Taking the complex route
Interview with Juri Udre, Commercial Director of KriCon Group B.V.
Reliable logistics is essential when liquid cargo must cross borders, change modes of transport and reach challenging destinations safely. KriCon Group B.V. specializes in developing flexible, end-to-end solutions for these complex assignments. Commercial Director Juri Udre explains how the company combines international reach with personal service and why new markets, sustainability and digitalization are shaping its future.
European Business: Mr. Udre, how has KriCon developed since it was founded?
Juri Udre: KriCon was established in 2010 by four founders with extensive experience in the logistics industry. Initially, the company acted as an agent for several tank container operators in Eastern Europe, particularly in the Baltic countries, Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. We were among the pioneers of tank container and flexitank logistics in that region. Over time, we invested in our own equipment, including tank containers and trucks, and became an operator in our own right. Today, we connect Europe with markets across Eastern Europe and Central Asia and operate within an increasingly broad international network.
European Business: What shaped the company’s international expansion?
Juri Udre: The war between Russia and Ukraine was a major turning point because it eliminated almost half of our business virtually overnight. However, it also encouraged us to accelerate our diversification.
We had opened an office in Azerbaijan shortly before the war, and the Middle Corridor across the Caspian Sea subsequently became an increasingly important route to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and China. Our activities there grew rapidly. We also established a presence in Turkey and learned that we could successfully enter new and demanding markets. That experience gave us the confidence to expand further into Africa, the Middle East and South-East Asia.
European Business: What distinguishes KriCon from larger logistics providers?
Juri Udre: Our greatest strength is our personal approach. Every customer has a dedicated contact who understands the business and can respond quickly. We take responsibility for the complete transport process and solve problems on the customer’s behalf. At the same time, we enjoy developing solutions for assignments that do not fit a standard model. We are willing to enter difficult regions, study how the local market works and build reliable transport chains there. Customers come to us with complex requirements because they know that we will look for a workable solution.
European Business: Can you give an example?
Juri Udre: One project involved transporting drilling fluids from Europe to an oil installation in a remote desert location in Kyrgyzstan. In another ongoing operation, we collect chemicals produced on an island in Lake Victoria in Uganda and transport them back to Europe. Such projects require more than equipment. They depend on detailed planning, dependable local partners and the ability to manage
several modes of transport across challenging routes.
European Business: Which services does the group provide today?
Juri Udre: Our two principal divisions are ISO tank logistics and flexitank services. In addition, we operate a trucking company in the Benelux region with more than 50 trucks, serving both our own network and other operators. We also run a modern, EFTCO-certified cleaning and repair depot in Estonia, where we clean, maintain and test tank containers. Tank container sales and leasing, flexitank fitting and dry cargo forwarding complete our portfolio. Keeping these capabilities within the group gives us greater control over quality, availability and service.
European Business: How important is sustainability in your operations?
Juri Udre: Reducing empty movements is one of the most effective measures we can take. Tank containers are reusable, and most of the long-distance journey takes place by rail or sea, with trucks used mainly for the first and last mile. Flexitanks also allow customers to transport large volumes using considerably less packaging than drums or intermediate bulk containers. The key operational challenge is to position equipment intelligently. Our teams actively search for return loads and alternative routes so that tanks travel loaded wherever possible.
European Business: What role does artificial intelligence play at KriCon?
Juri Udre: We are already using AI for research, analytics and internal application development. We have developed dashboards that give office directors a single overview of orders, revenue, operational issues and transport flows. This saves time and helps us react more quickly.
European Business: Where will KriCon focus its future growth?
Juri Udre: We are strengthening our presence in West Africa, including Nigeria, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, while developing intra-African connections, including routes to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. South-East Asia, particularly Malaysia and Indonesia, is another important growth area. Over the next five years, my ambition is to at least double our tank container fleet and significantly expand our flexitank activities. As we grow, however, we want to preserve what makes KriCon distinctive: customers should always have an experienced person they can reach, trust and rely on.