July 29 - Toll Group is expanding its global forwarding business with the purchase of German ocean forwarder Andree & Wilkerling (AWG). Toll says that AWG

Toll says that AWG will be integrated into the company's Global Forwarding Division.

The Hamburg-based business specialises in import and export ocean freight forwarding services within the retail, consumer goods, chemicals and steel material sectors.

Hugh Cushing CEO of Toll Global Forwarding comments: "Germany is a critical market and key element in our Europe and Middle East (EME) growth strategy. Continuing to build on our service offering and volumes will allow us to compete aggressively with the major forwarders in the European market. Importantly for Toll, AWG is focused on Asia and Middle East ocean freight.

"The acquisition will strengthen Toll Global Forwarding's presence in Germany, Europe's largest logistics market, by adding an established ocean freight service to the existing airfreight and sea-air import offer. AWG gives us critical mass in Hamburg, one of Germany's leading ocean freight gateways. This, coupled with our strong presence in the country's main airfreight entrance at Frankfurt, means we are now positioned to give our customers a complete service offering," Cushing concluded.