Press Releases

Kelsterbach, 13.02.2023

LIFE COURIERS with planned management change

Life Couriers, an international group of specialized logistics operators in the Life Science and Health Care sectors, implements planned management change to boost internationalization with high integration-leverage

Over the past years, Life Couriers showed a tremendous growth trajectory, both organically and inorganically. With a double-digit organic growth and 7 acquisitions since 2020, Life Couriers more than doubled both revenues and EBITDA, reaching total sales of about €160 million in 2022. With further exclusive acquisitions in the pipeline, the next milestone of €250 million in revenues is almost at touch.

The next leapfrog in the development of the group will be strong operational integration, further leveraging the multiple synergies within the subsidiaries. For this growth phase, the group implements a planned management change, bringing in new talent with the respective skill-focus.

Thomas Lang, CEO of the group since April 2020, will resign per end March and take over new challenges outside Life Couriers. The group is very happy about the strong contribution Thomas made during his 3 years’ assignment, especially with clearly focusing strategy, positioning, and M&A-activities on Life Science and Health Care as key areas of activity, visible in the rebranding to Life Couriers that he designed and executed.

His responsibilities as Life Couriers Group CEO will be taken over by Stefan Glebke as of February 15th, 2023. Stefan shows an unanimous success record during his long career at BMW group, including numerous international assignments. He last served as a Group CFO, CRO and Member of the Board at SHARE NOW. With his outstanding experience in the US market, among many other strengths, he is perfectly fitted to oversee the American entities of the group that already today make up for more than 60% of the groups’ results.

On the operational side, Michael Boos will take over the new position as a COO to the Life Couriers group. Michael joined Life Couriers in October 2022 as CEO to the Life Science branch headquartered in Munich. He will allocate half of his capacity to the Group-wide operational integration. Being in the logistics industry for decades, e.g., as CEO at Rhenus High Tech and Health Care and CEO Germany of ID Logistics, he has the experienced background to fully meet the COO-tasks.

About LIFE COURIERS:
Life Couriers (Kelsterbach, Germany) is an international group of specialized logistics service operators predominantly focused on Life Science and Health Care logistics (e.g. radiopharmaceuticals, stem cells, samples and laboratory specimen etc.). The group operates locations in Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, Romania, Sweden, UK and the United States. In 2022, Life Couriers generated a turnover of about €160Mn. www.lifecouriers.com

Kelsterbach, 29.04.2022

Life Couriers subsidiary Associated Couriers acquires leading UK healthcare logistics provider Vision Logistical Solutions

Associated Couriers Inc., leading US supplier for radiopharmaceutical and healthcare logistics, acquires Vision Logistical Solutions Ltd., an outstanding UK supplier for healthcare shipments, thus expanding its regional footprint as well as its area of expertise

Vision Logistical Solutions Ltd., a unique provider of 3rd party logistics services focused on the delivery of healthcare products to patients at home or in care, was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Portsmouth, England, UK. Vision operates nine logistic depots across the UK, providing over 290,000 square feet of storage capacity, to live up to its full-service portfolio ranging from storage to fulfillment and transport. Being the preferred logistical partner to the product leader in the UK incontinence market for more than a decade, Vision can be regarded the UK leader in incontinence logistics. Vision is exclusively operating in the UK, engages a headcount of more than 120 employees and generates a turnover of more than 8 million GBP per year.

Graeme Wilson, Managing Director of Vision: “We are extremely happy to join Associated Couriers and Life Couriers, giving us the power to drive the ongoing growth of our business and helping us in the further development of the company and its range of services. We are sure to benefit from the global life science competencies within Life Couriers, as a base for our local portfolio extension, but also happily contribute our healthcare-knowledge to see it flourish in other European or the American markets.”

Matt Silverberg, CEO of Associated Couriers Inc.: “With the acquisition of Vision, we are adding another great market leader in a very promising healthcare logistics segment to our existing leadership portfolio, and we are adding the UK market as the 6th European country to the Life Couriers footprint. And beyond: Over the past 12 months, we have seen an increasing global cross-fertilization of sectoral knowledge and competencies within the Life Couriers universe - and now Vision will also contribute to boost that development. We are very happy to have them in the family.”

