Company Profiles: CMA CGM & its new Acquisition, Wincanton

France-based shipping giant CMA CGM has announced it is to buy one of Britain’s biggest logistics outfits, Wincanton, for an estimated US$700mn.

It is said to be a cash deal, and will see Marseille-based CMA CGM take a significant chunk of the UK supermarket logistics sector.

The acquisition will allow CMA CGM – which is privately controlled by the Franco-Lebanese billionaire Saade family – to add a new layer of expertise in warehousing management and grocery, with Wincanton operating from more than 170 sites across Britain and Ireland.

Here, we take a closer look at the two companies.

CMA CGM: A logistics giant known for innovation 

CMA CGM is a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions, serving 420 ports across five continents, with a fleet of 623 vessels.

In 2022, it transported 21.7 million TEU containers. (TEU stands for twenty-foot equivalent unit, and is a measurement used for shipping containers). 

The company’s air cargo division, CMA CGM Air Cargo, is known for its innovations around new shipping, inland, air freight and logistics solutions. 

The company also has a strong corporate social responsibility programme. Each year, via the CMA CGM Foundation, the Group supports thousands of children as part of its efforts to promote education and equal opportunities. The 

The Foundation is also involved in responding to humanitarian crises that require an emergency logistics response, to deliver humanitarian supplies around the world.

A subsidiary of the company is CEVA Logistics, another global logistics player, which in the same year transported 522,000 tonnes of air cargo and 22 million shipments of inland freight. 

Wincanton: Big UK supermarkets logistics player

Wincanton is a leading British supply chain solutions company whose services include: storage, handling and distribution; high volume e-fulfilment; retailer ‘dark stores’ (fully automated e-stores with no lighting); fleet and transport management; and network optimisation for many of the UK’s best-known companies.

Its customers include IKEA, Primark, Tata, the Conran Group and BAE Systems.

It describes its purpose as being: “To deliver long-term sustainable supply chain solutions and make a positive impact on all of our stakeholders and become the best performing and most trusted supply chain partner.”

Wincanton operates in markets including food and consumer goods; retail and manufacturing; e-commerce; the public sector; major infrastructure; building materials; fuel; and defence. 

The company's 19,600-strong team operates from 200 sites across the country, and its fleet comprises 3,500 vehicles.