Acquisitions

The Group has made several strategically important acquisitions in the past with the goal of becoming the number one logistics provider in the world. The most important were:

Danzas Holding

With the acquisition of the Danzas Group, Switzerland, in March 1999 the logistics segment of the Group was founded. We took over the ocean and air freight business from Danzas logistics.

DHL
A strategically important move for the EXPRESS division was the acquisition of 100% of the US-based company DHL in 2002. The strategic rationale for the acquisition was the expansion of the business in the USA. After the complete acquisition of DHL the Group combined all EXPRESS and LOGISTICS activities under the DHL umbrella brand name.

Airborne
In 2003, the purchase of the US based parcel delivery provider Airborne was successfully completed. The strategic goal of the acquisition was to combine DHL’s international network and expertise in the cross-border business with Airborne’s domestic air and ground network to take a strong competitive position on the US markets.

Exel
On 13 December 2005, Deutsche Post DHL completed the acquisition of the UK logistics company Exel plc with the transfer of 100% of Exel’s equity capital. The combination of the two companies has created the global number one in air freight, ocean freight and contract logistics. The acquisition of Exel marks a major milestone in the Group’s strategy to become the leading logistics provider in the world.