STEF LOGISTICS SAINTES

French logistics service provider Stef has turned over 4.8 billion euros in 2024, up just over 8% from the previous year. According to the company, the growth was largely due to several acquisitions, such as those of Scottish Long Lane Deliveries and Belgium's TDL Fresh Logistics. In the Netherlands, results lagged behind compared to Belgium and France.

French group STEF has completed the acquisition of TDL Group's food transport and logistics business, four months after announcing its intention to do so. TDL Group will continue its business in the construction materials sector and dedicated logistics solutions.

TDL Fresh Logistics is not a company but a brand name for the transportation and logistics of fresh and frozen food products, behind which are several companies acquired or developed by TDL Group over the years: Refrigeration, Coldway Express, Cooltrans Logistics and Cardon Logistique. Cardon Logistique was acquired in 2013,

STEF has successfully completed the acquisition of Bakker Logistiek, following the positive opinion of the Dutch competition authorities and the completion of legal public participation procedures. With this, the French group strengthens its network in the Netherlands with six new branches. STEF Netherlands has 400 employees and more than 100 vehicles. Bakker Logistics is much larger : it is one of the largest temperature-controlled companies in the Netherlands, with 1400 employees and a fleet of 325 vehicles. Operationally, the two companies complement each other: STEF Netherlands specializes in transport and logistics services for food products (chilled and frozen), with Bakker Logistics also specializing in packaging services for food products (ambient and chilled).

STEF Group inaugurated its new logistics center in Tubize last Friday. The new site, used only for major distribution platforms, has 17,000 pallet spaces and stores food products at a constant temperature. The logistics center had already been operational since May 2023, but was thus only now inaugurated. "This is an important step in STEF's accelerated development in Belgium," said general manager Bastien Dreano. "This is the third site in Tubize. So we have another site with a clear focus on transport and a second site that can stock product at three different temperatures: frozen products at -20°C, fresh products between 2 and 4°C and a final warehouse that works with temperatures between 8 and 10°C."

French logistics service provider STEF has inaugurated a new fresh produce logistics center in Tubize. We took the opportunity to speak with Bastien Dreano, STEF's new Managing Director for Belgium. With 10,000 square meters and a storage capacity of 17,000 pallets, the new logistics center in Tubize has been operational for several months and now employs about 120 people. It serves major manufacturers in the food industry and supplies warehouses to supermarkets. Every day 60,000 parcels are prepared and delivered, with 1,000 incoming pallets and 1,500 (smaller) outgoing pallets. In Tubize, STEF also has a mezzanine where kitting operations are carried out for special operations such as "2+1 free" or display.

STEF Netherlands has taken an important step in the expansion of their warehouse in Zeewolde. They have begun construction of an additional 7,000 m² section, which will be completed by mid-2025. This will make the total area of the modern logistics center more than 62,000 m². With this expansion, STEF is responding to the growing demand for storage space for foods that need to be kept at room temperature, and 12,000 additional pallet spaces will be added.