Lagerhäuser der Centralschweiz

Lagerhäuser der Centralschweiz AG is a Swiss logistics and transport group headquartered in Aarau. Founded in 1873 by the Riggenbach brothers as a transport and warehousing company, it has grown into an internationally active group with subsidiaries including Lagerhäuser Aarau AG, Cotra Autotransport AG, Weinkellereien Aarau AG, and VistaSys AG. The group employs around 700 people and is among the 500 largest companies in Switzerland. The group's logistics activities cover international sea and air freight forwarding, European road transport, and integrated logistics solutions such as warehousing, distribution, furniture transport, price labelling, co-packing, and order picking. Its subsidiary Cotra Autotransport, based in Lupfig, specialises in vehicle transport within Switzerland, including special transports for sports cars, show cars, and classic cars for exhibitions and PR events. Cotra also operates a vehicle logistics centre in Studen, Canton Bern, and offers new car preparation, high-gloss polishing, and storage space rental. Through its subsidiary Airportparking (Schweiz) AG, it provides parking services at Zurich and Geneva airports. Weinkellereien Aarau is active in the international wine trade, responsible for direct purchasing from winemakers, storage, and delivery. The group also has a significant presence in the fuel and heating oil sector through its subsidiary Oel-Pool AG, which operates a fleet of more than twenty tank trucks and runs its own petrol station network under the Ruedi Rüssel brand. Oel-Pool's subsidiary Moveri AG operates around 330 Ruedi Rüssel and Miniprix petrol stations as well as over 200 additional BP and Shell stations. The company has expanded through numerous acquisitions and mergers over the decades. In 1999, Giezendanner Transport AG, led by Ulrich Giezendanner, joined the group, and the first Ruedi Rüssel petrol station opened. In 2002, Oel-Pool AG was formed from a merger of established oil traders, and in 2003 the fuel division was spun off into Oel-Pool AG. In 2015, the petrol station division of Oel-Pool AG was transferred to subsidiary Moveri AG, and Oel-Pool AG acquired a majority stake in de Sede AG. In 2017, Oel-Pool took over 19 Aperto petrol station shops from Coop. In 2018, Volare Group AG was founded in Suhr and Oel-Pool AG was restructured into a holding company. Daniel Sieber, who joined the fuel division in 1982, became President and Delegate of the Board. In 2019, Daniel and Claudia Sieber acquired the shares of Volare Group from Lagerhäuser der Centralschweiz. Volare Group has since made further acquisitions, including Advitec (holding of the Grisard companies, including 60 Avia petrol stations) in 2018, and Zubler AG (construction) in 2023. In 2021, an agreement was announced for Volare Group to take over BP's petrol station network and supply structure in Switzerland, with Oel-Pool AG and Moveri AG handling the acquisition. In 2022, Oel-Pool took over the Deitingen motorway service area from BP, and in April 2023 sold 71 petrol station shops at BP stations to Valora, to be operated under the 'Avec' brand. Today, Lagerhäuser der Centralschweiz remains a major player in Swiss logistics and fuel retail, with a diversified portfolio spanning transport, warehousing, wine, and energy.

