Swiss WEKO Prevents Takeover of Quickmail by the Post

The surprising decision of the Competition Commission (WEKO) that Swiss Post is not allowed to take over the competitor Quickmail/Quickpac is causing a stir in Switzerland. On the one hand, no one expected this decision, and on the other hand, it appears that there is a counter-offer from Rico Back, a first-hour postal logistics expert.

Von: Andreas Müller

(Bern) The WEKO justifies its decision by stating that it would establish or strengthen a dominant market position for the Post in various letter and parcel markets as well as in the market for the delivery of newspapers and magazines. However, Swiss Post and Quickmail justified their takeover intentions with a restructuring takeover.

The WEKO also refers to an additional takeover offer (note: from entrepreneur Rico Back), which, if it materializes, would continue to allow for competition in letter and parcel delivery. As reported by swissinfo.ch, Quickmail is resisting a takeover by Rico Back. As Chairman of the Board Marc Erni explained, a bankruptcy would be cheaper than Back’s purchase offer, who is primarily interested only in the Quickpac part and wants to take over the company as cheaply as possible.

Back has been a parcel logistics expert since the 80s

Rico Back is a first-hour parcel logistics expert. He was involved in the establishment of German Parcel (now GLS) in the late 80s and led the Royal Mail Group until 2020. The one-sided interest in Quickpac is understandable in that the letter business is also nearing its end in Switzerland, and the future prospects are therefore close to zero. This also applies to the delivery of press products.

However, it is also unlikely that Back made the offer out of self-interest. Rather, it is quite conceivable that he is acting as a vanguard for a larger group in the parcel sector.

The outcome is uncertain

What is best for the currently 3,000 employees of Quickmail and Quickpac remains uncertain even after the WEKO’s decision. It is still unclear whether Quickmail will file an appeal and whether it will be successful. It is also completely open whether Rico Back will succeed with his intentions. The only fact is that Quickmail and Quickpac are restructuring cases, and from that perspective, time is of the essence.

Photo: © Quickmail/Quickpac