• FERCAM
• Internationalization
• Logistics
• Supply Chain
• Transport

Lo studio proposto è basato sull' analisi dell' evoluzione della logistica, partendo dal concetto primordiale di logistica di distribuzione non pianificata fino al riconoscimento di questa funzione come elemento fondamentale integrato nella catena di approvvigionamento, in quanto mezzo di raggiungimento di più elevati obiettivi prestazionali delle aziende. Adottando questo concetto più evoluto di logistica, emerge l'importanza del ruolo degli operatori logistici, che rappresentano un business in continua crescita e costituiscono intermediari sempre più indispensabili per l'efficace funzionamento della supply chain. In particolare, questa analisi è focalizzata sul caso aziendale di FERCAM S.p.A., storico operatore logistico italiano attivo a livello internazionale fin dagli anni 70. Questa azienda, il cui fatturato ha subito una crescita esponenziale nel corso degli ultimi sessant'anni, è stata oggetto di analisi non solo in quanto realtà in forte sviluppo nello scenario internazionale, ma anche in seguito ad un' esperienza di tirocinio svolta nella sede austriaca di Seeboden. Questo stage ha consentito di produrre un'analisi approfondita, concentrata dapprima sul profilo competitivo e strategico dell' azienda e in seguito, sul percorso di internazionalizzazione intrapreso dagli anni 70 ad oggi.

This study aims to analyse the logistics’ concept, retracing the main chronological steps of its evolution across the decades. In particular, it starts by examining the initial concept of unformulated and fragmented distribution systems developed during the 1950s, to proceed with the illustration of the current idea of integrated logistics, widely recognized as a strategic element of Supply Chain Management and useful to attain improved firms’ performances along the supply chain. As a result of this innovative notion of logistics, well-structured and accurately planned distribution systems can be embedded in the management structures of the major world companies. In this perspective, the major emphasis is put on the role of logistics operators, as they constitute crucial intermediaries to streamline the whole supply chain’ s functioning, creating added value for all the actors involved in the logistical flow. Specifically, this analysis is focused on FERCAM S.p.A., an historical Italian logistics company that operates at the international level since the 1970s. FERCAM’ s internationalization process, based on the establishment of wholly owned subsidiaries through greenfield investments, started from European countries, characterized by a lower ‘psychic distance’, and subsequently moved to non-European emerging markets, whose degree of cultural and political difference is higher. The latter include countries of the Mediterranean area, i.e. Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey and one non-European state that belong to Eastern Europe, that is Serbia. This firm, whose turnover increased markedly in the last sixty years to reach 675 million € in 2016, was examined not only because it represents a growing logistics operator in the European context, but also as a result of an internship experience as a transport planner in the Austrian subsidiary of Seeboden, in Carinthia. This traineeship enabled to conduct an in-depth study, focused on the firm’ s competitive profile and internationalization track from late 70s to the present. This research was elaborated thanks to the use of dedicated papers and books concerning supply chain management, global strategic management and internationalization strategies, which provided a theoretical framework of the logistics business and the internationalization of the service industry. In addition, the personal interaction with FERCAM Austrian subsidiary’ s personnel allowed to collect important information regarding the firm itself, highlighting its corporate and functional strategies.