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GLS, Royal Mail’s European parcels business, has opened a subsidiary in Romania. GLS Romania is based in Sibiu and headed by Gabor Szemkeo, managing director Europe East. The investment amounts to five million euros.
GLS is offering a national regular delivery time of 24 hours in Romania: full-area distribution will be achieved by the hub in Sibiu as well as ten depots in Sibiu, Brasov, Pitesti, Bucharest, Targu Mures, Cluj Napoca, Baia Mare, Oradea, Timisoara and Deva. The start-up company is linked to GLS’ European network via line hauls to the Austrian hub in Ansfelden and the Hungarian hub in Budapest.
“From our European transhipment centre in Neuenstein, Germany, the hub for our international line haul transports, we are able to realise a regular delivery time of 72 hours for Romanian import parcels”, said GLS chief executive Rico Back.
GLS has 32 central transhipment points, 655 depots and 12,000 employees. Some 17,800 vehicles move 311 million parcels annually for 220,000 customers throughout Europe.
Last month the business reported sales up 4.3 per cent to 1.6 billion euros, and EBITA up by 15.4 per cent to 179.4 million euros for 2006-7.
Shipped parcels increased by 7.7 per cent to 311 million. International shipments grew by 20 per cent. In December 2006, the acquisition of ABX Belgium Distribution was completed strengthening the company’s presence in the Benelux market. In Italy, GLS acquired three more franchise areas, thereby increasing the total number of GLS managed depots in Italy to 21.
“In 2007/08, we are expecting the market to remain highly competitive”, said Rico Back. “Due to past and continuing investments in the network structure and IT systems, as well as acquisitions, GLS is well positioned to meet these challenges successfully.”
In 2007/8, the group plans to increase its activities in Italy and Spain as well as entering the Romanian market. The GLS group is targeting revenues of two billion euros and pre-tax profits of 200 million euros by 2009.
