Expect shorter regional transit times thanks to proximity to M30/M3 corridors, competitive warehousing rates that lower per-order costs, and access to rail and road carriers for flexible routing. Look for providers offering real-time WMS integration, pick-and-pack efficiency for multi-channel orders, and scalable labor for peaks.

Assess road and rail connectivity to target markets, container and trailer cycle times, and proximity to supplier nodes. Evaluate carriers' border-handling performance, customs facilitation, and the 3PL's experience with palletized FTL and LTL consolidation to minimize dwell and demurrage.

Prioritize modern racked layouts, temperature control options if needed, dedicated returns bays, and WMS modules for lot/serial tracking. Confirm the 3PL offers kitting, light assembly, quality inspection, and reverse-logistics workflows to maintain velocity on high-mix assortments.

Primary cost drivers are occupancy rates, labor productivity, handling protocols for pallet vs. piece picks, and transport lane density. Negotiate volume tiers, minimum-billing flex, performance-based SLAs, and shared risk on seasonal surges to align costs with throughput.

Carrier access shortens line-haul times to Slovakia, Poland, and northern Hungary, reducing inventory days and buffer stock. Monitor on-time deliveries, trailer turnaround, dock-to-invoice cycle, pick accuracy, and WMS integration latency to measure performance and identify improvement areas.