Poland has firmly established itself as a leading furniture producer in the European market — only China ships more furniture into Europe. This shift in production geography raises a key question for logistics providers: How can Eastern European manufacturing be aligned with Western European end-customer expectations? Hermes Einrichtungs Service (HES) and the Anton Röhr Logistic Group have found an answer — through a clear division of labor based on their respective core competencies.

When Production Geography Reshapes Logistics Strategies

Europe’s furniture industry has reorganized itself. While design and sales often remain in Western Europe, manufacturing is increasingly shifting eastward. Poland is now the continent’s second-largest furniture supplier — a position that offers retailers cost advantages but also increases logistical complexity.

The central challenge: furniture is not a standard commodity. It is bulky, fragile, and high-value. For a positive customer journey, end customers expect delivery plus services such as preferred time slots, assembly, packaging disposal, or old-furniture removal — all in one seamless experience. Fulfilling these expectations across borders requires more than traditional freight transport. So how does a sofa set travel from Poland to the customer’s living room?

“The Polish furniture industry has developed enormously,” says Heiko Hufenbach, Business Development Manager at HES. “For us, it was clear: to move these goods flows efficiently into Western Europe, we needed a partner who masters Eastern European logistics as well as we master end-customer delivery. With Röhr, we found exactly that partner.”

Mosina: From Single Shipments to Systemized Loads

In Mosina, south of Poznań and directly on the A2 between Berlin and Warsaw, Anton Röhr Logistyka Sp. z o.o. operates a logistics center with 89,000 m² of warehouse space on a 210,000 m² site. Here, something happens that is often underestimated in logistics: consolidation.

Polish furniture manufacturers are highly specialized. One produces upholstered furniture, another case goods, a third kitchens. If each shipped individually to Germany, the result would be inefficient partial loads — higher costs, higher emissions, longer lead times.

Röhr consolidates these fragmented flows centrally. Every day, 50 to 80 trucks arrive or depart. Cross-docking minimizes dwell times; goods move directly from inbound to outbound transport. What arrives as individual shipments leaves Mosina as optimized system loads.

The geographic location amplifies this advantage significantly. From Mosina, consolidated loads reach German markets directly via the A2.

Division of Labor by Competence, Not Geography

The partnership between HES and Röhr is built on a clear division of roles: each partner focuses on what it has perfected over decades.

• Röhr handles the first and middle mile. With roots dating back to 1958, the company specializes in furniture transport and has established structures across Eastern Europe. Its strengths lie in procurement logistics, consolidation, and cross-border transport of sensitive large goods.
• HES covers the last mile. With more than 100 depots in Germany and neighboring countries and up to 25,000 deliveries per day, HES excels in two-person handling and service-oriented end-customer delivery — including assembly, installation, and comprehensive additional services.

The interface between the two is precisely defined: Röhr delivers either directly to HES delivery depots in Germany and Austria or to the two HES logistics centers that supply additional European markets. The handover is digitally supported; IT systems communicate automatically. Shipment data flows in real time, route planning runs in parallel, and status updates reach all parties without delay.

The result: delivery times of up to 72 hours from the Polish factory to the German living room — with full service upon arrival.

Who Benefits?

• Polish manufacturers gain access to Western and Central European markets without building their own distribution structures. Consolidation in Mosina significantly reduces transport costs per unit.
• Retailers and e-commerce platforms can integrate Polish products into their assortments without managing cross-border logistics. Röhr handles the first and middle mile; HES handles the last mile — the entire chain runs seamlessly.
• End customers receive premium service regardless of production location: preferred delivery dates, tracking, assembly, packaging disposal, and old-furniture removal.

Sustainability Through Consolidation and Electrification

Both partners pursue ambitious sustainability goals. HES is continuously electrifying its fleet and aims to deliver to major German cities and metropolitan areas fully electric by 2030. More than 200 charging points powered by certified green electricity are already in operation.

Röhr contributes to emission reduction through intelligent consolidation. Fully utilized transports generate significantly less CO₂ per furniture item than partial loads. Consolidation in Mosina is therefore both ecologically and economically sound. Consolidation, route optimization, and increasing electrification combine efficiency with sustainability.

Scalability Through Standardization

Online furniture retail continues to grow. This development requires logistics structures capable of handling fluctuating volumes. The partnership between HES and Röhr is built for this: the Mosina hub system can be expanded, and the HES depot network already spans Europe. New manufacturers can be integrated, and additional markets opened.

Standardized, digitized, and proven processes enable volume growth without compromising quality — a crucial prerequisite for sustainable growth in a dynamic market.

Conclusion: HES and Röhr — Specialization as a Strategic Advantage

The cooperation between HES and the Anton Röhr Logistic Group demonstrates a fundamental principle of modern B2B logistics: cross-border supply chains are not mastered through size alone, but through focused division of labor.

Röhr contributes Eastern European expertise and consolidation capabilities. HES ensures end-customer distribution and service-oriented two-person handling. For retailers, manufacturers, and e-commerce providers, this alliance means access to efficient East–West logistics structures without building their own infrastructure. From the Polish factory floor to the Western European living room, the entire supply chain operates seamlessly, transparently, and service-driven.