The GEFCO Group, an automotive and industrial logistics company, said that it has successfully launched operations in Algeria. With a turnover of €5 million in 2014, its Algerian subsidiary has already established itself as a major player in the national logistics sector less than one year after its arrival, according to the company.

With a GDP growth forecast of 4 percent in 2015 and dynamic foreign trade, the Algerian economy continues to exhibit a strong performance. Algeria is also the second largest automotive market on the African continent and one of the most promising worldwide, according to the company.

Drawing on the Group’s experience of over 65 years in the automotive sector, GEFCO Algeria has invested in major logistics infrastructures and set up two preparation and storage establishments for new vehicles in Mostaganem, in the west of the country, and Boufarik, near Algiers. With a surface area of 5 hectares, the Boufarik site also offers warehousing and logistics management services, thus establishing itself as the leading multi-business line logistics platform in Algeria.

As an example of its expertise, the subsidiary handles the receipt and inspection of vehicles, as well as their storage and distribution to various dealerships, on behalf of the importer SAIDA. It also handles the distribution of new vehicles to dealers for PSA Peugeot Citroën. In total, GEFCO Algeria transported 55,000 new vehicles in 2014.
“The Automotive sector is one of the pillars of our development strategy in Algeria. We have all of the qualities needed to support the development of car manufacturers and equipment suppliers in Algeria and North Africa. Our aim is to become a key player throughout the Maghreb region in the coming years“, says Bertrand de Techtermann, managing director of the Algerian subsidiary.

Algeria enjoys a strategic geographic position for trade with Europe, the Middle-East, Latin America and Asia. These regions in which GEFCO is already present are important sources of growth. The Group said it intends to extend its geographic coverage in 2015 with the launch of operations in South-East Asia, South Korea, Greece, and Serbia. Having made the development of overseas activities one of its priorities for 2015, GEFCO Algeria has invested in the deployment of new flows from Algiers to Vietnam, Dubai, and the United States. These intercontinental flows, notably include the transport of textiles, electrical household appliances and spare parts. Other flows to Western and Southern Europe are planned for 2015, as well as to China, Cambodia and Indonesia.

In order to support manufacturers’ international development, GEFCO Algeria said it offers fully integrated overseas services to provide effective management of their intercontinental flows. These services include logistics and customs operations, order preparations, cross-docking services, collection and regrouping of goods, quality control, and capillary distribution.

GEFCO Algeria has a goal of doubling its turnover in 2015 to more than €10 million.