French vehicle logistics provider Groupe CAT has bought Toquero Group’s transport division and its Madrid businesses for an undisclosed sum. The acquisitions include Toquero Express SLU (in Spain) and Toquero France. It also includes Toquero’s ULTT subsidiary in Spain and its Autotrans subsidiary in Portugal.
The purchase allows Groupe CAT’s Vehicles Logistics division to diversify the number of carmakers it provides services for in Europe and means it will now be handling vehicle movements across Iberia for VW, Ford, Opel, Seat, Nissan and Jaguar Land Rover, boosting the number of vehicles it transports per year by 380,000.
The acquisition means the addition of more than 500 trucks dedicated to Groupe CAT’s customers and the company said that it will boost production resources not only in Spain and Portugal, but also across the whole of Europe through international transport. It will also provide new synergies implementation and generate opportunities for both current and new customers.
The latest purchase is part of a sustained purchasing strategy of asset-owning vehicle logistics companies by Groupe CAT. It bought a 50% stake in UK-based Carlson Vehicle Transfer (CVT) in November last year.
It has made other investments in fleets located in France, Benelux, Eastern Europe and Russia, and has also made investments in the multi-modal space, where it owns two ships as part of a joint venture with Suardiaz Lines, SCSC. CAT has also bought rail wagons and compounds, including a 100%-owned distribution centre near to a Renault factory in Batilly, France.
Last year Antoine Namand, told Automotive Logistics that Groupe CAT’s goal was to own 1,000 assets alongside its subcontracted fleet, for a 50-50 split.
