SNCF Geodis

SNCF Logistics (formerly known as SNCF Geodis) is the division of the SNCF group responsible for freight transportation and logistics. The CEO of SNCF Logistics is Alain Picard (June 2015)

The division includes the activities of: Geodis (and subsidiaries), general land transport and logistics; Fret SNCF the national rail freight operator as well as VFLI (short haul freight), Captrain, (international rail freight), combining the former Fret SNCF International and operations acquired from Veolia Cargo; rail vehicle leasing operations such as Ermewa, France Wagons, Akiem and Transengrais; and the automobile transportation company STVA.

SNCF Geodis is a state-owned enterprise, classified as an Établissement public à caractère industriel et commercial (EPIC). SNCF's subsidiaries and participations which are led by SNCF Geodis, are grouped in the holding company Transport et Logistique Partenaires, which is a subsidiary of SNCF Participations.

History

1904 Creation of Transports Rapides Calberson in Le Havre, renamed Société des Transports Routiers Calberson in 1920. 1961 SCETA takes over Société des Transports Routiers Calberson. 1995 The GEODIS group is created with the merger of Compagnie Générale Calberson, Bourgey Montreuil, SCETA Transport and SCETA International. 1996 The Group is privatized by the decree of August 20, 1996 and restructures into four Lines of Business: Groupage, Overseas, Logistics and Road. 2002 GEODIS forms a partnership with the German company Rohde & Liesenfeld to strengthen its international sales and transport network. The company confirms a return to profit. 2003 GEODIS expands its Asian network with new business locations in its own name in Indonesia and Korea. 2004 GEODIS Calberson celebrates its centenary. The Group confirms its return to profitable growth. 2005 GEODIS is floated on Compartment B of the Eurolist market of Euronext in Paris. The Group launches its European groupage service, Eurofirst. 2006 The Group acquires TNT’s Freight Forwarding division, ranking it among the leading freight management operators in Europe. 2007 GEODIS launches a share capital increase that proves an outstanding success. The Group acquires Rohde & Liesenfeld and introduces a new organization structure based on four Lines of Business: Groupage, Freight Forwarding, Contract Logistics and Road.

2008 GEODIS joins SNCF’s new Transport and Logistics division following a takeover by its major shareholder. That same year, on the basis of a long-term contract GEODIS acquires IBM Global Logistics, IBM’s global logistics flow management platform, giving rise to the Group’s fifth business: GEODIS Supply Chain Optimization. 2009 GEODIS continues it‘s program of external growth with the acquisition of two of the four divisions of Giraud International: the Iron and Steel business and the Central and Eastern European Area business. 2012 Marie-Christine Lombard joins the Group as Chief Executive Officer. 2015 GEODIS acquires OHL (Ozburn-Hessey Logistics) and enhances its Freight Forwarding and Contract Logistics offering in the US.

Background

Calberson

The origins of the logistics company Calberson date back to 1904 when Emile Calberson founded a courier business in Le Havre transferring to and on the rail network, by 1910 his company had expanded and served the whole Paris-Rouen-Le Havre railway line. In 1925 the company incorporates becoming the Société des Transports Rapides Calberson. In 1932 France Domicile Transport (FTD) acquires a majority share in the company, and it becomes Société Nouvelle des Transportes Rapides Calberson (SNTR). In 1955 it is acquired by the SNCF road transport subsidiary Sceta. With state backing the company expanded, acquiring Schenker France in 1966, and beginning overseas operations. In 1984 the company, as Compagnie Générale Calberson (CGC) had its shares publicly offered on the Paris stock exchange.^[4]

Geodis

In 1995 Calberson, along with its overseas operations, as well as the company Bourgey-Montreuil, and other non-rail freight businesses of SNCF-Sceta were combined into Compagnie Générale Calberson which was renamed as Geodis. The Geodis group was subsequently privatised in 1996.^[2]

