Top Chrono, a leading provider of shopping and last-mile delivery solutions, has recently announced the acquisition of Kledys, a specialist in medical transport based in Gironde. This new acquisition will reinforce Top Chrono’s healthcare offering and facilitate expansion of its territorial coverage. The experts at AURIS Finance, a consultancy specialising in mergers and acquisitions, provide a detailed analysis of this latest market move.
Top Chrono is pursuing its strategic development plan. The carrier was established in 1983 and rapidly secured a position in the fast delivery market. The company currently offers three main solutions: urgent B2B deliveries, with a fleet of over 250 couriers; last-mile delivery, focusing on solutions from urban centres to end customers; and parcel shipping via a comprehensive service for collection, preparation and international dispatch.
A major player in fast deliveries
The group now serves over 4,000 clients, including several major accounts such as Fnac, Carrefour and Amazon. Top Chrono is particularly active in the luxury goods, e-commerce and, most recently, health sectors, where it is strengthening its position with its latest acquisition. Kledys, headquartered in Mérignac (Gironde), is a specialist in the transportation of temperature-controlled products for healthcare professionals. The company, which employs 65 people, has a turnover of €3 million. Top Chrono’s business volume in the healthcare sector has doubled in four years, reaching €20 million.
New financial partners
To support its growth, the group underwent a strategic merger with Faster/Vit Courses in 2015. In 2020, Top Chrono welcomed a new reference shareholder. At this juncture, the Siparex development capital fund, in collaboration with bpifrance, made an investment of 51%. Bruno Neveu, the group’s CEO, acquired 49% of the shares, resulting in the departure of his two partners. With the support of its new financial partners, the group initiated an ambitious acquisition strategy. In 2021, it acquired Deliver-ee with the objective of strengthening its e-commerce and retail offering. In the same year, it also acquired CBMOVE-IT, a Lyon-based company specialising in urgent transport for the healthcare sector, and ALLO EXPRESS, a Marseille-based group specialising in parcel transport for businesses.
Strong growth
Thanks to an ambitious acquisition strategy, Top Chrono is extending its territorial coverage while structuring its offering around areas of expertise. The group, which recorded a turnover of €43 million in 2019, is targeting a turnover of €70 million in 2024. Furthermore, the company is committed to a responsible approach, including the greening of its fleet. It has set itself the target of making 75% of its deliveries in Paris using environmentally-friendly vehicles by the end of the year.
Our experts at your service
The case of Top Chrono’s development illustrates the crucial role of robust financial partnerships in business success. In an ultra-competitive sector with significant environmental challenges, acquisitions represent a powerful driver of growth, and the freight transport sector presents numerous opportunities for expansion. AURIS Finance’s experts are specialised in each sector. They provide comprehensive support throughout the takeover and disposal process, assisting in identifying suitable targets and structuring the financial aspects of transactions.
