News / Kuehne + Nagel to acquire Rotra's overland and logistics business

Kuehne + Nagel is set to expand its road freight network in Europe after announcing that it has agreed to acquire the overland and logistics activities of Dutch transport company Rotra.

The price remained undisclosed, although a K+N statement noted that Rotra had “approximately 800 employees and a yearly net revenue of over €100m ($110.6m)”.

Family owned Rotra operates a fleet of over 200 trucks, providing Europe-wide overland transport and contract logistics services and manages cross-dock facilities in the Netherlands and Belgium.

“Rotra is a leading and well-rooted player in the Netherlands and in Belgium – two of the centres of gravity for logistics in Europe,” said Stefan Paul, head of overland for K+N.

“Their activities strategically complement Kuehne + Nagel’s network all over Europe; to the benefit of our local and international customers who will have access to our expanded service portfolio in this region.”

Harm Roelofsen, director and co-owner of Rotra, added: “After more than a century of growing our family business, the time has now come to offer our customers an even wider road network and a broader range of services.

“Kuehne + Nagel is our partner of choice to enable further growth and at the same time offering our employees the best future development opportunities.”

Under the terms of the deal, K+N will only acquire the overland and logistics activities of Rotra, the sea and air freight forwarding and the inland container terminal at Doesburg will remain with the current owners.

“The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including merger clearance by the competent competition authorities,” K+N added.

The deal is the latest in a series of bolt-on acquisitions by the Swiss forwarder to strengthen its overland offering in Europe. In July it agreed to take over Austria’s Jöbstl Group.