SNCF and Le Groupe La Post announce national roll-out for parcel lockers
French rail company SNCF and Le Groupe La Poste have announced that they are planning a national roll-out of the “Collect & Station” parcel lockers in train stations.
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ex-TNT boss Marie-Christine Lombard becomes Geodis CEO
Marie-Christine Lombard, who resigned unexpectedly from TNT Express last month, has been named as the new chief executive officer for French logistics group Geodis.
Read MoreSernam enters receivership as it courts two potential buyers
French parcel delivery company Sernam has been placed into receivership for a six-month period while it tries to find a buyer.
Read MoreSNCF completes Geodis takeover
The EUR 600 million acquisition of freight logistics group Geodis by French rail operator SNCF has been completed with the delisting of Geodis shares from the Euronext Paris stock exchange. SNCF aims to create Europe’s fourth-largest transport and logistics group which will also be among the express market leaders in France.
SNCF, which already held 42.37 pct of Geodis’ share capital and 45.79 pct of voting rights prior to its offer, announced in early April it would offer EUR 135 per share to buy full control of Geodis. The offer, which ran through June and part of July, was supported by the Geodis board and overwhelmingly accepted by Geodis shareholders.
After increasing its holding to 98.40 pct of Geodis capital, SNCF then implemented a squeeze-out to buy the remaining shares on August 8 and Geodis shares were delisted from the Euronext Paris stock exchange on that day.
SNCF will combine Geodis, with 2007 revenues of EUR 4.8 billion, its rail freight division and several smaller transport subsidiaries, into a new group with 2008 revenues of some EUR 8 billion and about 50,000 employees. The new company will include Geodis Calberson, one of the leading express and parcels operators in France.
Read MoreEurocarex to provide express transportation by rail in Europe
Roissy Cargo Rail Express Association and European Intermodal Association (EIA) have signed a “Memorandum of Interest” in Brussels in preparation for the launch of the rail express network “ Eurocarex” which would have clear environmental benefits, the French newspaper Le Lloyd reported.
The project is aimed at creating a European high-speed rail network to transport express and cargo shipments from 31 March 2012 onwards. The plan is to run trains between a new express freight station at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport and other airports such as Lyon, Lille, Liege, Amsterdam, Cologne and London, with other airports being added later. The key project members include French railway operator SNCF, Air France Cargo, FedEx, La Poste and TNT.
According to Yanick Paternotte, the president of Carex Cargo Rail Express, Eurocarex will initially employ 8 high speed trains specially designed for air cargo with a capacity to transport up to 100 tons of express shipments per train every night to corresponding terminals in Lyon, Lille, Liege, Amsterdam, Cologne and London. Perfectly adapted to the loading of air containers, the trains can be reloaded in less than 45 minutes each.
In spite of the initial investment of estimated EUR 600 million in the special trains and EUR 300 in terminals, Paternotte is convinced that the project will pay off.
The express market will make up the core business of Eurocarex, complemented through air cargo. Public authorities are tempted by the positive environmental impact striving to limit the noise pollution caused by night flights, Le Lloyd further reported.
According to a study conducted by EIA, the transportation via high speed trains would reduce CO2 emissions up to 98 pct compared to air transport.
The Eurocarex network is planned to be extended to cities Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Marseille and Francfort with 20-23 trains in service until 2015.
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