Powering a Sustainable Future
The European logistics market is highly dynamic, demanding, and in recent years increasingly aware of its responsibility toward the planet. It is precisely within this landscape that CLIP Group – a company rooted in the heart of Greater Poland—has not only found its place, but has begun to set directions for the industry. Five divisions, a global scale, and the ambition to become a leader in sustainable solutions make a conversation with Agnieszka Hipś, CEO of CLIP Group SA, a fascinating journey through a strategy that goes far beyond the simple transportation of goods.
Editorial Team, “Logistics Interviews”: CLIP Group defies easy definition in the logistics market. Scale, diversity of businesses, five divisions… How should one view the essence of such extensive competencies today, in the context of an economy that is changing faster than ever before?
Agnieszka Hipś: That is true, CLIP does not fit neatly into a single box. And let me say this directly: that is not an accident, but a consequence. Today’s economy is no longer a simple sequence of “production – transport – warehousing.” It is a system of interconnected vessels, where resilience, predictability, and the ability to change direction quickly without sacrificing quality are crucial. Increasingly important as well is concern for the natural environment, which is becoming a pillar of our European strategy. That is why I see our five divisions as one organism rather than five separate companies. Competencies are meant to complement one another, not compete for attention. Today, clients are not buying transport alone, square meters, or yard space. They are buying operational peace of mind. And operational peace of mind arises when a service is supported by infrastructure, processes, and people who understand responsibility. Today, that responsibility is taking on a new ecological dimension—one we want to promote across the entire European market. In logistics, you can have scale or you can have purpose. We are building scale with purpose. And today, that purpose is above all responsibility for our planet, which makes us a leader in sustainable logistics not only in Poland, but across Europe.
Editorial Team: CLIP Group’s roots are in Greater Poland. Over time, a local strategy has evolved into a global, intercontinental one. What path has the organization taken over its 30 years on the market, and what are the effects of these three decades—especially in the context of transformation toward green logistics?
Agnieszka Hipś: Greater Poland is our character: diligence, pragmatism, and a strong commitment to quality. That is where it all began, and that has not changed. What has changed is the scale and the role we play in sustainable supply chains. When I look back on these 30 years, I don’t see dates and charts so much as people and decisions. I remember conversations where we had to choose to invest in modern, environmentally friendly technologies at a time when it would have felt “safer” to wait. I remember moments when things didnot go perfectly, yet we stayed the course because we knew why we were doing it, we knew we were building a company of the future, responsible toward the environment. And I remember the kind of satisfaction that only comes with time, when you see that something works in operations, not just in presentations. Over three decades, we have evolved from a classic logistics company into an organization that invests in infrastructure, creates hubs, and organizes flows. That is a fundamental difference: we are not just serving the market, we are, to some extent, organizing it. The result? A stable platform on which further stages can be built. And experience that cannot be bought or accelerated. Thirty years is not an anniversary. It is proof that consistency in responsible development can be the best strategy.
Editorial Team: I remember the opening of CLIP’s first warehouse in Swarzędz. At the time, the horizon was rather empty. Today, the largest intermodal terminal in Poland operates there. How did this idea materialize? What was the breakthrough moment that made intermodal transport a key element of your business?
Agnieszka Hipś: I remember opening that first hall very clearly. Back then, the horizon really was empty – quite literally. Today, that site hosts infrastructure that co-creates Poland’s logistics map. For me, this is a very personal story, because Swarzędz is not just a point on a map, it is everyday life: yards, halls, conversations with people on shifts, decisions made sometimes on the run, between one operational issue and another. And that is probably what I like most about Logistics, here, you cannot talk your way out of anything. Either it works, or it doesn’t. There is also an emotional dimension. When I see how this infrastructure operates today and how many companies rely on it, I feel pride, but also a sense of responsibility. A terminal is not a monument. A terminal has to deliver every single day, regardless of weather or market sentiment. This transformation did not happen overnight. It was the result of consistent decisions. First, service standards. Then scale. Then process integration. And finally, intermodal transport, with its environmental benefits, became the logical next step and a cornerstone of our European sustainable transport strategy. The breakthrough moment came when we realized that advantage is not about reacting faster to the market. Advantage is about giving the market something to connect to. A functioning terminal is a source of energy in the system – like a power socket supplying an entire house. Intermodal transport did not become an add-on for CLIP. It became the backbone of our green logistics transformation.
Editorial Team: Rail freight is discussed more often than it is implemented. Do we truly have a chance for rail to become a key mode of cargo transport? What matters most in intermodal transport, particularly from the perspective of reducing the carbon footprint?
Agnieszka Hipś: Rail is indeed talked about a lot. Sometimes I feel it is discussed as if it were an idea rather than a tool. Meanwhile, rail becomes key not because it is “fashionable,” but because for large volumes and long distances it is simply rational. Its potential to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions makes it the foundation of our ecological strategy. The values of intermodal transport are very concrete. First: predictability and today predictability is currency. Second: capacity and order in the system, because intermodal solutions organize freight flows. Third: cost and efficiency in the longer term. Only against this background does environmental responsibility emerge not as a slogan, but as a real outcome of a well-designed, rail-based operation. Rail will not win the debate. Rail will win only when it wins on time and quality, while proving its ecological superiority over other modes of transport.
