Bertelsmann Expands U.S. E-Commerce Footprint with Strategic Acquisitions of Carbel and United Customs Services

(IN BRIEF) Bertelsmann has expanded its presence in the U.S. by acquiring Carbel LLC and United Customs Services through its subsidiary Arvato, marking a significant step into the growing e-commerce services market for fashion, beauty, and lifestyle industries. The acquisitions, part of the company’s Boost program, enhance Arvato’s logistics and supply chain offerings, especially in retail and apparel logistics. These strategic moves bolster Arvato’s U.S. network, which now includes 16 warehouses across the country, totaling around 650,000 square meters of storage space. The growth of e-commerce in the U.S. offers Arvato significant opportunities in the coming years. The deal follows Arvato’s earlier acquisition of ATC Computer Transport & Logistics in January 2025, reflecting its broader strategy to diversify and expand in key sectors.

(PRESS RELEASE) GÜTERSLOH, 4-Feb-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Bertelsmann, the global media, services, and education company, has made a strategic move to strengthen its position in the U.S., its largest and most critical market, by expanding its subsidiary Arvato’s reach. Through the acquisition of U.S.-based third-party logistics providers Carbel LLC and United Customs Services, Bertelsmann is now poised to enter the rapidly growing e-commerce services market for fashion, beauty, and lifestyle companies. This deal is part of Bertelsmann’s ongoing “Boost” program, which has already seen an investment of nearly six billion euros, with plans for a total of eight billion euros in future investments.

Bertelsmann’s Chairman and CEO, Thomas Rabe, emphasized the importance of this acquisition in the context of the company’s ambitions: “The U.S. continues to be the largest source of revenue for Bertelsmann, and this investment under our ‘Boost’ initiative is vital for expanding our global services. With this acquisition, Arvato is in an excellent position to become a leading player in the U.S. e-commerce services market, particularly in the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle segments.”

Arvato’s CEO, Frank Schirrmeister, further elaborated on the strategic significance of the acquisition: “By integrating Carbel and United Customs Services, we are significantly enhancing our ability to offer more customized logistics solutions. Their expertise in retail and apparel logistics aligns perfectly with our goals to expand our service offerings and client base in these key sectors. We are excited about the prospects of this partnership and look forward to working together as one unified team.”

With the acquisition of Carbel LLC, Arvato gains a comprehensive third-party logistics provider serving U.S. and international clients, with a particular focus on fashion and retail. Carbel operates six well-located facilities in Florida, Pennsylvania, California, and New York, offering warehousing, distribution, storage, and transportation services. Combined, these facilities provide nearly 150,000 square meters (1.6 million square feet) of warehouse space.

United Customs Services specializes in import and export solutions, including Remote Location Filing, customs clearance, and trade compliance, and is recognized for simplifying global trade processes. The company, CTPAT-certified since 2007, further strengthens Arvato’s offerings in facilitating international trade.

With these acquisitions, Arvato now boasts a network of 16 warehouses across the U.S., totaling around 650,000 square meters (7 million square feet) of storage capacity. The U.S. e-commerce sector, which has experienced significant growth, is expected to continue expanding by five percent annually over the next five years, offering Arvato ample opportunities for future growth.

These acquisitions follow Arvato’s recent purchase of ATC Computer Transport & Logistics, a move completed in January 2025. ATC, based in Ireland, specializes in high-security transportation and technical services for the data center industry, underscoring Arvato’s commitment to diversifying and scaling operations in high-growth sectors.

About Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann is a media, services, and education company with more than 80,000 employees that operates in about 50 countries around the world. It includes the entertainment group RTL Group, the trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the music company BMG, the service provider Arvato Group, Bertelsmann Marketing Services, the Bertelsmann Education Group and Bertelsmann Investments, an international network of funds. The company generated revenues of €20.2 billion in the 2023 financial year. Bertelsmann stands for creativity and entrepreneurship. This combination promotes first-class media content and innovative service solutions that inspire customers around the world. Bertelsmann aspires to achieve climate neutrality by 2030.

About Arvato Group
Arvato is an innovative and leading global logistics service provider in the field of supply chain management and e-commerce. By combining deep industry expertise with the right technologies, Arvato develops innovative supply chain management and e-commerce solutions for its clients. Arvato focuses on Consumer Products, Tech, Healthcare, Automotive and Publisher industries and has aligned its organization to meet the needs of its global clients and their industries. About 17,000 employees work at 90 locations with state-of-the-art cloud technologies. This enables Arvato to provide its clients with the best possible support for their growth objectives. Arvato is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA.
www.arvato.com 

About Carbel and United Customs Services
Carbel LLC is a trusted provider of logistics services offering distribution, storage, and warehousing solutions for businesses worldwide.
United Customs Services simplify international trade with import and export solutions, including clearance and compliance services.

Media Contacts:

Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA
Markus Harbaum
Head of Communications Content Team
Spokesperson
Phone: +49 5241 80-24 66
markus.harbaum@bertelsmann.de

Arvato Group
Gernot Wolf
Head of Corporate Communications
Spokesperson
Phone: +49 5241 80-41625
gernot.wolf@bertelsmann.de

SOURCE: Bertelsmann