Hamburg The logistics and transport industry is reacting to the consequences of the corona pandemic and the challenges of climate change with numerous takeovers and mergers. According to a study by the consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), there were 322 transactions in this sector worldwide in 2021 with a total value of around 219 billion dollars, more than ever before. According to the study available to the dpa, the trend is expected to continue at a high level in 2022. Investments in digitization and infrastructure “will become increasingly important in 2022 to combat disruptions in the supply chain,” write the PwC experts. “We also expect more investments, collaborations and acquisitions in the area of sustainability.”
“Logistics and trucking were, as usual, the strongest sub-sector” with a total of 170 acquisitions and mergers, the analysts note. The second strongest sector is the shipping sector with 59 transactions. “24 of the 59 shipping deals in 2021 related to port infrastructure,” the study says. “This makes ports the most active segment among infrastructure targets.”
M&A activity is dominated by some of the big players in logistics and shipping, according to PwC. In addition to the Danish logistics giant DSV, the consulting company cites the top league of liner shipping companies with Maersk, MSC and CMA CGM as examples, whose activities counted among the “most striking developments” for PwC last year.
“Your goals are diverse and show the ambition to gain more influence on the global supply chains,” write the analysts of the management consultancy. In addition to investments in the core business of shipping and in port terminals, shipping companies are also increasingly buying “forwarders in order to gain direct access to the shippers”. The trend towards further consolidation and integration can also be observed in China. “At the end of the year, the Chinese government also drew attention when it announced the merger of five state-controlled logistics companies into one major global player called China Logistics Group.”
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PwC explains the ongoing boom in takeovers in freight transport with two reasons: “On the one hand, the importance of stable supply chains and functioning ports and airports has increased significantly as a result of the pandemic,” says PwC partner Ingo Bauer. “On the other hand, market participants are trying to make their business model more resilient through takeovers and alliances – also outside of their core business.”
In addition, there are the enormous demands that the fight against climate change demands from the economy. “In addition to skyrocketing freight prices, the increasing sustainability and climate protection requirements have also given the entire industry a boost,” says PwC partner André Wortmann. “The ambitious political guidelines are having a positive effect on the willingness to innovate and change in the entire industry, which is experimenting with new concepts and technologies.”
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