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Mergers and Acquisitions in the European transport and logistics market

Thu, 08 May 2025 16:42:21 GMT

The value of global and overall European merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in 2024 increased for the first time since 2021

The value of global and overall European merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in 2024 increased for the first time since 2021. However, overall deal volume declined, reflecting a shift towards fewer, higher value M&A deals. Despite this, M&A momentum remained strong in the European transport and logistics sector with deal volumes increasing 14 % year-on-year. This analysis examines the specific challenges and issues impacting the transport and logistics market in 2024 and considers the outlook for 2025.

Our Global M&A trends analysis highlights that overall European M&A value saw a 19 % year on year increase in 2024 to US$633 bn, but overall European deal volume declined 8 %, consistent with global trends.

Growth in overall European M&A was supported by a year-on-year rise in Strategic (24%) and Private Equity (PE) (11%) deal value. Growth in PE was slower than Strategic, with Europe and the Americas being the only geographies to witness year-on-year growth in PE deal value.

Within Europe, the UK remained the largest contributor to deal value, accounting for 28 % (US$175 b) of the total for the region.

Global M&A activity is expected to gain further momentum in 2025, driven by falling interest rates, strong economic expansion, substantial uninvested capital, the imperative for business transformation and, potentially, more favourable regulatory conditions.

Utilising Mergermarket and other publicly available data, we focus on the European transport and logistics market, identify key trends in 2024 and assess the outlook for 2025.

Key takeaway 1: M&A momentum remained strong across the European logistics industry in 2024, dominated by smaller and mid-sized deals

The European logistics industry proved resilient and showed a 15 % year-on-year increase in deals from 318 in 2023 to 364 in 2024 as many of the macroeconomic events and geopolitical tensions impacting the industry in 2023 started to ease.

The count in deals were primarily driven by corporates entering new geographies, building scale and enhancing capabilities, as well as pent up demand from PE contributing to higher deal activity.

M&A activity in the sector has been dominated by smaller and mid-sized deals, albeit there were still a number of significant transactions in 2024 including:

DSV’s proposed acquisition of Schenker from Deutsche Bahn (approximate deal value £12 billion), creating the world’s largest 3PL (third-party logistics provider)
EP Group’s takeover of International Distribution Services (IDS) (approximate deal value £3.6 bn)
Apollo Funds acquisition of Evri from Advent International (approximate deal value £2.7 bn)
GXO’s acquisition of Wincanton (approximate deal value £750 m).

Global supply chain challenges and complexities are providing service providers the opportunity to invest deeply into supply chains with significant upside potential if technology and operational/cost improvements are put in place, including for bolt-on acquisitions. This buy and build strategy is attractive to both PE and corporates.

Large service providers are also building deeper sector specialisms making them indispensable to their customer base.

Key takeaway 2: Corporate buyers represented 75 % of 2024 logistics deals but PE remains active in the market

Market consolidation continued in 2024. Corporate deals increased 12 % year on year and represented 75 % of deal activity in 2024 (around 2 % reduction in proportion compared with 2023).

Some of the largest deals of 2024 were corporate-led, driven by strategies to enter new geographies and/or consolidate, including deals that Deloitte worked on such as:

acquisition of the UK’s largest haulier Maritime Transport by MSC subsidiary Medlog
sale of Edge Worldwide Logistics to DP World
sale of Global Freight Solutions to International Logistics Group Ltd (Yusen Logistics/NYK group)
acquisition of International Airfreight Associates (IAA) by JAS Worldwide
acquisition of H&S Group by Den Hartogh
acquisition of Bakker Logistiek by STEF.

PE backed deals in the sector followed the wider European trend, increasing by 13 % year on year to 81 in 2024, with PE firms investing in a variety of subsectors including haulage and transport, couriers and parcels, warehousing and third-party logistics. This could be due to PE groups capitalising on the continued disruption to the logistics industry and relatively weak market conditions (e.g. higher interest rates) in 2024 which have enabled more acquisitions at favourable terms. Deloitte has worked on a number of significant PE backed deals during 2024, as funds look for opportunities to diversify their portfolio and support investments to execute on growth opportunities, including expanding into new geographies and/or areas of the supply chain, including:

acquisition of Evri (as mentioned above), by Apollo funds
acquisition of Combined Cargo Terminals (CCT) by Northleaf Capital Partners
acquisition of Dutch inland port and rail terminal operator CTH by Infracapital
acquisition of Suttons Tankers by leading Dutch transport company Schenk Tanktransport, a portfolio company of Argos Wityu.

