Koole seals Alkion deal

JOINING FORCES

MERGER • BRINGING TOGETHER THE KOOLE AND ALKION TERMINAL NETWORKS WILL CREATE A SUBSTANTIAL WEB OF EUROPEAN FACILITIES, WITH A BUSINESS FOCUS ON INNOVATION

KOOLE TERMINALS HAS completed the acquisition of Alkion Terminals, creating a 20-strong network of bulk liquids storage terminals in seven countries, with some 900 employees and a total capacity of 5.3m3 of storage capacity. The merged companies will continue to operate under their own names.

“With this acquisition, we are joining forces,” John Kraakman, CEO of Koole Terminals, says. “Alkion and Koole are highly complementary, and our joint expertise now gives us the knowledge and skills to further develop and innovate our services in the storage market. Moreover, greater geographic reach creates new opportunities for our multi-terminal network customers. We can now work on a larger scale with a larger portfolio of products.”

In particular, Koole says, the new organisation aims to become the European market leader in innovative and integrated services for storage, processing and logistics. Furthermore, as Kraakman adds, “The acquisition of Alkion not only strengthens our position in the European market, but it also creates opportunities for all employees to grow personally and professionally.”

The acquisition also marks a milestone in both companies’ growth strategies. “It’s a new starting point that offers opportunities for a successful and sustainable future for all of us, and we are creating that future together, in which service to our customers is maintained to the highest possible standards for both quality and safety. That is a prerequisite,” Kraakman stresses. WHAT THEY BRING Merging the knowledge and expertise in both companies is in line with their joint sustainability strategy, which is to be at the forefront of the transition to more sustainable products. The synergy created from this combination will enhance the acceleration of this process and the capacity to provide integrated supply chain solutions for climate-friendly fuels, thus facilitating the transition to a low-carbon future.

Both companies have in recent years focused very much on projects that enhance sustainability in the energy supply chains and in renewable energies in particular. Koole, for example, has been working with Marvesa Supply Chain Services on the storage and handling of oils and fats for biofuels, and also with Horisont Energi on the development of supply chain infrastructure for ammonia and carbon dioxide. Alkion has invested heavily in the provision of solar power at its Mediterranean facilities and in July 2021 refinanced its debt using a sustainabilitylinked term loans to finance its growth.

Koole is the larger and older of the two firms, having been established some 75 years ago, but has expanded over the past decade through selective acquisitions and now has 11 terminals in the Netherlands, Poland and the UK. Alkion is much younger, having been established in 2016 with investment from Coloured Finches, a dedicated downstream manager, and InfraVia. Since then, it has acquired nine terminals in five countries in Europe, with a focus on biofuels and chemicals, and has a total storage capacity of some 1.2m m3. “Over the past six years, the business has shown strong resilience as well as outstanding performance,” says InfraVia. “In addition, the company enjoys a very healthy pipeline of development projects to expand the range of customers services fully integrated in the supply chain of its customers.” colouredfinches.com koole.com www.alkion.com