Itella Logistics has signed an agreement to take over the Norwegian logistics operator UniversalSpedisjon Bergen AS and is also testing electric mopeds for mail delivery in various parts of
Finland.The Universal Spedisjon AS Bergen business will be transferred completely to Itella LogisticsAS, which has been a 50% shareholder of the company for the last few years, after the approval ofcompetition authorities in Norway and the completion of merger formalities.
Itella Logistics started its operations in Norway in 2006 with the acquisition of UniversalSpedisjon AS in Oslo, Kristiansand, Stavanger and Trondheim. Its services include full range ofair, sea and road transport, forwarding and contract logistics. The company employs a staff of 130people, and generates net sales of approximately € 62.5 million. Universal Spedisjon AS Bergen has12 employees, whose positions will not be affected.
“This strategic acquisition will strengthen our position in Norway as one of the leadinglogistics operators in the market. Universal Spedisjon Bergen has developed successfully logisticsservices within national and international transport, freight-forwarding, and contract logistics”,said Kjell-Arne Eloranta, Managing Director of Itella Logistics AS.
Separately, Itella will test the suitability of electric mopeds for mail delivery in severalcities in Finland. It will initially try out ten electric mopeds, specially designed for maildelivery purposes, during summer trials in Espoo, Pori, Pirkkala, Lempäälä, Vaasa and Teuva.
The electric mopeds are beneficial for the environment and produce lower running costs aswell as hardly any noise. An electric moped produces only 30% of the emissions generated bytraditional mopeds with a combustion engine.
In Finland, Itella uses some 5,500 vehicles, covering around 100 million km per year. Thenumber of mopeds in mail delivery amounts to approximately 100.
