Bundeskartellamt clears acquisition of KarstadtQuelle’s logistics sector
“large and part-load operations” by Deutsche Post
16.06.2005
The Bundeskartellamt has cleared the acquisition by Deutsche Post AG of KarstadtQuelle’s logistics sector “large and part-load operations” and the GPL Gesellschaft für Privatkundenlogistik mbH & Co KG (“GPL”).
Firstly, the planned concentration concerns the large and part-load operations at the goods distribution centres of the mail order companies Quelle and Neckermann and the delivery of the goods stored to end customers. Secondly, Deutsche Post AG acquires approx. 90 per cent of the shares in GPL in which it has already held an approx. 10 per cent share.
At the end of last year the Bundeskartellamt already cleared Deutsche Post AG’s acquisition of KarstadtQuelle AG’s logistics activities in the stationary retail sector. The concentration project now cleared does also not cover Quelle’s and Neckermann’s so-called “parcel factories” where the traditional mail order parcels are packed.
The acquisition of the “large and part-load operations” logistics sector and the GPL could be cleared because it does not lead to the creation of a dominant position held by Deutsche Post AG in the affected markets for contract logistics and handling of packaged goods.
The planned concentration also affects the downstream market for parcel transport services in so far as the goods are delivered to end customers in the form of parcels. There is a close competition-relevant relationship between the upstream market for contract logistics and the downstream market for parcel transport as a company which offers both services can achieve cost advantages due to synergy effects. This was confirmed by comprehensive surveys of buyers of parcel services and companies which offer parcel services themselves. Deutsche Post AG is dominant in the market for transporting commercial customers’ parcels to private end customers. This dominant position, however, will not be strengthened as the annual volume of parcels dispatched by the business sector to be taken over is to be assessed as negligible in comparison to both the total market volume and the volume of parcels otherwise dispatched by KarstadtQuelle AG.