In a year marked by economic uncertainties, Gebrüder Weiss, the international transport and logistics company, reported a ten percent increase in net revenues for 2024, reaching €2.71 billion ($2.92 billion), up from €2.46 billion ($2.65 billion) in 2023. This growth underscores the company’s resilience and strategic positioning in the global logistics sector.
The Air & Sea division experienced the most significant surge, with revenues climbing 21 percent to €939 million ($1.01 billion) from the previous year’s €776 million ($837 million). Factors contributing to this uptick included network expansions in the United States and Germany, increased transpacific trade volumes, and elevated sea freight rates from China to Europe. Additionally, geopolitical tensions in the Red Sea prompted container ships to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, impacting shipping dynamics.
The Land Transport and Logistics segment also saw growth, with revenues rising five percent to €1.52 billion ($1.63 billion), up from €1.45 billion ($1.56 billion) in 2023. This includes the Home Delivery service, which handles items like refrigerators and furniture across Austria and Eastern Europe, employing a two-person delivery system. DPD Austria, partially owned by Gebrüder Weiss, processed over 63.2 million parcels last year, marking an increase of one million compared to 2023, driven by exports and private consumer demand.
In North America, Gebrüder Weiss reported a remarkable 47 percent revenue increase, fueled by strategic expansions. The acquisition of Cargo-Link, a Salt Lake City-based freight forwarder specializing in air and sea freight,and the opening of new branches in Denver, Colorado,and Phoenix, Arizona,enhanced the company’s regional capabilities. These developments bolstered services such as less-than-truckload (LTL), full-truckload (FTL), and less-than-container load (LCL) shipments, bringing the total number of company-owned locations in North America to 17.
To address challenges like freight fraud and double brokering, the U.S. division partnered with Highway, a leader in carrier identity solutions, and adopted Turvo’s Collaborative Transportation Management System software to enhance transparency and efficiency.
Investments in infrastructure, automation, and digitalization remained a priority, with €124 million ($129 million) allocated in 2024. Notable projects included constructing a modern logistics and IT center near the corporate headquarters in Vorarlberg, Austria, and expanding facilities in Maria Saal (Austria), Aldingen (Germany), Bratislava (Slovakia), and Tbilisi (Georgia). In Budapest, Hungary, an Autostore warehouse was introduced, automating processes like inbound cargo handling and order picking.
The company’s digital platform, myGW, launched in 2020, saw its user base grow to 25,000. This portal offers real-time information on goods flows, providing customers with full transparency on order progress.
Sustainability efforts advanced with additional photovoltaic systems in Hungary and Slovakia, bringing the total to 34. These systems generated approximately 13,000 megawatt-hours of electricity in the last fiscal year, covering about half of the energy needs across all Gebrüder Weiss locations and reducing CO₂ emissions by 2,738 metric tons. The company also expanded its fleet of electric vehicles in Austria, Hungary, Croatia, and Romania for home deliveries and introduced electric trucks in Germany, with plans for more in Austria. Transitioning a significant portion of its Austrian truck fleet to hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) has the potential to cut CO₂ emissions by around 90 percent compared to traditional diesel fuel.
Despite a challenging economic landscape, Gebrüder Weiss maintained an equity ratio of 60 percent, reinforcing its position as a crisis-resistant service provider and reliable employer. The global workforce increased slightly to 8,700 employees across 180 locations.
CEO Wolfram Senger-Weiss commented, “Along with the issues of sustainability, infrastructure, and digitalization, the logistics industry faces numerous other hurdles this year. The persistently weak economy in Europe, new tariffs, and the crisis in the automotive industry are intensifying the competition for many companies. Gebrüder Weiss will continue to meet these challenges with a solution- and technology-oriented approach while aligning its general business strategy to the needs of its customers.”
These developments highlight Gebrüder Weiss’s commitment to growth, innovation, and sustainability in the logistics industry.
