- PostNL Parcels gains a strong B2B market position in the Netherlands and Belgium
- Austrian Post gets a sustainable solution through this new logistics partnership in the Benelux
15 March 2012 at 08:30 CET – The Hague / Vienna – PostNL Parcels has agreed to acquire the Dutch and Belgian activities of the trans-o-flex Group, owned by Austrian Post. With this acquisition PostNL Parcels immediately gains a strong market position on the Belgian business to business (B2B) market while strengthening its position on the Dutch market for multi-colli shipments, for example palletised consignments. Both parties have agreed not to communicate any financial details about the transaction.
The acquisition fits in PostNL Parcels’ strategy of strengthening its presence in the Benelux market for consolidated parcels. trans-o-flex Belgium will provide PostNL Parcels with an strong foothold in the Belgian B2B market featuring a leading capacity in the Pharma vertical market. The Dutch trans-o-flex activities add parcel and pallet volumes that immediately fit in PostNL Parcels’ existing network and add commercial competences in the Pharma and Consumer Electronics verticals.
The customers of the Austrian Post subsidiary trans-o-flex in Germany will benefit from the new partnership in the Benelux countries, due to the fact that a sustainable and strong logistics solution has been created on the basis of the core competencies of both companies.
With the transaction, PostNL will also acquire a 7.2% shareholding in the EURODIS network. The EURODIS network offers a strong partner network for B2B shipments to 34 European countries with unified processes and active quality management.
Herna Verhagen, Member of the PostNL Board of Management, says: “We are happy to announce this acquisition. The transaction provides us with an immediate presence in the Belgian business-to-business market. Our existing Dutch B2B-activities are instantaneously complemented with almost 50% more capacity for multi-colli, palletised shipments. Developing our network with B2B-capabilities enables us to meet an increasing demand from our business customers, while reaching cost synergies by integrating our 2C and 2B networks.”
Peter Umundum, Member of the Management Board of Austrian Post with responsibility for the Parcel & Logistics Division, says: “We are happy to have found a strong partner for the Benelux region in PostNL. This structural reorientation is a win-win situation. As a result we can offer an excellent logistics solution for Belgium and the Netherlands to our customers in Germany and Austria. Furthermore, we expect a strengthening of the EURODIS network.”
Last year, trans-o-flex Netherlands and Belgium reached combined revenues of approximately EUR 50 million. The company shipped just over 14 million parcels and 550.000 pallets. Its network consists of nine depots and employs more than 250 people.
About PostNL
PostNL processes 8.7 billion addressed postal items (including 106 million parcels) each year and delivers to addresses in the Benelux, Germany, the UK and Italy. PostNL’s main business is mail, parcels and e-commerce. The company also provides services in the area of data and document management, direct marketing and fulfilment. PostNL employs some 65.500 people. In 2011 the company generated a turnover of nearly 4.3 billion euros.
About Austrian Post
Austrian Post is Austria’s leading logistics and service provider with approximately 23,000 employees. The company offers the highest quality letter mail and parcel delivery services and is required to provide basic postal services in Austria. Austrian Post is an important economic factor in the country, achieving annual revenue of about EUR 2.35 billion in the 2011 financial year.