Key takeaway 3: 44 % of deals in 2024 were cross-border, indicating that M&A remains an attractive strategy to enter new markets and deliver growth

Of the 364 logistics deals announced in 2024, 159 (44%) were cross-border acquisitions, and around three-quarters of those were made by corporates, reflecting a continuation of the trend to use M&A as a vehicle to enter new territories and expand geographical coverage.

312 acquisitions (86%) were led by European buyers compared to 52 buyers (14%) based across the rest of the world. Among European buyers, France and Spain made up the largest number of deals in 2024 with 39 (11%) and 37 (10%) deals, respectively, followed by the UK and the Netherlands with 9 % each. The US made up the majority of the acquisitions from across the rest of the world with 19 (5%) deals.

Key takeaway 4: The Warehousing subsector has shown the largest year-on-year increase in deal activity

Haulage/transport (including multi-modal transport) and Freight forwarding/supply chain solutions continue to be the largest target subsectors and made up 29 % and 15 % of deals in 2024, respectively. However, the Warehousing and storage subsector showed the largest year-on-year increase in deal activity of over 180 % from 11 deals in 2023 to 31 in 2024. This is primarily driven by targets which cater to unique handling needs such as bulk liquid and fuel storage, and temperature-controlled warehousing.

Only 30 % of targets in 2024 were acquired by a bidder within the same subsector suggesting buyers are seeking to diversify their offerings, with a focus on vertical integration across the logistics value chain.

Note:

Haulage/transport includes road transport and rail operators
Shipping relates to vessel operators
3PL represent warehousing, distribution and fulfilment companies
Other primarily includes port operators and services (excl. towing).

FY25 outlook

We expect 2025 to be another exciting year for M&A in the logistics industry, with activity continuing to grow.

As supply chain challenges and complexities continue, including the potential for higher tariffs and changing source points following the 2024 US election, so does the importance of minimising disruption and securing supply chains. We expect that investment in freight forwarding/supply chain solutions companies will continue to increase, along with large corporates acquiring to build scale and secure routes across a variety of modes of transport and across geographies to serve global customers.

We anticipate that logistics customers will need to work ever closer with supply chain service providers. However, the rapid pace of consolidation and integration within the industry presents a challenge for providers to effectively support customers in adapting their supply chains. This need for agility and customer-centric solutions will drive further innovation and opportunities for acquisitions that enhance existing capabilities.

The expanding interest in temperature controlled (cold chain) logistics solutions is also expected to continue given that demand is driven largely by commodities, such as foods and pharmaceuticals.

M&A in the European logistics industry has shown resilience in the post-pandemic period, with both corporate and PE buyers interested in the sector. Logistics service providers are becoming increasingly important as availability of supply is becoming a top priority for their clients. As a result, buyers in the market with available cash are acquiring and integrating at pace to prepare themselves for a more dramatic consolidation shift in the industry.

Methodology: The deal dataset used for this analysis was sourced from Mergermarket and includes deals tagged as Transportation, excluding those involving buses, aviation, passenger operators, and towage services. Deloitte has allocated subsectors based on company descriptions from Mergermarket and publicly available data.

Benesch 2024: Pent-up dollars could be big factor in logistics M&A next year

Thu, 08 May 2025 16:28:42 GMT

Caution about freight market itself discussed as dealmakers gather, with Trump tariffs in the background

NEW YORK – The Benesch private equity in transportation conference held each December brings together a huge swath of key private equity, venture capital and general dealmakers focused for a full day of discussion on the state of the market for buying and selling logistics companies.

Formally the “Investing in the Transportation & Logistics Industry Conference,” the event has witnessed in its four years of existence (it informally succeeded a similar New York gathering) the strongest freight market in recent history, followed by a spectacular collapse that led panelists in previous years to caution owners that if they wanted to sell their companies, they had better get real about their valuations.

But the 2024 gathering held earlier this month may have marked a turning point. General sentiment is that the market for logistics and transportation properties has probably reached its nadir and there’s plenty of pent-up capital looking for a place to go – but changes in political governance inevitably are raising uncertainties about the 2025 market.

