Belgian transport company Transuniverse Forwarding, based in Wondelgem, Ghent, has acquired most of the activities of Ziegler Belgium.
The acquisition includes seven Ziegler Belgium locations: Aalst, Antwerp, Brussels Expo, Kontich, Rekkem (LAR), Welkenraedt, and Zeebrugge.
This move will significantly expand Transuniverse's transport, distribution, logistics, and customs activities, according to chairman Frank Adins.
Transuniverse will also absorb “a significant portion of Ziegler’s workforce,” ensuring the preservation of valuable expertise, industry know-how, and customer relationships.
The company’s revenue is expected to increase by over a third, climbing from about €100 million to €135 million.
Additionally, its logistics capacity will grow to over 75,000 square metres across several key sites in Belgium, alongside an expansion of its fleet.
Adins highlighted the potential for operational synergies, suggesting that the Welkenraedt site could serve as a hub for customers in Limburg and Wallonia, with onward connections to Germany and Central and Eastern Europe. This could reduce reliance on Antwerp’s congested transport network.
Earlier on Monday, Van Moer Logistics announced its acquisition of Ziegler Belgium’s air freight division at Brucargo, the cargo hub at Brussels Airport.
Later on Monday, the Brussels Commercial Court confirmed that Ziegler Belgium had declared bankruptcy, following the path of its French subsidiary, which collapsed in March. Court-appointed administrators are now seeking buyers for the remaining operations.
Founded in 1908, Ziegler employed over 3,200 staff across 16 countries at its peak. The transport company struggled financially in recent years, partly due to rising fuel costs. The French subsidiary’s bankruptcy earlier this year resulted in the loss of approximately 1,500 jobs.
In January, Diane Govaerts, the great-granddaughter of company founder Arthur Joseph Ziegler, was abruptly removed as CEO by her uncle and board chairman Alain Ziegler.
Govaerts had taken charge of the company in 2018 at age 32 and was named Francophone Manager of the Year in 2022 by business magazine 'Trends-Tendances.'
