DB Schenker Logistics and GLS form partnership on European level

DB Schenker Logistics and the GLS Group have signed a strategic partnership agreement on European level. The companies assist each other in their transport services: DB Schenker Logistics will offer a Europe-wide parcel service and GLS will expand its offer of freight services. The framework agreement for the non-exclusive cooperation was signed in early September.

The parcel service GLS, which is active throughout Europe, will deliver parcels for the DB subsidiary. Under the same agreement, DB SL will handle part-load transports (pallets) for GLS.

“Freight customers are increasingly requesting parcel services”, says Rico Back, CEO of the GLS Group. “GLS already works together with many freight companies and networks, including DB Schenker Logistics on a national level. By signing the cooperation agreement, we have extended our cooperation to include the European economic area.”

Ewald Kaiser, Board Member of Schenker AG for Land Transport, says: “Driven by e-commerce, the European parcel market offers excellent growth opportunities.” In addition, the expansion of the product range meets the constantly growing customer demand for an ‘all-in-one solution’. This means that with DB Schenker Logistics, customers now have a single logistics partner that can provide everything from parcel services to part- and full-load solutions. The cooperation thus complements DB SL’s own parcel service in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Poland.

Customers of both companies will have access to a wide range of new transport solutions through their respective logistics provider – in both their domestic and international business. DB Schenker Logistics plans to offer parcel services for corporate customers in Europe under its own brand and thus complete its land transport product portfolio.

In order to provide seamless parcel services in the almost 40 European countries in which the logistics company operates, a partner with an appropriate parcel network was required. Ewald Kaiser: “We have found a strong partner with GLS.”

GLS covers 37 countries in Europe with its parcel services. “Our parcel service is characterised by a uniform basic range of services across Europe as well as harmonised processes and standards”, explains Rico Back. GLS has its own freight networks in Belgium and the Netherlands. “But we also have customers in other countries who would like to send freight or pallets through us. Therefore, the non-exclusive cooperation under which DB Schenker Logistics will handle part-load consignments is an ideal solution for our customers.”

Under the cooperation agreement, DB Schenker Logistics will manage parts of the transport chain itself and in general will collect parcels together with freight from customers. GLS provides further transport and delivery to businesses and their end customers.

The implementation of the cooperation will start on 1 January 2016, initially in Germany and then step by step across Europe.