DPDgroup buys Dutch healthcare logistics and food delivery firms

DPDgroup is expanding its healthcare logistics and food delivery activities with the acquisition of two specialist firms in the Netherlands.

DPD Netherlands announced yesterday the strategic acquisition of BK Pharma Logistics and BK Sneltransport, which specialise in temperature-controlled transport of food and pharmaceuticals for major Dutch and international firms.

The acquisitions follow an unexpected surge in demand for deliveries of food, pharmaceuticals and healthcare products amid pandemic lockdown restrictions in many European countries.

Targeting rapid growth

DPD Netherlands said it aims to expand its core activities by 2025, and this strategic acquisition will allow it to enter a market requiring in-depth knowledge, extensive experience and specific conditions.

BK Pharma Logistics and BK Sneltransport, with 130 employees, have highly specific expertise in the area of temperature-controlled transport, DPD explained. From a state-of-the-art warehouse in Boxmeer, south of Nijmegen (and close to the German border), the transport of pharmaceutical and healthcare products is organised in a safe, temperature-controlled way from a validated environment.

DPD Netherlands will encourage their rapid growth, allowing BK Pharma Logistics and BK Sneltransport to continue business independently. There will be no changes for customers of BK Pharma Logistics and BK Sneltransport or DPD Netherlands. They will remain customers of the organisation where they purchase their services.

“Huge potential”

Eric Dietz, CEO at DPD Netherlands, commented: “We are delighted to be working with BK Pharma Logistics and BK Sneltransport. We can learn much from each other, enter new markets together and thus grow our activities in temperature-controlled transport for the pharmaceutical, healthcare and food sectors. This holds with our ambitions and the growth markets that we, at DPD, have identified as having huge potential.”

Paul Bouwmeester, Managing Director of BK Pharma Logistics and BK Sneltransport, said: “This cooperation with DPD will be of huge benefit to us. By working with DPD Netherlands, we will have the opportunity to grow faster, and it also gives us access to a network of larger, international customers, bringing benefits to both our customers and employees.”