Acquisition of Spanish logistics player Coral Transports & Stocks
Mid-September, H.Essers took over the activities of Spanish firm Coral Transports & Stocks, a family business with more than 20 years of experience in chemical and hazardous goods logistics. The company is Seveso-certified, while being located located centrally in the logistical hotspot of Spain. This acquisition is an important step in the strategic expansion of our chemicals segment in southern Europe. In this way, we can offer our customers an even broader range of synchromodal, integrated logistics solutions.
Coral Transports & Stocks was founded in 1995 by the Comas family and has recorded strong and stable growth over the years. The international logistics player specialises in handling, storing and transporting chemical and hazardous goods and is Seveso-certified. The company has two branches in Barcelona, one in Madrid and one in Gran Canaria, representing over 55,000 m² of state-of-the-art warehouses and a turnover of 30 million. This puts the carrier at the heart of the Spanish chemical sector. In addition to national and international road transport in a broad network, Coral also offers overseas solutions via sea and air, partly through cooperation with Iberteam.
“The acquisition of this Spanish player gives us additional resources and warehouse space in chemical and hazardous goods logistics as well as access to a new international network,” says Gert Bervoets, H.Essers CEO.
Expansion of one-stop shop for our customers
Together with Coral Transports & Stocks, we will optimise our transport to and from Spain and the rest of Europe. “For example, Coral’s Spanish transport network can be linked up to the rest of our European rail network via a train connection,” Gert Bervoets adds. “The company’s overseas solutions are also an asset to our customers. We can offer them an even broader one-stop-shop service with European and regional distribution centres and synchromodal, integrated solutions. One such customer benefiting from our logistical network is Ecolab. They would also like to utilise our services from Spain in the future.”
Strategic acquisition
The acquisition of Coral Transports & Stocks by H.Essers is in line with our broader strategic ambitions, as set out in the ‘H.Essers 2025’ plan. “The Coral employees and management will stay on and become part of our family,” says Gert Bervoets. “It is a good match, both in terms of activities and family values. Spain is also one of the spearheads of our international expansion. The chemical industry is strongly represented, especially in Madrid and Barcelona, and there is a lot of potential to further develop our chemical logistics solutions. Coral Transports & Stocks’ knowledge of local and international markets is indispensable to accomplish this ambition. They also have a Seveso licence and a customer portfolio that matches ours. Coral Transports & Stocks, in turn, will be able to call on our expertise in chemistry to continue to grow and strengthen its reference position.”
Family values
In terms of values, too, there was a match between the two companies. Gert Bervoets: “Both H.Essers and Coral Transports & Stocks are family businesses with strong and similar values. Coral will be able to continue these values as part of our large H.Essers family. Both the 164 employees and the management team will stay on. The Comas family will continue to support the growth of Coral Transports & Stocks. Joan Comas, Chairman of the Board of Directors, will be part of an advisory committee, while his daughter Sandra Comas and son Oscar Comas will retain their roles as Overseas & HSE Director and Commercial Director respectively.” Joan Comas is also pleased with this next step. “We are happy that with a partner like H.Essers, a family business with which we share many values, we can continue our growth story,” he says.
Would you like to know more about H.Essers’ warehousing and transport solutions at home and abroad? Please contact Maarten Goossens, Maarten.Goossens@essers.com.