PKP CARGO has acquired the remaining 44.44% stake in PS Trade Trans, a large Polish logistics operator. Gaining full control over the forwarder’s business puts the ownership structure of subsidiaries in order and opens up the possibility of using the full potential of PKP CARGO Corporate Group as a logistics operator. PS Trade Trans has 25 years of experience in providing comprehensive logistics and forwarding services throughout Europe. This acquisition will allow PKP CARGO to continue its dynamic expansion on international markets.

In recent years, PS Trade Trans, which has an average income of roughly PLN 500 million, has organised the transport of 10 million tons of goods a year. The average distance PS Trade Trans travels throughout Europe a year reaches around 20 million kilometres. The company hires 350 employees in 18 customs agencies and 12 branch offices. This entity has a strategic meaning for the development of PKP CARGO as an integrated logistics operator, as it will complement other areas of the company’s development.

“The acquisition of PS Trade Trans is a step which brings us closer to our goal of PKP CARGO’s international expansion. We aim to unveil the strategy for PS Trade Trans and the new offer of our company’s logistics services as soon as in the second quarter of the year,” says Chief Executive Officer of PKP CARGO Adam Purwin. “Full integration of the Poland’s largest rail freight carrier with one of the largest forwarding companies in the sector will allow further development of PKP CARGO, while the experience gained by PS Trade Trans on international markets will allow us to expand our contact network,” adds Adam Purwin.

PS Trade Trans provides comprehensive transport, handling, storage and customs services. The logistics structure of the company ensures the handling of the largest and most demanding transport undertakings. PS Trade Trans services include rail and road freight forwarding, organisation of transport by sea, inland waters and air, transport of trains and lorries by ferry from Poland to Scandinavia and the other way round, transport of oversized and particularly heavy cargo, comprehensive customs services, biomass and cereal logistics, handling of cargo in sea ports and inland cargo terminals, and warehouse logistics.

The forwarding company owns a total of 9 handling terminals. Together with the terminals of PKP CARGO, they will form a strategic network of handling centres located throughout Poland. Goods which are most frequently handled by PS Trade Trans terminals include wood and wooden products, metals and metal products, black coal, brown coal, and coke.

PKP CARGO provided the rolling stock while PS Trade Trans supplemented PKP CARGO’s offer with forwarding, ferry and road transport services.