Balance 2022: Gebrüder Weiss Continues to Grow

The international transport and logistics company Gebrüder Weiss generated a net revenue of 3.01 billion euros in the past fiscal year. This represents an increase of 18 percent compared to the previous year (2021: 2.54 billion euros). Thus, the logistics provider continues the positive development of recent years.

(Lauterach) “We have succeeded in continuing to pursue our strategic goals in a challenging environment. We have expanded our position in the core markets of Central and Eastern Europe, the USA, and Asia, and have advanced the focus topics of digitization and climate neutrality by 2030. The positive results in all business areas show that we are well-positioned and future-proof,” says Wolfram Senger-Weiss, Chairman of the Management Board at Gebrüder Weiss. The equity ratio has also increased and now stands at around 60 percent (2021: 57 percent), underscoring the company’s resilience in crises and distinguishing Gebrüder Weiss as a secure employer.

The land transport sector achieved a revenue increase of 16 percent with 1.479 million euros (2021: 1.277 million euros). The home delivery product area remained at the previous year’s level, delivering around 1.53 million shipments to households in Austria and Eastern Europe (2021: 1.58 million shipments). This allowed Gebrüder Weiss to maintain its position as market leader in this segment. The air and sea division saw significant growth, closing with 1.272 million euros and a revenue increase of 24 percent (2021: 1.024 million euros). This increase was largely driven by high freight rates from shipping companies and airlines. The shipment volumes at DPD Austria, of which Gebrüder Weiss is a co-shareholder, remained nearly constant: 66 million packages were transported last year (2021: 66.5 million).

International Network Expansion

Despite the economically difficult situation in the context of the Ukraine war, energy issues, and rising inflation, Gebrüder Weiss adhered to its investment strategy in 2022. A total of 67 million euros were invested in strengthening its own network as well as in international site and service expansion. The company focused its efforts in Germany, Hungary, Romania, the USA, as well as Turkey and Georgia – the latter two serving as central links in the Middle Corridor, where the logistics provider expanded its transport connections towards Central Asia and China.

In the important logistics market of Germany, Gebrüder Weiss was able to solidify its position in air and sea freight, as well as in land transport. In southern Germany, the company completed the rebranding process of the Bavarian forwarding company Lode to Gebrüder Weiss Waldkraiburg. Further expansion of the southern German land transport network is planned, with initial steps already taken in early 2023 through the acquisition of the Rentschler forwarding company in Baden-Württemberg. With the network expansion, the number of employees also grew: it increased by six percent to around 8,400 employees (2021: 7,900).

Continuing Focus: Digitization and Sustainability

In 2022, the digitization strategy “Best of Both Worlds” was consistently pursued, under which Gebrüder Weiss understands a combination of operational and digital competence. This included the global rollout of the digital customer portal myGW. The portal provides customers with real-time information about their goods flows, ensuring maximum transparency throughout the entire supply chain. “Our goal is to deliver the best solutions for our customers’ supply chains while minimizing environmental impact. To achieve this, we continuously invest in our logistics facilities and digital tools, in the training of our employees, and in environmentally friendly transport options,” explains Wolfram Senger-Weiss.

Gebrüder Weiss has clearly committed to sustainable goals and aims to contribute to global climate protection, as documented in its sustainability report published in 2022. By 2030, the company’s logistics facilities are to be operated in a climate-neutral manner. To this end, the company is increasingly relying on electricity from renewable sources and installed four new photovoltaic systems at locations in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland last year. In total, 22 such systems are now in operation, saving 1,110 tons of CO2 annually. The expansion is set to continue in 2023 in these countries as well as in Eastern Europe.

There has also been movement in the area of alternative drives: Following successful long-distance tests of the company’s hydrogen truck, Gebrüder Weiss will continue to invest in this technology: five new H2 trucks are set to operate in Germany in 2023. Additionally, plans are in place to further increase the number of electric transporters for urban goods transport in Austria and Eastern Europe.

For the year 2023, Gebrüder Weiss expects a normalization of logistics business. Shipment numbers are currently slightly declining, and rates in the air and sea freight sector have nearly returned to 2019 levels. Therefore, a decline in revenue development is also expected. The general geopolitical situation may pose additional challenges. Wolfram Senger-Weiss: “The pandemic has proven how capable logistics is and how quickly it can respond to changing conditions. Gebrüder Weiss has been able to solidify its solid financial base and continue to drive innovations. We remain close to our customers and derive corresponding digital services from their needs. Of course, we approach the current economic forecast, the high inflation, and the war in Ukraine with respect and concern. As a strong company, we remain optimistic despite everything.”

Photo: © Gebrüder Weiss