CMA CGM buys last-mile delivery provider to bolster e-commerce strength

French cargo transportation provider CMA CGM Group is best known for its hulking maritime container ships, but amid pandemic disruptions the company has been changing with the times, adding a fleet of cargo jets, a third party logistics arm, and now a last-mile delivery division, leaders said today.

In a bid to bolster its CEVA Logistics unit’s e-commerce and last-mile solutions abilities, Marseille, France-based CMA CGM has struck a preliminary agreement to acquire Colis Privé, a specialist in home and relay parcel delivery.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but approval will hinge on clearance from the competition authorities and consultation from the relevant employee representative bodies.

Founded in 2012, Colis Privé has delivered more than 70 million parcels across France via its network of nearly 110 regional branches to date. The growing firm has also established a presence in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Morocco, and plans to launch activities in the Netherlands.

Buying the smaller firm continues CMA CGM’s momentum in developing end-to-end shipping and logistics solutions to support its customers’ supply chains, following its move in December 2021 to pay $3.0 billion for the third party logistics provider (3PL) Ingram Micro Commerce & Lifecycle Services activities (CLS).

“The acquisition of a majority stake in Colis Privé is an important step in the development strategy of our logistics activities,” CMA CGM Chairman and CEO Rodolphe Saadé said in a release. “This operation will enable us to offer end-to-end logistics solutions to our e-commerce customers for whom the last mile is a critical stage. By leveraging the global presence of our subsidiary CEVA Logistics, our ambition is to develop Colis Privé internationally, starting with Europe where the company is already established.”