SAL completes Aviapartner Liege acquisition to enter European market
The deal gives the Saudi logistics company its first operating base outside the Kingdom, expanding its network to 20 stations and strengthening cargo links with Europe.
Image: Liege Airport
SAL Logistics Services Company has completed the acquisition of 100% of the share capital of Aviapartner Liege SA, marking its first operational presence outside Saudi Arabia and expanding its network to 20 stations.
The acquisition, valued at approximately SAR120 million (€28 million), was completed in cash using SAL’s internal resources after receiving all required regulatory approvals.
Through the acquisition, SAL gains a direct operating base at Liege Airport in Belgium, Europe’s fifth-largest cargo hub by freight volume. The airport handles more than one million tonnes of cargo each year and ranks among the world’s top 25 cargo airports. Cargo volumes at Liege have increased by more than 50% since 2018, making it one of Europe’s fastest-growing cargo airports.
The acquisition gives SAL a strategic position at a major European cargo gateway. Located within Europe’s cargo ‘Golden Triangle’, Liege provides access to major trade and transport hubs in Germany, the Netherlands, France and Luxembourg. More than 70% of European freight flows through this region.
SAL said the acquisition will create strategic and operational synergies across air cargo handling, specialist freight processing, warehouse logistics and European road distribution. The company said the move will strengthen its operations in Europe, expand the services it can offer at international airports, support cargo flows between Saudi Arabia, Europe and global markets, and enhance the value it provides to customers.
Chief Executive Officer Omar Talal Hariri said: “This acquisition is an important step in the next phase of SAL’s strategy. Our ambition is not only to grow our footprint, but to build a platform that connects markets, capabilities and customers across key global trade corridors. Aviapartner Liege gives us our first international operating base, supported by specialist expertise and customer relationships that can strengthen the way we serve airlines, freight forwarders and cargo owners. As we scale beyond the Kingdom, we remain focused on building capabilities that support our customers and contribute to the Kingdom’s ambition to become a leading global logistics hub under Vision 2030.”
The acquisition is part of SAL’s strategy to expand into new markets, strengthen connectivity between Saudi Arabia and global markets, and support the Kingdom’s National Transport and Logistics Strategy under Saudi Vision 2030.
The acquisition follows SAL’s recent international expansion into China through a partnership with TAM Group. In July 2026, the company inaugurated offices in Shanghai and Guangzhou to strengthen air cargo connectivity between China and Saudi Arabia, support cross-border trade, and expand collaboration with airlines, customers and logistics partners. The China expansion marked SAL’s first step outside Saudi Arabia, while the Aviapartner Liège acquisition now gives the company its first international operating base in Europe.