Established in 2005 in Brindisi, Italy, from the more than twenty years’ experience of its founding partners, Gorgoni S.r.l. is a company highly specialised in providing logistics services to the United Nations and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), which has succeeded in establishing its leadership in the international freight forwarding market thanks to a strategic vision and innovative business approach. Marcello Gorgoni, founder of Gorgoni SRL, reveals the new challenges that the Brindisi-based company is called upon to face today in the new global geopolitical scenario.
by Roberta Imbimbo
Dr. Gorgoni, with what mission was Gorgoni S.r.l. born?
Founded in 2005 as a shipping and customs forwarding agency, with the aim of becoming an important point of reference in the international forwarding and logistics market, over time the company has focused its core business on shipments to the United Nations, at first only handling those arriving in Brindisi and later also those to the various missions that the UN from time to time opened in the most critical areas of the world, all of them remote, not easy to reach, and with unstable political and security situations. Thanks to a strategic vision, an innovative business approach and highly specialised know-how, the company has experienced exponential growth both in terms of turnover and geographical expansion, obtaining accreditation as a freight forwarder first at the UN in New York and subsequently in all UN peacekeeping missions. Having joined the Group of the seven most accredited freight forwarders in the world in 2021 – a notable acknowledgement attesting to the high quality of the services offered – Gorgoni S.r.l. is now operating in many foreign markets, mainly in South Korea, China, Japan, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon and Africa. This is a very important milestone for a small company in Southern Italy that has been able to focus on increasing internationalisation, successfully exploring new strategic markets and succeeding in competing with large multinationals at global level. Today our brand is in fact a certified guarantee.
What kind of market is it in which you operate? And what are the distinguishing features of your work that set you apart from your competitors?
Gorgoni S.r.l. has succeeded in establishing its leadership in a niche market, thanks to the professionalism and high degree of specialisation of a young and motivated team capable of working in particularly difficult geopolitical and environmental contexts, where every slightest mistake is unfortunately paid for harshly. Right from the outset, we have been committed to selecting and training particularly qualified people, capable of facing and overcoming all kinds of difficulties and unforeseen events, of anticipating every possible risk scenario, thus always managing to guarantee the continuity of the transport service (door to door) and to complete even the most problematic intercontinental shipments in total safety. To achieve this priority objective, we have relied on an international network of professionals: in fact, the company has strategically established valuable commercial partnerships (some of which have lasted for more than 15 years) with the most valuable customs agents in the countries where the goods arrive; relationships that allow us not only to find effective solutions for all types of customs problems (a very important feature for the UN), but also and above all to be operational in locations that are difficult to reach, places where even international groups do not have their own branches. The global transport crisis, which began in 2020 due to the pandemic and continued later with the war in Ukraine and the tightening of sanctions imposed on Russia, has inevitably reshaped the geography of economic and power relations between the various nations. In this operational context, it is therefore very important to be equipped with problem solving skills and an effective and efficient operational model based on careful planning of the shipment according to the destination to be reached (and the best route to take), the type of goods to be transported, and any customs issues to be addressed. All this in order to guarantee short and competitive delivery times and a correct, punctual and safe execution of every shipment, whether large or small.
Many achievements to date. Future goals?
To continue exploring new markets without ever neglecting to enhance our beloved territory. Our hope is to grow further in order to cope with an ever-increasing supply of work (as a result of the new contract stipulated with the UN), also by forging positive synergies with companies in Southern Italy, with the dual objective of becoming more competitive at a global level on the one hand, and giving visibility to Italian brands on international markets on the other. Another priority objective is to contribute with our activity to enhancing the port of Brindisi, a multifunctional port that is central to the economic development of our country. Its proximity to Greece, Turkey, Albania and the Balkan countries make it a highly attractive strategic port that has consolidated new and important trade traffic in recent years. This is a peculiarity that gives us hope for the future: the port area of Brindisi will in fact increasingly be an important reference point for trade exchanges between different areas of the Mediterranean.
