Dachser completes its acquisition of groupage and logistics joint venture in Italy

Following the review and approval of the competition law by the European Commission in November 2023, Fercam began the process of separating two of its business divisions (Distribution and Logistics, with almost 1,000 employees and 43 locations in Italy) from the rest. of the company to form an independent organization for groupage operations and contract logistics in Italy. The joint venture, known as Dachser & Fercam Italia, began operations earlier this year. Following a transition period, Dachser joined the company on March 28, 2024 and the purchase was completed.

In addition to 20% of the shares of the joint venture, Fercam S.p.A. fully retains the divisions Fercam Transport (national and international transport by road and rail), Fercam Air & Ocean and Fercam Special Services (logistics specialized in art and fairs, home delivery, moving and relocation, as well as file and documentation management), including all international subsidiaries; These units will not become part of the new joint venture.

"Dachser & Fercam Italia completes our European network for the transport and storage of industrial and consumer goods," says Burkhard Eling, CEO of Dachser. “This acquisition strengthens our competence to serve customers across Europe with uniform standards of quality and performance. To this end, we will also invest in logistics capacity, digitalization, climate action and, especially, in our employees in Italy.”

"The continuation of the groupage and logistics business under the umbrella of the Dachser network is the right step to ensure positive development and future growth in Italy and Europe," says Hannes Baumgartner, Managing Director of Fercam. “The trusting cooperation that we have maintained over the past decades shows that these two family companies, Fercam and Dachser, plan for the long term and share the same values. This has facilitated the creation of the new company, Dachser & Fercam Italia, at all levels.”

Full integration into the Dachser network begins

Dachser and Fercam have 20 years of collaboration. During that period, the Italian family business, based in the South Tyrol region, has been distributing groupage shipments of industrial and consumer goods in Italy from Dachser's European network and has also fed the European network with over Dachser products. corresponding shipments from Italy. Full integration into Dachser systems and processes can now begin.

“Dachser & Fercam Italia is very well positioned in the Italian groupage and Contract Logistics market thanks to its experienced management team led by Managing Director Dr. Gianfranco Brillante, its highly trained and motivated employees, and its modern facilities and logistics systems” , explains Alexander Tonn, COO Road Logistics at Dachser. “As part of Dachser's European and global logistics network, the company now enjoys completely new opportunities for export growth. For Dachser & Fercam Italia employees this means security and stability. Customers in Italy and across Europe will, in turn, benefit from consolidated and standardized systems as a result of the integration.”

Completing the European network

The majority acquisition of Fercam's groupage and Contract Logistics business is the third major acquisition that Dachser has made to expand its transport and logistics network in Europe, after Graveleau (France, 1999) and Azkar (Spain, 2013). Dachser's European Logistics business line does not have its own headquarters in Italy, so no duplicate structures arise. All employees of FERCAM's Distribution and Logistics divisions have transferred to the Dachser & Fercam Italia joint venture.

In the field of food logistics, Dachser has been present in Italy since 2017 with three branches and around 270 employees. Dachser Italy Food Logistics will continue to operate independently in the market under the direction of Country Manager Roberto Specos.