This is a first: Clasquin now delivers a gross margin forecast. Historically cautious, the specialist in air and maritime transport flows stuck to giving targets for the volumes transported. They varied at the margin and were often summed up with this sentence: Clasquin will record a performance ” higher than the market. From now on, the Lyon group also gives a perspective of gross margin, the key indicator in its business. In 2022, it will be superior “to that of 121.9 million euros generated in 2021. “ Given the visibility we have over the year, we wanted to give more indications to the market and to analysts on the evolution of our business because we believe that they must take into account the continuation of our momentum, which is very strong for four years “, explains Hugues Morin, the general manager of Clasquin.
In the first half, the gross margin stood at 71.8 million euros, up 38.5% over one year, including 32.1% in the second quarter. A performance above expectations, precisely. The group benefited from still high air freight rates, in a context disrupted by the war in Ukraine. In the maritime sector, the situation is more complex. ” Over the last twelve months, very high port congestion and capacity and equipment problems have caused record prices until the beginning of the first quarter of 2022, recalls Hugues Morin. Since then, we have seen a drop of around 30% in market prices. It spread throughout the spring. The reasons are simple: less port congestion, with the exception of the east coast of the United States, and the contraction of world trade, which was around 3% to 6% on June 30. At Clasquin, the unit margin in maritime nevertheless remained very high in the spring, at around 621 euros, after 568 euros in the first quarter. The half-yearly average was 594 euros, up 47.8%. The maritime volumes transported, on the other hand, are almost identical from one year to the next.
Two takeovers at the start of the summer
This momentum results from the growth of the historical goodwill, the acquisition of new customers and the rise in power of the last companies acquired. In this regard, Clasquin did not sit idly by. On July 1, the group struck a double blow by acquiring 51% of the capital of the Senegalese company CVL International and 90% of the shares of the company Exaciel AMC Logistique, based in Paris and Lyon. ” Exaciel displays a high level of expertise in three nichessays Hugues Morin. The first is that of humanitarian aid, which requires specific know-how in terms of emergency management, chartering and responsiveness. It has signed with major contractors, such as Doctors Without Borders. The second is that of the management of dangerous products, which is becoming key given increasingly strict international regulations. Finally, the third is the management of AOG and aeronautical spare parts. These are all sectors that interest Clasquin. It will provide support in terms of digitization and allow an extension of the offer. Exaciel is very oriented in the air, it will strengthen in the maritime soon.
Regarding CLV International, it was created six years ago and has three playing fields, customs declarations, management of perishable goods and mining, in which Clasquin is already present with Cargolution. ” It shows high growth rates of around 20% per year. We are going to give him additional means to accelerate in a difficult environment but where there are many opportunities. » No purchase price is mentioned, neither for Exaciel nor for CVL International, but in the eyes of Hugues Morin, the most important are the prospects. In that regard, they are good.