The initiation of 109th Kurbads car carrier!

Car transport and logistics company “Kurbads” continues to renew and expand its fleet. This time, the fleet is complemented by a new truck equipped with a large driver’s cab for added comfort. “Kurbads” knows that in order to ensure a consistently high quality of service to its customers, it is very important to ensure comfortable working conditions for its drivers.

Every new addition to the fleet does not do without the initiation that has already become a tradition so that the road of the new truck will be long, safe and good. The initiation event is also the moment when all the people of “Kurbads” together for the first time can fully see the hero or legend depicted on the cab – the story that this time has earned a place on the truck and its further telling to the world.

The new Mercedes Actros truck has character, and therefore it has been given the appropriate legend and story as another proof that Latvians are everywhere. Arvīds Blūmentāls will be better known to the wider world as Crocodile Harry or the crocodile hunter, or, in the Hollywood version, in the incarnation of the film Crocodile Dundee. “Eventful” would be the most appropriate way to describe his life, and his photo should be in the dictionary next to the definition of the word “adventurer.”

Arvīds Blūmentāls was born in Dundaga in 1925 but emigrated to Australia in 1951 after World War II. He arrived in North Queensland in 1956, whereas a new occupation and later a profession, Arvids began hunting and selling crocodiles. The dangers of crocodiles are well known to all, so crocodile hunters have often become celebrities throughout Australia, known for their courage and skills. His adventures and hunter’s stories are part of Australian “bush” folklore. Blūmentāls documented his adventures in the books “Latvian Crocodile Hunter in Australia” (1957) and “Long After the Sun” (1958). He is said to have caught at least 10,000 to 40,000 crocodiles during his career as a crocodile hunter. Arvīds Blūmentāls also served as the inspiration for Paul Hogan’s Crocodile Dundee film franchise in the 1980s. He later moved to the world opal mining capital of Coober Pedy, and became an opal hunter, setting up his legendary underground home which is also seen in the 1985 film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Arvīds’ legend grew throughout Europe thanks to dozens of documentaries, including the 1995 Harry the Crocodile, which strengthened his cult status in Latvia, and the mention of Lonely Planet Australia gave Arvīds a steady stream of visitors. Arvīds Blūmentals died in 2006 at the age of 80, but his spirit and legend continue to live on.

Kurbads 109th carrier is handed over to Māris Labarevics, who is also from Dundaga. “Confidence, determination and competence are the words that characterize Māris as a driver. Maris received the Best Driver 2021 award and has proven himself in the “Kurbads” team and in the fleet,” says Toms Hartmanis, Kurbads logistics manager.
 

More about how Crocodile Harry surprisingly came into Kurbads sight and on the big truck cabin watch in our latest video!
 

 
More photos on Kurbads Instagram!

 

“Colonel Kalpaks” with another delivery for Ukraine

“Colonel Kalpaks” or the 77th car-carrier, along with its driver Gints, is on the way to the Ukrainian-Polish border to deliver another load with cars that serve as humanitarian aid for Ukraine. In cooperation with Reinis Pozņaks and his team, we continue to assist with the deliveries of SUVs to the Ukrainian border.

 

The whole world admires the inexhaustible fighting spirit and patriotism of Ukrainians. It is difficult to imagine an even more suitable hero than Colonel Kalpaks, who would be entrusted with delivering cars to support Ukraine. Colonel Kalpaks is a symbol of patriotism and freedom. He is a symbol of how one person can change the destiny of an entire nation and country. With belief in one’s own strength, one can rewrite the history of the whole country.

 

Oskars Kalpaks undertook to lead his troops in conditions of complete ignorance, without sufficient support, without the necessary weapons. He believed in what virtually none of the surrounding members of society believed in the creation and survival of an independent state. His inexhaustible spirit of struggle changed the destiny of the whole country and nation and continues to inspire us today.

 

In these times of unrest, we are doing what we can best – supporting Ukrainian heroes by transporting cars and providing humanitarian aid. We handed over the current cargo to the defenders of Ukraine, accompanied by Colonel Kalpaks, to remind us of the great power in the hands of individuals. 