About Vision Logistical Solutions Ltd.:
Vision, founded in 1992 and headquartered in Portsmouth, England, UK, is a unique provider of 3rd party logistics services focused on the delivery of healthcare products to patients at home or in care. Backed on state-of-the-art IT-systems, Vision offers a comprehensive logistical service portfolio ranging from product storage including stock control, to fulfillment services (pick, pack, and dispatch) and dedicated transports and shipment. Vision operates nine depots across the UK and is the national market leader in incontinence logistics. www.visionlogistics.uk

About Associated Couriers:
Associated Couriers Inc., founded in 1977 in St. Louis (MO), is a courier and delivery service provider specialized in the radiopharmaceutical, life science, and e-commerce sector, covering 42 US states with 16 logistic hubs. www.acistl.com

About LIFE COURIERS:
Life Couriers (Kelsterbach, Germany) is an international group of specialized logistics service operators predominantly focused on Life Science and Health Care logistics (i.e. radiopharmaceuticals, stem cells, samples and laboratory specimen etc.). The group operates locations in Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, Romania, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States. www.lifecouriers.com

Kelsterbach, 31.03.2022

SLS Group rebranded as LIFE COURIERS

SLS Group, an international group of highly specialized logistics operators, rebrands the business as Life Couriers, due to the predominant life science and health care focus of the group, which also leads the future acquisition strategy

Over the past two years, SLS Group has shown a significant track record in acquiring additional businesses, which added significant value to the Life Science and Health Care proposition of the platform. With Associated Couriers (2020) and HealthEx (2021) joining the group, the leading provider for radiopharmaceutical deliveries in the United States emerged. Being a leader in the global stem cell business for over a decade already, SLS Group-subsidiary Ontime Courier (Germany) expanded their product range and geographic reach by the recent acquisition of TRANSCO Berlin Brandenburg GmbH. As an overall result, more than 80% of the business operated by SLS Group companies today stem from life science and health care related logistics service segments.

To express this current and future expansion focus of the business more clearly, management and shareholders decided to go for a rebranding, replacing SLS Group by Life Couriers as the new brand name that conveys the core positioning of the platform. Thomas Lang, CEO of Life Couriers: “We are following a precise strategy focusing on life science and health care logistics segments where excellent services performed by dedicated entrepreneurial teams generate significant value-adds to our customers. It is a straightforward move to express this mindset also in our brand name, so everybody understands what we are doing.”

About LIFE COURIERS:
Life Couriers (Kelsterbach, Germany) is an international group of specialized logistics service operators predominantly focused on Life Science and Health Care logistics (i.e. radiopharmaceuticals, stem cells, samples and laboratory specimen etc.). The group operates locations in Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, Romania, Sweden and the United States. In 2021, Life Couriers generated a turnover of more than €120Mn. www.lifecouriers.com

Kelsterbach, 30.06.2021

SLS Group subsidiary Ontime Courier GmbH acquires leading pharma logistics service TRANSCO Berlin Brandenburg GmbH

Ontime Courier, outstanding supplier for life science logistics and global leader in stem cell deliveries, acquires pharma logistics specialist TRANSCO, thus extending Ontime’s Life Science service portfolio as well as regional footprint

TRANSCO Berlin Brandenburg GmbH, a unique provider of logistics services focused on the pharmaceutical industry, was founded in 1991 and since then developed into an outstanding specialist for logistics services in the fields of pharmaceutical and chemical deliveries. Continuously matching the high requirements of GDP-certification, Transco is optimally equipped to serve highest quality standards in pharma deliveries, including demands like material specific handling, sophisticated cooling management, and advanced documentation obligations. Transco is operating on an international scale, with a strong focus on Central and Eastern Europe as well as Asia. Transco achieves a turnover of approx. €15 million per year.

Dr. Dieter Kraft, CEO of Ontime Courier: “Transco is a perfect match for us, adding a so far missing logistical service to our portfolio in terms of shipment size and regional extension. Transco will enable us to further expand our life science and pharmaceutical delivery business beyond our stronghold as a global leader in stem cell and bone marrow logistics. Ontime Life Science Logistics and Transco are both GDP-certified and thus live up to the highest standard in logistical service performance.”

