Personalis S.A. – new GLS network partner in Portugal

General Logistics Systems B. V. (GLS), headquartered in Amsterdam, presents a new network partner for Portugal: from spring 2005 onwards, the GLS Group will be cooperating with the Portuguese parcel and express service Personalis S.A., based in Lisbon. During the course of the coming year, GLS will also acquire a 25.1 percent stake in the new partner. GLS and its current network partner Transnautica S.A. mutually agreed to terminate the contract with effect from February 28th 2005, as Transnautika S.A. will concentrate in future more strongly on their core business (general cargo, container handling and freight forwarding).

With a population of around ten million people, commercial centres such as those in Lisbon and Porto, and healthy economic growth, Portugal is regarded as one of Europe's peripheral courier, express and parcel markets. However, since obtaining EU membership, the country has developed well; especially in the lucrative export b where 80 percent of its goods are sent to other EU member states. This development brings interesting opportunities- also for courier, express and parcel services.

"In Personalis we have found a parcel service that has established itself well with Portuguese customers through high-quality service and a strong national network", explains Rico Back, Chief Executive Officer of General Logistics Systems B.V., Amsterdam. "And by cooperating with GLS, our partner will obtain access to our high-performing, pan-European parcel system." For Personalis this represents a key source of competitive advantage: "As a member of the GLS Group, we are able to provide our customers with reliable and secure international deliveries", says Karim Issa, Managing Director of Personalis. "During the next three years, we expect our export levels to rise considerably."

GLS will acquire a 25.1 % stake in Personalis

Like GLS, Personalis, the new network partner, also regards parcel and express services as its core business. Reliability and a high customer orientation also form core elements of the Personalis company philosophy. Companies from demanding industries such as mobile telephony and telecommunications value the services provided by Personalis and make up part of its regular customer base since many years. Personalis considers initiative and entrepreneurial spirit as their keys to success: the company was founded in 1991 and has since become one of Portugal's leading private parcel companies. In addition to its headquarters and main transhipment point in Lisbon, six other depots and 200 vehicles provide customers with good area-coverage throughout the country.

GLS' aim – quality leadership in Europe

"The next step will be to implement GLS standards in areas such as quality management and information processing", says Back. In doing so, GLS will continue to consistently apply its company policy of quality leadership in Europe. "This means not only being good in major courier, express and parcel markets such as France, Great Britain or Germany", adds Back. "Quality leadership in Europe only really becomes a convincing factor for customers when parcels are also delivered in Portugal and in other periphery markets, with the promised GLS quality."

Through the acquisition of a 25.1 percent stake in the nationally strong Personalis, GLS will highlight its intention of investing its know-how and supporting the company actively during its nationwide expansion. The company's Managing Director is and will remain Karim Issa who, together with his team, expects to generate revenue of around six million euros in financial 2004/2005.

Quality delivered by GLS

General Logistics Systems B.V., Amsterdam (GLS) is a Pan-European company providing reliable, high-quality parcel and express services as well as value-added logistics solutions. The company offers its services through wholly owned and partner companies in 33 European countries. The GLS system consists of 27 central transhipment points, 510 depots and 12,000 people. Some 16,000 vehicles are on route moving 1.1 million parcels daily for 180,000 customers throughout Europe. In fiscal year 2003/2004, GLS achieved revenues of 1.2 billion euros. GLS' goal to be "European Leader in Quality" is something that everyone working for GLS strives to achieve every day.