Brussels-based Bpostgroup, Belgium’s leading postal operator, announced on Monday, August 21, that it has completed the acquisition of Dutch e-fulfilment company Active Ants.
This acquisition allows the companies to provide comprehensive e-commerce solutions. It also further strengthens their strategic partnership established in 2018.
Active Ants directors Jeroen Dekker and Jean Lahaye will depart the company but remain actively involved in facilitating the transition. Bram Blondé took over as CEO of Active Ants effective August 21, 2023.
“We are genuinely proud of the growth Active Ants has experienced,” Dekker and Lahaye say. “This innovative concept has become a real success story and, thanks to the partnership with Bpostgroup, now markets unique services in multiple countries.”
“Today marks the start of a new chapter. We have been working closely with the new CEO, Bram Blondé, for several months and we have no doubt that Active Ants will continue to grow under his leadership,” they say.
Acting CEO of Bpostgroup, Philippe Dartienne, says, “Bpostgroup continues to invest in the future. This is a new phase for the company, perfectly aligned with our strategy. In 2018 we acquired a majority holding in Active Ants because we believed in its potential.”
Active Ants, established in 2010, focuses on improving e-fulfilment through innovation, automation and robot deployment. It has become a market leader in the Netherlands, serving over 250 customers and processing millions of orders annually.
Bpost’s origin
Bpost, headquartered in Brussels, is a leading Belgian entity responsible for national and international mail delivery. It is one of the country’s largest employers and offers services such as postal, courier, direct marketing, banking, insurance and electronic services.
The enterprise has a network of 2,800 Pick-up Points strategically positioned within a maximum distance of five kilometres from customers’ residences. It facilitates convenient parcel drop-off and pick-up services, as well as offers an app for easy parcel sending, receiving and letter/card services to provide a smooth customer experience.
Bpost transformed from a traditional postal service to global parcels and e-commerce logistics provider. Opening new sorting centres in Antwerp, Charleroi, Ghent and Liege in 2004 marked a significant milestone in its network automation and operational advancement in Belgium.
Bpost has set ambitious sustainability goals for the future. By 2030, the company aims to reduce carbon emissions by 55 per cent compared to 2019 and achieve 100 per cent emissions-free last-mile deliveries.