The Ducournau Group is continuing its external growth momentum with the acquisition of Transports Hamon Frères, a company based in Ille-et-Vilaine. Analysis and insights by the experts at AURIS Finance, an M&A advisory firm.
Since 2024, the Ducournau Group has acquired five companies. This reflects an aggressive external growth strategy for the transport operator, which has steadily expanded its coverage across France through successive acquisitions.
Family-Owned Mid-Sized Company
Originally from the Var region, the Ducournau Group is now approaching €100 million in revenue. Within just two years, the group has nearly doubled its turnover. This growth has been driven by Frédéric Ducournau, Chairman and CEO since 2023 and son of Jean-Pierre Ducournau, who founded the company in 1971.
Strong Revenue Growth
Specialized in regional and national road freight transport, the Ducournau Group operates a fleet of 600 units and employs nearly 700 people. In addition to freight transport activities, the group is also active in the waste sector, with 70 walking-floor trucks operating across France, as well as in logistics and technical groupage services.
In total, Ducournau operates 90,000 square meters of warehouse space, including temperature-controlled facilities, and provides logistics services ranging from picking and shelf stocking to warehouse leasing.
Nationwide Coverage
In March 2023, the group completed its first external growth transaction by acquiring Rizzo, a transport company based in Ableiges. It then acquired RTMD (Réseau Transport Maudit Distribution), located in Château-Renault (37), with the transaction finalized in February 2025.
These first two acquisitions enabled the group to expand westward and strengthen its distribution offering across France. In September 2025, the two transport companies Daziano Transports and Dazimo II joined the group, further reinforcing Ducournau’s presence in the South-East of France.
A Word from the CEO
“We never say no to a client and can always rely on the Astre network for last-mile delivery or to find a partner who can handle it on our behalf. But now, it can be done with our own trucks,” said Frédéric Ducournau, CEO of the Ducournau Group, Les Échos Études, April 8, 2025.
A Strategic Move into Brittany
This series of acquisitions continued in 2026 with the purchase of Transports Hamon. Founded in 1994, Transports Hamon Frères employs 62 people, operates 55 vehicles, and generates €10 million in revenue, including €1.5 million from logistics activities.
The company will retain its operational management, with Jean-Pierre and François Hamon remaining at the helm, thereby ensuring managerial and operational continuity.
A Qualitative External Growth Strategy
Each transaction carried out by the group follows a precise industrial logic: strengthening regional routes, expanding the client portfolio, and reinforcing logistics and parcel services in areas that were previously undercovered. For Frédéric Ducournau, the objective is not to “grow for the sake of growing,” but to pursue qualitative growth, notably through the integration of support functions and the upgrading of logistics services.
The Race for Critical Size
Ducournau’s strategy is part of a broader trend toward consolidation in the road transport and logistics sector. In a challenging environment, industry players are seeking to reach critical size in order to:
- Gain market share
- Pool investments
- Address regulatory and compliance challenges
Our Experts by Your Side
Further transactions may take place in the coming months. Well-established local players are likely to become acquisition targets for larger entities. AURIS Finance’s sector-specialized experts support you in developing your business, from target identification and transaction financing to post-acquisition integration.
