A French group with a European footprint

STEF is all about chilled distribution. Its history is closely linked to technological progress in this area, changes in food consumption patterns and the increasingly high expectations among consumers for quality and food safety.
  • 1920
    It all starts in France! Following the end of the First World War, the company PLM (Paris, Lyon, Mediterranean) decides to set up a chilled freight-forwarding company: the Société Française de Transports et Entrepôts Frigorifiques. This is the first step in the development of the STEF Group.
  • 1938 sncf stef
    1938
    The newly formed SNCF, which owns almost all the French railway network, buys STEF and all its fixed and mobile equipment including its 600 wagons. STEF therefore becomes a subsidiary of SNCF.
  • 1940 stef
    1940
    During the Second World War, in spite of the difficult supply conditions, STEF continues to develop, notably by building a warehouse in Perpignan.
  • 1950
    Road transport of foodstuffs begins to emerge. But STEF is not threatened by the new competition, as the new lorries do not have any refrigeration facilities. The Group therefore continues to grow.
  • 1960 gare saint brieuc
    1960
    By this time, STEF has 1,000 cooling, thermally insulated and refrigerated wagons. The company has stations throughout France: Paris, Saint-Brieuc, Strasbourg, Limoges, Dijon, Avignon, Perpignan and Montauban. More modern techniques are developed, including the appearance of icing towers.
  • 1964 camion sancier
    1964
    While STEF continues to grow steadily, three transport companies (Galopin, Sancier and Eurotransit) combine to create the leading shipment consolidation network: TFE.
  • 1974
    TRADIMAR is founded.
  • 1981 camion tfe
    1981
    TFE aims to become a true refrigerated freight-forwarding provider, with its 1,200 vehicles and 2,500 employees. The firm adopts a strong visual identity, the precursor of the STEF Group’s current logo.
  • 1987
    SNCF decides to dispose of STEF, its subsidiary for 50 years. Although TFE seems to be the natural contender for a takeover, it is ultimately Financière de l'Atlantique, created in 1983 by Francis Lemor and Bernard Jolivet, which wins. With one clear objective: building a leading group in refrigerated logistics.
  • 1989 entreposage transport leader
    1989
    Now begins the Group’s European adventure first in Belgium, Spain and then in Portugal. In the meantime, Financière de l'Atlantique becomes TFE’s major shareholder, with the aim of building the perfect alliance between the specialist in deep-frozen logistics and the leader in refrigerated transport.
  • 1992 logo stef tfe
    1992
    In 1992, Financière de l'Atlantique becomes TFE’s sole shareholder and merges the two businesses as STEF-TFE in 1996. The business is now based on three networks: warehousing (STEF), transport (TFE) and seafood activities.
  • introduction Bourse stef
    1998
    STEF Group is listed on the French stock exchange on the second market. A year later, the company forms a subsidiary specialised in information systems: AGROSTAR, the predecessor to STEF IT.
  • 2005
    The Group established its presence in Italy, with the takeover of Cavallieri. It national footprint will be consolidated in 2011 with the acquisition of Dispensa Logistics.
  • 2006
    Acquisition of CRYOLOGISTIC in France
  • 2009 LaMeridionale
    2009
    The Group expands its Swiss operations with SGF and becomes the sole shareholder in its shipping company, La Méridionale.
  • logo stef
    2012
    STEF-TFE begins trading under a single commercial brand in Europe: STEF. This change marks a milestone in the convergence of all its temperature-sensitive business lines across Europe.
  • 2013
    Acquisition of EBREX in France
  • acquisition Speksnijder
    2018
    The Dutch companies SPEKSNIJDER, VERS EXPRESS, and later NETKO (2019), already Group companies, join the STEF umbrella brand.
  • 2019
    The company is restructured into business units to better meet its clients' needs.
  • 100 ans STEF
    2020
    In 2020, on the occasion of its centenary, STEF celebrated 100 years of travelling to the heart of flavours.
  • Camion Langdons
    2021
    STEF enters an eighth country, the United Kingdom, with the acquisition of the Langdons group, a national specialist in temperature-controlled transport. This acquisition represents an important step in our network development strategy.
  • Vue aérienne d'un entrepôt Frigosuisse
    2022
    The Group consolidated its presence in Italy with the acquisition of SVAT and in German-speaking Switzerland with the acquisition of Frigosuisse.