Kristopher Hopkins, managing director and head of transportation and logistics banking at BMO Capital Markets, said on the M&A Outlook panel for 2025, “Private equity is sitting on something like a trillion dollars in dry powder.”

“They need to redeploy those funds and realize some investments,” Hopkins said. But even with that, he added, after the weak performances of 2023 and 2024, next year will probably only be up “a bit.”

Jonathan Adams, the managing director for transportation and logistics at Capstone Partners, expressed a similar sentiment among investors, which he called “frustrated optimism.”

“There are people who want to do stuff and there are great companies that people have invested in,” Adams said. Such companies have invested in automation and brought in new equipment. They are “finally paying their drivers, as they should have many years ago.” With all that done, he said, “they’re ready to hit the market.”

Ready to deploy, ready to realize

Adams, like Hopkins, referred to the buildup of funds looking for opportunities. “There are PE funds that raised billions of dollars in capital, and they’re ready to deploy it,” he said.

On the other side of the ledger, Adams said, “there are other PE funds that have been sitting on portfolios for six, eight, 10 years and they’re ready to realize it. So the good news here is that I think the factors are going to combine in a way that enables us to take advantage of that, and the people that want to sell are going to finally be able to sell, and people that want to deploy capital will be able to do so.”

It’s a business that has been hoping for a turnaround for a long time. Mark Fornasiero, managing partner of Clarendon Capital, said on the same panel that 2023’s market for merger and acquisition activity in logistics was “like a falling knife through the whole year.” Activity in 2024 “was just as bad a year, but it didn’t feel as bad because it was kind of slowly creeping up, a lot slower than everyone wanted, but still kind of skating at the bottom.”

Niches have done well

Fornaserio did say Clarendon has had some success as an adviser in acquisitions and sales in niches, “and we’re able to find ways to do positive things in niches during these times,” with success in particular logistics fields that “weren’t as badly hit.” He cited one unidentified company that has specialized in wine and spirits logistics.

Over the years, discussions on M&A at the Benesch conference seem to come back frequently to getting owners to more realistically value their companies. Paul Martins, the CEO of Ascent Global Logistics, said something similar but with a twist: The niches don’t set the market.

“What we have to be careful of is for both private equity companies and sellers out there not to get fixated on a niche company that sold for high multiples,” he said. “That is not the norm. And I think you’ll see expectations of valuation coming down to what I would call more realistic numbers.”

2025, Fornasiero said, “is going to be a better year. The question is, will it be kind of a more slow and steady getting better, or are we going to have that kind of rocket turnaround that we had post-COVID?”

Brian Bourke, chief commercial officer at Seko Logistics, sat in for company CEO James Gagne on the opening panel of CEOs. Bourke was generally optimistic about the strength of the freight market in 2025. The tender rejection rate is “going up, though somewhat modestly.”

Jason Provonsha, CEO of Steam Logistics, was cautious about the chances for a rebound in the 2025 freight market.

Data about rejection rates and per-mile rates bolstered his confidence, he said. But Provonsha added, “I just don’t think it’s going to be a swift recovery.”

He conceded that he did not expect the sharp fall in the freight market that first settled in during early 2022, “but I don’t think we’re going to see a sort of roar back to the industry. I expect to see some incremental improvements.”

Still, he said, he might be optimistic because “I’m just so tired of being pessimistic.”

While several speakers were hopeful for a freight market rebound this year, Hopkins raised one concern. He noted that the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) remains below 50 , which indicates contraction, not growth. Manufacturing activity “certainly is not going to be the key to recovery,” Hopkins said.

Brokerages could be a target

Martins said one area that is particularly ripe for deals is consolidation of brokerages. “I think you’ll see companies or investors who have seen that it’s not really where they want to be,” Martins said.

He cited the UPS sale of Coyote Logistics – Martins is a former UPS executive – which was notable because UPS “never wants to admit they ever made a mistake.”

“We went in and gave them the brown blood transfusions and the story was really good when we were talking to you,” Martins said. But eventually, UPS (NYSE: UPS) management realized “this is not working well” and ended up selling the company to RXO (NYSE: RXO) for a little more than $1 billion after paying $1.8 billion for it in 2015.

“I think you’ll see more of that,” Martins said.

Bourke said the number of individual brokers who have left the business in recent years can be measured in the thousands.

