The freight forwarding community is on the move in the Nordics and CIS region. In June, mail, express and logistics company TPG N.V. (under its division TNT Logistics) announced its acquisition of Swedish-based freight forwarder Wilson Logistics Group. For years, Wilson Logistics has maintained a strong position in 28 countries from its Scandinavian location. This acquisition is TNT’s first major step into global freight forwarding, a trend that is occurring with integrated carriers within Europe. Last year, much was written about the consolidation of DHL and Danzas under the umbrella brand of DHL. This acquisition is expected to add to TNT’s existing freight forwarding capabilities within the Express and Logistics divisions and reinforces TNT’s foothold in key sectors such as automotive, electronics, high tech and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG). Such product sectors are strong in Sweden. The Gothenburg region alone is home to some 450 foreign companies with international operations. Included are Akzo-Nobel, BASF, Bayer, Ciba-Geigy, Hoechts. Gothenburg’s own internationally known companies include Volvo, SKE, Hasselblad, SKF, Nobel-pharma, and Ericsson. Gothenburg’s automotive sector is firmly established in the region through its vehicle producers Volvo and Saab. These companies export the bulk of their production. By acquiring Wilson, TNT plans to offer its existing contract logistics clients the full array of supply chain management services that now include air freight, sea freight and combined sea/air freight. “This acquisition is TPG’s first major step in extending our capabilities into the global freight forwarding industry,” says Peter Bakker, CEO of TPG. “As a global player, Wilson offers stable operations and a comprehensive air and seafreight network. With relatively low capital demands, the move is good news for TPP’s clients and shareholders alike.” Turning to the CIS, Globalink Logistics Group, which is headquartered in Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan with its holding in the Netherlands, offers companies an inside track to moving goods throughout CIS, Middle East and European markets. Globalink operates with over 400 staff members at 25 locations in the CIS, Europe and the Middle East. Globalink is best know for pioneering the forwarding and logistics business in all the former Soviet Union Republics (now the CIS), including Russia, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The company has recently established offices and operations in the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and the Benelux countries. The company is widely recognized as one of the largest independent freight forwarding and multimodal transportation management companies operating in the European, Middle East, CIS and South East Asian markets. It also ranks within the “top three” in the domestic transportation market. A particular advantage is Globalink’s position as a neutral service provider focusing principally on freight forwarding. In order to serve its customers, the company operates from three major hubs: Amsterdam/Rotterdam, to connect shipments originating from North and Latin America and Europe to the CIS; Dubai, to connect shipments originating from Asia and Africa to the CIS; and Karachi, to connect shipments from worldwide locations to Afghanistan.