Press Release | Gütersloh, 02/03/2025

Bertelsmann Acquires U.S. Logistics Service Provider And Further Expands Its Position in North America

• ‘Boost’ investment in the nine-digit range strengthens Bertelsmann in its largest and most important single market
• Subsidiary Arvato acquires U.S. third-party logistics provider Carbel LLC and United Customs Services
• Strategic step towards entering the growth market of e-commerce services for fashion, beauty and lifestyle providers in the U.S.
• Arvato’s U.S. network grows to 16 distribution centers nationwide with around 650,000 square meters of warehouse space as a result of the acquisition

Gütersloh, February 3, 2025 – Bertelsmann, the international media, services, and education company, is expanding its business activities in the U.S., strengthening its position in what has become its largest and most important single market. The Bertelsmann subsidiary Arvato has announced its acquisition of the U.S. third-party logistics (3PL) provider Carbel LLC as well as United Customs Services. This step marks Bertelsmann’s entry into the growth market of e-commerce services for fashion, beauty, and lifestyle providers in the U.S. The acquisition is part of the Group-wide “Boost” program, under which nearly six billion euros have already been invested in the past years. A total investment of eight billion euros is planned.

Bertelsmann Chairman & CEO Thomas Rabe said: “Bertelsmann already generates the majority of its revenues in the U.S., and our goal is to continue to grow in this large, important, and innovative market. Against this background, Arvato’s recent nine-digit investment under our ‘Boost’ program is of great strategic importance for Bertelsmann and for our global services businesses. This acquisition puts Arvato in an ideal position to play a key role in the fast-growing segment of e-commerce services for fashion, beauty and lifestyle providers in the U.S. going forward.”

Arvato CEO Frank Schirrmeister added: “This strategic move enables our companies to expand our service offerings to our clients and also grow our client base, particularly in the fashion, beauty and lifestyle segments. With deep expertise in retail and apparel logistics services, Carbel and United Customs Services are the perfect partners to strengthen our ability to provide even more tailored solutions to our clients. Our combined knowledge will drive our growth in the U.S. and open up new opportunities for us. We are looking forward to unite as one team that shares the same values and continually strives for success.”

In Carbel LLC, Arvato gains a full-service 3PL provider serving U.S. and international clients across various industries, with a strong focus on fashion and retail. The U.S. company offers custom warehousing, distribution, storage, and transportation services and operates from its six strategically located facilities in Florida (2), Pennsylvania (2), California, and New York. Together, these locations have nearly 150,000 sqm (more than 1.6 million sq ft) of warehouse space.

United Customs Services offers complete import and export solutions delivering a high-quality service. The company specializes in Remote Location Filing across the U.S., customs clearance, and trade compliance. CTPAT-certified since 2007, United Customs Services is known for simplifying global trade processes that help streamline operations for clients in international markets.

In the U.S., Arvato now has a network of 16 warehouses with a total storage area of around 650,000 square meters (7 million sq ft). The e-commerce sector in the U.S. has seen high growth rates in recent years and is expected to grow by five percent per annum over the next five years.

The two acquisitions in the U.S. follow Arvato’s recent takeover of ATC Computer Transport & Logistics, which was completed at the beginning of January. ATC, headquartered in Ireland, specializes in high-security transportation and technical services in the data center industry. This latest acquisition underscores Arvato’s commitment to diversifying its portfolio and scaling operations in key growth sectors.

About Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann is a media, services, and education company with more than 80,000 employees that operates in about 50 countries around the world. It includes the entertainment group RTL Group, the trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the music company BMG, the service provider Arvato Group, Bertelsmann Marketing Services, the Bertelsmann Education Group and Bertelsmann Investments, an international network of funds. The company generated revenues of €20.2 billion in the 2023 financial year. Bertelsmann stands for creativity and entrepreneurship. This combination promotes first-class media content and innovative service solutions that inspire customers around the world. Bertelsmann aspires to achieve climate neutrality by 2030.

About Arvato Group
Arvato is an innovative and leading global logistics service provider in the field of supply chain management and e-commerce. By combining deep industry expertise with the right technologies, Arvato develops innovative supply chain management and e-commerce solutions for its clients. Arvato focuses on Consumer Products, Tech, Healthcare, Automotive and Publisher industries and has aligned its organization to meet the needs of its global clients and their industries. About 17,000 employees work at 90 locations with state-of-the-art cloud technologies. This enables Arvato to provide its clients with the best possible support for their growth objectives. Arvato is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA.
www.arvato.com 

About Carbel and United Customs Services
Carbel LLC is a trusted provider of logistics services offering distribution, storage, and warehousing solutions for businesses worldwide.
United Customs Services simplify international trade with import and export solutions, including clearance and compliance services.