Thomas Lang, CEO of SLS Group: “After the recent life science logistics acquisitions of Associated Couriers and HealthEx in the United States, which created (not only) a North American leader in radiopharmaceutical deliveries, we are extremely happy to now strengthen also our Central and Eastern European pharma position with the integration of Transco into the Ontime Courier organization. Beyond the obvious portfolio and footprint extension, we are convinced Ontime will now also increasingly engage in various growing logistic sectors like vaccine ingredient delivery and vaccine distribution.”

About Transco Berlin Brandenburg GmbH:
Transco, founded in 1991 in Großbeeren/Brandenburg close to the German capital Berlin, is a unique provider of logistics services focused on the pharmaceutical industry. Being GDP-certified since 2014 and running a specifically equipped vehicle fleet, Transco offers outstanding quality services in the fields of pharmaceutical and chemical transportation with their particular requirements in terms of handling processes, cooling management, and service documentation. Transco operates internationally, with a strong coverage especially in Central and Eastern Europe. www.transco-logistik-berlin.com

About Ontime Courier GmbH:
Ontime Courier, based in Munich, Cologne and Chicago, was founded in 1995, originally as a provider for international express, courier and overnight deliveries. Ontime early-on engaged in life science and health care services and over more than a decade developed a global market leader position in the specific field of stem cell and bone marrow deliveries. Recently, Ontime also expanded strongly in the area of medical and pharma logistics, backed by a respective acquisition in the United States. www.ontime-courier.com

About SLS Group:
SLS Group (Kelsterbach, Germany) is an international group of specialized logistics service operators focused on customized priority logistics, based on two main operational pillars: Healthcare and Life Science (i.e. pharmaceuticals, stem cells, samples and laboratory specimen) and Industrial (i.e. automotive, aircraft on ground, high tech). The group operates locations in Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, Romania, Sweden and the United States. www.slsgroup.de

Kelsterbach, 23.02.2021

SLS Group-subsidiary Associated Couriers acquires unique healthcare courier service HealthEx Corp.

Associated Couriers Inc., leading US supplier for radiopharmaceutical logistics recently taken over by SLS Group, acquires HealthEx Corp., thus extending Associated Couriers outstanding healthcare position in the North American market

HealthEx Corp., a courier service dedicated exclusively to the healthcare community, was founded in the State of New York in 1999 and since then developed into an outstanding specialist for logistics services like the delivery of laboratory specimen, pharmaceuticals, radioactive materials, and home healthcare products. HealthEx has built a distinctive platform with strategically located dispatch centers throughout the US, covering 30 plus states and allowing for more regionalized and decentralized distribution that reduces the average length of haul and facilitates speedier delivery. Based on this network, HealthEx reaches a turnover of approx. $ 30 million per year.

Matt Silverberg, CEO Associated Couriers: “HealthEx is the perfect match for us in terms of service portfolio, customer universe, and regional footprint. The combined company will be heading to be clear US market leader in the healthcare delivery market and benefit over-proportionally from the strong market growth of healthcare and life science logistics in the US. We are especially grateful that the SLS Group has shown the courage and discipline to support our M&A-schedule with this major acquisition less than three months after Associated Couriers joining the group.”

Thomas Lang, CEO SLS Group: “We are very enthusiastic to support the drive that Matt Silverberg shows in following his growth plans. With the acquisition of HealthEx, Associated Couriers proves to be an accelerator for our global strategy in becoming the leading market player in healthcare and specialized life science logistics services. But we also considerably strengthen our share in the North American market with its promising growth fundamentals.”

About HealthEx:
HealthEx corp., founded in 1999 in New York, is a unique provider of final-mile and same day transportation and logistics services, dedicated exclusively to the healthcare community. Services include the delivery of laboratory specimen, pharmaceuticals, radioactive materials, home healthcare, and medical records. HealthEx has a customer footprint in more than 30 US states and achieves a turnover of $ 30 million. www.healthexcourier.com

About Associated Couriers:
Associated Couriers Inc., founded in 1977 in St. Louis (MO), is a courier and delivery service provider specialized in the radiopharmaceutical, life science, and e-commerce sector, covering 38 US states with 15 logistic hubs. www.acistl.com

About SLS Group:
SLS Group (Kelsterbach, Germany) is an international group of specialized logistics service operators focused on customized priority logistics, based on two main operational pillars: Healthcare and Life Science (i.e. pharmaceuticals, stem cells, samples and laboratory specimen) and Industrial (i.e. automotive, aircraft on ground, high tech). The group operates locations in Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, Romania, Sweden and the United States. www.slsgroup.de

Kelsterbach, 19.11.2020

SLS Group acquires leading US supplier for radiopharmaceutical logistics, Associated Couriers Inc.

