BDP International, a privately held global logistics and transportation services  company, has acquired a majority interest in the transportation division of Merlin Logistics GmbH of Germany, and full ownership of French company ACTA S.A.S.

The new subsidiaries will conduct business as BDP International, GmbH, and BDP International S.A.S. respectively.

In addition, following the approval of its board earlier this month, Philadelphia-based BDP will complete the phased acquisition of T.I.nv, a Belgium-based international logistics firm, in which it acquired a 50 percent equity interest in 2002. Operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of BDP International effective Feb. 1, the company, with offices in Antwerp, Bangkok, Brussels and Singapore, will begin conducting business as BDPti and serve as the headquarters and hub for BDP operations in Europe.

"BDP has been taking progressive steps to build upon its infrastructure and service portfolio in Europe to help our multinational customers globalize their logistics processes and grow," said Richard J. Bolte, Jr., president of BDP International. "Acquiring a majority stake and ownership in the Merlin Logistics Transportation unit and ACTA and completing the T.I. combination represent key steps in this customer-driven strategy."

Established in 1994, Merlin Logistics has 200 employees with headquarters and central warehousing facilities in Kriftel, Germany near Frankfurt. The company also has offices in Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Stuttgart and Munich. Its service portfolio comprises a range of transportation and logistics services.

ACTA S.A.S. specializes in export and import logistics in France, where it operates a hub in Paris. Its core service portfolio includes freight forwarding, customs brokerage, ocean break-bulk, project and energy logistics and multi-modal transport to landlocked countries.