TX Logistik AG becomes Germany's second-largest rail logistics company

TX Logistik AG, a subsidiary of Mercitalia Logistics, has completed the acquisition of Exploris Deutschland Holding GmbH Hamburg, a European rail freight transport company, making it the second-largest rail freight operator in Germany. Following the signing of the preliminary agreement last July, the transaction has now been finalised after approval by the relevant antitrust authorities.

"Our playing field does not end at national borders, but extends across the whole of Europe," commented Carlo Palasciano, Chief International Officer of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Group (FS). "With the completion of this transaction, we have come a good deal closer to the role that the Logistics division wants to play as a European logistics service provider. We have embarked on a growth path to increase the volume of goods transported by rail thanks to increasingly efficient connections to the national network and European rail corridors, to consolidate the integration of the ship-rail-road transport systems and to offer a competitive alternative to road transport throughout Europe."

With the conclusion of this agreement, the Logistics Division now has a presence in 11 countries, also through the Exploris companies, including Via Cargo, HSL Logistik and Delta Rail, thus strengthening the FS Group's position on the European market by adding new opportunities to transport to and from Italy, which will also benefit the import and export services of the Italian industry.

Exploris' international rail connections, which are strongly focused on East-West traffic, complement TX Logistik's network, which already has a strong presence along the European North-South axis.

Exploris' service network covers eight countries (Germany, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and Switzerland) and offers twelve direct connections. In addition, the company offers shunting services in Germany and Poland and has its own staff training centre.

The acquisition is part of the FS Group's strategy to become a system operator at European level through Mercitalia Logistics, taking a structured approach to generate international freight flows, expand the network and activate new synergies. The transaction will enable the Logistics division to further expand its international business with the integration of the two German companies, which together generate sales of around EUR 500 million and employ more than 1,000 people. This brings the total number of employees of the Logistics division in Europe to over 6,000.

Thanks to this agreement, Mercitalia Logistics is strengthening its presence in Germany, the leading freight hub in Europe. In 2022, around 386 billion. tonnes of goods were transported by rail (source Destatis), which corresponds to a 19 percent market share for rail. In Italy, this share is 11 per cent and the EU average is 17 per cent. In addition, the countries in which Exploris operates account for 34 per cent of Italy's imports and 26 per cent of its exports.

The FS Group regards Europe as its home market, in which it operates through various companies. It is currently represented in France with Trenitalia France and in Spain with Iryo in high-speed transport, in Greece with Hellenic Train in urban, suburban, medium and long-distance transport, in Germany with Netinera, a regional passenger transport company, in the United Kingdom with c2c and Avanti West Coast and in the Netherlands with Qbuzz, a road transport company. There is also TX Logistik in the logistics sector. Outside Europe, the company has long been active in the fields of engineering and certification. The development of the international strategy envisages an increase in Group turnover from 1.6 billion euros in 2021 to around 5 billion euros in 2031.