 

We will continue to deliver cars for free as long as we have cars to deliver. We believe in the heroes of Ukraine and we believe that Ukraine will be an independent country. Glory to the heroes, glory to Ukraine!



Toyota Supra – in search of the perfect Japanese coup

At the exotic car park of the transport and logistics company Kurbads, there has flashed a bright blue light for a moment – which means that an unusual and fast car has appeared on the horizon, and it’s time to follow up our informative article series on exclusive retro and sports cars in collaboration with Normunds Avotiņš.

Limited to 90 unique vehicles, the Toyota GR Supra Jarama Racetrack Edition sports car is a good reason to look back at more than 40 years of Japanese coupe history: from the very first generation that still shared body parts with the Toyota Celica – to the “Porsche beater” of the 1990s with its epic twin-turbo inline-six engine.

The beginning. A slightly better Celica

The Toyota Supra was developed in the late 1970s as a more expensive modification of the Toyota Celica, a two-door coupe that had come out earlier, and later became an equally popular model. The model was called the Toyota Celica Supra, the second word roughly translated as “to surpass” or “to exceed”. Although the two models were visually very similar, the Supra really outclassed the Celica in size, equipment, and engine capacity. The 2.6-liter six-cylinder engine with 110 hp was Toyota’s first engine with electronic fuel injection. The Supra was considerably more expensive than the equivalent Celica, and in Japan – owners of the six-cylinder model had to fork out more in taxes each year. Although the coupe had fully independent suspension and disc brakes on all wheels, one might still wonder why it go to all that trouble when the result was not a very fast car anyway. The answer is the Datsun Z-Car, which Toyota was keen to beat, especially in the affluent US market. But the Supra’s career got off to a slow start, even after the switch to the larger 2.8-liter engine. One of the most interesting offshoots of the first generation model was the Celica XX. This was the name given to the new coupe in the Japanese market, and in 1981 the XX is said to have become the first car in the world with an “electronic navigation computer”. However, the Celica Supra was and remained an old and unwieldy car, with an unneeded weight of chrome out of place, a narrow wheelbase, and small rims.

SUPRA- GR

 

Close to perfection

An obvious difference between the Supra and the Celica was not visible until the second half of the 1980s when the third generation of the A70 got launched. The Toyota Celica entered the front-wheel-drive track and never left it, while the Supra retained its classic drivetrain. Engine, volume, and power grew – up to 3 liters and 270 horsepower. Acceleration to 100 km/h now settled comfortably within six seconds, the braking system gained ABS, and the wide-body had space for A-type suspension not only at the front but also at the rear. Turbo models could be fitted with a limited friction differential and adjustable dampers. The purposeful bodywork, slightly rounded at the corners, gradually became an icon of the Japanese sports car, appealing to Camaro and even Corvette customers. Built for race homologation purposes, the Supra Turbo A became a rare cult model, with 500 cars officially available only in the Japanese home market. Toyota was on its way to the ideal coupe. But the pinnacle was yet to come.

 

An unbearably expensive body

In the early 1990s, when the Supra A70 was still selling well, several working groups immediately set to work on the next-generation prototype. An internal competition awarded the best concept to the Aichi Technical Centre, which was unexpectedly daring even for the vast possibilities of the decade. The traditional wedge shape was replaced by an aggressive floating line with an integrated anti-wing, functional air vents on the sides, and a special wide cross-base. Aluminum and even magnesium were used extensively to make the car lighter. As the new Supra was built on a shortened Lexus SC platform, it was 34 cm shorter than its predecessor and weighed 90 kg less. But it was the engine that really kicked up a storm. At its peak, the twin-turbo engine developed 326 horsepower, easily beating not only direct competitors like the Nissan 300ZX Turbo and even the Honda NSX supercar but also the sports car Olympus, which at the time was dominated by Porsche. Acceleration of 4.6 seconds to 100 km/h was not enough to beat Stuttgart, but Toyota “slapped” Porsche by showing a shorter breaking distance from full speed. Unfortunately, this performance came at a high price. Just six years into the A70 generation, the Supra was already costing at least twice as much… The once underrated Supra A80 is now a prized collector’s item, and one of the finest Japanese sports cars ever made.

