Nobina completes strategic acquisition of Göteborgs Buss and strengthens its position in special needs transportation
Nobina has entered an agreement to acquire the bus company Göteborgs Buss AB, domiciled in Gothenburg, Sweden. The acquisition strengthens Nobina’s position – through its wholly owned subsidiary Samtrans – in special needs transportation, and thus also enables the company’s entry to the market in western Sweden.
The acquisition encompasses a business comprising approximately 170 vehicles and 220 employees in tendered special public transport services. The acquisition is part of Nobina’s acquisition strategy to strengthen and develop its position in special public transport.
In 2018, Nobina acquired Samtrans, the leading expert and operator in special needs transportation in Stockholm County, thereby expanding its operations and know-how in special public transport. With the acquisition of Göteborgs Buss, Nobina will continue on this journey and its establishment in the market in western Sweden.
Göteborgs Buss has a strong position in the region together with local expertise and high-quality processes and procedures that permeate the operations. The company primarily focuses on mobility services, patient transport and school transport services.
Samtrans’ aim is to continue to develop as the market leader in terms of quality of special needs transportation and the opportunities for achieving this in western Sweden are strengthened and expanded with the acquisition of Göteborgs Buss.
“The acquisition of Göteborgs Buss is an integral part of our future strategy for continuing to develop our position in special needs transportation. This is yet another example of how we are working to identify and analyse opportunities for growth through acquisitions that supplement our operations and our expertise,” says Magnus Rosén, CEO and President of Nobina.
“We are pleased to welcome Göteborgs Buss and all employees to Nobina and Samtrans. We are jointly looking forward to continuing to grow and develop the business for customers and society. Together, we are well placed to continue to drive developments in quality and sustainability in the industry and thereby grow both existing and new business,” says Tomas Hansson, Managing Director of Samtrans Omsorgsresor AB.
“I am delighted to have reached an agreement with such a large and long-term player as Nobina, together with the development and quality efforts that Samtrans pursues in the industry. We also have a positive view of Nobina and Samtrans’ intention to retain Göteborgs Buss as a separate subsidiary in the Group in order leverage the strengths of Göteborgs Buss. Together with Samtrans, we will continue to develop special public transport in Sweden,” says Peter Olsson, CEO and part-owner of Göteborgs Buss.
Today, Göteborgs Buss is a privately owned business and has reported stable sales in recent years combined with good capacity to win new contracts. The company has average annual sales of approximately SEK 130 million over the past three years and favourable profitability. Göteborgs Buss’s business will continue to be developed but as a wholly owned subsidiary of Samtrans Omsorgsresor and as a part of the Nobina Group.