Wilson Group expands in Asia

Wilson Group expands in Asia The Wilson Group has reached agreement on the acquisition of 50% of the shares in Combined Logistics (India) Private Ltd, CL/India. The seller is Combined Logistics Ltd, Bahamas, in which BTL AB is a shareholder. CL/India has a turnover of SEK 100 million through 20 offices and 285 employees covering the whole of India. The head office is in Mumbai, formerly Bombay. The company is active in both the sea and air freight sectors and has extensive distribution and logistics operations. CL/India was founded in 1991 by R. S. Sandhu, the company's managing director and holder of 50% of the shares. The company has achieved a growth rate of 30% per year and CL/India is now one of the top five companies in the industry. "The Wilson Group will continue with its strategic acquisition plan. In terms of population India is the second largest country in the world. With an extremely well developed industrial base and a middle class totalling almost a quarter of a billion people, India is an enormous market. India is also one of the countries in Asia which has up to now handled the problems facing the global financial community best," says Henrik von Sydow, managing director of the Wilson Group. "The Wilson companies in the Nordic region have enjoyed close, successful cooperation with CL/India for many years. We are now looking forward to the company joining the Wilson Group through the adaptation of its profile, products, IT systems and so on. Wilson Sandhu Logistics (India) Pvt Ltd will play a very important role in realising our most immediate ambition, which is to double business operations over the next 3 to 4 years. Our Indian company will, among other things, be the cornerstone of future expansion on the Indian subcontinent. We look forward to being able to offer both Nordic and international industry a sophisticated range of products and services in India through our acquisition," concludes Henrik von Sydow. In a statement issued from Mumbai, R. S. Sandhu, managing director of the new company, says: "We have very good experience of working with Wilson and we are looking forward to being part of the Wilson Group to further enhance our competitiveness, both in India and globally." ./. BTL AB (publ) For more information, please contact: Henrik von Sydow, VD, Wilson Group, tel: +46 31 703 8000, e-mail: henrik.vonsydow@wilson.btl.se Åsa Lindell Byström, Director Public Affairs, BTL AB, tel: +46 31 703 80 30. Wilson Group is a part of the BTL Group, which is one of the largest transport and logistics groups in Europe. Wilson Group runs air- and seafreight operations in a international network covering subsidiaries in 16 countries and more than 90 offices throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. Wilson is the marketleader in the Nordic Region. Netinvoicing in 1997 totalled SEK 3.9 billion. The Wilson Group has 1,500 employees.