TX Logistik and FS Group Acquire Exploris Germany

TX Logistik AG, a company of the Mercitalia Group that consolidates the logistics activities of the FS Italiane Group, acquires Exploris Deutschland Holding GmbH, Hamburg, thereby becoming the second-largest rail freight company in Germany. The companies under Exploris Deutschland Holding GmbH also include Via Cargo, HSL Logistik, and Delta Rail, which are active in rail freight transport in eight European countries.

(Troisdorf) “This transaction makes us very proud and confirms our strong determination to position and strengthen the logistics business internationally for the development of imports and exports of our country, in support of Made in Italy,” says Sabrina De Filippis, CEO of Mercitalia Logistics. “Furthermore, with this acquisition, we are creating another cornerstone to achieve the European Union’s goals for shifting freight transport to rail.”

The acquisition not only strengthens the FS Group’s presence in the European market but also offers new opportunities for traffic to and from Italy, benefiting the import and export services of the Italian industry. The international rail connections of Exploris are strongly oriented towards the East-West transport axes and ideally complement the TX Logistik network, which is already well established along the North-South axis of Europe. The Exploris operating companies operate with their own safety certificates in the railway markets of Germany, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, and Switzerland.

Exploris primarily focuses on rail freight transport in the conventional transport segment: The company currently operates around 240 trains per week for the transport of steel, gypsum, agricultural products, automobiles, construction machinery, or mineral oil products for numerous industrial and logistics customers.

Supplementing Existing Traffic

These services complement and complete the traffic of TX Logistik, which specializes mainly in intermodal transport and combined transport with connections to container trains in the hinterland traffic of seaports. The complementary activities thus expand the portfolio to European industrial customers. With the acquisition of Exploris, the number of employees at TX Logistik increases by 500 to a total of 1,200 employees. The fleet will consist of 91 TX locomotives and 75 from Exploris. Revenue is also expected to grow and could exceed 500 million euros.

Also Shipping Services in Germany and Poland

The activities of the acquired Exploris companies also include shipping services in Germany and Poland, as well as shunting services provided in Germany and Poland, and a dedicated academy for the training and further education of train drivers. The academy represents an important resource to counteract the shortage of qualified personnel, which is a critical element for the entire railway sector.
The acquisition still needs to be approved by the regulatory authorities, which is a necessary condition for the completion of the transaction.

Photo: © TX Logistik