A.P. Moller – Maersk has acquired the US-based e-commerce logistics and parcel delivery company Visible Supply Chain Management. Maersk states this acquisition will mean that its business-to-consumer customers will be able to reach 75% of the US direct-to-consumer market within 24 hours, and 95% of the market within 48 hours.
Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, Visible SCM operates nine fulfilment centres in the US. It handles 200,000 orders a day, around 200m packages a year, with a 99.8% order accuracy rate. The use of a distributed order management system enables Visible SCM’s customers to utilise a network fulfilment solution rather than relying on a single location option. It is stated that this helps reduce the travel of distance orders, lowering travel time and final mile delivery cost.
The transaction agreements were signed on June 28, 2021, and the deal was completed on August 2, 2021, with full regulatory approval and closing conditions satisfied. The enterprise value of the transaction stands at $838m. The company’s revenue is estimated to be around $550m, with a post-IFRS 16 EBITDA of around $65m, a margin of 11.8%. Visible SCM’s leadership team and personnel will join the integrated company to prevent changes in service throughout the integration process.
Vincent Clerc, CEO of Maersk Ocean & Logistics, said the following, “We have set out to build strong e-commerce logistics capabilities that complement our existing end-to-end supply chain offering. Visible SCM’s operating model and value proposition will strengthen our customers’ e-commerce logistics, enabling them to sell through any sales channel, deliver in any way and manage their supply chains seamlessly. While our customers trust us with a wide part of their supply chain, this acquisition will contribute to an even better end-to-end experience by providing more key e-commerce capabilities. The new supply chain architecture allows more of our small and medium-sized customers to tap into the growth driven by the increased online consumer shopping.”
Maersk has also announced its intention to acquire B2C Europe Holding B.V., a business-to-consumer logistics company focussed on parcel delivery services in Europe, based in the Netherlands. B2C Europe’s core offering is parcel delivery for retailers and brands, with a focus on cross-border deliveries. Maersk states that this acquisition will allow it to offer Europe-wide last-mile rates to customers through one simplified interface, with full control and visibility on all deliveries. The transaction is subject to closing conditions and regulatory approval and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2021.
Source: Maersk
