BAT Opens Logistics Center in Pitomača to Receive Tobacco from 26 Countries

Croatian Tobacco, the largest tobacco buyer in the Podravina and Slavonia regions operating within the BAT Group, has opened a regional logistics distribution center in Pitomača, according to a statement. The center in Pitomača will receive tobacco from 26 different countries and will serve as a central supply point for BAT’s factories in Augustów, Poland, Bayreuth, Germany, and Pécs, Hungary.

Following an investment of a total of 600 million kuna in new production lines for heated tobacco products in Kanfanar, the opening of the logistics distribution center in Pitomača further positions Croatia on the global map of the tobacco industry.

– We are proud of the new logistics distribution center in Pitomača as its opening is yet another indicator of the importance of our operations in Croatia within the BAT group and a continuation of our ongoing investment, production increase, and employment in Croatia. Croatia is at the very center of BAT’s transformation aimed at building A Better Tomorrow for all our stakeholders. Our goal is to achieve carbon neutrality in our overall operations both in Croatia and globally by 2030 – stated Tamás Nyaka, Director of Operations BAT Adria.

In the warehouse space in Pitomača, covering nearly 4,000 m2, finished packaged tobacco will be managed, and the warehouse capacity is 18,500 standard tobacco boxes.

– Tobacco production is one of the best-organized agricultural productions in Croatia. Along with continuing to provide full support in production for about 340 of our producers, in recent years we have continued to increase the purchase price, and we have also initiated one of the largest investment cycles in agricultural automation. Over the past three years, we have invested a total of 39.4 million kuna, of which 18.6 million kuna was allocated to the procurement program for 72 mechanical harvesters, thanks to which approximately 55 percent of the produced tobacco will be mechanically harvested this year.

Moreover, we continue with non-repayable investments to increase the productivity of our producers, within which we have invested at least 5.6 million kuna in irrigation projects, green fertilization, procurement of personal protective equipment, and various other programs – stated Imad Ud-Din Muhammad, Director of Croatian Tobacco.