Editorial Team: CLIP Group has initiated work on a project worth nearly PLN 200 million in Zabrze: “Construction of an intermodal terminal on the EU-Ukraine corridor.” Even the name goes beyond local relevance. What is the vision and significance of this project, especially in the context of strengthening sustainable European transport corridors?
Agnieszka Hipś: The project’s name alone shows that this is not an investment “for a city” or “for a region.” It is part of a larger puzzle. Modern logistics happens along corridors, and today corridors are one of the most important arenas of economic competition. Our goal is for these corridors to be not only efficient, but also green, something essential for Europe’s cohesion. Zabrze is to become a hub that increases transshipment capacity, shortens operational time, and provides space for high value-added services. It is not about building a terminal just to “have” one. It is about creating a real tool for industry, trade, and international partners. This infrastructure is crucial for developing green trade routes across the continent. Infrastructure is not a cost. Infrastructure is a decision about one’s future position.
Editorial Team: Why Zabrze, and why the site of the former Makoszowy coal mine? Why is Silesia becoming so important for European logistics, particularly in the context of sustainable transport strategies?
Agnieszka Hipś: Today, Silesia is one of the most interesting regions in Europe when it comes to industry, human capital, transport networks, and transformation potential. It is a region that knows how to work, knows how to change, and has the real conditions to do so. Its transformation fits perfectly with our vision of transforming logistics toward a more ecological model. Makoszowy has symbolic meaning, but I look at it practically: the scale of the site, development potential, and the logic of connections. Post-industrial land offers the opportunity to build something large and modern, without pretending that logistics can be squeezed “between buildings.” It is an ideal location for creating a green logistics hub. Silesia is not a backdrop for investment. Silesia is the argument for investment.
Editorial Team: What will the Zabrze terminal look like in terms of equipment and internal infrastructure?
Agnieszka Hipś: Above all, it is meant to be operational. A terminal does not need to look good in a visualization. It needs to perform well during peak times, under stress, in winter and in heat. We are talking about track layouts, storage zones, handling equipment, safety, internal traffic management, and digital work planning. We focus on process ergonomics, minimizing empty runs, and creating zones that are logical rather than accidental. We will strive to integrate solutions that minimize environmental impact—from waste management to energy efficiency. The best terminal is one that does not require explanation— because everything in it works, without harming the environment.
Editorial Team: It is clear that you are building key rail logistics hubs in Poland. Alongside Swarzędz and Zabrze, there is also Małaszewicze. What does this project involve, and how does it fit into intercontinental transport strategy, with an emphasis on sustainable East-West connections?
Agnieszka Hipś: Małaszewicze is one of the key East–West interface points. If Poland is to truly benefit from its geographic location, it must have places capable of handling scale, variability, and the demands of modern trade. For CLIP, this is a natural extension of our strategy: we build hubs that connect flows— not to be everywhere, but to be where logistics makes systemic sense. In this way, we are creating a European transport network that prioritizes rail as the most ecological mode of long-distance transport. In logistics, the winner is not the one who has a map. The winner is the one who has hubs.
Editorial Team: Given that such key hub infrastructure for East–West transport is being developed in Poland, what role can the country assume in transforming European logistics toward sustainable solutions?
Agnieszka Hipś: Poland can be more than just a transit route. It can become an operational center for the region a place where goods do not merely pass through, but are handled: consolidated, stored, cleared, serviced, and redirected. Our goal is for Poland to become a green logistics hub for Central and Eastern Europe. Status is not given it is taken. This requires investment, standards, stable conditions, and cooperation between business, infrastructure, and administration. This is work, not a slogan. Geographic location is potential. Infrastructure is the decision of whether we turn that potential into an advantage—including a competitive advantage based on ecological solutions.
Editorial Team: Since road transport generates over 25% of CO₂ emissions, to what extent can rail-based intermodal development truly relieve environmental pressure and what must happen for it to become not just an attractive theory, but a functioning standard across the European Union?
Agnieszka Hipś: This is a very good question, because it is easy to fall into two extremes here: moralizing or PR. The truth is simple and very operational. Rail-based intermodal transport is currently one of the few solutions that genuinely changes the environmental balance of transport not on paper, but in kilometers and tons. It is our key to creating a more sustainable European transport system.
Rail will not replace everything. And it does not need to. Its role is to take over long distances, leaving road transport where it is indispensable on the first and last mile. In practice, this means fewer trucks on long-haul routes, less road congestion, less noise, and simply less pressure on the environment. This directly translates into quality of life and environmental conditions—areas we, as CLIP Group, want to actively improve across Europe.
One more thing is crucial: intermodal transport is environmentally effective only when it works well logistically. If a terminal is inefficient, if capacity is lacking, if time increases, emissions come back through the back door—in the form of empty runs, delays, and emergency road transport. That is why we see ESG as a by-product of well-designed operations, not as a slogan. Our approach to ESG is an integral part of our business strategy aimed at creating a more sustainable transport system across Europe. CLIP has operated and grown this way for years. The definitions of the “Green Deal” and “ESG” have simply caught up with CLIP—full decarbonization and sustainable development have long been embedded in how we work. We do not need to retrofit anything; this is CLIP.
Editorial Team: Final thought?
Agnieszka Hipś: The most ecological transport is the one that is both predictable and effective. The environment does not benefit from declarations it benefits from a well-functioning system. And that is exactly the system we are building: one that serves both business and the future of our planet, strengthening the position of Poland and CLIP Group as leaders in green logistics on the continent.
Source: “Logistics Interviews”