Key takeaways
- Europe was the busiest region for logistics M&A in August, accounting for 25 of the 62 deals identified worldwide.
- Road freight and specialist logistics remained major consolidation targets.
- Large investors are targeting strategic logistics infrastructure and platforms.
European logistics deal-making remained active in August 2026, with major transactions spanning road freight, parcels, cold-chain logistics, ports and air cargo. Consolidation continued to give buyers faster access to capacity, geographic coverage and specialist expertise, while several large transactions also underlined the growing role of sovereign and infrastructure capital in global logistics.
Europe accounted for 25 of the 62 logistics acquisitions identified worldwide in August, or 40.3% of the total, according to the latest M&A recap from Logisyn Advisors and Transport Intelligence. North America followed closely with 23 transactions. Transportation was the most active target sector globally, accounting for 17 deals, followed by freight forwarding with ten and logistics with six.
Road freight consolidation continues
One of August’s largest European road transport deals saw Belgian logistics group JOST agree to acquire German operator CTJ Janssen. The family-owned company generates around €135 million in annual revenue, employs approximately 650 people and operates around 400 trucks and more than 500 trailers. Once completed, the acquisition is expected to take JOST to around 4,000 employees, 2,100 trucks and 4,500 trailers.
Elsewhere on the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal’s Paulo Duarte Group acquired Barquín y Otxoa, a Basque transport and logistics operator specialising in temperature-controlled freight. The Spanish company employs more than 500 people, while Paulo Duarte expects the enlarged group to generate around €240 million in revenue in 2026.
Spain also produced one of the month’s largest disclosed logistics deals. OnTime agreed to acquire Telefónica’s Zeleris business for around €100 million, adding approximately 1,200 employees and strengthening its position in parcel delivery, e-commerce fulfilment and integrated logistics. The acquisition forms part of OnTime’s expansion strategy as it targets €2 billion in revenue by 2030.
Cold chain and specialist logistics attract buyers
Cold-chain assets were another focus of investment. Constellation Cold Logistics entered Poland through the acquisition of Wimar Coldstore, adding 25,000 temperature-controlled pallet positions at a facility south of Warsaw. The deal gives Constellation its first Polish operation and a platform for further growth across Central and Eastern Europe.
In Austria, specialist healthcare logistics group VITAIRA acquired SCHNEIDER+PEKLAR, establishing a southern hub at Vienna Airport. The transaction is part of VITAIRA’s strategy to build a European temperature-controlled logistics platform focused on pharmaceutical and healthcare supply chains.
Saudi Arabia’s SAL Logistics Services, meanwhile, completed its €28 million acquisition of Aviapartner Liège. The deal gives SAL its first operational presence outside Saudi Arabia and a base at Liège Airport, one of Europe’s largest air-freight gateways.
Hapag-Lloyd deepens its terminal strategy
In the ports sector, Hapag-Lloyd agreed to acquire a 25% stake in APM Terminals Maasvlakte II in Rotterdam, strengthening its access to automated container-handling capacity at one of Europe’s most important gateways.
The terminal is currently being expanded with another 1,000 metres of deep-sea berth, extra yard capacity and four additional rail tracks. Once completed, annual handling capacity is expected to reach around 5.4 million TEU. Maasvlakte II is also a key European hub for the Gemini Cooperation between Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk.
Duisburg port operator duisport also acquired a stake in Maxi Terminal Hamm, extending its intermodal network in North Rhine-Westphalia and strengthening links between Westphalian industry and international freight corridors.
Sovereign capital targets global logistics
Outside Europe, two of the month’s most prominent transactions involved Abu Dhabi-backed investors.
- Mubadala Capital agreed to acquire a majority stake in US freight brokerage Arrive Logistics, one of North America’s largest truckload brokers. Arrive serves more than 5,500 customers and works with more than 10,000 core carriers across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Existing investors and management will retain stakes following completion of the transaction.
- At the same time, Abu Dhabi sovereign investment vehicle L’IMAD moved to acquire the remaining 24.58% of AD Ports Group, potentially taking the ports and logistics operator fully private. Logisyn and Ti identify the two transactions as evidence that sovereign investors are moving beyond minority holdings and increasingly taking control of major logistics platforms.
