The initiative aims to consolidate the two companies’ operations across Europe by combining cargo-partner’s established presence in Central and Eastern Europe with Nippon Express’s network in Western Europe. According to the companies, the integrated platform will support groupage, less-than-truckload (LTL), and full-truckload (FTL) services.
The operational rollout has already resulted in fully unified services in Italy, with expansion planned for Belgium, the Netherlands, and the UK. A regular groupage corridor has been established between Austria and Italy, with daily connections linking Lainate (Milan) to cargo-partner facilities in Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, and later to Austria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, western Romania, and North Macedonia via Vienna. Direct linehaul services between Italy and Poland began in February 2025.
“The ‘ONE Road’ project reflects our shared vision of creating a unified, efficient, and flexible pan-European road transport network,” said Thomas Schledorn, Chief Operating Officer Overland at cargo-partner. Schledorn is also responsible for road transport activities within Nippon Express’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa region.
The companies stated that transport operations are being increasingly insourced in regions where either partner has its own infrastructure. This approach, they claim, allows for greater flexibility and control over service delivery. A cross-company “Road Community” will also be formed to coordinate activities across national markets.
Cargo-partner’s core hubs in Vienna, Zory, Ljubljana, Zagreb, and Sofia serve as key distribution points for Central and Eastern Europe, while Nippon Express handles flows in the west. The integrated network is intended to provide full coverage across the continent.
