With a turnover of around EUR 100 million and 550 members of staff, Eupen-based Magetra, like many other transport companies, has had to adapt to the situation. In this case, sometimes it was like squaring the circle, when you have operating sites in Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia and Italy. Faced with different laws and an approach to the pandemic that varies from country to country and depending on its intensity, they had to be ready right from the first crisis meeting on Monday, 16 March. Particularly as all the alarm signals were coming from Italy. ‘It’s true that Italy was the first country to be hit. In fact, our site manager fell ill himself. Despite having a high temperature for a fortnight, his lungs weren’t affected. He’s been feeling better for three or four days now. So we very quickly became aware of the impact of the coronavirus. We soon realised that our business was going to be affected, as well,’ explains Damien Schils, General Manager of Magetra International.

In terms of planning, they introduced teleworking. Then they had to adapt to changing situations day by day. For example, for medical equipment and foodstuffs coming from Italy, trucks had to be provided that left empty to ensure permanent transit. Because the basic problem is that although transport is maintained upstream and downstream, the companies cannot operate. The transport itself can continue, but clients’ sites are closed or the addressees can’t take receipt.

Thank you drivers!

Another essential priority is the safety of the drivers. A whole series of measures has been adopted, such as taking people’s temperature in the buildings, more intensive cleaning of cabs, social distancing and negotiating with clients so that drivers can use the sanitary facilities, as access to these is no longer guaranteed in many places. ‘I’d like to thank our drivers, who carry on working and serving us as well as possible in these difficult conditions,’ says a delighted Damien Schils.
Today, the company has been able to work on a concerted basis with its banks and insurers. Now they have to prepare themselves for the return to work, without knowing when that will really happen and what it will look like. (UO)

Source: https://www.vedia.be/www/video/info/coronavirus/le-secteur-du-transport-s-adapte-l-exemple-de-magetra-a-eupen_101598_89.html