New organizational structure for “Porta a Porta.”

Hermes Logistik Gruppe (HLG) and Swiss Post International (SPI) have shuffled the cards relating to the Italian parcel and logistics company “Porta a Porta.”

Hermes Logistik Gruppe (HLG) and Swiss Post International (SPI) have shuffled the cards relating to the Italian parcel and logistics company “Porta a Porta”. Both partners are restructuring their strategic core units and focusing solely on their core activities: SPI on cross-border mail business and Hermes on parcel logistics. Each will remain involved in the other business unit, however. The new corporate structure with a Hermes-Porta a Porta and a Swiss Post-Porta a Porta took effect on 1 January 2009.

Previously, the German logistics service provider Hermes (HLG), based in Hamburg, held a 30% stake in the Italian B2C parcel logistics company Porta a Porta S.p.A, while Swiss Post International (SPI) held a 60% stake. The remaining 10% stake was held by the former owner (GDN). The new corporate structure in force since 1 January 2009 comprises two independent companies: Hermes-Porta a Porta S.p.A and Swiss Post-Porta a Porta S.p.A., with each partner holding 70% of the share capital. At the same time, HLG and SPI each hold a 20% stake in the partner company. GDN retains 10% of the share capital in both companies. The new corporate structure took effect on 1 January 2009.

Concentrating on the core business

The purpose of dividing up the business is to allow the partner companies to focus on their respective core competencies: Swiss Post-Porta a Porta will concentrate on cross-border mail business and other logistics services for the joint delivery network, while Hermes-Porta a Porta will focus on B2C parcel distribution in Italy. Beyond the current cooperation, SPI is also the sales partner of choice for Hermes in its European B2C markets. With its main transshipment base in Milan and 68 depots throughout Italy “Porta a Porta” already has the most extensive private B2C logistics network in Italy. In 2008, around 3.7 million items were delivered to private customers via this network, corresponding to a market share of 7%.

Largest independent consumer logistics service provider in Germany
As Germany’s largest independent consumer logistics service provider, Hermes Logistics Group, abbreviated to HLG, delivers almost anything to people’s front doors. However, the Hamburg company’s main focus is on the business areas of parcel services, transport logistics, furniture and large items, as well as its letter and information service.

Here, the Group is well positioned with primeMail – a 50/50 joint venture with Swiss Post International – and a 29% stake in TNT Post. During the 2007 business year the company carried over 246 million items and generated gross sales of EUR 1.041 m. HLG is also represented in the UK, France, Austria and Italy with a 22% share of the European parcel market, generating total sales of EUR 1.5 bn.

International Swiss Post subsidiary
SPI is a Group unit of Swiss Post and number five in the cross-border mail market after Deutsche Post, United States Postal Service, Great Britain’s Royal Mail and France’s La Poste. SPI has 1,300 employees around the world. By achieving specific growth targets abroad, SPI is contributing to strengthening Swiss Post within Switzerland. Swiss Post now generates around 20% of its turnover abroad. In order to remain competitive and safeguard the import-export business, Swiss Post is continually extending its connections to international distribution networks. In recent years, SPI has generated an operating income of over CHF 1 bn.