The concern about tariffs

Any discussion of what might happen in 2024 took place against the backdrop of a second Trump administration and the tariffs that might come with that.

Bourke said at a recent meeting of Seko customers, “the biggest concern were 60% tariffs,” a reference to one of President-elect Donald Trump’s policy proposals to implement tariffs of that size on certain types of imports, particularly from China.

Those clients included “seasoned veterans that kind of understand what this can do for a business, but also how to navigate it,” Bourke said.

“I’ve been told by them that with President Trump, as with the first term, the best way to navigate a second term is to never take him literally but always to take him seriously.”

Provonsha said the introduction of tariffs in the first Trump term occurred soon after Steam had signed annual contracts to secure ocean freight. “And then all the rates went through the roof because capacity got super tight as importers were trying to pull shipments forward,” he said. “And it just created an environment of some very challenging conversations with customers that ultimately went OK, but it’s certainly an uncomfortable thing to have to go to your customers and try to walk … through these things that maybe at that time they didn’t fully understand.”

Among other points made about logistics in 2025 at the Benesch conference:

The possibility of another port strike on the East and Gulf coasts in January is a big concern, Bourke said. And while a Republican president will be five days shy of inauguration when the strike could resume Jan. 15, the response might not be traditional, he said. In the past, a Republican administration might invoke the Taft-Hartley Act to put an end to such a walkout. But given the nomination of Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer as secretary of labor, whom Burke called “the most pro-union Republican in Congress today … it makes you wonder what will happen.”
Fornasiero raised another issue in the short term under a Trump administration: “pushing back on the independent contractor model.” The Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor has adopted a definition of independent contractors (ICs) that is seen as leaning toward defining a worker as an employee rather than an IC. But that rule displaced a Trump administration rule that only went into effect as the first Trump administration was ending. “I think there’s going to be volatility in a number of areas, and this is one of them” he said.

5 Proven Hacks to Skyrocket Your Blog Traffic in 2025

Tue, 06 May 2025 19:53:54 GMT

Picture this: you’ve poured your heart into a blog post, hit “publish,” and… crickets. But what if a few smart tweaks could turn that tumbleweed of silence into a buzzing crowd of readers?

Picture this: you’ve poured your heart into a blog post, hit “publish,” and… crickets. But what if a few smart tweaks could turn that tumbleweed of silence into a buzzing crowd of readers? In this post, I’ll walk you through five simple yet powerful tactics—think irresistible headlines, SEO shortcuts, guest spots on big-name sites, fresh spins on evergreen content, and strategic sharing—that together can help your blog earn the spotlight it deserves. Ready to see your traffic soar? Let’s dive in!

Craft Irresistible Headlines

Every great blog post begins with a headline that compels readers to click. Internet users skim rapidly—studies show 60% never scroll past the headline—so using strong adjectives and clear promises is critical. Phrases like “incredible,” “simple,” and “free” paired with smart rationale terms (“reasons,” “hacks,” “ways”) can increase your click-through rate by up to 25%.

To write a magnetic headline:

Include your primary keyword at the start to signal relevance to both readers and search engines.
Use numbers and brackets —for example, “5 Hacks to Improve Your Blog and Get More Traffic [2025 Update]”—which boost shares by signaling concrete value.
A/B test variations with tools like Google Optimize to see which headline resonates most with your audience.

Target Long-Tail Keywords

Focusing on long-tail keywords helps you rank faster for specific queries with lower competition. For instance, instead of targeting “blog traffic,” aim for “how to increase blog traffic in 2025” to capture motivated readers who know exactly what they want.

Steps to implement:

Perform keyword research using tools like Ubersuggest or Ahrefs to uncover related questions and phrases.
Integrate these long-tail terms naturally in your headings, subheadings, and first 100 words to optimize on-page SEO.
Monitor rankings in Google Search Console and adjust content structure based on performance data.

Leverage Guest Posting

Guest blogging on authoritative sites remains one of the most effective ways to build backlinks and drive referral traffic. By contributing high-value content to niche-relevant publications, you not only tap into their established audience but also earn credibility in your field.

To maximize your guest-post strategy:

Identify reputable blogs in your niche with engaged readership—look for sites with Domain Authority above 50.
Pitch unique, data-driven ideas that solve real problems, rather than repurposing your existing posts, to increase acceptance rates.
Include a contextual backlink to your own blog within the body of the post, and promote the guest article across your channels to drive reciprocal traffic.

