DSV

In 1976, nine independent haulage companies and a single business developer, Leif Tullberg, did something counterintuitive: they consolidated. They formed "De Sammensluttede Vognmænd," or DSV, initially to operate as a cartage department for its owners. This pragmatic union in a small Danish town laid the foundation for a logistics powerhouse. The company's DNA from day one was growth through partnership and acquisition. DSV went public on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange in 1987, providing the fuel for its ambitions. The playbook was simple but effective: acquire other companies to expand its network and services. A major move came in 2000 with the purchase of the DFDS Dan Transport Group, which significantly expanded DSV's global network and pushed it into new market segments like air and sea freight. This strategy of aggressive acquisition became its hallmark. Key purchases like Frans Maas in 2006, ABX LOGISTICS in 2008, and UTi Worldwide in 2016 transformed DSV from a Pan-European player into a truly global force with a presence on all continents. Each acquisition was not just about getting bigger, but about integrating new capabilities and talent. The culmination of this strategy has been a series of massive deals, including the 2019 acquisition of Panalpina and the 2021 purchase of Agility's Global Integrated Logistics. More recently, DSV completed its acquisition of DB Schenker, positioning itself as one of the largest transport and logistics companies in the world, a testament to its 50-year journey from a small Danish collective to a global leader.