On 31 August 2020, the Dutch company, Kivits-Drunen BV, took over Bell Logistics NV in Belgium. This was done via an asset and liability transaction with the Swiss Bell Food Group. Kivits and Bell have worked together successfully in the Benelux area for years. Bell Logistics is one of Europe's leading meat and convenience products suppliers. The company is, however, no longer part of the Bell Food Group's core business. Bell considers high-quality logistics to be vital.
So, after careful consideration, it chose to expand its cooperation with Kivits. This resulted in both companies' boards agreeing to Kivits acquiring the logistics business. That includes its buildings. The Dutch company will absorb all of Bell's employees. Service delivery to all external clients will continue too. Kivits and Bell also reached a long-term agreement. This concerns outsourcing the Bells Food Group's logistics services in the Benelux. These will go to Kivits.
The Belgian company has been renamed Kivits Logistics BV.
"Bell is a fantastic company with great external clients. It has a good team of people who we've worked well with for years already. That's combined with our substantial growth in Belgium. This logistics center is also strategically located close to Brussels. We're, therefore, delighted to take over Bell Logistics, and with our partnership with Bell. We see a lot of potential here," says Kivit's CEO, Rob van Opzeeland.
"As a company, we're thrilled to have found a partner in Kivits Drunen. We're happy to entrust our future logistics services to them. Both companies have the same core values. These include quality, sustainability, and personal cooperation. That gives us peace of mind regarding transferring our employees to them," adds Tom Meert, Bell Logistics / Bell Benelux's director.
Bell Food Group
The Bell Food Group is one of its product group's leading European producers and no. 1 in Switzerland. It dates back to 1869 when Samuel Bell opened his first butchery. It was in the heart of the Swiss city of Basel. Bell Benelux is a subsidiary of the Bell Food Group. It distributes Bell Food Group products in the Benelux region.
Kivits-Drunen BV
Kivits-Drunen is a third-generation family business that turned 75 this year. It has several locations in the Netherlands, and, now, one in Belgium. Kivits employs about 450 people and owns more than 100 trucks. It manages 80,000m2 of refrigerated warehouses in various places. Kivit's core business is adding value to food products' global logistics chains.
It specifically specializes in 'refrigerated foods'. The Kivits group owns/has interests in various logistics companies. These are active in not only warehousing, transportation, import/export, and packaging. This Dutch company has access to logistic process engineering, freight forwarding, and custom-clearance too.