Sarens and Sinotrans in joint-venture agreement
26 June 2015
International heavy lifting and transport specialist Sarens and Sinotrans Heavy-lift Logistics Company entered a joint-venture partnership on 25 June. It will offer Chinese customers heavy lifting and engineered transport services.
Sarens Group is headquartered in Belgium and Sinotrans, a subsidiary of government-owned Chinese integrated logistics company Sinotrans & CSC Group, is based in China. Sinotrans Sarens Logistics Co., Ltd. is registered in Shanghai. Sinotrans Sarens Logistics will “develop a joint market, shared management and advanced technologies,” according to Sarens.
Activity for the new company will focus on large engineering logistics projects, especially modular offshore projects. These are a rapidly developing trend in China and implementation of the Chinese ‘offshore equipment project plan’ precipitated growth in the market.
Wim Sarens, Sarens Group CEO, said, “Until recently Sarens Group was mainly involved in projects with non-Chinese customers due to policy constraints and market barriers which many foreign companies experience. The new initiative by President Xi Jinping “One Belt and One Road” creates new opportunities for China to open up and connect Asia’s economic belt with Europe’s economic belt. Finding a complimentary Chinese partner was a consistent next step for us. Eventually a partner was found in Sinotrans Heavy-lift Logistics, a suitable partner to guide us into the Chinese market because of its strong brand and large domestic market share. We are confident that the venture between Sinotrans and Sarens is the bright start of a shining future for both companies.”
Specific skills and experience are needed for this type of work, Sarens said, so, “The new venture is devoted to provide high quality integrated heavy lift and transport services and offer a one-stop service in engineering logistics projects to satisfy the specific demands of high-end projects and customers worldwide.” To this end Sinotrans Sarens Logistics will purchase 180 axle lines of self propelled modular transporter (SPMT) and invest in staff training.
