As of February 1 2009, the take-over of Rohde & Liesenfeld by Geodis Group will officially be completed in Australia.

The global acquisition which took place on January 3 2008, is intended to strengthen Geodis’ position in many of today’s key markets, including Germany, South Africa, the Persian Gulf and Latin America, where Rohde & Liesenfeld (R&L) handled the largest part of its freight forwarding activities. R&L will contribute to an already strong Industrial Projects offer and increase the service portfolio in vital areas such as Oil and Gas.

Michael Rolls, Managing Director of Geodis Wilson Australia is excited about the opportunity that this presents. ”As a service oriented logistics solutions business, the opportunities for Geodis Wilson Australia in moving forward with the completion of this integration this week, is shaping up to an exciting year. We will continue our core focus on servicing our customers with skill and look forward to welcoming new customers on our path of development and sustainable growth in Australia and abroad.”

In Australia this merger will allow the company to offer extended freight management services including door-to-door supply chain management for major key clients in all five states. With just over 350 staff in Australia, the combination of R&L’s forwarding strengths together with Geodis Wilson’s brokerage expertise will make the new company a serious contender for a variety of supply chain management contracts around the country. The added expertise of Geodis Wilson in Marine Logistics and offering solutions to the Cruiseline industry will continue to grow in Australia. The Cruiseline business is forecast to grow despite economic conditions and this will be seen with the arrival of the big ships including the Queen Mary in Sydney Harbour again later in February this year.

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 the acquisition of Rohde & Liesenfeld.

Geodis Group offers a full range of global logistics services that meet the specific needs of each key sector of the economy. Across a network covering 120 countries, the Group’s 26,000 employees bring a wealth of multicultural experience, offering a local, highly flexible, and responsive service to customers. In 2007, Geodis posted net sales of nearly €4.8 billion. Geodis is part of the French railway company SNCF.