SLS, an international group of specialized logistics operators, acquires Associated Couriers, the leading US supplier for radiopharmaceutical logistics, thus enhancing SLS Groups’ outstanding life science logistics position.

Associated Couriers Inc. (AC) , a courier and delivery service provider originally specialized in the radiopharmaceutical sector, was founded in St. Louis (MO) in 1997 and since then successfully developed into a market leader in life science related logistics services. AC actually owns a distribution network covering large parts of the USA (38 states), operates with more than 100 employees, and reaches a turnover of approx. $ 30 million per year. Based on ACs core skills and given the impressive track record of double digit growth rates over the past years, AC proved to be the perfect match in strengthening the core life science competencies of the SLS Group (Germany), which already today is the globally leading provider for stem cell and also laboratory specimen logistics.

Matt Silverberg, CEO Associated Couriers: “We are extremely happy to join the SLS Group, giving us the power to drive the further growth of the business, both in North America and on an international scale. Additional resources will enable AC to go for further investments in strategic development areas, but also to look for M&A-options completing the AC strategy fulfilment”.

Thomas Lang, CEO SLS Group: “The whole SLS-family is fascinated by the power and engagement of Matt Silverberg and the AC-team in developing the company and growing the business. But we also share the same core values and visions, which turns AC into the perfect match as the US-based accelerator for our global strategy in specialized life science logistics services”.

About Associated Couriers:
Associated Couriers Inc., founded in 1977 in St. Louis (MO), is a courier and delivery service provider specialized in the radiopharmaceutical and e-commerce sector, today covering 38 US states with 15 logistic hubs and more than 100 employees. Showing yearly growth rates beyond 20%, AC will shortly pass a turnover of $ 30 million per year. www.acistl.com

About SLS Group:
SLS Group is an international group of specialized logistics service operators focused on customized priority logistics, based on two main operational pillars: Life Science (i.e. Stem Cells, Pharmaceutical) and Industrial (i.e. Automotive, Aircraft on Ground, High Tech). The group operates locations in Germany, Czech Republic, Romania and the United States and employs more than 300 people. www.slsgroup.de

Kelsterbach, 15.04.2020

Samedaylogistics, a leading global supplier of priority and customized emergency transports, repetitiously secures medical transportation from China to Europe addressing urgent needs to fight the current Corona-pandemic

The current global fight against the Corona-pandemic creates numerous challenges for all kinds of industries. For the logistics sector, one of the key issues is the vast cancellation of passenger flights, leading to a serious scarcity also in freight capacity. Mere freight flights, on the other hand, are dramatically overbooked, so numerous urgent and time-critical transport requirements, i.e. for medical equipment from China to Europe, cannot be addressed.

Samedaylogistics , as a leading supplier of customized emergency transports, is actively filling this critical gap by providing vacant freight capacity up to full charter arrangements, so to secure that vital material against the pandemic is being moved, especially from China into Germany. Customers include national and regional state authorities, as well as medical charity organizations.

One of those transports received a considerable press coverage, when the ruling mayor of Berlin, Mr. Michael Müller , announced via Twitter on the 4th of April , that more than 2 million face masks and 300.000 protective gowns were successfully shipped to Berlin, for subsequent distribution to hospitals, retirement homes and the police. To execute this urgent and time-critical delivery, Samedaylogistics provided a Boeing B747 Aircraft-charter, managed the on- and off-loading of the material and took care of the full custom clearance around the delivery.

Kelsterbach am Main, 31.10.2019

Samedaylogistics announces the acquisition of PriorityOBC s.r.o.

„This is an opportunity to move our seven-year-long logistics operation on the Czech Republic market forward. Our knowledge of the local companies with a strong background in the Samedaylogistics brand is the right cocktail for success we believe. Although the economy is apparently slowing down and we are receiving answers from clients such as, we are forced to stop emergency transports for a while, we are and want to be always ready to deal with any time-critical transports in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Samedaylogistics Czech Republic will be the right partner for anyone from our region who wants immediate, personal approach, quality, and expertise in time-critical shipments.” says Vladimir Vergas, CEO of Samedaylogistics s.r.o.

