CMA CGM set to acquire majority stake in compatriot delivery firm Colis Privé
France’s CMA CGM has entered into a preliminary agreement to acquire a majority ownership interest in compatriot last-mile logistics player Colis Privé for an undisclosed sum.
The deal will see the Marseille-based liner take a 51% stake from the Hopps Group, with the option of increasing its interest further. The completion of the transaction would strengthen the presence of CMA CGM’s logistics subsidiary, CEVA Logistics, in e-commerce services, especially last-mile deliveries, the company said.
“The acquisition of a majority stake in Colis Privé is an important step in the development strategy of our logistics activities. This operation will enable us to offer end-to-end logistics solutions to our e-commerce customers for whom the last mile is a critical stage,” commented Rodolphe Saadé, chairman and CEO of the CMA CGM.
The world’s third largest liner has been increasing its e-commerce and contract logistics footprint, most recently in a $3bn deal to acquire most of Ingram Micro’s Commerce & Lifecycle Services business (CLS) and its Shipwire cloud-based logistics technology platform – a move that will create the fourth largest contract logistics player.
CMA CGM swooped for Colis Privé just a few days after its merger deal with the French special purpose acquisition vehicle Dee Tech was scrapped. The delivery firm was founded in 2012 and, in addition to its leading position in last-mile delivery in France, the company also has a presence in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Morocco, and has announced the upcoming launch of its activities in the Netherlands.
