Belgian forwarder Transuniverse Forwarding is taking over seven Belgian sites from compatriot Ziegler, which has gone bankrupt in Belgium after the near-total liquidation of its French operations. The deal covers what is described as the bulk of Ziegler Belgium’s activity.
What the Deal Covers
The acquired operations span Ziegler locations in Aalst, Antwerp, Brussels Expo, Kontich, Rekkem (L.A.R.), Welkenraedt and Zeebrugge. A large share of the staff moves across with the business. Dozens of employees are joining, according to the company, along with an expanded vehicle fleet and more than 75,000 sqm of warehousing and logistics space.
Scale and Synergies
Founder and president Frank Adins, who started the company in 1983, said the integration lifts annual revenue by more than a third, from roughly €100M to €135M. He added that Transuniverse becomes one of Belgium’s leading independent players in the customs segment. The group, based in Wondelgem near Ghent, sees room to combine networks. One example: using the Welkenraedt site as a transshipment hub for clients in Limburg and Wallonia, feeding flows toward Germany and Central Europe.
Wider Footprint
Transuniverse already runs subsidiaries in France, Morocco and Romania, and serves Europe, the Maghreb, Turkey and the Middle East. Folding in the Ziegler sites tightens its grip on Belgian customs and overland freight at a moment when independent forwarders are scarce. Whether rivals respond with consolidation of their own is the open question.
