The German border closings with Tyrol and the Czech Republic would endanger supply chains across Europe, warns the Hegelmann Group.
The German logistics service provider fears far-reaching consequences for the economy from the strict controls at the borders. “Combined with any hamster purchases, this could quickly lead to supply bottlenecks in supermarkets and productions,” the Hegelmann Group said in a broadcast on Thursday.
The international transport and logistics company is also sounding the alarm with regard to the situation for drivers. Even now, the stricter entry rules would lead to kilometers of traffic jams. In addition, there is a lack of test capacities for the drivers.
Hegelmann therefore demands an expansion of the test possibilities or an exemption of the transport personnel from the test obligation in order to facilitate the transit. “If a European concept had been used here, for example by setting up test centers on the routes in several sections on both sides, the situation would certainly have been more balanced.”
“With the border closings, the supply chains are once again put to the test. Demand-based delivery commitments are no longer possible under these conditions, so that production stalls and empty shelves in the supermarkets could once again occur,” says Siegfried Hegelmann, Managing Shareholder at the Hegelmann Group.
According to Hegelmann, around 100 own transports are affected by the current border closings every day. The logistics company is therefore trying to avoid the affected markets as much as possible. Alternative routes are also being considered.
Transports from Italy are diverted via the triangle between Italy, Austria and Slovenia in the Karawanken, while Czech imports are partly via Poland. “The rest of them have no choice but to queue,” said the company.
