Norbert Dentressangle has acquired the ambient and temperature-controlled warehousing and general cargo freight forwarding activities of Belgian logistics company, Nova Natie.
These activities generated turnover of 40 million euros in 2011. With 250 employees and 1,292,000 sq t of warehousing space,
95 per cent of the firm’s business is carried out from the Port of Antwerp in Belgium, where it has 250 employees and 1,292,000 sq ft of warehousing space. Its other operations are at Schipol Airport in the Netherlands.
Norbert now employs more than 1,000 colleagues, operates nearly 2,500,000sq ft of warehousing and a fleet of 200 vehicles, and expects the Belgian operation to generate annual revenues of almost €120 million.
He keeps quietly chapping away at these companies.
Monster of a company, makes Stobarts look like someone who’s running it as a hobby…
I cross the channel every two weeks with Brittany Ferries, Portsmouth-Caen and there’s rarely a crossing i do without there being at least 5 ND trailers aboard.
Anchorhandler:
Monster of a company, makes Stobarts look like someone who’s running it as a hobby…
yeah, yeah but does he have his own telly show?
No, but ND is a logistics and transport company, not a marketing operation that happens to move goods.
And DHL outsize us by quite a margin, but ND is the second biggest in Europe. Apparently ND also owns a 30% stake in ESL, bought a silent stake last time it was heading in a bad way for Eddie.
Monster of a company, makes Stobarts look like someone who’s running it as a hobby…
I cross the channel every two weeks with Brittany Ferries, Portsmouth-Caen and there’s rarely a crossing i do without there being at least 5 ND trailers aboard.
Simon
The helpful chap who gave me this information was talking about the Belgian Operation in Antwerp. Nova Natie
Note: (1) Exel comprises Exel Europe, Exel UK and Power Europe (all part of DP-DHL); (2)DHL comprises DHL UK, DHL International, DHL Air and DHL Freight & Contract Logistics (UK) (all part of DP-DHL); (3)TNT comprises TNT UK and TNT Express Worldwide UK; (4) Eleven companies listed in table to reflect Norbert Dentressangle’s acquisition of TDG in 2011.
Monster of a company, makes Stobarts look like someone who’s running it as a hobby…
I cross the channel every two weeks with Brittany Ferries, Portsmouth-Caen and there’s rarely a crossing i do without there being at least 5 ND trailers aboard.
Simon
The helpful chap who gave me this information was talking about the Belgian Operation in Antwerp. Nova Natie
Sorry Wheel Nut, thought you were talking about the whole group…
On a side note and speaking of Brittany Ferries, , ND are so powerfull here in France that they convinced the ferry operator to reshedule the ferry’s crew change and re-fuel dates as it was causing an “inconveninent delay” for their planners…Now that’s buying power!
Anchorhandler:
I have yet to spot a French ND driver though…
Simon
You should go to Leighton Buzzard, there are so many of the Frenchists there that they layout the site the wrong way round. Its a UK depot, which is run by the International division which is their excuse for making us brits blindside into the bays.
Anchorhandler:
I have yet to spot a French ND driver though…
Simon
You should go to Leighton Buzzard, there are so many of the Frenchists there that they layout the site the wrong way round. Its a UK depot, which is run by the International division which is their excuse for making us brits blindside into the bays.
Thats shocking!..
From what i’ve seen on the ferries though, ND seem to have a bit of a penchant for the ol’ “Port & Cheese”
Eating in the drivers restaurant aboard the ferries is like walking onto the set of Eldorado… bless’em.
Norberts certainly rates as one of the best jobs I’ve had…and I’ve had a few!! Started with them at Heywood in 96, wagon and drags,A-Frames, didn’t take long to get used to them. when you were loaded they asked you when you thought you would arrive at your destination, not say “you will be there when the computer says!” It was basically an international tramping job, once you got over the water you just hopped from country to country, till you were ready to come home. It suited me to come home at the end of each month, usually managing about 4 or 5 days off with paying back reduced rests etc. The take home money was great, we used to get £30 night out money when abroad even then. They then moved us into the new Leigh depot for a while and then shortly after we were all transferred to Sevrey (Chalon-sur-Saone) keeping the same trucks and conditions. After I finished in 2001(instead of just taking a long holiday), I regreted and missed it for a good few years!
Will say that working for Norbert Dentressangle is the best job i`ve had, started working for them in Brugge until they closed the depot down. Luckily for me i transferred to the Santes, Lille depot, where i still work out off.
They gave me a start and a chance to get some experience. That is all I will be grateful to ND for. Maybe its the different divisions. I know there is a lot more job satisfaction going around in Norbert Dentressangle Logistics. In ND Transport Services, where I work, there is more ■■■■■■■■ than driving at the moment.
I think you’re right, even back then in 96 it depended not only which division (we were ND Volume UK till we moved to Chalons, then we were merged into TND Volumes) but also which depot you were on for, we were lucky in that the UK Volume bit had a manager whose husband was a driver for us, so she decided the terms of employment, partly to look after her huband.
