While Van Hulle will continue operating as a standalone business unit, this takeover enhances its market presence and service offering and marks yet another important.
step in the steady development of Wrist’s global network, the company explained.
With the acquisition of Van Hulle, Wrist Ship Supply now adds Belgium to its global footprint thus expanding its presence in the ARA market.
Robert Kledal, Wrist CEO, said; “We are looking forward to initiate a great co-operation with Van Hulle and we will for sure benefit both ways from each our experiences in the ship supply market.” Van Hulle’s experienced management team, with Bart van Hulle at its head, will continue to run the operation out of Antwerp and Zeebrugge in Belgium, at which the former family-owned business has large and modern warehouse and storage facilites, centrally located in the port areas.
For more than a decade, it has been part of Wrist’s strategy to take a leading role in theglobal consolidation of a traditionally fragmented ship supply industry, typically composed of locally based and often family-owned businesses.
Consequently, Wrist is continuously examining various opportunities for further growth, including acquisitions as well as start-ups.
More recent expansions include the acquisition of Klevenberg Shipping Center in 2018 and Garrets International in 2016. In 2017 Wrist opened an office in Shanghai, to a large extent targeting new built vessels needing a broad spectrum of provisions and stores before delivery from shipyards to their owners.