In 1997 Tailleur Industrie was acquired, in 2000 the express delivery service Extand was sold to the UK Post Office, and had acquired the cargo operations of the Italian firm Züst Ambrosetti by the end of the year.^[2] A partnership with the German air and sea freight firm Rohde & Liesenfeld begins in 2002^[8] leading to its acquisition and incorporation into the subsidiary Geodis Wilson in 2008.^[9] Additionally the group begins to handle forwarding for FedEx in France in 2006^[8] and takes over the freight management activities of TNT (formerly known as Wilson Logistics prior to TNT acquisition^[10] in the same year.^[11] The company became Geodis Wilson in 2007.^[12]

In April 2008 SNCF made an offer for 57% of the shares in Geodis,^[13] (having originally had a 43% stake^[1]) at 462 Million Euros, thus taking control of the company and effectively re-nationalising an organisation that had been privatised twelve years earlier.^[14] The bid was authorised by the French stockmarket regulator AMF (Autorité des marchés financiers) in May.^[15]

SNCF Geodis

Following the acquisition of Geodis SNCF Geodis became the name of the corporate division of SNCF for all freight and logistics, both internal and international, including non-rail activities.

In March 2009 the Geodis take over of IBM's Global Logistics company first announced in December 2008 was finalised.,^[16] additionally as part of the purchase deal of the logistics business Geodis became the sole logistics supplier for IBM with a multi-year contract.^[17]

In September 2009 Veolia Cargo was acquired by SNCF and Eurotunnel, the business units acquired by SNCF were subsequently rebranded along with other international rail freight companies in the SNCF group in February 2010 as Captrain.^[18]

In January 2010 the total acquisition of Ermewa (a major European wagon hire business^[19]) by SNCF Geodis via the SNCF subsidiary company Transport et Logistique Partenaires SA was cleared by the European Commission.^[20]

In December 2010, SNCF Geodis completed its purchase of ITL Eisenbahngesellschaft.^[21]

Divisional structure

As of 2010 SNCF Geodis is one of five subdivisions of SNCF. The division is organised into four spheres - Geodis (integrated logistics), STVA (car transportation logistics), Rail transport, and Asset management (rolling stock leasing):^[22][23]

• Geodis^[24]
  • Geodis Wilson (formed from merger of Geodis Overseas merged with TNT Freight Management, Wilson Logistics and Rohde & Liesenfeld.^[25]) - road, air and sea freight logistics^[26]
  • Geodis Calberson (formerly Calberson) - messaging and express services - France and Europe^[27]
  • Geodis Logistics (formerly IBM logistics plus other acquisitions) - logistics management^[28]
  • Geodis BM (Formerly Bourgey-Montreuil) European road transport^[29]
• STVA (Société de Transports de Véhicules Automobiles )- transportation of vehicles (car etc.) via road, rail and sea.^[30]
• Rail transport:
  • Fret SNCF - French rail freight transport operations as public company
  • VFLI - French rail freight transport operations as private company
  • Captrain - European railfreight transport operations outside France:^[18]
    • Captrain Benelux (formerly Fret SNCF Benelux, Veolia Cargo Belgium, Veolia Cargo Nederland and ITL Benelux)
    • Captrain Deutschland (formerly Fret SNCF Deutschland and Veolia Cargo Deutschland including the former Rail4Chem)
    • Captrain Italia (formerly Fret SNCF Italia and Veolia Cargo Italia)
    • Captrain UK (formerly Freight Europe UK^[31])
    • Captrain Romania (formerly VFLI Romania)
• Asset management - locomotive and wagon leasing and related services:
  • Akiem (locomotives)^[32]
  • Ermewa (wagons)^[19] with
  • France Wagons (wagons),^[33] merged into Ermewa group May 2010.^[34]
  • Transengrais (rail transport of fertilizer - vehicle lease or rental)^[35]

References

External links

• Geodis (Acquired by SNCF 2008) Detailed background and financial information about Geodis on www.supplychainleaders
• Geodis Wilson Official Website