The Rousseau Group, a transport company based in the Nièvre region of France, has just significantly increased its workforce by acquiring two family-owned companies. Here’s an analysis of this latest market move by the experts at AURIS Finance, a consultancy specialising in mergers and acquisitions.
With the acquisition of Transports Charrier, a family business based in Decize (58), and Transports Boudet, based in Saint Florent sur Cher (18), the Rousseau transport group has acquired 280 new vehicle licences. This is a significant increase for a company that previously had a fleet of 380 vehicles. In addition to HGVs and ultra-heavy goods vehicles, the fleet has been extended to include specialist vehicles. With the acquisition of Transports Charrier, Rousseau is strengthening its position in the on-demand transport of goods with special equipment such as dry bulk tankers. Specifically, the fleet now includes 60 tractor units and 70 additional semi-trailers.
A strengthened regional footprint
Founded in 1994, Groupe Rousseau hails from the Bourgogne Franche-Comté region. The transport company generates a turnover of €72 million and employs a total of 600 people at 9 operating sites. With the addition of Transports Charrier and Transports Boudet, the acquiring group will have two family businesses with strong local roots and a turnover of €9 million and €11 million respectively. These two acquisitions will give the group a fleet of 600 vehicles and 800 employees. Specialising in the transport of goods in Europe, the Rousseau Group has expanded its range of services over the years, from temperature-controlled transport to bulk transport and the transport of dangerous goods.
Inorganic growth and cooperative membership
This diversification has been made possible by an aggressive inorganic growth strategy. Although the first acquisition was made in 1999 (Transports Malleret), a number of other transactions have enabled the Nièvre-based carrier to extend its territorial coverage. In 2017, the group took over Transports Alizair in the Aquitaine region and then acquired Transports Paret, a distributor in northern Burgundy and the Paris region. At the same time, Groupe Rousseau relied on trade associations to gain access to major clients. In 2001, the company joined Evolutrans, an association of independent transport companies, and four years later the ABC (Avenir Bennes Services) cooperative. These professional structures enable family-run companies to compete with the giants of the sector by joining forces to respond to orders from major contractors.
Our experts at your side
The recent moves of the Rousseau Group are particularly representative of the strategies of family-owned and intermediate-sized companies in the freight transport sector. To grow and diversify, they are targeting smaller companies with a strong local presence. They also rely on trade associations to raise their profile in a highly competitive market. These networks can be used to identify potential targets: before it was acquired by the Rousseau Group, Charrier was also a member of the Evolutrans association. There are many opportunities in the freight transport sector today. AURIS Finance’s experts specialise in different sectors. They will be at your side throughout your acquisition and sale operations.
