Imperial Logistics acquires stake in Volition

Imperial Logistics and Volition Consulting Services (Volition) have announced that Imperial Logistics will acquire 50%+1 in the share capital of Volition with effect from 1 July 2008, subject to approval from the Competitions Authority. Both companies will improve their service offering and take better care of their customers, whilst further increasing their footprint in the logistics and supply chain industry.

“Together we're already working on a number of integration projects. Based on the interaction and feedback from various customers, we believe that a more formal association between us will create further opportunities to apply our expertise to benefit our customers,” says Marius Swanepoel, CEO, Imperial Logistics.

His company's experience of logistics and supply chain management, complemented by Volition's supply chain consulting expertise is a win-win combination. The consulting services offered by the latter will be leveraged to expand the Imperial's value proposition and both companies will jointly focus on integrated and end-to-end supply chain solutions. As a division of the leading third-party logistics (3PL) and supply chain management company in Southern Africa, Volition will continue to operate as an entrepreneurial and independent business, a model proven successful across the group.

“Being part of the group will help us grow and capture new opportunities in the Southern African supply chain market, says Cobus Rossouw, Volition's MD. “ I am confident that the acquisition will allow us to further improve the value-add proposition to our customers and expand our supply chain expertise.”

The companies will target new business as well as growth opportunities within their customer base in a structured fashion and proceed with their strategy of increasingly becoming an extension and part of their customers' operations.

Dougie Truter, CEO of Imperial Logistics' Consumer Products Division, will become non-executive Chairman of the Volition Board of Directors. Abrie de Swardt, Marketing Director of Imperial Logistics, will oversee Volition's interactions with Imperial Clients and Operating Companies and he will be appointed as non-executive Director. Cobus Rossouw remains Managing Director and David Long and Heinrich Strauss as Executive Directors.