 

Presidential order and BMW

The ongoing Supra was destined to lay on its previous glory for at least ten years. In 2012, the chief engineer of the Toyota GT86, the “people’s coupe”, Tetsuya Tada, accidentally revealed to the press that Toyota President and automotive enthusiast Akio Toyoda had ordered the Supra’s successor to be built as soon as possible. The FT-1 concept car, unveiled at the 2014 Detroit Motor Show, gave a first glimpse of the outline of the upcoming model, but the final realization of the project turned out to be completely unexpected. Toyota created the new Supra in collaboration with BMW, based on the Z4 roadster. The fact that the Z4 is a grand-tourer, a fast walking/touring car rather than a thoroughbred sports car, did not faze the Japanese in the slightest. The engineers of the GR or Gazoo Racing division were tasked with giving the Supra character, and so, in the early 2020s, the world saw an all-new Supra. Maximum performance from the BMW 3-litre twin-turbo engine is 387 bhp, allowing the GR Supra to accelerate respectably in under four seconds, but the lighter four-cylinder variant has also developed its own following. It was on this basis that the Supra Fuji Speedway Edition series was based in 2020, with 200 cars produced in Europe. The Kurbads transported edition is even rarer. Named after the iconic Spanish racetrack, the coupe is only available in 90 examples and only in the exclusive Horizon Blue color. The in-line six-cylinder engine develops 340 hp of power, which comes with 19-inch black matt rear wheels. So it’s safe to say that the Toyota Supra story is far from over, and who can blame the new capture of success with the Bavarians from BMW? Maybe one day there will be room for a Targa body and even a manual gearbox!?

First steps of complete overhaul of the Kurbads website together with Mediapark.

At the beginning of 2022, we set ambitious goals to further develop the quality of Kurbads services and communication. One of the goals is to rebuild the main website of Kurbads.com in order to promote its usability, improve the availability of information, as well as provide answers to various questions.

We have started cooperation with Mediapark and now, together with the senior project manager Toms Grīnbergs, we are working to create an efficient and well-thought-out structure, content, and usability of the site. An efficient website provides quick access to the information needed, which is easy to digest, thus saving the time that is often spent finding answers to various uncertainties about car delivery.

In our long-term experience, we have noticed that delivering a car from another country can cause a variety of problems for those who do not have to deal with it on a daily basis and even for companies that have experience but cannot provide the necessary quality and safety or personal access to non-standard vehicles. Kurbads offers to solve these difficulties only by receiving information about the car, its condition, as well as two points on the map – the location of loading and the delivery address.

Kurbads will take care of the rest – vehicle delivery from dealer centers, manufacturers, auction houses, or private sellers in the Baltics, Europe, or elsewhere in the world to the specified destination at a time that is most convenient. In addition to car delivery, we also provide other services such as insurance during transportation, short-term or long-term storage in a guarded parking lot, and car registration in Latvia.

To apply for car delivery, contact us at kurbads@kurbads.lv, or +37167803311!

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Kurbads meets Lohr, one of the world’s best-known manufacturers of car carrier equipment

Representatives of Lohr, the worldwide known French vehicle transport equipment and trailer manufacturing company, visited Latvia to introduce our team to the latest generation vehicle transport system, which is manufactured and suitable for the Kurbads Mercedes-Benz trucks. Both companies shared their knowledge, discussed possible cooperation opportunities and exchanged experience on car transport matters. 

