The railway and intermodal company Company Ferroviaria Italiana (CFI) has signed an agreement to acquire the 90% of the capital of Lotras, a company active in the same sector. The the remaining 10% will be held by the De Girolamo family, historical owner of the company. Armando De Girolamo, who will retain the position of CEO, and the son Nazario, will continue their activity in the company guaranteeing so full continuity. The closing of the transaction is expected by the next third quarter.

Lotras is a national leader in road-rail transport of liquids, in particular wines, musts and derivatives of processing of grapes, thanks to the management of the most important fleet of tankers in the country. It also operates in the transfer of containers and trailers by rail, and is the First national operator to have boarded a train, along the Adriatic backbone, non-craneable semi-trailers originally intended for the road transport only. In 2022 the company managed more three million hectolitres and approximately 850 000 tonnes of goods, recording a turnover of about 26 million euros.

CFI, which is controlled by infrastructure fund manager F2i Sgr through the F2i-Ania fund, highlighted that the acquisition of Lotras will allow CFI to strengthen its business along the Adriatic axis, acquiring, among other things, the management of Additional strategic terminal infrastructures for development intermodal traffic (such as the ASl-Incoronata Terminal in Foggia) which will be added to the terminals of Fiorenzuola d'Arda and Piedimonte San Germano already under management. CFI also underlined whereas the operation will allow synergies with other logistics areas already present in the F2i portfolio Sgr, such as port and airport terminals.

"With this operation - said the administrator delegate of CFI, Giacomo Di Patrizi - our company consolidates its role as the first independent railway operator in Italy and strengthens its ability to propose to the market the best logistics and intermodal solutions, thus favoring the development of rail freight traffic, which is also much desired in European level in order to combat the climate crisis. The entrance of a historic, important company with an experienced management and capable as Lotras in our organization will allow to further develop our network, in particular connections between Southern Italy, the rest of the country and Europe. This acquisition is consistent with the philosophy of investment by F2i, aimed at encouraging the growth of companies in portfolio also for external lines, with the aim of encouraging creation of national champions'.

In 2022 the companies of the CFI group recorded a total turnover of more than 100 million euros. Thanks to a fleet of 40 locomotives and over 1,400 wagons and from the employment of about 250 people, the last CFI has traveled little less than 5 million trains/km on the national rail network, transporting goods for more than 8.3 million tons.