Australia Post and Aramex team up to take on Asia e-commerce market

A one-two asset sale and joint venture deal between UAE-based logistics company Aramex and Australia Post will allow the two companies to combine their “resources and expertise to build a compelling global e-commerce delivery platform,” according to Aramex chief executive Hussein Hachem. The deal involves a series of complex assets sales, mergers and acquisitions that will ultimately create a jointly owned global e-commerce business that both Aramex and Australia Post hope will capture e-commerce business both domestically and across Asia.

The deal works as follows – two years after acquiring Mail Call Couriers, a Sydney-based courier service, Aramex has opted for a new strategy to strengthen its Asia Pacific footprint and grow its e-commerce platform in the region. Under the terms of the deal, Australia Post’s StarTrack Courier will take over Mail Call Couriers and then together, the parent companies will form a jv with Aramex focusing on e-commerce in Asia. Next, this JV will acquire Australia Post’s StarTrack International global e-commerce postal business.

The jv will connect Australian businesses with high-growth regions in Asia, while also improving connectivity between domestic consumers and online retailers. According to Access Intelligence, cross-border parcel volumes are growing at 20% annually in Australia. Meanwhile, in the domestic market shipping is slowing, even as international competitors enter the market.