Moroccan postal operator Poste Maroc has acquired one of the country’s leading expresscompanies, SDTM, for DH 103.1 million (€9.2 million) to consolidate its postal operations and
better position itself in the logistics sector.Poste Maroc said the move is part of its development strategy “to transform SDTM into a nationalleader” on the market. In operational terms, it plans to integrate its unit ‘Amana National Mail’into the business structure of SDTM.
The postal operator has several main activities, including delivery of mail, parcels and smallgoods and financial services operating via its network of service points and distributionroutes.
At present the parcel logistics business represents only 9% of Poste Maroc’s turnover which isrelatively low compared to postal operators in other parts of the world. With the acquisition, thepostal operator thus expects to boost its logistics activities.
Founded in 1996, SDTM focuses on areas including express mail, urgent deliveries, road transportof goods, freight forwarding, customised deliveries and all kinds of logistics services. It has a15% share in the Moroccan express and parcels market with a network of 35 depots and eight regionalhubs nationwide and a fleet of 200 vehicles in daily operations. Its warehousing area spreadsacross 15,000 sqm. The company employs 450 staff handling 4 million parcels a year.
According to experts, the Moroccan parcels and small goods market is currently growing 15% ayear. However, the informal sector continues to undermine the market with ‘informal’ and ‘unorganised’ companies holding 40% of the market, according to local media reports.
The remaining share consists of the ‘formal’ sector. The three market leaders CTM Messagerie, LaVoie Expresse and SDTM have a combined 30%. All three companies combined ship around 14 millionparcels every year.
