International Freight Management company Geodis Wilson has strengthened its growing business in the United Kingdom.
International Freight Management company Geodis Wilson has strengthened its growing business in the United Kingdom. The acquisition of Oughtred & Harrison Shipping will boost the ocean export segment of Geodis Wilson and extend the global network coverage in China and Benelux.
O&H Shipping is an air and sea freight forwarder with almost 100 employees, mainly based in Northern England, but also in Belgium and China. Serving more than 1,900 customers, O&H delivers about £ 35 Million to the Geodis Group’s net sales.
“The O&H acquisition is an important step in our long term growth ambition and strengthens our presence in the market. The eventual merger of our two companies brings us closer to achieving our objective of being a Top 5 freight management company in the UK”, commented Stuart Innes, Managing Director of Geodis Wilson UK. “Due to our complementary structures, both companies are a perfect match. O&H’s export excellence combined with Geodis Wilson’s strong import services will balance and bring forward our whole business.”
Both from a geographical and from a functional point of view, there are no essential overlaps, which will lead into a straight integration process that will be completed within the next 12 months.
The combined businesses at current trading will generate over £90m in Net sales with 290 employees based in 14 locations across the UK.
Jean-Louis Demeulenaere, Chairman of Geodis Wilson, explained: “This acquisition shows the Geodis Group’s will to continue investing in freight forwarding, which is an essential part of Geodis’ sustainable growth strategy.”
About Geodis Wilson and Geodis Group
Geodis Wilson is a leading global freight management company that makes customers more competitive by delivering their cargo across five continents by sea and air and by making their supply chain transparent and easy to manage. As the Freight Forwarding Division of the Geodis Group, Geodis Wilson is the result of the merger of Geodis Overseas, TNT Freight Management, and Rohde & Liesenfeld.
As a global logistics provider, the Geodis Group is a European group with a worldwide scope ranking among the top five companies in its field in Europe and no. 1 in France. The Group's ability to coordinate all or part of the supply chain enables it to support its customers in their strategic, geographical, and technological developments, providing them with solutions tailored to optimising their physical and information flows.
Geodis also offers a full range of logistics services that meet the specific needs of each key sector of the economy. Across a network covering 120 countries, the Group’s 26,200 employees bring a wealth of multicultural experience, offering a local, highly flexible, and responsive service to its customers. In 2007, Geodis posted net sales of nearly €4.8 billion.
For further information please visit our Websites
www.geodiswilson.com
www.geodis.com
www.oh-shipping.co.uk
or contact:
Michael Zuchold Sarah Bryan
Communications Manager Senior Management Assistant
Geodis Wilson Geodis Wilson UK
Phone +49 40 30 12 23 33 +44 208 814 7030
Fax +49 40 30 12 12 45 +44 208 814 7089
Cell +49 174 9 09 87 88
Michael.zuchold@hq.geodiswilson.com sarah.bryan@uk.geodiswilson.com
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