DHL Supply Chain has received approval from South Africa’s Competition Tribunal to acquire three Vital Group businesses. The companies will operate as subsidiaries, supporting logistics expansion while maintaining existing operations and customer relationships.
The acquisition strengthens DHL Supply Chain’s platform in South Africa by adding immediate scale in distribution, fleet management and workforce solutions. It also brings route density, fleet capability and local market agility that would take significantly longer to build organically.
A stronger national distribution network is one of the clearest ways the combined business will support customer growth. South Africa’s retail environment spans formal retail, wholesale, independent trade and township channels, each with different service requirements and route-to-market demands. A well-invested network enables customers to reach more outlets, improve product availability, and serve fragmented channels with greater consistency and precision. That translates into stronger on-shelf presence, a wider range of products reaching more stores across different retail channels and more reliable access to market.
“This acquisition gives our customers, and Vital’s customers, a stronger platform from which to grow,” said Bremer Pauw, Chief Commercial Officer, Middle East and Africa, and Managing Director, Africa, DHL Supply Chain. “Vital has built a highly capable business with strong customer relationships, entrepreneurial energy and real market reach. By bringing that together with DHL’s scale, systems and broader supply chain capabilities, we are creating a platform that helps customers get their products into more outlets, more consistently, across every relevant retail tier.”
The acquisition also supports DHL Supply Chain’s transport decarbonisation agenda. Greater route density and improved network design can reduce empty running, improve vehicle utilisation and strengthen the business case for lower-emission fleet investment. Combined with stronger operational control, this creates clearer and more measurable decarbonisation pathways for customers over time.
The transaction also forms part of DHL Group’s longer‑term investment commitment to Sub‑Saharan Africa, announced in 2025, which includes planned investment of approximately €300 million over five years. South Africa is central to that commitment and is a Geographic Tailwind market for DHL Group, given its role as a key logistics hub and gateway for regional trade, and as an important platform for long‑term customer growth. The investment will help strengthen logistics capability, support jobs and reinforce South Africa’s role in regional supply chain development.
