Global Transport Solutions Holding(GTS), the holding company of fourth-party logistics (4PL) service provider Marinetrans and third-party logistics (3PL) service provider Best Global Logistics, has acquired HERA Global Forwarding. HERA is a 4PL service provider specialized in logistics of ship spare parts.
Following the successful acquisition of Airsped and Altus Norway earlier this year, this is the third acquisition of GTS in 2020. This acquisition will strengthen the position of GTS as logistics service provider of ship spares in the Benelux.
HERA and GTS are a great combination and there are many opportunities to grow our combined business in the national and international market. The decision to acquire HERA was a logical step for us, after 10 years of close cooperation between HERA and Best Global Logistics in the Netherlands.
Welcoming HERA and its experienced management team to our group will further strengthen our market position, while at the same time expanding the portfolio of services we offer to our customers, e.g. with projects and super yachts logistics.” The founders and Managing Directors of HERA Global Forwarding, Jolanda van den Berg and Elma van der Wel, commented: “We have the pleasure to announce that after a long business relationship with Best Global Logistics, we have “entered on board” of the GTS group. In our existence of over 12 years, HERA developed into a well-known international forwarder specialized in marine spares parts and the super yachts business.
The positive feedback we receive from our clients shows their appreciation of our personal approach, efficient working methods and unique service. This merger extends our worldwide stock locations and allows us to offer a great range of additional services, while maintaining the service level our customers are used to. We feel that we can offer the best of both worlds now that we are part of GTS.
Michel Loots further commented on the growth strategy of GTS in the coming years: “This is our third acquisition since we have teamed up with Waterland Private Equity last year. It is part of our buy-and-build strategy to grow our 4PL and 3PL divisions under the Marinetrans and Best Global Logistics brands. We are in discussion with several other specialized logistics companies to continue our buy-and-build activities, to strengthen our market position and to further expand our global footprint.
Global Transport Solutions is the holding company of Marinetrans and Best Global Logistics, offering specialized 4PL and 3PL international time-critical logistics with geographical presence on all continents, mainly focused on marine spare parts.
Marinetrans is the world’s largest fourth-party logistics (4PL) service provider, specialized in forwarding and logistics of marine spare parts. The company is headquartered in Singapore and has six additional offices around the globe. Through a network of dedicated partners, Marinetrans offers services in 22 warehouses and 2,000 ports worldwide.
Best Global Logistics is an independent third-party logistics (3PL) service provider, offering relatively complex logistics solutions on a global scale. The company operates bonded and free-zone warehouses located in the Netherlands and Norway. BGL has a strong foothold in the maritime industry, while also serving a range of other industries.
Waterland is an independent private equity firm founded in The Netherlands in 1999. Businesses supported by Waterland are led by ambitious management teams that have a proven track record of fostering growth. Waterland is actively involved as a shareholder and supports management teams to achieve their ambitions by providing growth expertise and knowledge on the execution of successful buy-and- build trajectories. To date, Waterland has raised seven investment funds with a combined € 6 billion in assets under management, has executed more than 650 acquisitions in more than 100 different markets and has offices in eight European countries.
