22-05-2012 On a solid growth path: Flash Europe acquires premium freight solutions provider Roberts Europe

Aspelt, Maastricht  May 21, 2012. As of May 10, 2012, Flash Europe has taken over the Maastricht-Airport based Roberts Europe. This moves the express logistics company a decisive step closer to its goal of becoming the market leader in Europe.

Strengthened market position
This transaction is a further milestone in internationalising and growing the group's business. The acquisition is a logical step for Flash, since, as Philippe Higelin, Flash Europe's general manager, points out, "the majority of our outstanding growth is thanks to our international business and our focus on the automotive and pharmaceutical industries”. “In Roberts Europe, we've acquired a company that has been operating highly successfully in the market for many years, and is also one of the largest providers in the direct and special deliveries segment, as well as being highly competent in industrial freight, including for the automotive industry", says Frederik Luz, Director Europe. Flash Europe has 375 employees at present and has its own offices in 15 countries. With its logistics expertise in time-critical road freight, combined with its team experts for airfreight and air charter solutions, Flash Europe offers a one-stop service for all time-sensitive freight.

A dense European network
"The new company structure enables us to continue leading the company forward and make the most of extra potential. Our customers will also greatly benefit from the group's expansion and our accelerated internationalisation process", says Gianni Maes (Director Sales) at Roberts Europe as he explains the reasons for the transaction. As Gianni Maes points out "now altogether we've got access to around 6,000 vehicles and 3,000 reliable partners, which means we can provide our customers with even better service".

United forces consolidate integration
The 160 employees at the Maastricht site and in the Warsaw and Lisbon offices will be taken over without exception. Flash Europe is tasking longstanding, experienced Roberts Europe employees with the integration of the organisation,  and amongst others Gianni Maes (Director Sales) and Jan Schüller (Director Operations) will be supporting and actively promoting the growing together of the two companies.
After more then 20 successful years working for Roberts Europe, Fred Snippe (CEO) is leaving the company to devote himself to new business challenges.
It has been mutually agreed to maintain silence on the financial volume of the transaction.

Flash Group
Flash is the specialist for fast freight The concern is made up of the long-established company Flash Europe and Flash Taxicolis (formerly Taxicolis). With 400,000 special deliveries last year, Flash is one of the largest providers in this segment in Europe. In addition to direct deliveries, the logistics provider also offers air charter (with its own charter department), on-board-courier solutions as well as multimodal freight. Flash has built up specific competence in the health sector and the automotive industry. To address its customer's specific requirements, the company has set up a close-knit, global network in 78 countries. Flash has its own offices in 15 countries in Europe (Germany, Poland, France, Romania, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Tunisia, Czech Republic, Russia, Turkey and UK). The company has four offices in Germany (Filderstadt, Frankfurt, Hagen and Nuremberg). Flash has access to more than 4,000 vehicles and 600 aircraft and works together with around 1500 longstanding and reliable partners. The logistics provider turned over € 118 million last year and at present employs 375 staff.

Roberts Europe
Roberts Europe is a leading international Premium Freight solutions provider, active for over 20 years. We serve several Blue Chip companies in various industries such as Automotive, Electronics, Chemical, Pharmaceutics etc. All freight movements are controlled from one centralized multilingual operations centre in The Netherlands. Customers across Europe are being served from 24/7 multilingual Customer Service Centers in The Netherlands, Poland and Portugal.

Contact

Flash Europe International S.A.
3 Op der Gare – L-5730 ASPELT
Tel: +352 26 31 67 65
Fax : +352 26 31 67 66
press@flash-europe.com
www.flash-europe.com

Press contact:
Annette Tausch,
atausch@fei-group.eu
Tel: +49 6849 9917971
mobil: +49 176/21788473
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