What way will the AFL acquisition boost Dachser’s expansion plans in India?

Reuter: We have had a close working relationship with India for the last 30 years, which has intensified even more over the past two decades. We had been partners with AFL for many years, after which we decided to take over. This is what we normally do – we look for partners and work with them for some years, so that we know each other well. Then, we go and acquire a stake in it. We do not venture into anything without knowing anyone. It is like a marriage.

Podesta: There was almost no transition required when we acquired AFL. Part of the company’s shares were formalised, but the for us as Dachser has a clear long-term vision and strategy for India. Any more partnerships or JVs in India do not make sense right now. We already have a very expansive network in India with 26 offices and more than 500 employees. So, in the present scenario, we are not looking at increasing our network here, since we feel, we are already present in all the important cities in India.

Podesta: In India, we do not see the necessity to put more flags on the map. We would only consider doing so if one of our customers requires us to be present in a specific area. We even cover some tier-II and tier-III cities. Right now, we are committed to strengthening our network by bringing more business in.