News / Acquisition-happy Dachser strikes again as it takes control of Italy JV

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It’s been a busy week for acquisitive Dachser. Hot on the heels of news that it is to buy food logistics group Brummer, comes another purchase.

The German group last month bought 80% of the shares of its joint-venture with Fercam Italia, a groupage and contract logistics division.

A competition law review – and approval – by EU authorities in November allowed Fercam to start separating its distribution and logistics businesses from the rest of the company, and the division, with some 1,000 staff in 43 locations across Italy, is now part of the JV which launched at the start of this year.

Fercam now has 20% of the JV shares and retains its Transport, Air & Ocean and Special Services divisions.

“Dachser & Fercam Italia completes our European network for the transport and warehousing of industrial and consumer goods,” said Burkhard Eling, CEO of Dachser.

“This acquisition strengthens our expertise in serving customers throughout Europe with uniform quality and performance standards. To this end, we will also be investing in logistics capacity, digitalisation, climate action and, especially, in our employees in Italy.”

Dachser and Fercam have been partners for 20 years, which made “made carving out the new company, Dachser & Fercam Italia, easier at all levels,” said Hannes Baumgartner, MD of Fercam. Full integration with Dachser’s systems and processes has begun.

Dachser has been building its transport and logistics network in Europe since the 1990s, when it acquired France’s Graveleau, followed by Azkar in Spain in 2013.

Until now, Dachser Logistics had no locations of its own in Italy. However, it does have three locations in the country via Dachser Italy Food Logistics, which will continue to operate independently.