The Belgian Nordic has acquired the Dutch Norway specialist Norske from Dick and Annemarie van Kooi. It is Nordic’s sixth acquisition in six months. Nordic speaks of a ‘strategic move’, strengthening its position as market leader in the sale of Hurtigruten in the Netherlands. The two companies have each been working with Hurtigruten for a long time. This shipping company is known for the postal route along the Norwegian coast and to the polar regions. Maarten Raes, CEO and founder of Nordic, calls the acquisition “a natural step to join forces and further accelerate our growth in the Dutch market.” ‘Norway was where it all started for Nordic. From 1980 to 2012 it was our only destination and Norway is still deeply intertwined in Nordic’s DNA. The acquisition of Norske, the Norwegian specialist in the Netherlands, fits perfectly within the vision of our brand. ́ The twenty employees of Norske will keep their jobs and will be given a place within the new organization. Dick and Annemarie van Kooi say goodbye to the company after a short handover period. Hugo van Drie, director of Nordic Netherlands, is responsible for the day-to-day management of Norske. He will focus on the integration of both companies in the coming months. Unlike Nordic, Norske also sells his tours through a selection of travel agencies. Nordic will continue this cooperation in the future. The acquisition is in line with Nordic’s strategy to continue to grow in the Belgian, Dutch, German and French markets. In addition to organic growth, we are also looking at acquisitions of companies with which there is a clear match. Recent acquisitions include other Askja Travel, Go North Iceland, VNC Asia Travel, Nord Espaces and Beyond Borders. Photo (from left to right): Matthias Neirynck, Hugo van Drie, Philip Timmermans, Maarten Raes and Annemarie and Dick van Kooi. (Photo Nordic).
