Austrian Post acquires Serbian parcel service provider D Express

Through the acquisition, the 27 delivery bases, the company's own logistics center in Belgrade, the employees, and the customer contracts of D Express are to be taken over. Post is, however, no newcomer in Serbia: with its 100-percent subsidiary City Express, it has already counted among the established parcel service providers there for many years.

Post sees a clear expansion strategy

Post General Director Walter Oblin spoke in this context of a clear international expansion strategy. He stated: "Wir wollen in Märkten wachsen, in denen wir mit eigener Kompetenz und starker lokaler Präsenz echten Mehrwert schaffen können."

Deputy General Director and Board Member for Parcel and Logistics Peter Umundum sees D Express as a strong operational foundation. He was convinced: "Gemeinsam mit City Express können wir unsere Netze schrittweise miteinander verknüpfen und unsere Stärken bündeln, wovon im Endeffekt alle Kund*innen profitieren werden."

Post intends to significantly expand its position in the Serbian market through the acquisition. By merging the two companies, the networks are to be progressively interconnected and the operational strength of both firms pooled.

Pooling strengths in the Balkans

With the transaction, Austrian Post is solidifying its presence in the Balkans. The merger with D Express significantly expands City Express's existing offering and creates synergies in logistics, delivery, and customer service.

Post announced that it would further strengthen its market position by pooling the strengths of both companies. Details on the purchase price were not initially disclosed.

The partly state-owned company sees the acquisition as an important step in implementing its growth strategy in Southeast Europe. The acquisition is expected to significantly increase parcel volume in the region.

D Express brings broad geographic coverage in Serbia, which is complemented by City Express's existing structures. Going forward, both companies will operate together under the umbrella of Austrian Post in the Serbian market.

According to Post, the acquisition is subject to the usual regulatory approvals. A specific date for the completion of the transaction was not initially provided.

The move is part of a longer-term strategy by Austrian Post to expand its position in selected Southeast European markets. With the integration of D Express, the company aims to further increase its competitiveness in the regional parcel business.