Monday, January 17, 2011

European Freight Forwarder Expands Into South America

Colombia and Ecuador Targeted by K & N
Shipping News Feature

COLOMBIA – ECUADOR – SWITZERLAND – Kuehne + Nagel, the worlds largest NVOCC is expanding its freight forwarding operations in South America with the news this week that the group have taken over two Colombian companies Translago S.A.S. and Agencia de Aduanas Excelsia Ltda. as well as Mastertransport SA, Ecuador. All three companies are specialised in perishables logistics activities.

Expansion into the field of perishables logistics is an important element of Kuehne + Nagel’s five-year growth programme and K+N intend to use the manoeuvre to gain access to two of South America’s key perishables export cargo markets whilst strengthening its regional air freight position in the region.

Translago S.A.S. and Agencia de Aduanas Excelsia Ltda., headquartered in Bogota, employ 160 staff and are the market leaders in exports of flowers and other perishables, mainly to destinations in the United States, Europe and Asia Pacific. With 30 specialists, Mastertransport SA is an important player in this business segment in Ecuador. Together, the three companies control approx. 75,000 tonnes air export perishables per annum.