Until now, Kurbad has had a close relationship with Austria-based Kässbohrer, a manufacturer of car transport trailer systems. Lohr, which has a 55-year history and operates on almost every continent in the world, was therefore welcomed with interest by Kurbads. It was a great opportunity for Kurbad’s employees to gain additional global experience, learn about the latest innovations and compare the two manufacturers’ systems in person. From Kurbads, the exchange and presentation was attended by the company’s mechanics and service center manager Ivars Čiblis. He acknowledges that the employees were very interested in studying and getting to know the nuances of the Lohr solution systems: “Kurbads has already established successful cooperation for several years and purchases Mercedes-Benz branded vehicles, so it is natural that we also want top-class transport systems. During the presentation, we had the opportunity to explore the solutions offered by Lohr from A-Z. This allowed us to compare the pros and cons of both manufacturers.”

Tom Hartman, Head of Logistics at Kurbads, points out that such experience is very useful as it allows for comparisons and keeping up to date with the latest innovations in auto transport. “I believe that every company and its employees need to regularly update their knowledge of the sector in which they operate. Especially on the latest technologies that are an integral part of our daily lives. Given the development of technology and the rapid market entry of electric vehicles, a lot has changed and more and more advanced and complex solutions are being offered in the world, also in their transportation”, says T. Hartmanis

He says that after meeting with the company’s representatives, he has drawn conclusions on how to improve the quality of Kurbads’ car transport services in the future. “Given the company’s goals for regular fleet renewal, we need to not only be aware of the most innovative and best products which are being offered but also to use them. This is the only way we will be able to maintain and further improve the level of service we provide and, most importantly, increase our customers’ confidence in safe vehicle transport.”

Alexandre Catana, representative of Lohr, appreciated the desire of Kurbads, car transport and logistics company, to grow and develop and said that the visit and the exchange of experience had been valuable. “We are very happy to see that there are companies in Latvia that are constantly thinking about growth and keeping up to date with the latest solutions in order to offer their customers the best quality, most modern and safest car transport solutions”, said Alexandre Catana.

To bring the symbol of the Monument of Freedom to the World as an enternal reminder of the unforgettable values

As previously said, “Kurbads” plans to increase its car park with large truck cabs. And since “Kurbads” likes challenging ideas, which are based on strong values ​​and great confidence in the message, it became clear that the next idea is to portray the Latvian female image on the 108th truck.

At this time, the 108th trailer is decorated with a significant and convincing image of the Latvian Freedom Monument, the symbolism of which often does not even require unnecessary reflection. It is important for “Kurbads” that this image of a woman is always understood across all generations and at all times. And so, the symbol of the Freedom Monument is an integral part of Latvia’s history, without which the future of our country is inconceivable.

Although work on the design of this truck began long before the world turned upside down in the form of an aggressor from our neighbouring country invading Ukraine, we think it is important not to remain silent and to continue telling this story to bring more symbolism to the world. “Kurbads” stands for dignity, solidarity, and freedom, so now we want to encourage and wish strength for Ukraine above all else!

The image of the woman or “Milda” was made in Sweden, however, when it was brought back to Latvia, Kārlis Zāle’s workshop was too small for this 9-meter-high sculpture, so he rebuilt his workplace so that the work of art could be brought inside. “It wasn’t easy for us either, thinking about how to put the sculpture on the trailer!” says Patrīcija Pikāne-Čalpa, the board member of “Kurbads” and author of the idea.

Artist and design author Alfreds Paulausks admits that he was not initially able to visually see the depiction of the Freedom Monument in this format. Realizing how important it is for “Kurbads” to realize this idea and bring a message to the world, Alfreds began working on examining, sketching, and framing different options. Alfreds also mentions that the most complicated part of the technical process is the transfer of the design from the computer program to the trailer so that it looks exactly like the artist’s sketch.

Patrīcija also mentions the fact that Kārlis Zāle was not afraid to say that the symbol of Latvian woman and freedom is the most important of all. In addition, she believes that this visualization, like the Freedom Monument itself, has demonstrated its ability to exist independently despite the political changes in the country. The author of the idea hopes that, despite the changing situation of the world, the 108th truck with Milda on the side will also be of constant value.

