AC Logistics, AP Moller gear up for next phase of growth

MANILA, Philippines —  Ayala Corp.’s wholly owned subsidiary, AC Logistics, is ready to proceed with its next phase of growth as global institutional fund manager A.P. Moller Capital completed its strategic investment in the company.

A.P. Moller Capital–Emerging Markets Infrastructure Fund II, through EMIF II Holding III B.V., has completed its investment for a 40-percent stake in AC Logistics.

“This partnership reflects Ayala’s long-standing strategy of working with world-class companies to scale our businesses, strengthen execution and serve customers better,” Ayala president and CEO Cezar Consing said.

A.P. Moller Capital’s investment and strategic partnership with AC Logistics is expected to boost the company’s next phase of growth through the expansion of its nationwide footprint and capacity, enhancement of service offerings across key logistics segments, strengthening of operational capabilities and service quality and  adoption of global best practices and connectivity.

Beyond capital, A.P. Moller Capital is also bringing deep domain expertise in global transportation and logistics, which is expected to strongly position AC Logistics across cold chain, air cargo logistics, project cargo, contract logistics and national distribution.

It will likewise enable AC Logistics to strengthen its services in key sectors, including food, agriculture, health care, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods and retail.

Lars Reno Jakobsen, senior partner at A.P. Moller Capital, said the Philippines’ geography and growth outlook create a clear need for more efficient, resilient and integrated supply chains.

Jakobsen said AC Logistics, for its part, has built a strong position in the country’s logistics market in a relatively short period of time.

“We see an opportunity to support AC Logistics and Ayala Corp. in scaling a platform that can deliver attractive, sustainable long-term growth, serving customers across key logistics segments, while contributing to the wider development of the sector in the Philippines,” Jakobsen said.

To reinforce its cold chain platform, AC Logistics has also earlier completed its acquisition of an 84-percent stake in Glacier Megafridge Inc. (GMI).

The company said the addition of GMI enhances its ability to serve demand for temperature-controlled logistics across food, agriculture, health care and other sectors where reliability and temperature integrity are essential.

AC Logistics said its immediate focus would be on integrating GMI into its network and aligning operations and teams, while maintaining the strengths that have driven its success.

AC Logistics president and CEO Erry Hardianto said the completion of these transactions marks a transformative step in building a leading integrated logistics platform in the Philippines.

“Together with A .P. Moller Capital and GMI, we are augmenting our scale, enhancing our capabilities and expanding our reach across the country. These enable us to provide customers with seamless access to a more comprehensive and interconnected network of logistics nodes across the Philippines,” Hardianto said.

Established in 2021, AC Logistics is a company that offers customers holistic supply chain solutions covering cold chain solutions, freight forwarding, national distribution and contract logistics.