With its sights set on the heart of the European fashion industry, Garland Transport Solutions is reinforcing its international presence with the opening of a new logistics hub in Paris. According to Giles Dawson, CEO of Garland Transport Solutions, the objective is to strategically position itself to consolidate its position in the textile sector and accelerate logistics flows between Portugal, Spain, Morocco, and France.
Grande Consumo Garland has been experiencing sustained growth in the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa. What makes the French market, and Paris in particular, so relevant to the group's expansion strategy?
Giles Dawson – Garland's expansion into France, and specifically into Paris, is a strategic step following success in the Moroccan (2014) and Spanish (2023) markets. The city of Paris is one of the world's leading fashion centers, making it a crucial strategic point for Garland, given its specialization in the textile and footwear sector. This expansion will allow Garland to provide a more efficient and direct service to its customers in the region. Furthermore, it will consolidate our position in the logistics corridor between Portugal and France, where the company is already recognized for its competence.
Giles Dawson, CEO of Garland Transport Solutions
GC – The fashion sector is a focus for Garland. What specific logistical challenges does this sector present, and how was the new branch in Paris designed to address them?
GD – The fashion sector demands very rigorous logistics, where time, quality, and reliability are absolutely essential. Garland has extensive experience supporting the textile and footwear industries, both in Portugal with 3PL logistics contracts and in international transport throughout Europe. Therefore, the new branch in Paris allows for a more effective and direct response to the sector's demands, while simultaneously offering a continuous and controlled logistics solution that reduces response times and increases operational flexibility.
GC – The installation of a warehouse near Charles de Gaulle Airport indicates a commitment to agility and capillarity. What will be the role of this hub in Garland's European network, and what types of operations will be concentrated there?
GD – The warehouse leased by Garland, covering approximately 2.000 square meters and strategically located near Charles de Gaulle Airport, will be a key logistics hub in the company's European network. This center will serve as a strategic support point to optimize logistics flows and facilitate transport and distribution operations between Portugal, Northern Spain, Morocco, and now, France. Its proximity to the airport, one of the largest logistics hubs in Europe, should translate into a significant advantage in terms of operational agility in the future.
GC – Garland Transport Solutions was the area with the greatest weight in the group's turnover in 2024. How do you expect this new operation in France to contribute to the company's growth in the coming years, and what other markets are being analyzed in the medium term?
GD – The local presence in Paris will allow Garland to reduce response times, increase operational flexibility, and offer more customized solutions to its clients in the fashion sector. With the opening of this new hub , the company reinforces its position in the European market, particularly in fashion transport and logistics, and consolidates an increasingly integrated network.
Direct links are also being developed between hubs in the Iberian Peninsula, Morocco, and France, with the aim of ensuring greater efficiency and continuity in logistics flows.
At this time, we have no plans for further expansion into other markets. Our priority now is to consolidate our existing hubs.
