ADN considers further acquisitions

07 Dec 2012 - by Joy Orlek

Wholesale express
courier company African
Distribution Network is on
the acquisition trail.
The company, which
serves courier and freight
companies moving cargo
into and out of Africa, is
exploring acquisitions in
various parts of Africa,
managing director Simon
Chalker told FTW.
This follows its first
international investment
earlier this year when
the company bought TFI
Express UK in London,
a company that runs on a
similar basis to ADN but
with Europe as its main
area of operation. “TFI has
been handling most of our
consignments to the UK for
several years,” said Chalker.
“The company has a strong
management team and a
work ethic very similar to
ADN with a firm customer
base in New York and
Sydney as well as the UK
and Europe.”
Earlier this year South
African entrepreneur,
Bernie Cox, acquired a
majority shareholding in
ADN.
“Recognising the
potential of the company,
he invested a substantial
amount of capital which is
enabling us to expand both
locally and internationally,”
said Chalker.
The UK acquisition was
part of this strategy. The
TFI name has been changed
to ADN in the UK.
Cox sold his entire
shareholding in Berco
Express, the company he
started in 1992, to Aramex,
the Dubai-based global
logistics and transportation
company, in December 2011.
Aramex and Berco Express
are retail courier companies
whereas ADN is a wholesale
operation and is also a
service supplier to Aramex
ADN has a comprehensive
network of African offices
and agents that ensure
complete control over the
distribution process from
source to destination, said
Chalker. This includes
over-border road freight,
airfreight and ocean freight.
“Our network allows us
to offer full door-to-door
services on all freight
products into many African
countries that courier and
freight companies previously
would not have been able
to offer to their clients. We
are also able to arrange
collections and imports
into South Africa and the
UK, as well as cross-trade
shipments from abroad into
African countries.
“The service is strictly
wholesale, allowing courier
and freight companies to
deliver their goods to us
at the shortest possible
and practical cut-off
times, ensuring that their
shipments are on the next
available flight and routing
into Africa.”