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UK. Gate Gourmet has announced its strategic investment in Pourshins, a UK company specialising in logistics solutions for airlines, caterers, suppliers and manufacturers.
“Having developed extremely successful new supply chain products, it is both exciting and refreshing for Pourshins to call on the financial and commercial support of Gate Gourmet,” said Pourshins founder Roy Moëd.
“With our expansion gathering momentum in the US, we expect to be able to develop our Business Process Outsourcer (BPO) products elsewhere in the growing markets around the world,” he added. Pourshins operates in Europe, Asia and North America.
Pourshins has been seeking an investor for some time and wanted a partner who understands the BPO area in which it operates, said Moëd.
On its new partner, he said: “Gate Gourmet has significant parallel experience and fully understands the need for businesses in the travel sector to outsource non-core activities and make full use of their assets.”
President of Gate Gourmet’s North America region Andrew Gibson said: “Pourshins is a true fourth-party logistics service provider, which combines process, people and technology to create a “˜virtual’ supply chain management solution that is flexible, responsive and cost-effective.”
Commenting on what the transaction meant to Gate Gourmet, Gibson added: “As with our recent investments in design and packaging specialists Packattack and POTM, and our pending acquisition of deSter/Supplair, world leaders in passenger contact and comfort items and alternative airline meal solutions, this transaction demonstrates Gate Gourmet’s commitment to build a service responsive to customers’ needs.”
The transaction underlines an expansion of Gate Gourmet’s product portfolio and aims to offer customers state-of-the-art standards in efficiency, quality and flexibility.
Said Gibson: “Pourshins is an expert in logistics. Our eGate Solutions suite also offers logistics management. We intend to capture the synergies between both companies to the advantage of our customers.”
About Pourshins
Founded in 1978, Pourshins is a private company specialising in data and contract management. The company manages a global supply chain for products including frozen, ambient and chilled food, airline equipment, bonded goods and inflight retail stock. Turnover in 2006 exceeded US$100 million.
About Gate Gourmet
Gate Gourmet, one of the world’s largest independent airline catering and logistics companies, has headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, and Reston, Virginia, US. Gate Gourmet produces an average of 200 million meals annually, serving customers from 93 flight kitchens in 25 countries and five continents. Revenue in 2006 was CHF2.4 billion.
