Kuehne + Nagel acquires the road transport and logistics business of Dutch Royal Rotra, which accounts for annual net sales of more than €100 million and 800 employees.
Rotra's sea freight, air freight and container terminal operations are not included in the acquisition, the companies announced on Tuesday. The planned merger is yet to be approved by competition authorities.
If given the green light, Kuehne + Nagel will have a fleet of more than 200 trucks at its disposal. With these, Rotra transports all over the world and provides contract logistics services to Dutch, Belgian and international customers. It operates cross-dock facilities in the Netherlands and in Belgium.
Rotra sold after more than 100 years
Speaking about the decision to sell family-owned Rotra to Kuehne + Nagel after more than a century, Harm Roelofsen, managing director and co-owner of Rotra, says: "It is now time to offer our customers an even broader road network and service package. Kuehne + Nagel, a leading logistics service provider, is the partner par excellence to enable further growth while offering our employees the best future development opportunities."
Strategic addition for Kuehne + Nagel
Kuehne + Nagel recently bought Austria's Jöbstl Group. The acquisition of Rotra is in line with the course the company set a few months ago. "Rotra is a leading and well-rooted player in the Netherlands and Belgium, two of the centres of gravity for logistics in Europe," explains Stefan Paul, member of the executive board of Kuehne + Nagel.
According to Paul, these countries are a strategic addition to the logistics provider's existing network. "This benefits our local and international customers who now have access to a comprehensive service portfolio in this region."
