Girteka, a leading asset-based European road carrier, undergoing a massive digital transformation of services, is accelerating its development in Poland. By 2026, the company aims to join the TOP 10 of the largest logistics operators in Europe. Poland plays a key role in the implementation of the ambitious plan. After opening, at the beginning of this year, the transport base in Sady near Poznań, the largest in the Girteka network, the management board of the Group made another decision to strengthen the Polish company. It is now headed by Ellina Lolis, who as Head of Girteka Poland will be responsible for the development of the company in Poland.
Girteka was founded in 1996 in Lithuania and specializes in full truck load (FTL) and refrigerated transport, mainly for companies from the food & beverage, FMCG, industrial, automotive, and pharmaceutical industries. The company has the largest own fleet of modern trucks in Europe, with over 9,000 trucks (EURO 6) and 9,800 semi-trailers, including 7,600 cold chain transport. Both the fleet and the transport management systems have state-of-the-art technological solutions. Annually, Girteka drivers perform nearly 1 million FTL deliveries in Europe, Scandinavia, and the countries of the former CIS and Central Asia. In Poland, the company has been present since 2019, where it has the aforementioned transport base in Sady and a branch of one of the Group’s brands in Rawa Mazowiecka.
New goals and new Head of Girteka Poland
With the goal of joining the top of the largest logistics companies in Europe, Girteka invests in the operational development of the transport network, sustainable solutions, and digitization, as well as improving the quality of services and working conditions for drivers. After carrying out changes in the organizational structure of the Girteka Group, the company now wants to strengthen its presence in European markets, including Poland, which is of strategic importance for accelerating expansion in Western Europe.
This task was entrusted to the new Head of Girteka Poland – Ellina Lolis, a manager with many years of experience in managing and developing companies in the logistics market.
Ellina Lolis has been associated with the logistics industry since the beginning of her professional career. She gained extensive experience during the implementation and management of projects for the largest global logistics companies present in the markets of the Middle East, Europe, and former CIS countries. In 2019, Ellina Lolis took the position of country manager and then vice-president of the board of Hillebrand Poland, a global logistics operator for the beverage industry, where she successfully developed the company’s operations in 12 countries. Ellina Lolis is also a recognized expert in managing international teams and intercultural communication. She is fluent in four languages. Now, as the new Head of Girteka Poland, she will be responsible for the development of activities in Poland, focusing largely on maintenance and fleet services for the entire Group.
“Girteka is a company with a huge future and one of the most technologically advanced organizations in this service segment. Becoming the head of the branch in Poland, I take up a huge challenge. I believe that with a team of such great experts and people involved in their work, we will achieve our goals. We will develop not only services but also strengthen and expand the team of our specialists, including drivers and service technicians,” announces Ellina Lolis, Head of Girteka Poland.
A transport base of strategic importance
At the beginning of this year, Girteka launched the largest and most modern transport base in its history in Sady near Poznań. It is also one of the largest bases in Europe where trucks are serviced. In the area of 10.5 ha, there is an administrative part, modern facilities for drivers (showers, laundry, medical point, accommodation), and a service base. In addition, an outdoor parking lot has been prepared for over 200 trucks with semi-trailers. Up to 8,200 drivers and 450 mechanics are currently based in the Girteka facility near Poznań, which can service up to 4,000 trucks at the same time. This base is the third one of the Group, complementing the network of transport bases in Lithuania, located in Vilnius and Siauliai. Within five years, the company plans to invest at least EUR 5 million in its equipment and maintenance.
From the Girteka base in Sady, Western European markets will be served, where the company is currently expanding to and developing logistics services.