processed data in transport companies in the future.
10. How do you see the year 2023 in an economic environment marked by high prices and uncertainties?
The current economic situation is changing dynamically and is difficult to predict. Unfortunately, it affects our daily costs and the impact of inflation is felt by all of us, not just companies in the transport industry. The latest forecasts predict a slowdown in price increases and a stabilisation of the market situation. However, these are processes that are difficult to predict and unfortunately we have no influence on factors of an international nature. This is why we are focusing on preparing solutions to automate processes to enable easier management and cost optimisation.
The planned digitalisation of transport documents is also a very important direction, and work on implementing this system has already begun at EU level. I am convinced that this will be the next step in the automation of processes in the transport industry, which in the next years should globally increase the competitiveness of the European market at international level.
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Photo Source: https://inelo.com/