It is significant that the symbol of women’s freedom is held by four other symbols – guardians of the homeland, spirit workers, work, and family. These are also core values ​integrated into “Kurbads”. At no time does Patrīcija doubt the choice to put the symbol of freedom on the cabin. These values ​​permeate the daily life of every employee and serve as the path that “Kurbads” has chosen for a long time.

“Kurbads” is very pleased to hand over the 108th truck with the symbol of freedom directly to Guntars Beitāns, who has been a part of the company for more than 10 years. Andis Pikāns wishes that when people see the 108th truck on European roads, they would ask Guntars Beitāns, the driver of the trailer, who knows what this symbolism means, thus increasing the understanding of the story behind the words “For the Fatherland and Freedom!”.

 

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2022 started with the initiation of the 108th Kurbads carrier

In order to increase the comfort of drivers on the road, the company Kurbads plan to increase the fleet with large cab carriers.

Representing various heroes and legends on the cabs has already become an important tradition of the company. This time we came up with the idea of ​​reproducing the image of a Latvian woman.

108th truck is decorated with a significant image – Latvia, the Freedom Monument. This symbolic image has been an unambiguous and enduring symbol in the history of Latvia, so it was important for us to depict this part of the monument on the truck’s cab.

The truck with a large cab is more comfortable for the driver, as it has a larger cabin space, which ensures the well-being of the driver on long journeys. Kurbads values ​​the provision of quality for the customer and comfort for the driver.

The reins of the new truck have been handed over to Guntars Beitāns, who has been with Kurbads for more than 10 years. It should be mentioned that Guntars is one of the few drivers in our company who has reached the so-called “million club”, measuring 1,000,000 kilometers on the vast European highways without the need to overhaul the engine. Guntars did it with the “anniversary” truck no. 50.

As Toms Hartmanis, logistics manager of Kurbads, admits – “The best deserve the best! Guntars has proven himself several times and also continues to emphasize his qualities in his daily work. It should be mentioned that this truck is the second in our fleet, which has a side-sliding platform on the second level, which makes placing the cars much easier and at the same time provides additional safety. Guntars deserves it! And this is already Guntars’ second new carrier, where he get’s to be the one who sits first behind the wheel.”

After a long break, we were able to invite colleagues and guests to the 108th carrier initiation event. We are glad that the representative of Mercedes-Benz Jānis Dambītis and the author of the visual design and the creator of the visual identity of Kurbads, artist Alfreds Paulauskas, took part in the event, expressing satisfaction with the final result of the extensive work.

More about the idea, development process and goals in the video.

We wish Guntars and the 108th truck many more 1,000,000 kilometers!

 

Kurbads representatives meet with ECG – Association of European Vehicle Logistics

In the beginning of February, Kurbads representatives Renārs Slesarčuks and Patrīcija Pikāna – Čalpa went on a business trip to Brussels, Belgium, to meet with Mike Sturgeon, director of the ECG (Association of European Vehicle Logistics).

The main goal of the conversation was to understand the current issues in the transport and logistics sector and the industry’s strategy for returning production to previous volumes. For the last two years, the ECG has been operating remotely, so it was interesting to know what the next course of action is for European countries to reduce restrictions on Covid-19. It was also important to introduce the direction, main goals and quality standards of our German company.

Mike Sturgeon praised the marketing efforts of Kurbads on social networks and the designs of the artist Alfrēds Paulausks on our trucks.

ECG conference in Barcelona is coming up soon, after which we will be able to share more specific information about current events in the industry.

Kurbads “The safest company car fleet” for the sixth year in a row

At the end of 2021, the competition “The safest company car fleet 2021” of the insurance company BALTA and the Ministry of Transport gathered for the ninth time (this time remotely) with the representatives of the most efficient and responsible car fleets to jointly evaluate their practices, receiving an expert assessment of the fleet.

The organizers of the competition are extremely happy and proud that the number of competitors is consistently growing from year to year, and every year you can see both long-term participants who can set an example in terms of fleet organization and level of responsibility, and new competitors seeking an independent perspective on their fleet, expert advice and new ideas for improvement.

