Although the situation on the logistics market is not entirely optimal, 2025 is a favorable year for PST CLC Mitsui-Soko. This is despite the fact that some of the company’s clients are reducing production, others have even ceased their activities in the Czech Republic due to the transfer of production abroad. PST CLC Mitsui-Soko, which will celebrate 35 years on the market next year, has focused even more on the acquisition of new clients, innovations in logistics, process automation and especially on further development in Slovakia. The company plans to grow in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. „Who does not grow, disappears,“ says Vít Votroubek, CEO of PST CLC Mitsui-Soko.
The company has expanded to Slovakia, where it offers comprehensive logistics services. This year, PST CLC Mitsui-Soko opened a branch of customs services in Košice. It continues to provide internal logistics services to a tire manufacturer in Púchov and at the same time develops its services in Slovakia. It also provides internal logistics for two major clients in the Czech Republic.
„Our goal is to build a good reputation and brand recognition in Slovakia as a provider of comprehensive logistics services, which we have in the Czech Republic. Therefore, we focus on business activities and marketing. We are doing everything we can to be able to provide our comprehensive services in all regions in Slovakia so that our new clients can benefit from the benefits of being part of the Japanese Mitsui-Soko Group. We have great references and, above all, experience,“ says Vít Votroubek, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of PST CLC Mitsui-Soko, who is also the President of the Association of Freight Forwarding and Logistics of the Czech Republic.
Goals: new hall for storage, closer connection to Japanese companies
The Customs Service Branch in Košice is ready to participate in the future reconstruction of Ukraine as part of its activities as soon as the war ends. „We have two employees in Košice so far, but by dealing with these services remotely, we can involve a whole team of specialists. We also want to provide storage services there, so we are thinking about renting or building a hall for storage. Our parent company is very supportive of this plan,“ says Vít Votroubek.
The Japanese ambassador to Slovakia even recently visited the branch. „We discussed the possibilities of potential cooperation between us and Japanese companies operating in Slovakia,“ says Petr Böhm, Director of the Customs Services Division of PST CLC Mitsui-Soko. He adds that negotiations were also organized with the Japanese government trade and investment promotion agency JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization), which relies on a network of 52 offices in Japan and 76 abroad.
As part of its activities, the Customs Services Division is also intensively involved in the issue of CBAM. From 1 January 2026, the limit on which a company is obliged to file a CBAM report will change from 150 euros per shipment to 50 tons of CBAM goods/year. This change is not the only one, but it is absolutely fundamental. „Other changes include, for example, the possibility of delegating reporting to a third party, previously only the importer or an indirect representative, or a change in the amount of CBAM certificates purchased on an ongoing basis from 80 to 50 percent,“ says Petr Škapa, Head of Customs Clearance Methodologists at PST CLC Mitsui-Soko.
„Customs services are our flagship. We have a dense network of customs service branches. However, our advantage is also that we can do all customs services electronically. We are constantly developing and improving our own software,“ praises Vít Votroubek.
PST CLC Mitsui-Soko tests innovations and seeks new customers
According to Pavel Nodžák, Logistics General Manager at PST CLC Mitsui-Soko, projects to optimize occupancy and innovate the productivity evaluation system are currently underway in the distribution centers of PST CLC Mitsui-Soko. The „warehouse occupation“ project focuses on the calculation of storage prices in m³ and the targeted efficient use of warehouse capacity. The next phase of the expansion of the online management and monitoring of the pallet account was also launched. „Co-packing has also proven to be very successful for us. There is interest in him,“ says Vít Votroubek.
The company is now testing technologies for automated cleaning and plans to purchase mechanical boosters to help lift heavy loads in the future.
„We are currently focusing on covering storage outages from clients who have reduced their own production and have less need for external storage. In some regions, such as the warehouse in Pohořelice, we have not yet been able to get new clients. That is why we are now focusing a lot on negotiations with potential clients to maximize the occupancy of our multi-user warehouses,“ says Jiří Bradna, Sales Director and Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of PST CLC Mitsui-Soko, describing the situation.
Vít Votroubek adds: „Some of the warehouse leases that we have been using for many years will end. We have a well-negotiated rent in these halls. The scarecrow is that this rent may increase by one hundred percent during negotiations on new contracts. This is paradoxical, because in both Poland and Germany, rentals are cheaper. It is then difficult to compete against this,“ mentions Vít Votroubek.
Congested ports and low margins: sea freight brings a challenging period for the company
And the transport division? „We have good results in land and air transport. However, sea container transport is very demanding, margins are falling. In addition, we are solving problems with the capacity of ports where new large container ships arrive. Instead of continuous unloading of smaller ships, ports are overwhelmed at the same time, which of course is also reflected in subsequent transports and places much higher demands on dispatchers. We will meet the planned economic results, but it is challenging,“ says Vít Votroubek. Jan Bláha, Transport Director at PST CLC Mitsui-Soko, adds: „Insufficient terminal capacity extends transit times. There are delays in ship arrivals, which also complicates subsequent continental transport.“
PST CLC Mitsui-Soko strengthens IT team and automates routine processes
Vít Votroubek evaluates the activities of the IT division, whose team has been expanded by two new employees this year. „The requirements for IT are getting higher. We focus a lot on digitization and automation, and I see the future of the company in quality IT. We try to simplify and automate everything with routine activities,“ says Vít Votroubek.
„We are gradually digitizing communication with clients, which is currently a way to increase efficiency. On the one hand, the work of the dispatchers is increasing, so it is necessary to automate everything that is possible. This applies, for example, to automatic reporting, automated reporting and the like,“ explains Jan Bláha.
