SEKO Logistics announces the acquisition of a majority stake in its Omni-Channel Logistics unit

Chicago-based third-party logistics (3PL) services provider SEKO Logistics said this week it has acquired a major shareholding in Omni-Channel Logistics, a strategic partner, in an effort to expand its e-commerce and technology solutions geared towards retailers, pure-play e-tailers, marketplaces, and platforms.

The relationship between SEKO and Omni-Channel Logistics goes back to early 2014, when Kai Lincoln, managing director and his team launched Omni-Channel Logistics, and SEKO Logistics launched a new integrated e-commerce and logistics division in 2013 with SEKO Omni-Channel Logistics to fast track traditional brick-and-mortar retailers into the global e-commerce market. SEKO officials said that the four main components offered by SEKO Omni-Channel Logistics include global fulfilment, global delivery management, global returns solutions, and e-commerce development and design.

“As a start-up business in 2014, we recognized the importance of having a reputable global brand behind us,” Lincoln said in a statement. “SEKO gave us that credibility and the two-way partnership we have enjoyed since has enabled us to become a global e-commerce force with an amazing team of individuals and a technology platform designed and built for scalable cross-border, marketplace and returns solutions.”

SEKO officials said that SEKO Omni-Channel Logistics team is focused on cross-border e-commerce and global e-commerce returns solutions and has grown its annual revenues by giving major brands and SMEs fast and easy access to primary e-commerce markets in Hong Kong, the U.S., U.K. and Southeast Asia, as well as Australia and New Zealand. And they added that by the end of 2017, more than half of SEKO’s global airfreight tonnage was comprised of retail goods, with the majority coming from cross-border e-commerce parcels and global parcel returns.

“As the fastest growing division for SEKO globally, it became increasingly important to expand the Omni-Channel Logistics solution beyond just a successful partnership and more into a fully integrated solution within the SEKO portfolio of services that we provide for retailers, pure play retailers, platforms and marketplaces,” Brian Bourke, VP Marketing, SEKO Logistics, told LM.  

Bourke noted that existing clients will see no immediate change and both existing and new clients will see additional resources, investment and expansion of SEKO’s infrastructure and network to better support the growing demand for cross border e-commerce.

The company’s recent July expansion with its London Heathrow facility in which SEKO announced it is investing in a new flagship airfreight and omni-parcel services facility in close proximity to London Heathrow airport is an example of how it will be growing in many other key markets to better service growing cross border e-commerce demand.

The benefits from a SEKO perspective, explained Bourke, are the additions of the expertise of the team as well as the industry-leading technology that they have developed to manage and handle international cross border parcels, returns, marketplaces, branded tracking for retailers and payment gateways all custom built to enhance the customer experience for our clients globally.

Looking ahead, Bourke said that SEKO is looking to expand its current service offerings and expand its e-commerce and technology solutions.

“We are looking to expand further in the U.K. and U.S. to start while integrating more final mile carriers and servicing more lanes and providing more returns solutions to better facilitate the growth in both domestic as well as international e-Commerce,” he said. “We are investing in demand chain management solutions, and the Omni-Channel Logistics solution and the Omni Parcel and Omni Returns systems that the team has developed are a natural extension for our focus towards creating better consumer driven logistics solutions around the globe.”