Stef
Expertise
Tax
Industry
Logistics
Introduction
Ayming supported STEF Group with property tax optimization in logistics, helping the European leader reduce property taxes and contributions in France.
The Challenge
As part of a massive wave of tax audits conducted since the 2000s, the warehouses and logistics platforms operated in France by the Group had been classified as industrial buildings by the tax authorities. This systematic and unnuanced approach, based primarily on the presence of refrigeration facilities, had significantly increased the property tax and CFE contributions charged to our subsidiaries. Starting in 2018, my team achieved some success in litigation, convincing certain government departments to adopt more nuanced positions and recognize the commercial nature of certain buildings.
Building on these initial successes, we called on Ayming to extend the approach to all comparable buildings, as the size of the tax team did not allow us to conduct litigation on such a scale internally, either materially or technically.
The Approach
Ayming was brought in to extend STEF’s initial litigation strategy across all comparable buildings. They assembled a dedicated multidisciplinary team, combining technical tax expertise with operational knowledge of logistics facilities. Their approach was marked by:
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A transparent and professional methodology, without overpromising.
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Close collaboration with STEF’s internal team, pooling their deep understanding of the facilities with Ayming’s tax and valuation expertise.
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Robust routines for information sharing and progress monitoring, ensuring that STEF remained fully engaged and aligned throughout the process.
The Impact
The collaboration produced results fully in line with expectations, delivering several notable litigation successes that helped to reclassify certain buildings and optimize property-related tax costs. Beyond the financial wins, STEF valued Ayming’s:
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Expertise in industrial and commercial rental value assessments.
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Reliability and transparency, which built trust.
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Partnership mindset, positioning them as a long-term advisor.
contextual title
About STEF
The STEF Group is the European leader in temperature-controlled logistics. Since 1920, the Group has been operating at the heart of the food supply chain. Their unique expertise and territorial network enable them to offer specialized solutions to food industry players, large retailers, and out-of-home catering operators in 15 European countries.
103
years of activity
€4.3
Billion in revenue.
22,000
Employees.
273
Sites.
