The Spanish GLS subsidiary Extand Sistema SL has been operating as “GLS Spain” since March 1st2005. And a new depot also went into operation in Madrid on April 1st. These developments
characterise GLS’ new strategy in Spain: to drive on the development of the company-own network. Atthe same time, GLS continues to work with local partners; since February 2005, it has been workingwith CHRONOEXPRESS, a company currently rated third in the Spanish parcel and express market.Spain, with its increasingly liberalised and modernised industrial sector and relatively highgrowth rates, is a strategically important market. For this reason, GLS has decided to invest inits own network here. “The alternative to developing our own system structures would be to acquireor invest in a company that has already established itself nationally”, explains Rico Back, CEO ofGeneral Logistics Systems B.V., Amsterdam (GLS). “This option could not be realised at acceptableconditions.” Since May 2000, GLS has been represented in Spain by a subsidiary in Barcelona aswell as local partners. The conversion to GLS Spain highlights GLS’ new strategy of organic growth– in cooperation with its partners. “The GLS brand name provides us with easier access to largecompanies that operate internationally and place high demands on cross-border parcel logistics”,says Back.
New GLS depot in Madrid
Via the new location in Madrid, GLS Spain now offers its own high-quality services throughoutthe entire city region. The new facility has also led to a reduction in regular delivery timesbetween Spain and Portugal from 48 to 24 hours – in close cooperation with the Portuguese networkpartner Personalis S.A. And, for a long time now, GLS Barcelona has been providing nationwideconnections to France with a regular delivery time of 24 hours. Transports to Germany, NorthernItaly, England and the Benelux countries are carried out from Barcelona with a regular deliverytime of 48 hours.
Strong partners
With regard to the provision of nationwide parcel and express logistics in Spain, thecooperation with partners has proved successful for GLS. Particularly the Balearic Islands andregions with customs jurisdiction, such as the Canary Islands, Gibraltar, Andorra, Ceuta andMellila, are difficult for parcel and express deliveries. “We’ve selected a strong local partnerfor every region to ensure that customers throughout the whole of Spain receive a high qualityparcel service. In February 2005, GLS began cooperating with CHRONOEXPRESS, a subsidiary ofthe Spanish Post Correos. “CHRONOEXPRESS is a high-performance partner whose service standards willbenefit our customers”, says Back
