Express to Europe
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On Wednesday June 6 there were more than D-Day veterans in France. That was the day when senior executives of eight of Europe's road haulage companies signed a partnership agreement in Paris.
The eight partners of European Express — road haulage carriers of parcels — reaffirmed a working partn e rs h i p. The new deal strengthens joint operations between Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Martin de Boer, Dutch president of European Express, said at an official signing ceremony: "When the six founder members set up European Express two years ago a 'gentleman's agreement' was sufficient. Now that we have widened operations a more formal agreement between partners has become a necessity."
European Express claim to carry over half a million parcels each day. Each partner is an express carrier in their own country. They say they are the largest parcels service in the world. "This is borne out by the combined resources, staff and fleet — 20,000 employees, 12,000 fleet, 300 operating depots," a spokesman told CM.
The eight member companies who signed the affirmation document on June 6 were Galberson International — France; Edmond Depaire — Belgium; Gebruder Weiss — Austria; Kuoni Transport — Switzerland; O.T.E. — Italy; Roadline UK Limited — United Kingdom; Trans-O-Flex — West Germany; Van Gend & Loos — The Netherlands.
Martin de Boer said, "Within the last two years we have developed a door-to-door fast and efficient road haulage express network that cannot be beaten.
Political integration takes more time and maybe the politicians of Europe can learn something from us. Learn something about understanding other people's problems, learn something about creating working relationships."
European Express has grown since its inception two years ago. The original founder members have been joined by other countries. Now they are eightstrong. The original 'gentleman's agreement' has worked extremely well. But, with this widening of the partnership and their further growth, there is a need for a more formal agreement between the member companies according to Mr. de Boer.
They have now registered the joint partnership as a legal company and on June 6 it was announced. The papers have been signed in Switzerland and senior executives signed a public affirmation of the new working arrangement in Paris. By putting their names to this document every country acknowledges their commitment to the furtherance of European Express," said the president.
Steve Abel, managing director of Roadline UK Ltd, the UK member, said: "As a major company of Britain's largest road haulage combine Roadline has, for some time, looked towards continental Europe as a natural extension of its UK parcels service.
There certainly is a demand — from existing customers — and Roadline has the operational marketing and management expertise to push express services farther and faster."
Mr Abel said the pounds and pence (or franc, gilders, marks, lire) had proved to be the real barrier to expansion. "Investment capital of astronomical proportions would have been required just to set up basic operational depots in just one or two European countries. And even that would have been insufficient to provide the type of 24/48 hour service which was required."
European Express offices are: FRANCE CALBERSON INTERNATIONAL 163 bis Avenue de Clichy, 75827 PARIS, Cedex 17 (division of the Calberson SNTR Group).
BELGIUM S.A. EDMOND DEPAIRE N.V.
217 Rue Dieudonne Lefevre, 1020 BRUSSELS SWITZERLAND KUON1TRANSPORT A.G. Jura-Strasse 12, 4142 Muchenstein S. BASLE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY TRANS-O-FLEX INTERNATONAL Lyoner Strasse 44-48, 6000 FRANKFURT, MAIN 70 ITALY O.T.E. SRL Piazza Fidia 3, 20159 MILAN GREAT BRITAIN ROADL1NE UK LIMITED The company based at the Merton Centre, 45 St Peters Street, Bedford MK40 2UB.
THE NETHERLANDS VAN GEND & LOOS Catharijnesingel 47, 3500 GA UTRECHT AUSTRIA GEBRUDER WEISS GMBH Wiener Strasse 262, 4021 LINZ