Groupe Sterne targets 20% growth under new CEO

Groupe Sterne, a specialist in urgent and customized delivery services, has announced an ambitious growth plan to increase its turnover by 20% over the next three years. Under the leadership of new CEO Olivier Storch, formerly of Ceva Logistics, the company aims to shift from recent growth rates of 2% to 5% toward this higher target through organic development rather than external acquisitions.

The strategy involves refocusing on the company’s core Franco-German markets and its third key market, Austria. To achieve this, the group has divested its operations in Belgium and the Netherlands, which represented less than 5% of its total turnover, citing a lack of critical scale to maintain service quality in those regions.

Groupe Sterne intends to expand its presence in sectors such as healthcare, construction, and network operators. While the company originated in the banking and insurance sectors, these activities now account for only 15% of its €570 million turnover. The majority of its business is currently driven by the delivery of spare parts for the automotive aftermarket, agriculture, and maintenance sectors, often involving high-constraint deliveries such as nighttime or highly urgent transport.