Hellmann buys out Czech and Slovak partner
01 / 06 / 2023
Photo: Hellmann Worldwide Logistics
German forwarding and logistics company Hellmann Worldwide Logistics has taken over its long-standing Slovakian and Czech air- and seafreight partner, PKZ Group, and set up its own Slovakian national company.
The acquisition includes PKZ’s ten locations as well as its air and multimodal operations.
Existing business activities and the PKZ Group workforce will be transferred to the newly established Hellmann Worldwide Logistics Slovakia from June.
The new national company will be headed by current managing director of PKZ Group, Martin Kiaba.
Hellmann’s regional chief executive for West Europe, Jens Tarnowski, commented: “After almost 30 years of successful cooperation with the PKZ Group in the air- and seafreight sector, we are now looking forward to further expanding our activities and broadening our product portfolio in Slovakia on our own under the Hellmann flag.
“We see great potential in both markets, particularly in the automotive and industrial sectors.”
Chief legal officer and head of mergers and acquisitions, Andreas Lamping, added: “The acquisition of PKZ Group is an important contribution to our growth strategy. Under the leadership of Martin Kiaba, PKZ has had a very successful development. We will now build on these successes as part of the global Hellmann network.”
Martin Kiaba said: “Based on our long-standing good cooperation, we are now starting a new chapter. I am convinced that this strategically important step will further strengthen our market position and offer our employees a great opportunity to develop within the global Hellmann structure.”
Since its foundation over 150 years ago, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics has grown into a worldwide operator with about 14,000 employees, activities in 54 countries and sales of €5bn in 2022.
As well as air and multimodal forwarding services it also offers, contract logistics, industry and IT solutions.