The topic of the 2021 competition was chosen to be a very painful issue that directly or indirectly affects every inhabitant of Latvia and is also very apt to describe the management of the company’s fleet – these are road traffic accidents, their prevention and management. Unfortunately, despite twenty years of progress, it is still more dangerous to drive on Latvian roads than in other European Union member states. However, the organizers of the competition “The safest company fleet” also see a positive trend – the companies encountered in the competition are aware of this issue and are ready to add value in reducing the “dark” statistics.

The performance of the contestants is improving year by year. The evaluation process showed that the level of additional safety equipment for newer vehicles in company fleets is increasing. Of course, special mention should be made of those companies that pay more attention to sustainability issues and ensure that not only the car fleet but also the way of thinking of employees becomes greener.

This year, a total of 29 company, state and municipal car fleets have been awarded, which, by actively and responsibly participating in the improvement of road safety, are best able to balance all road safety components in their daily operations – Car, Business, People.

With the help of the competition, the organizers want to create a group of like-minded people in the transport sector who meet at least once a year with a common goal: to share knowledge and good practice, making Latvian roads safer and the working environment in the transport sector more pleasant and engaging.

 

“The award is an additional guarantee that we know how to maintain the quality of our work. We can provide the customer with the highest level of service, directly observing all the nuances of safe fleet management. It all starts with the employee – our core value. The training process for safe and successful freight transport is what lays the foundations for everything else involved.

Everything continues with the technical provision of the fleet – we keep track of how quickly and qualitatively we maintain it. Dynamics are one thing, but they must be sound, adequate, without missing important elements. It is clear that the company’s response and the developed policy regarding accidents, their supervision and management also play an important role. Each of the managers of our company’s departments is involved in this process and makes their unique contribution to improving it (a manual has been developed, additional rules, the flow of information on various changes related to covid, etc.).

As well as the fact that we have retained this rating of gold, it is an honour. It allows us to understand that it is important not only to reach this gold standard but rather to maintain the achieved level,” notes Sintija Bērziņa, Head of Human Resources at Kurbads.

 

Ivars Čiblis, Kurbads truck service manager: “The fact that Kurbads won this award means that we are constantly thinking about both technical and procedural issues in fleet management. This means that everything is done to make both the driver and those around them feel safe on the road. A system has been set up to monitor this at all times. It allows us to analyze ourselves in comparison to others. We are also on the lookout for what good practices can be learned from others and what can be improved. We were also able to get a valuable perspective from the jury. And we received recommendations of what could be improved.

This year, there was a strong focus on ecological and environmental issues, and for the first time in the competition, a concept such as the sustainability of the company was introduced, which lately is thought of more frequently in the Kurbads and Ko group of companies.”

 

In conclusion, we proudly quote the jury’s comment: “Congratulations on your well-deserved gold medal in the competition, showing a great result — one that serves as a model for the entire category of international hauliers! Not in vain — when the members of the jury were asked to highlight the things that Kurbads does better than others, our answer was concise — “All of them!”

We would like to extend our gratitude to insurance company BALTA and the Ministry of Transport! Kurbads will continue to make improvements to promote a greener and safer future and will continue to encourage others to follow suit.

The best driver at Kurbads – Māris Laberevics

Māris from his very first days in the organization surprised with his workability and work ethic. Māris is a person who learns new things quickly, which was also visible when he started the training process and started driving by himself in Kurbads. Qualities that characterize.

Māris – accuracy, balance, and confidence. These things also directly reflect in the daily work, without rushing work, doing everything thoughtfully and with confidence. These qualities are especially assessed in the logistics department – Māris clearly understands the task and performs it with high precision without unnecessary questions.

Outside of work, colleagues have noticed that Māris enjoys traveling, discovering unfamiliar countries and cultures. This is another side of Māris – a personality who is able not only to perform his job perfectly but also to take time for quality rest.

Māris, do not stop at what you have achieved, strive for new peaks and new destinations in the world!