Plenty of companies can move a car from A to B. What the industry needs is a partner that organises the whole process. That was our impression of three leading automotive events in October.
Maarten Klanderman, CEO of TransConnect, attended all three: the ECG Conference in Copenhagen (15 and 16 October), CARA Europe in Lisbon (26 October) and the Fleet Europe Days, also in Lisbon (27 and 28 October). At the Fleet Europe Days we were a sponsor with our own stand. Below is what stayed with us from each event.
ECG Conference: working together more smartly and efficiently
The ECG Conference is the congress of ECG, the association for European vehicle logistics. We are a member of ECG and attended as a visitor. Digitalisation, sustainability and cooperation across the chain kept coming back, with one question underneath: how do you work smarter and more efficiently, so that you stay competitive and profitable?
One figure stood out. According to ECG, empty kilometres in road transport have doubled, from 20% to 40%. That costs money and causes emissions. Our spotfilling algorithm is built to reduce empty kilometres by linking transports intelligently.
No single party solves this alone. Smarter digital links between clients, platforms and transport partners create opportunities across the whole chain. We are happy to work on that with our transport partners.
Gerdo Oostbeek (right), Procurement at TransConnect, and Maarten Klanderman at the ECG Conference in Copenhagen.
CARA Europe: transport belongs in remarketing
CARA Europe focused on the European used-car market and on remarketing: standardising vehicle data, and greater transparency about vehicle condition and battery health. Vehicle logistics had an important place in the programme. Maarten took part in a panel with RPM, BCA and Bahn Express on how logistics can make remarketing faster, more reliable and more efficient.
The mood was constructive. There is a growing awareness that the links in the chain need to work together better.
As a member of CARA Europe we are committed to that. A vehicle that sits idle or gets stuck in logistics costs margin. Read why transport is the invisible bottleneck in remarketing.
Fleet Europe Days: fleets are becoming more international
The Fleet Europe Days focused on the future of business mobility: electrification, cost control, sustainability and digitalisation. We had a stand in the Remarketing Village.
Fleet management is becoming more complex. Companies want more control over costs, processes and how their vehicles are used, and many remarketing platforms therefore opt for a 360-degree approach. There is plenty of ambition to become more sustainable and to innovate. At the same time, demand is growing for solutions that are practical and affordable.
For business fleets that are becoming more international and more dynamic, reliable vehicle logistics is becoming increasingly important.
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Left to right: Karsten Storms, Jochen Witty, Maarten Klanderman and Mark Rotteveel at the Fleet Europe Days in Lisbon.
The common thread: organising rather than offering
Across the three events, four things kept gaining importance: reliability, predictability, transparency and digital integration. This is what we took from each event.
| Event | What we heard | What it means for transport |
| ECG Conference | Digitalisation and cooperation across the chain | Smarter links between clients, platforms and transport partners |
| CARA Europe | Remarketing has to become faster and more transparent | Transport is part of the process, not a final step |
| Fleet Europe Days | More control over costs, processes and vehicles | Reliable vehicle logistics across national borders |
Where we are heading
We are developing from a platform where you book car transport into a digital logistics layer that organises the transport process and adjusts it where needed. That is a direction, not yet an end point. The starting point remains simple: you provide the specifications, we organise the rest with our transport partners.
Read how it works or see how we arrange car transport across Europe. If you see the same in your own process, or something different, let us know. We are happy to think it through with you.
Source: ECG, "Vehicle logistics stabilises, but securing future capacity demands visibility", press release, 16 October 2026.
