Kuehne+Nagel has announced plans to purchase Eastway Global Forwarding Ltd, a recognised specialist in aviation logistics. This move aims to broaden Kuehne+Nagel’s service portfolio in the aerospace sector and aligns with the company’s strategy to accelerate growth in one of the industry’s fastest-advancing markets.
Headquartered in Limerick, Ireland, Eastway is a long-established, family-run enterprise with operations covering 130 countries. The company supports the aerospace ecosystem with critical logistics solutions including aircraft-on-ground (AOG) support, engine transport, aviation warehousing, and customs services. It also partners closely with aircraft leasing firms, a sector that currently owns more than half of the world’s fleet and is projected to rise from USD 187.1 billion in 2024 to USD 565.1 billion by 2034, driven by a CAGR of 11.8%.
Yngve Ruud, Member of the Management Board overseeing Air Logistics at Kuehne+Nagel, commented that the acquisition will reinforce the company’s targeted growth approach: “Eastway’s established reputation and customer relationships complement our ambition to enhance aerospace logistics expertise globally and further advance our market position.”
Frank McNamara Jnr, Managing Director of Eastway, added “Joining forces with a global logistics leader marks an exciting evolution for our business. By combining our aviation know-how with Kuehne+Nagel’s worldwide capabilities, we can deliver greater value to clients across the aerospace sector while creating new development opportunities for our dedicated team.”
The transaction remains subject to regulatory review and standard closing conditions, with completion expected by the end of 2025. Once finalized, Eastway will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Kuehne+Nagel.
Kuehne+Nagel employs nearly 85,000 people across close to 1,300 locations in around 100 countries. Based in Switzerland and listed on the SMI index, the company is a global leader in air and sea freight with established strengths in road and contract logistics, serving more than 400,000 customers with comprehensive supply chain solutions.
