German freight forwarding unicorn sennder to acquire C.H. Robinson’s European Surface Transportation operations
Berlin-based digital road freight forwarding unicorn sennder has announced the acquisition of global logistics provider C.H. Robinson’s European Surface Transportation (EST) operations. C.H.
Robinson is one of the world’s largest logistics providers, managing £22B in freight and handling 20M shipments annually. However, the terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The press release states, “The closing of the transaction remains subject to only the completion of the corporate structuring of the EST business unit to be acquired, as well as mandatory employee consultations and applicable merger control proceedings , and is expected to close in Q4 2024.”
The announcement comes four months after raising[1] £80M (approx EUR65.35M) through the second closing of its Series D round of funding, achieving unicorn status.
The acquisition
As a part of this transaction, EST will become part of sennder and will deliver significant growth potential.
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The combined business will create one of the largest Full Truck Load (FTL) providers in Europe. Through the transaction, over 6,500 shippers and over 15,000 carriers will join the sender network.
C.H. Robinson and sennder will continue to work closely to offer unparalleled logistics offerings to its respective customers. The new entity will have a combined revenue of EUR1.4B and a joint team of 1,700 employees, further expanding the European density of sennder.
With the acquisition, sennder continues to enhance and broaden its service offering and furthers its mission to create an efficient and sustainable road freight network in Europe. The combined business will significantly improve network density and data capabilities. It will expand offerings for shippers and carriers by providing access to efficient network planning, competitive capacity, and a wider range of freight opportunities through sennder’s platform, sennOS.
Furthermore, sennder’s proprietary technology sennOS, tailored specifically to the European road freight market, will be available to EST customers, giving them access to the most technologically advanced platform in Europe. SennOS will streamline the integration of the new unit by improving efficiency in load management. Shippers will be able to use sennOS to digitally manage their transports, allowing them to have complete control and visibility over their trucking operations.
Carriers will benefit from higher utilisation, fewer empty kilometers, faster payments, and technology that reduces their administrative workload. All customers will benefit from a boost in load management efficiency, increased operational transparency, and superior service quality.
sennder: Digital road freight forwarder in Europe
sennder[2], a digital road freight forwarder in Europe, is offering shippers access to a connected fleet of thousands of trucks. The German company deploys over 40,000 trucks across Europe, with access to more than 120,000 vehicles, and has a team of over 1,000 people. sennder is backed by some of Europe’s leading investors, including Baillie Gifford, Accel, HV Capital, and Lakestar, along with industry experts Poste Italiane and Scania to assure innovation and state-of-the-art offerings.
David Nothacker, CEO of sennder, says, “This acquisition will be pivotal in advancing sennder’s roadmap. With its vision to accelerate global trade to deliver products and goods that drive the world’s economy, C.H. Robinson aligns strongly with sennder’s mission and values to create an efficient and sustainable road freight network in Europe. sennOS, the technological powerhouse behind sennder, requires scale and volume density to unlock its full potential.”
“This M&A transaction gives us that scale. We are deeply impressed by the EST team from C.H. Robinson.
With our combined business and enhanced talent pool, we can deliver substantial growth and operational scale, accelerating our European expansion in road freight and increasing network density and digital capabilities for the benefit of carriers, shippers, and the wider industry. We are excited to welcome the EST team, and embark on the next chapter of sennder’s journey,” says Nothacker.
C.H. Robinson: Improving supply chains
C.H.
Robinson is a logistics company trusted by businesses worldwide to improve supply chains, develop freight technology, and overcome logistics challenges. With a network of over 90,000 customers and 450,000 contract carriers, the company manages £22B in freight annually. David Bozeman, President and CEO of C.H.
Robinson, says: “I am convinced that sennder will be a great home for the EST business and will provide good continuity of service to EST customers. We are confident in this strategic decision to drive more focus in our organisation and are pleased to see the potential for growth and opportunity that this transition brings for the EST team. To win, we need to focus on what sets us apart and build upon our competitive advantages.
While we remain committed to our global forwarding and managed services presence in Europe and continue to invest in the region, this clarity of investment is important for the long-term success of our business and employees, as well as the value and impact we can offer our customers and carriers.”