New managing director for Eurodis
Carsten Siebe succeeds Mark Hackländer as Managing Director of trans-o-flex’s European distribution network.
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Austrian Post drives trans-o-flex international expansion
Austrian Post is integrating its B2B parcel & logistics subsidiaries into a newly-structured division to offer European combi-freight and industry-specific solutions under the trans-o-flex brand.
Read MoreAustrian Post dismisses trans-o-flex chief
Austrian Post has dismissed Klaus Heinz, head of its German parcel logistics subsidiary trans-o-flex, but is not planning any change in the company’s business model, according to CEP-Research information.
“Klaus Heinz has been relieved of all his functions”, a trans-o-flex spokeswoman said. She declined to disclose the reason for the decisions but added: “A re-positioning of trans-o-flex is neither intended nor planned.”
Wolfang Weber, head of operations and formerly deputy head of the management board, has taken over as management board spokesman in addition to his existing responsibilities. The other management board members are Thomas Mohorn, head of sales and marketing, and Thomas Doll, responsible for finances.
Read MoreAustrian Post builds up European parcels network
Austrian Post is poised to make four more acquisitions as it builds up its parcels subsidiary trans-o-flex and the Eurodis international network, adds services and expands logistics infrastructure.
The listed company is currently conducting due diligence on four relatively small parcels and mail companies, three of them in Eastern Europe and one in Western Europe, chairman Anton Wais said at a media briefing in Frankfurt earlier this week.
Austrian Post, which already bought ten companies in 2007, has a budget of EUR 150 million for acquisitions over the next 18 months. During this period, it also expects to purchase the remaining 25pct in German subsidiary trans-o-flex out of this budget for a previously agreed price, Wais added. But it is not interested in acquisitions in Poland or Turkey due to strong competition between major players in those countries, he noted.
The group already has subsidiaries in Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Germany, Netherlands and Belgium. The subsidiaries’ established brands will be maintained in the short term, and Austrian Post will start to review group-wide branding in mid-2009, Wais added in response to questions.
Austrian Post currently generates 27pct of group turnover outside Austria. The parcels and logistics division generates 73pct of its EUR 739 million revenues outside Austria, with the bulk coming from Germany. The division’s EBIT margin, which dropped to 1.7pct last year as B2C customers in Austria switched to new entrant Hermes, is targeted to improve to 2-3pct this year and to 5pct in 2009/2010.
The European parcels network will be built around Eurodis, the trans-o-flex partner network covering 21 countries. This currently offers common products and has an integrated IT system, but a linehaul network will not be created.
Read Moretrans-o-flex puts European network on new footing
trans-o-flex have laid a new foundation for their European distribution network Eurodis. “We have re-launched Eurodis GmbH, the management company of our specialist 21-country network,” explains Klaus J. Heinz, Executive Board Chairman. “Now we are in a position to welcome our key international partners as shareholders with similar rights and obligations and to involve them in the development of the network.” Redur Lozano, the Spanish Eurodis partner, has already taken this up and acquired a 20 pct stake in Eurodis GmbH. At present, trans-o-flex and the Austrian Post each hold 40 pct of the stock, but they are prepared to halve their holdings to take other partners on board.
While other international networks are usually managed and controlled from a single national perspective, Eurodis can become the first truly international alliance thanks to the equitable shareholding structure, according to Heinz. “Our target is to offer Spanish solutions in Spain, English ones in England and French solutions in France.” Equally, the cross-border ownership of shares serves to reinforce the partners’ mutual ties.
In parallel to the changes on the capital side, the role and functions of Eurodis GmbH are growing. Apart from its coordination aspect, it will in future also manage and control the international alliance. It will manage the partners and the financial adjustments between them, known as clearing, and be responsible for international shipment track and trace and the further development of it.
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