Schenker-BTL now the largest in Europe

Schenker-BTL now the largest in Europe Co-ordination of land transport operations at Schenker and BTL will lead to the creation of the largest transport and logistics network in Europe. Following approval by the competition authorities concerned in February this year, collaboration has been developed and intensified. The integration process has now been concluded following the amalgamation of companies in the European land transport sector. From now on there will be just one company operating in each country. BTL has acquired operations in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK. Schenker has taken over BTL's operations in France, Switzerland and Germany. All the companies will operate within a common, pan-European network under the Schenker-BTL name. Registration of company names is in progress. Collaboration with Schenker will result in the creation of a new, distinct, uniform identity for the various units throughout Europe. This changeover will also mark the disappearance of the Bilspedition and Scansped brand names from the market. The name of the Swedish company for European land transport, BTL Sweden AB, will be changed to SCHENKER-BTL AB at the beginning of October. Companies operating under the Schenker-BTL name will offer services in 30 European countries, will employ around 18,000 people and will have net sales in the region of SEK 27 billion. Dr. Bernd Malmström, chairman of BTL and CEO of Schenker AG says: "The development up to now, especially the reactions of our customers, proves that the collaboration between Schenker and BTL is a reflection of the expectations of the European logistics network." BTL's CEO Håkan Larsson adds: "Our aim is to sustain the momentum generated in the course of developing the network, particularly in product development, IT and logistics. Up to now we have been positively surprised by the results." The BTL Group parent company, BTL AB, and other companies within the Group - primarily the Wilson network and Scandinavian Rail Cargo (SRC) - will not be affected by the above change. ./. BTL AB (publ) Public Affairs For further information, please contact: Håkan Larsson, CEO, BTL, +46 31 703 80 10 or Åsa Lindell Byström, Director of Public Affairs, BTL, +46 31 703 80 30 or +46 705 83 45 63. The BTL Group is the largest transport and logistics group in Scandinavia and one of the largest in Europe. Extensive sea and air transport operations are carried on through the wholly-owned Wilson companies in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. The Group has approximately 11 000 employees and net sales for 1997 totalled SEK 18 billion. Together with the German transport and logistics group Schenker, BTL has established Europe's leading land transport network under the name Schenker-BTL.