ECG — 2025-10-08
News from ECG
The financial pressure in the Finished Vehicle Logistics (FVL) industry is high. According to newly released numbers from PwC, costs are significantly higher than pre-crisis levels and continue to rise. ” In addition to the cost development, the cost level is high, and there is no other way out than reducing our costs through efficiency improvements,” says Wolfgang Göbel, President of ECG.
The PwC European FVL Cost Index, shows that industry costs remain well above pre-crisis levels with no signs of easing. To remain competitive and prepare for the transformation ahead, the sector is intensifying its work on technical solutions to boost efficiency.
“Profitability must be maintained to make the necessary investments. Costs across all relevant areas continue to increase, so any cost reduction can only come through efficiency improvements – either by eliminating inefficiencies in the supply chain or by leveraging new technologies to increase productivity,” says Wolfgang Göbel. “To respond to financial challenges while remaining profitable enough to drive transformation, improving efficiency is essential – and this requires close collaboration across the industry.”
At the ECG Conference in Amsterdam, on 16-17 October, the FVL industry is focusing on ramping up work on technical solutions to enhance efficiency in the supply chain. The theme of the conference is ‘Changing Technology in a Changing World: The Power of Efficiency Through Innovation in FVL’ and reflects how ECG has proactively addressed the key challenges in the industry through transparency and standards.
The conference kicks off with a keynote from Skoda Auto CEO Klaus Zellmer, who demonstrates how Škoda has become a profitable and globally successful brand within the Volkswagen Group despite a challenging market environment. Zellmer’s leadership provides an inspiring example of how to navigate challenging markets and achieve business success.
Beyond internal efficiency improvements, the industry is exploring new business opportunities in military and defence logistics. FVL companies’ expertise in handling heavy equipment, managing complex international operations, and ensuring reliability under pressure positions them to support defence logistics while opening potential new business fields. Major General Ulf Häussler, Director Operations and Planning Division, NATO, will address this topic, highlighting how closer cooperation between logistics and defence stakeholders can strengthen resilience in a rapidly changing world.
At the conference, leading executives from Renault and Volkswagen will present projects that demonstrate the potential for efficiency gains, showcase new technologies in practice and feature initiatives such as automated driving in logistics.
Footnote: The PwC European FVL Cost Index is an index developed by ECG and PwC Austria to provide transparency in the European FVL industry by tracking cost developments across different transport modes.
Note to editors:
ECG is the established European platform for the outbound automotive logistics sector bringing together logistics service providers, manufacturer logistics managers and suppliers to the sector. ECG aims to facilitate non-commercial collaboration between member companies and assist them in sharing best practices in many operational areas, especially the harmonisation of operational standards.
For more information, please contact:
Frank Schnelle
Executive Director
ECG – The Association of European Vehicle Logistics
+32 2 706 82 80
info@ecgassociation.eu
www.ecgassociation.eu
About ECG
ECG, the Association of European Vehicle Logistics, has been the voice of the Finished Vehicle Logistics industry in Europe since 1997. ECG represents the interests of more than 200 member companies and partners, from family-owned SMEs to multi-nationals, and is the major champion of the European vehicle logistics sector.
ECG represents all transport models at EU level- road, rail, maritime and fluvial. ECG members provide transport, distribution, storage, preparation, and post-production services to manufacturers, importers, car rental companies, and vehicle leasing operators in the 27 Member States of the European Union as well as Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and beyond. They own or operate more than 470 car-carrying ships, 14,000 purpose-built railway wagons, 23 river barges, and 26,000 road transporters. As a major employer, the finished vehicle logistics sector plays an important role in contributing to the economic success of the European Union. Today, ECG members have an aggregate turnover of €21.3bn and their economic impact on companies associated with the sector is estimated at €56bn. More than 210,000 Europeans are employed directly by our members.