J van den Put Kuehne Nagel airfreight

Swiss global logistics business Kuehne & Nagel has acquired Dutch airfreight specialist J van de Put Fresh Cargo Handling.

Theacquisition of the Dutch handling agent for perishable goods will enable Kuehne & Nagel to “further enhance its global fresh-to-door concept”, ithe company said in a statement.

J van de Put, a family-owned business founded in 1976 and with its headquarters at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, specialises in handling perishable airfreight cargo including fruit, vegetables andflowers, facilitating logistics and customs processes for import and export shipments.

Employing 260 staff, the service provider offers a range of services including vacuum cooling, temperature controlled storage, customs clearing and inspections as well as delivery and distribution across Europe.

Kuehne & Nagel International chairman Karl Gernandt commented: 'This acquisition follows our global expansion strategy in the field of perishables logistics, it extends ourglobal capabilities and complements the service offering of our national organisation, ranked number one in the Dutch airfreight export market.

'Our customers will benefit from temperature controlled, door-to-door logistics solutions for perishable goods that require highly specialised handling knowhow.'

J van de Put managing director Moniek van de Put said: 'It is our pleasure to become part of the global Kuehne & Nagel network. This fits into our overall strategy and secures the long-term future of our business.

'Our strong position in the perishables market and our unique location at Amsterdam Airport suits Kuehne & Nagel very well. Together, we are a strong team to provide first class services to our customers.'

The transaction is subject to approval of relevant competition authorities.