La Poste buys ecommerce logistics specialist
La Poste Group has further strengthened its ecommerce capabilities with another acquisition – this time ecommerce logistics firm Orium. The French postal operator, which snapped up ecommerce facilitator Mixcommerce earlier this year, said the addition of Orium would reinforce its presence in the ecommerce value chain in France and internationally.
It will be able to offer a full range of business-to-consumer and business-to-business logistics to customers as Neolog Orium, merged with Neolog, La Poste’s existing ecommerce logistics unit, which is part of the Viapost subsidiary.
La Poste Group said this week that it already has ecommerce know-how across the entire ecommerce value chain, from creating websites to developing sales through offline marketing, along with payment, inventory management, order processing, package delivery and international development.
But, with the acquisition of Orium, the Group will expand its service range to become a partner both for online retailers outsourcing their logistics to concentrate on running their ecommerce sites, and also businesses looking for logistics solutions to improve their B2C and B2B supply chain systems.
Based in Seiches sur le Loir, near Angers, Orium was founded in 2002 to provide logistics services for pure-play ecommerce retailers as well as traditional retailers looking to diversify their sales channels. The company turned over about EUR 20m in 2011, with a network of nine offices in Europe including three in France, and a total of 200 employees.
La Poste said the company offers international support in six European countries – Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and the UK.
Existing clients incude brands such as Nespresso, Smartbox, Wanimo, Nuxe, Pierre Fabre, Marie-Claire, Wurth, Orange Marine and Sojeans.
La Poste’s Neolog unit was formed in 2007, and offers ecommerce services including e-commerce logistics, B2B solutions, “on demand” delivery and transport through more than 5,000 daily connections on behalf of the La Poste Group. With a EUR 300m annual turnover, it has 500 employees and nine logistics centers around France.
“Trusted provider”
La Poste said that combining the expertise of Neolog and Orium would mean having the capacity to support the growth of their clients in France and internationally through a network of 18 European locations, regardless of their type or level of activity.
Stéphane Sentis, president of Neolog Orium, said: “This agreement will allow many merchants with a ‘traditional network’ to access the web through a trusted provider to implement a B2B and B2C logistics system to the same level of performance and expertise.
“Our commercial tools allow us to adapt to the profiles of our clients, from SMEs to major retailers,” added Sentis.
Olivier Moreau, founder and CEO of Orium, said: “The market for e-logistics is responding to the B2C culture for which logistics players are not yet prepared. La Poste Group is the natural leader and will be able to achieve a real dynamic innovation for retailers and e-railers. This agreement will allow us to continue with our strategy of developing a truly international network.”
