Norway Post, PostNord continue logistics acquisition strategies

Two postal operators in Scandinavia have made acquisitions in the logistics field outside their home countries. Norway Post said on Wednesday it has acquired Swedish logistics company Ekdahls Åkeri.

PostNord, the parent company of Sweden’s Posten and Denmark’s Post Danmark, said today that it has finalised its acquisition of Norwegian logistics company Harlem Transport AS.

With letter volumes declining across the Nordic countries, parcels and logistics is seen as a key growth area for postal operators in the region.

PostNord has been acquiring various logistics companies over the past two years, including Sweden’s largest third party logistics firm, Green Cargo, Swedish firm NH Logistics, and Norwegian business Eek Transport.

Norway Post has been pursuing a similar acquisition trail to boost its logistics presence in the region in recent years, snapping up firms including Norway’s FTS Ltd, Bergen Container & Transport and Swedish firm IntertranspedIA Ytrans.

Harlem Transport

PostNord has acquired 100% of the shares in Harlem Transport AS, and said that as of today, the business will be included within its accounts as part of its Logistics division.

First announced back in September, the deal will see PostNord taking on a company that has a particular strength in the convenience goods, industry, shipping and waste logistics sectors.

It had sales of NOK 292m in 2011, with a workforce numbering 211.

Henrik Höjsgaard, the head of PostNord Logistics, said PostNord was warmly welcoming customers and employees from Harlem Transport.

“Harlem Transport is a well-run company with solid expertise,” he said. “We are further strengthening our position in the growing Norwegian logistics market, particularly within convenience goods.”

PostNord’s Logistics business currently has operations in Sweden Denmark, Norway and Finland, with sales of SEK 13bn in 2011. The company’s operations in Norway are run through the Tollpost Globe subsidiary, which had sales of NOK 2.7bn last year, which PostNord said was one of the three largest logistics companies in Norway.

Ekdahls Åkeri

Norway Post said its acquisition, Ekdahls Åkeri, comprises mainly road transport and terminal operations, groupage, part-load and full-load cargo, as well as storage activities.

The Malmö-based company established in 1965 currently has an annual turnover of about SEK 640m, with a workforce numbering 520.

The company looks set to join Norway Post’s freight division, Bring subject to approval by competition authorities.

Dag Mejdell, the Norway Post CEO, said the acquisition was part of this company’s strategic focus on Sweden and domestic transport services there.

“Ekdahls Åkeri is a thriving business with talented employees that occupies a strategic position on the Swedish domestic haulage market,” he said. “By combining this business with Bring’s resources and networks we will strengthen our logistics services for Swedish industrial customers.”