Global logistics/freight forwarding: BDP expands European portfolio with Rostrum acquisition
Jeff Berman, Group News Editor -- Logistics Management, 8/10/2009
PHILADELPHIA—BDP International, a global logistics and transportation company, recently announced it acquired Rostrum Forwarding Ltd., an England-based freight forwarder.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. BDP has offices in nearly 40 European locations.
BDP officials said Rostrum will change its name to BDP International and will be led by Bruce W. Pope, Rostrum managing director. They added that BDP International will provide several services for shippers, including air, ground and sea transport; freight forwarding and outbound logistics; customs brokerage, country-specific import documentation and inbound logistics; warehousing and distribution; insurance; packing; lead logistics process analysis and administration; project and energy logistics; global trade management consulting; and IT offerings, including its released BDPSmart online logistics portal.
In an interview with LM, Arnie Bornstein, BDP executive director, marketing and communications, said that the breadth and importance of the UK market to BDP’s global customers were viewed as a priority in the company’s decision to migrate to an ownership presence there. He added that the Rostrum-BDP combination was the culmination of nearly a year of research and careful due diligence and positions BDP to be more competitive for its customers as the domestic and global economies begin to recover. And he also noted that this acquisition provides a more substantial operating presence that will deliver greater continuity of service, a higher bar of information visibility and more seamless access to the BDP International network of offices and partners in 120 countries for its customers doing business into and out of the UK.
“When BDP makes a strategic acquisition such as Rostrum, we look for organizations that think and look like BDP; companies with good reputations, solid infrastructure and strong, local market knowledge,” explained Bornstein. “We look for cultural alignment between the organizations. Do we think alike? Are we both trying to develop and grow business in the same way? Do we have a similar vision for the future? Do the companies have similar long-term goals? With this critical foundation, we are able to focus quickly on doing what we do best—core service excellence and enduring relationships—while constantly look for ways to do it even better for our customers through process improvement.”
Rostrum serves approximately 100 companies involved in global trade, according to Bornstein. The industries include a broad range of products; food, food processing equipment, steel, clothing, chemicals, essential oils, consumer goods and large machinery. Rostrum has 25 employees, with staffing numbers going from 20 to 25, following the recent opening of a new BDP operation at the London / Heathrow International Airport following this acquisition.
"We recognized a respected brand in the industry could help us meet the challenges of the global economy and become an even more effective global enterprise for our customers," said Rostrum's Pope in a statement. "Just as important as we took this decision, BDP is one of the few family-owned, mid-sized companies in the international logistics industry whose success has been achieved the old fashioned way, by building enduring relationships with its customers. We are proud to be a part of the BDP family."
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