Lagerhäuser der Centralschweiz was founded in 1873 by the Riggenbach brothers in Aarau as a pure transport and warehousing company. It received authorisation from the Federal Customs Administration for a 'Federal Alcohol Depot'. The contract warehousing business segment has been maintained to this day and supplemented over time with other logistics services. In 1950, the company began trading in coal and wood. In 1963, it founded the vehicle transport company Universal Express. In 1965, this merged with the Swiss branch of Züst-Ambrosetti, forming Cotra Autotransport AG. In the same year, Cotra secured contracts with Ford and Fiat for vehicle distribution in Switzerland. In 1970, vehicle distribution for the AMAG Group was added. Through the takeover of transport company Oretra AG in 1971, Cotra expanded vehicle distribution in Switzerland to include Renault and Alfa Romeo. Two years later, a contract was signed with General Motors for the distribution of GM and Opel products in Switzerland. In subsequent years, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, and Hyundai were added. In 1965, the company began trading in mineral oil products. In 1973, Lagerhäuser der Centralschweiz moved from Bahnhofstrasse in Aarau to Buchs. Over the years, the company expanded into other areas through various acquisitions and mergers. Giezendanner Transport AG, led by Ulrich Giezendanner, joined the group in July 1999. In the same year, the first Ruedi Rüssel petrol station opened. In 2002, Oel-Pool AG was formed from the merger of several established oil traders. In 2003, the fuel division was spun off into Oel-Pool AG. Giezendanner Transport specialises in tank and silo transport, international transport, and hazardous goods logistics and distribution. In 2010, the company was sold back to the Giezendanner family. In 2015, the petrol station division of Oel-Pool AG was transferred to subsidiary Moveri AG. In the same year, Oel-Pool AG acquired a majority stake in de Sede AG. In 2017, Oel-Pool took over 19 Aperto petrol station shops from Coop. In 2018, Volare Group AG was founded in Suhr and Oel-Pool AG was restructured into a holding company. Daniel Sieber, who joined the fuel division in 1982, became President and Delegate of the Board of Directors. In 2019, Daniel and Claudia Sieber acquired the shares of Volare Group from Lagerhäuser der Centralschweiz. In March 2018, it was announced that the Daun Group had sold the KBC properties of approximately 80,000 square metres to Volare Group. At the end of 2018, Volare Group took over 100 percent of Advitec, the holding company of the Grisard companies, which included 60 Avia petrol stations. In April 2020, it was announced that Volare Group would become the main shareholder of construction company Zubler AG in autumn 2020. In 2023, the company was fully acquired. In 2024, it was announced that Valli AG Strassenbau, based in Aarau, would be acquired. With its subsidiary Oel-Pool, the group is also active in the heating and mineral oil trade. Oel-Pool has a fleet of more than twenty tank trucks and operates its own petrol station network under the Ruedi Rüssel brand. In 2023, it was announced that Oel-Hauser AG, part of Oel-Pool AG, would take over Hubrol AG, based in Altdorf UR, at the end of November 2023. In September 2021, an agreement was announced for the takeover of BP's petrol station network and supply structure in Switzerland. The petrol stations were to be taken over by Oel-Pool AG and its subsidiary Moveri AG. In 2022, Oel-Pool took over the Deitingen motorway service area from BP, and in April 2023 sold 71 petrol station shops at BP stations to Valora, which were to be operated under the 'Avec' brand. Moveri AG operates around 330 Ruedi Rüssel and Miniprix petrol stations and over 200 additional BP and Shell stations.

• 2024

  Announced acquisition of Valli AG Strassenbau

• 2023

  Sold 71 petrol station shops to Valora; Oel-Hauser AG took over Hubrol AG; Zubler AG fully acquired

• 2022

  Oel-Pool took over Deitingen motorway service area from BP

• 2021

  Agreement announced for takeover of BP's petrol station network in Switzerland

• 2019

  Daniel and Claudia Sieber acquired Volare Group shares from Lagerhäuser der Centralschweiz

• 2018

  Volare Group AG founded in Suhr; Oel-Pool AG restructured into holding; Volare Group took over Advitec (Grisard companies, 60 Avia stations)

• 2017

  Oel-Pool took over 19 Aperto petrol station shops from Coop

• 2015

  Petrol station division transferred to Moveri AG; Oel-Pool AG acquired majority of de Sede AG

• 2010

  Giezendanner Transport sold back to the Giezendanner family

• 2003

  Fuel division spun off into Oel-Pool AG

• 2002

  Oel-Pool AG formed from merger of established oil traders

• 1999

  Giezendanner Transport AG joined the group; first Ruedi Rüssel petrol station opened

• 1973

  Moved from Bahnhofstrasse in Aarau to Buchs

• 1971

  Took over Oretra AG, expanding vehicle distribution to Renault and Alfa Romeo

• 1970

  Added vehicle distribution for AMAG Group

• 1965

  Universal Express merged with Züst-Ambrosetti Swiss branch to form Cotra Autotransport AG; began trading in mineral oil products

• 1963

  Founded Universal Express vehicle transport company

• 1950

  Began trading in coal and wood

• 1873

  Founded by the Riggenbach brothers in Aarau as a transport and warehousing company

Diversified Swiss logistics and transport group with strong presence in vehicle logistics, wine trading, and fuel retail.

• International sea and air freight forwarding

• European road transport

• Warehousing and distribution

• Furniture transport

• Price labelling, co-packing, order picking

• Vehicle transport (Cotra)

• Special transports for sports cars, show cars, classic cars

• New car preparation, high-gloss polishing, storage rental

• Airport parking services (Zurich, Geneva)

• International wine trade (Weinkellereien Aarau)

• Heating oil and mineral oil trading (Oel-Pool)

• Fuel retail (Ruedi Rüssel, Miniprix, BP, Shell)

1. 1Lagerhäuser der Centralschweiz - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
2. 2Lagerhauser der Centralschweiz - Wikidatawikidata.org