Repurpose Evergreen Content

Evergreen content—articles that remain relevant year-round—can be refreshed and redistributed to maintain steady traffic growth. By updating statistics, adding new examples, or converting blog posts into infographics and videos, you re engage both new and returning readers.

Best practices for repurposing:

Audit your top-performing posts every six months to identify pieces with declining traffic.
Refresh headlines and intros to reflect current trends or data, which can boost rankings and click-throughs.
Create alternative formats (e.g., SlideShare decks, podcasts, Instagram carousels) to reach audiences on different platforms.

Promote via Social Media and Email

Even the best content needs promotion. Sharing your posts strategically on social media and through email newsletters can amplify reach and encourage repeat visits. In 2025, 90% of consumers rely on social platforms to discover content, making these channels indispensable .

Promotion tactics:

Optimize social profiles with branded keywords and a clear call-to-action linking back to your blog.
Schedule posts at peak engagement times using tools like Buffer or Sprout Social to maximize visibility.

Segment your email list and send tailored recommendations—highlighting related posts or exclusive updates—to drive consistent traffic and build loyalty.

Make the most of the season by following these simple guidelines

sales@mycyberboost.tech (Ronald Reeves) — Sat, 06 May 2023 15:12:37 GMT

The new season is a great reason to make and keep resolutions. Whether it’s eating right or cleaning out the garage, here are some tips for making and keeping resolutions.

Make a list

Lists are great ways to stay on track. Write down some big things you want to accomplish and some smaller things, too.

Check the list regularly

Don’t forget to check in and see how you’re doing. Just because you don’t achieve the big goals right away doesn’t mean you’re not making progress.

Reward yourself

When you succeed in achieving a goal, be it a big one or a small one, make sure to pat yourself on the back.

Think positively

Positive thinking is a major factor in success. So instead of mulling over things that didn’t go quite right, remind yourself of things that did.

Keep in touch with site visitors and boost loyalty

sales@mycyberboost.tech (Ronald Reeves) — Sat, 06 May 2023 15:12:36 GMT

There are so many good reasons to communicate with site visitors. Tell them about sales and new products or update them with tips and information.

Here are some reasons to make blogging part of your regular routine.

Blogging is an easy way to engage with site visitors

Writing a blog post is easy once you get the hang of it. Posts don’t need to be long or complicated. Just write about what you know, and do your best to write well.

Show customers your personality

When you write a blog post, you can really let your personality shine through. This can be a great tool for showing your distinct personality.

Blogging is a terrific form of communication

Blogs are a great communication tool. They tend to be longer than social media posts, which gives you plenty of space for sharing insights, handy tips and more.

It’s a great way to support and boost SEO

Search engines like sites that regularly post fresh content, and a blog is a great way of doing this. With relevant metadata for every post so search engines can find your content.

Drive traffic to your site

Every time you add a new post, people who have subscribed to it will have a reason to come back to your site. If the post is a good read, they’ll share it with others, bringing even more traffic!

Blogging is free

Maintaining a blog on your site is absolutely free. You can hire bloggers if you like or assign regularly blogging tasks to everyone in your company.

A natural way to build your brand

A blog is a wonderful way to build your brand’s distinct voice. Write about issues that are related to your industry and your customers.

Tips for writing great posts that increase your site traffic

sales@mycyberboost.tech (Ronald Reeves) — Sat, 06 May 2023 15:12:36 GMT

Write about something you know. If you don’t know much about a specific topic that will interest your readers, invite an expert to write about it.

Speak to your audience

You know your audience better than anyone else, so keep them in mind as you write your blog posts. Write about things they care about. If you have a company Facebook page, look here to find topics to write about

Take a few moments to plan your post

Once you have a great idea for a post, write the first draft. Some people like to start with the title and then work on the paragraphs. Other people like to start with subtitles and go from there. Choose the method that works for you.

Don’t forget to add images

Be sure to include a few high-quality images in your blog. Images break up the text and make it more readable. They can also convey emotions or ideas that are hard to put into words.

Edit carefully before posting

Once you’re happy with the text, put it aside for a day or two, and then re-read it. You’ll probably find a few things you want to add, and a couple more that you want to remove. Have a friend or colleague look it over to make sure there are no mistakes. When your post is error-free, set it up in your blog and publish.