DANISH infrastructure fund manager A.P. Moller Capital has completed its acquisition of a 40-percent stake in Ayala Corp.’s AC Logistics Holdings Corp., formalizing a partnership aimed at expanding the logistics company’s operations and supporting supply chain development in the Philippines.
In a joint statement on Wednesday, the companies said the investment, made through A.P. Moller’s Emerging Markets Infrastructure Fund II, was completed after all closing conditions, including merger control clearances, had been satisfied.
The partnership will combine A.P. Moller’s global transportation and logistics expertise with Ayala’s local market knowledge to support AC Logistics’ expansion, strengthen its operational capabilities and broaden its service offerings.
AC Logistics President and CEO Erry Hardianto said it marks a major step in the company’s growth.
“The completion of these transactions marks a transformative step in building a leading integrated logistics platform in the Philippines,” Hardianto said.
“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,” he added.
The investment by A.P. Moller follows AC Logistics’ earlier acquisition of an 84-percent stake in Glacier Megafridge Inc. (GMI), strengthening its cold chain platform and temperature-controlled logistics services.
AC Logistics said its immediate priority was to integrate GMI into its network while pursuing commercial synergies across its expanded operations.
Lars Reno Jakobsen, senior partner at A.P. Moller, said the firm sees significant opportunities in the Philippine logistics sector.
“The country’s geography and growth outlook create a clear need for more efficient, resilient, and integrated supply chains. We see an opportunity to support AC Logistics and Ayala Corporation in scaling a platform that can deliver attractive, sustainable long-term growth while contributing to the wider development of the sector in the Philippines,” he said.
Ayala President and CEO Cezar Consing said the partnership “reflects Ayala’s long-standing strategy of working with world-class companies to scale our businesses, strengthen execution, and serve customers better.”
Shares of AC Logistics parent Ayala Corp. on Wednesday slipped P1.80, or 0.37 percent, to close at P485.00 each, amid a 0.46 percent advance for the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index.
