MONTREAL AND BERGEN, March
23, 2011 – The CSL Group Inc. and Kristian Jebsens Rederi AS (KJR) announced
today that CSL has acquired the assets and associated contracts of Jebsens’
belted self-unloader business.
CSL intends to build on its self-unloader
expertise to service existing European customers and to expand its world-wide
network. CSL will manage the belted self-unloader business through a new
subsidiary, CSL Europe, which will be based in the UK and Bergen, Norway. Three key commercial employees from Jebsens,
including Helge Sandvik, are joining CSL. Jeffrey Barnes of CSL International
Inc. has been appointed the Managing Director and will relocate to the UK this
summer. Jeff will report to Paul
Cozza who is responsible for all of CSL’s international operations.
“Jebsens is a famous name in world shipping and Atle Jebsen
was a pioneer in building up a self-unloading business in Europe” said Rod
Jones, the President and CEO of The CSL Group Inc. in Montreal. “We are very pleased to have this
opportunity to build off the base that Jebsens has created. CSL will bring its own brand of
self-unloader operating prowess and customer service to this new venture and we
are confident that CSL Europe will become a reliable and flexible industrial
shipping partner for European industry.”
“We have been very selective in
who we chose to acquire this segment of our business and are confident that the
customers will continue to benefit from excellent service from CSL” said Bjorn
Jebsen, the Chairman of KJR.
The CSL Group, headquartered in
Montreal, Quebec, is the world’s largest owner and operator of belted
self-unloading vessels having extensive operations in North and South America
and Australasia with offices in Canada, USA, Australia and Singapore. CSL has a
substantial industrial customer base, particularly in the construction, steel
and energy sectors.