Croatian automotive distribution group CIAK has expanded its Serbian operations by acquiring Belgrade-based Technolub, adding a specialised distributor of lubricants, oils and automotive chemicals to its regional aftermarket business. The transaction was completed through CIAK Auto Srbija, while the purchase price was not disclosed. Technolub generates more than €9 million in annual revenue and employs over 25 people.
Its product portfolio includes international brands such as TotalEnergies, Elf, ENEOS and TUNAP, for which Technolub acts as an authorised importer and distributor in Serbia. Technolub’s Chief Executive will remain in charge of the company following the acquisition.
CIAK expands its regional platform
The acquisition strengthens CIAK’s existing Serbian automotive-parts distribution operation and adds a specialised lubricants business to its portfolio.
CIAK operates in Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia. The group employs more than 3,000 people and generated approximately €282 million in operating revenue in the previous year. The company has expanded through a series of acquisitions, including Sim Impex and Auto Milovanović in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Next Auto in Montenegro and Stahlgruber trgovina in Slovenia.
Technolub gives CIAK an established Serbian operation with existing suppliers, customers, logistics capabilities and technical expertise rather than requiring the group to build a comparable distribution business organically. CIAK has said the two companies have complementary product portfolios and market experience, creating opportunities for synergies following the transaction.
Consolidation across automotive distribution
The acquisition comes as larger automotive aftermarket distributors expand through acquisitions across regional markets. Distribution businesses require extensive inventories and logistics capabilities to maintain product availability across multiple locations. Scale can also support purchasing, warehousing and distribution operations across national markets.
Combining Technolub with CIAK Auto Srbija provides an opportunity to integrate purchasing and distribution capabilities while broadening the range of products available to customers. Technolub’s established position in lubricants and automotive chemicals also gives CIAK access to a specialised Serbian segment where supplier relationships and distribution rights form part of the existing business.
Lubricants broaden CIAK’s customer base
Technolub’s activities extend beyond passenger-car replacement parts through its distribution of industrial oils and lubricants. These products are used by manufacturing companies, machinery operators, transport businesses and other commercial customers, giving CIAK exposure to a broader industrial customer base. The lubricants business also complements the group’s existing aftermarket activities through recurring maintenance-related demand from vehicles and industrial equipment.
Financing and logistics investment
CIAK’s acquisition programme is accompanied by investment in its financial and logistics infrastructure. The group has secured approximately €60 million in long-term financing, primarily to refinance existing obligations and support further development. CIAK is also planning a new logistics and distribution centre in Gornji Stupnik, Croatia, with a design focused on increased automation and energy efficiency. The planned facility forms part of a broader logistics strategy as the group adds companies and product lines across several national markets.
Serbia within the Adriatic aftermarket network
The Technolub acquisition adds another established Serbian distributor to CIAK’s expanding regional network. For businesses operating across Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia and other Adriatic markets, acquisitions provide a route into established distribution networks, while allowing acquired companies to become part of larger purchasing and logistics structures. Technolub is relatively small compared with CIAK’s approximately €282 million revenue base, but the transaction adds an established Serbian distribution operation to a group building a wider automotive aftermarket platform across Southeast Europe.
