FM Logistic and BIC celebrate 20 years of European logistics partnership at the Sered’ site in Slovakia

This year, FM Logistic and BIC are celebrating 20 years of strategic partnership at FM Logistic’s Sered’ site in Slovakia. What began with co-packing activities for BIC’s…

This year, FM Logistic and BIC are celebrating 20 years of strategic partnership at FM Logistic’s Sered’ site in Slovakia. What began with co-packing activities for BIC’s pens, lighters and shavers has evolved into a highly specialized operation, combining advanced packaging capabilities with logistics and distribution services to support BIC’s European supply chain. Over the years, this partnership has grown to make FM Logistic BIC’s leading logistics partner in Europe.

A specialized operation built over 20 years

Established in Sered’ in 2006, FM Logistic’s facility now spans 6,300 m² of dedicated packaging space and an additional 25,000 m² of warehouse space. The site packages 115 million units annually and handles up to 100,000 pallets per year, with an average warehouse capacity of 40,000 pallet spaces. During peak season, the workforce can grow to 600 employees.

Twenty years ago, BIC’s co-packing activities were centralized under one roof in Sered’. Since then, the operation has evolved to encompass a wide range of services, from display creation, re-casing and labelling to flow-packing, shrink-wrapping and blister packaging. Bringing these activities together in one location enables FM Logistic to deliver the quality, flexibility and operational efficiency required to support BIC’s business.

Managing seasonality is one of the key challenges of the operation, with 30% to 40% of BIC’s annual volume handled within a two-to-three-month period during the back-to-school season. FM Logistic adapts its workforce and operational planning accordingly to ensure service commitments are met across all markets.

The Sered’ site handles a significant proportion of BIC’s co-packing activities for Europe, as well as distribution to Germany, Poland and Austria. The broader European partnership also includes FM Logistic’s operations in Spain and Italy, where it manages BIC’s distribution, and its facility in Château-Thierry, France, which handles logistics for France, the Benelux countries and the United Kingdom, alongside occasional exports to destinations outside Europe.

Technological advancement and a more sustainable supply chain

Over the past two decades, both the scope of services and the technologies supporting the operation have evolved significantly. Key developments include:

Automated blister-packing lines and flow-pack technology, operating alongside automated feeding systems to support efficient packaging operations.

A semi-automated display production line, combining machine efficiency with the precision of human expertise.

A cartoning line introduced in early 2025, which replaces plastic with cardboard and significantly speeds up packaging. Under optimal operating conditions, the line can process thousands of units per hour.

“We greatly value long-term partnerships like this one because they allow us to truly delve deep with the client, understand their needs, and jointly invest in innovation and automation. Over the years, we’ve moved from simple packaging to a sophisticated, fully integrated solution. I’m convinced that it’s precisely this ability to grow alongside our clients that makes FM Logistic a strong and reliable partner,” says Olivier Chollet, Global Key Account and Head of Key Accounts & Customer Relation in Central Europe, FM Logistic.

Technological developments have helped improve packaging efficiency, while initiatives such as the transition from plastic to cardboard packaging contribute to the partnership’s sustainability ambitions. FM Logistic’s multi-client, shared-resource model also creates opportunities to combine operational efficiency with more effective use of resources, supporting both economic performance and environmental objectives.

“For BIC, strong logistics partnerships are essential to serving our customers and consumers reliably across Europe. Over the past 20 years, our relationship with FM Logistic has continued to evolve, enabling us to strengthen our operations and respond to changing business needs. Through close cooperation, we have enhanced the efficiency and flexibility of our logistics activities while advancing our shared sustainability ambitions. This milestone celebrates not only the longevity of our partnership, but also the trust, expertise and shared commitment that will help us meet the challenges ahead,” says Roland Navrátil, Director of Customer Service Improvement for Europe at BIC.