Samedaylogistics Czech Republic is based in Zlin which allows to choose from three airports for take off, Prague, Vienna and Katowice and also give the opportunity to serve Slovakia too. The location out of the airport area, in the countryside, in fact, is rare for this type of business, however, it offers closer contact with companies that are not positioned at the airport either.

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Kelsterbach, Germany, Samedaylogistics has about 40 employees specialised in „Air Charter“, „Next Flight Out“ and „Onboard Courier“ shipments among others. These shipments are usually very time critical in nature and often global, complex and logistics intense with a high cost of failure while operated with strictly defined protocols and control points from order to delivery.

Samedaylogistics believes that it can accelerate and enhance the growth in its chosen services and markets by internationalizing the group. Now, the company has a widespread global courier network of more than 850 professional couriers and offices in Germany, Czech Republic, the US and Romania.

The new firm which is already rebranded Samedaylogistics Czech Republic will use the www.samedaylogistics.cz domain name and is available to all our customers urgent inquiries at helpnow@samedaylogistics.cz .

Kelsterbach, 27.05.2019

Samedaylogistics announces the acquisition of Global Transportation Solutions, Inc. a market leading provider of emergency logistics solutions

“Samedaylogistics vision is that customers can order this preferential service no matter in what part of the world their request may occur. This acquisition is another accelerator to drive network growth and to improve our service to our global customer portfolio. We extend our reach to North America and enable our clients to benefit from a professional global service” says Holger Zulauf, CEO of Samedaylogistics GmbH.

“We are looking forward to become part of Samedaylogistics. Joining forces with one of the leading emergency logistics providers offers us new growth perspectives within a worldwide operating network” says Marvin Stone, CEO of Global Transportation Solutions.

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Kelsterbach, Germany, Samedaylogistics has about 40 employees specialised in “Air Charter”, “Next Flight Out” and “Onboard Courier” shipments among others. These shipments are usually very time critical in nature and often global, complex and logistics intense with a high cost of failure while operated with strictly defined protocols and control points from order to delivery. Samedaylogistics believes that it can accelerate and enhance the growth in its chosen services and markets by internationalizing the group. Now, the company has a widespread global courier network of more than 850 professional couriers and offices in Germany, the US and Romania.

The new firm which will be renamed Samedaylogistics US will use the www.samedaylogistics.us domain name and email addresses.

Kelsterbach, 20.05.2019

Samedaylogistics announces the acquisition of Global Air Courier, s.r.o. a market leading provider of emergency logistics solutions.

„Romania is an interesting, strongly growing market with many customers from the automotive and aerospace sectors. Samedaylogistics vision is that customers can order this preferential service no matter in what part of the world their request may occur. We extend our reach to Romania and enable our existing and future clients to benefit from a professional global service“ says Holger Zulauf, CEO of Samedaylogistics GmbH.

„We are looking forward to become part of Samedaylogistics. Joining forces with one of the leading emergency logistics providers offers us new growth perspectives within a worldwide operating network“ says Ilie Suba, CEO of Global Air Courier s.r.o.

Samedaylogistics Romania will not only handle the business coming to and going from Romania, but also shipments coming to and going from the neighbor countries as Bulgaria, Hungary and Serbia. In addition to the office inside the cargo handling area of Otopeni Airport, Samedaylogistics Romania also serves their services from Sibiu, Cluj and Timisoara Airport.

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Kelsterbach, Germany, Samedaylogistics has about 40 employees specialised in „Air Charter“, „Next Flight Out“ and „Onboard Courier“ shipments among others. These shipments are usually very time critical in nature and often global, complex and logistics intense with a high cost of failure while operated with strictly defined protocols and control points from order to delivery.

Samedaylogistics believes that it can accelerate and enhance the growth in its chosen services and markets by internationalizing the group. Now, the company has a widespread global courier network of more than 850 professional couriers and offices in Germany, the US and Romania.

The new firm which is already rebranded Samedaylogistics Romania will use the www.samedaylogistics.ro domain name and is available to all our customers urgent inquiries at helpnow@samedaylogistics.ro .