CEVA logistics to expand presence in Latin America through the acquisition of Cargex

MARSEILLE, FRANCE: As part of its development strategy, CEVA Logistics announced it has signed an agreement to acquire 100 percent of the shares of Cargex S.A., an international freight forwarding and perishable goods expert based in Bogotá, Colombia.

At closing of the acquisition, CEVA would also take complete control of the Cargex customs brokerage affiliate, Agencias de Aduanas Aduanamos S.A. Nivel 2.

Cargex, an expert in the handling of perishable products, has more than 25 years of experience. It has operations in Bogotá, Medellin, Cartagena, Buenaventura and Santa Marta. Over the years, Cargex and Aduanamos have become leaders in the handling of perishable products through leading infrastructure, experience and relationships, and through a knowledgeable, highly qualified team.

With this acquisition, CEVA Logistics will become a leading player in the perishables market in Colombia. Cargex General Manager Pablo Torres will join CEVA Logistics as director of perishables for Colombia and Ecuador.

CEVA Logistics is directly present in 10 countries in Latin America, where the company has nearly 10,000 employees across 40 locations. Already operating in Colombia and Ecuador, CEVA will maintain its current Colombian presence in Bogotá, Medellin, Cali, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Ipiales and Santa Marta, as well as its offices in Guayaquil and Quito in Ecuador.

CEVA expects the perishables market in Latin America to rise annually by 10 percent through 2024. Air freight will play a key role as the company expands in that growing perishables market, and the expanding CEVA SKYCAPACITY program will play a critical role in connecting Latin America to international markets.

With a current product focus on fruits, vegetables, flowers, fish and other proteins, CEVA plans to be a strong perishables market player in the Latin American region through targets to grow more than 50 percent in all of its current country markets.

Mathieu Friedberg, chief executive officer, CEVA Logistics, said, “With the addition of Cargex, CEVA Logistics continues its strategic push to capitalize on growing global and regional market segments. This acquisition is the perfect follow-on to our M&A activity in Africa over the past 12 months. With our global scale, we are able to see geographic and industry market segments primed for growth, and our experienced local teams are then able to seamlessly deliver the responsive logistics solutions that our customers have come to expect from us.”

Nadia Ribeiro, managing director for Latin America, CEVA Logistics, added, “Our strength in the perishables market continues to grow. Our position in Peru and Chile, and most recently in Brazil, reflects our successful strategy to create reliable local lines of business and lasting relationships with airline partners, as well as to leverage cross-selling opportunities in ocean freight in refrigerated containers. The local country teams are composed of industry experts with long-standing commercial relationships, enabling our customers to benefit from local expertise and a global network.”