The Daron Group
The Daron Group is a French-headquartered, family-owned B2B supply chain services company operating across Africa since 1959, offering ship chandling, technical/MRO supplies, food distribution, and logistics services to enterprise clients in marine, oil & gas, mining, construction, and retail sectors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1959
- HeadquartersLe Havre, France
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Daron Group does
The Daron Group is a French-headquartered, family-owned B2B supply chain services company founded in 1959 in Pointe Noire, Republic of Congo by brothers Michel and Henri Daron. It is now led by CEO Thibaud Daron and operates four core divisions: Ship Chandling (marine provisions, bonded stores, deck/engine/electrical supplies, at-sea delivery, and lifeboat recertification for vessels and offshore facilities), D Tech Technical Services (anti-corrosion coatings via sole Hempel distributorship, industrial lubricants from Total Lubmarine/Mobil/Shell, cleaning chemicals, and broader MRO supplies), D Food (procurement and distribution of food and non-food products, managing 250+ suppliers and 40,000+ product references, serving retail and catering across 22+ countries), and Supply Chain & Logistics (export purchasing, container management, customs clearance, temperature-controlled warehousing, and own-fleet last-mile delivery).
The group sells primarily through enterprise field sales teams to large industrial customers across marine, oil & gas, mining, construction, and retail/catering sectors. Notable customers include TotalEnergies, Chevron, Schlumberger, TechnipFMC, Subsea7, Saipem, Eramet, Bourbon, Smit Lamnenco, Scatec, Bollore, Spie, Newrest, and the United Nations. Pricing is B2B and quote-based, with revenue generated through product margins on distributed goods (transaction-fee model for ship chandling, technical products, and D Food) and logistics mark-ups/managed-service fees for the supply chain division.
Underlying technology assets include the Roav7 drone inspection partnership (sensors covering HD, thermal, infrared, multispectral, and GPS, plus 3D modelling for asset surveys), Moduco modular flat-pack buildings, temperature-controlled warehousing, and real-time inventory management systems. Geographic footprint spans 15 countries with 8+ physical offices (Bordeaux headquarters plus operations in Gabon, Republic of Congo, Angola, Namibia, Mozambique, and South Africa), and the group is ISO 9001 certified across its principal African entities since 2014.
The Daron Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Daron Group
- Legal name
- Daron Group
- Website
- https://daron-group.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1959
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The Daron Group is a French-headquartered, family-owned B2B supply chain services company operating across Africa since 1959, offering ship chandling, technical/MRO supplies, food distribution, and logistics services to enterprise clients in marine, oil & gas, mining, construction, and retail sectors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Daron Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Maritime Supply and Industrial Logistics Services
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Mining (2131), General Warehousing and Storage (493110)
- SIC
- General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, Nec (3569)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Marine MRO Parts & Consumables Distribution (TLAKAOAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Workshop Tools, Equipment & Lift Systems Distribution (TLAKAOAM)
Keywords
Where The Daron Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Le Havre
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices9 records
Markets served
The Daron Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Ship Chandling Services: Supply of marine provisions, stores and services to ships and offshore facilities. Services include provisions (fresh, frozen, dry food, cabin stores, medical supplies, bonded stores), technical supplies (deck, engine, electrical), and related services like at-sea delivery, lifeboat servicing, and drone inspections. Revenue generated through product sales and service fees.
- Technical Products Distribution: Distribution of anti-corrosion coatings (Hempel), industrial lubricants (Total Lubmarine, Mobil, Shell, Jetlub), cleaning chemicals (Orlichem, Unitor), and maintenance products (Trenton, Graco, Enecon). Also includes MRO supplies, pre-engineered steel buildings, and modular construction solutions.
- Food Distribution (D Food): Sourcing and distribution of food and non-food products across Africa. Operates as brand distributor for major brands, serving retail and catering sectors. Handles over 250 suppliers with 40,000+ product references. Revenue from product margins and distribution fees.
- Supply Chain & Logistics Services: Procurement, logistics and supply chain management including export operations, container management, consolidation services, importation, customs clearance, third-party inspection, warehousing, and last-mile delivery. Revenue from logistics fees and markup on goods.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Daron Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Daron Group is a diversified B2B services company supplying marine provisions, technical/MRO supplies, food and non-food products, and integrated supply chain and logistics solutions to industrial, mining, oil & gas, maritime, construction and retail clients across Africa. Core operations are organized around Ship Chandling, D Tech (technical products and drone inspection), D Food (food distribution), and Supply Chain & Logistics, supported by 15-country African footprint and 350+ employees.
Product overview
The Daron Group operates as a diversified B2B services company offering four interconnected core divisions: Ship Chandling Services (Africa's leading ship and offshore supplier of marine provisions, stores, and services), DTech/Technical Services (anti-corrosion, lubricants, chemicals, and MRO supplies), DFood (food and non-food product distribution with 40,000+ references), and Supply Chain & Logistics (procurement, warehousing, and delivery). Supporting sub-products include Moduco modular buildings, Roav7 drone inspection services, and Caladium subsidiary in Congo. The company serves industrial, mining, marine, construction, and retail sectors across 8+ countries in Africa with 60+ years of experience.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Roav7: Drone inspection and analytics division providing survey and inspection services using fleet of drones equipped with HD, thermal, infrared, multispectral, and GPS sensors. Used for aerial surveys, asset inspections, and industrial imaging.
Products and services
- Ship Chandling Services Africa's leading ship and offshore supplier of marine provisions, stores and services, supplying provisions (fresh, frozen, dry food, cabin stores, medical supplies, bonded stores), technical supplies (deck, engine, electrical), at-sea delivery, lifeboat servicing and drone inspections to vessel operators across African ports.
- DTech Technical Services Leading African distributor of anti-corrosion coatings (Hempel), industrial lubricants (Total Lubmarine, Mobil, Shell, Jetlub), cleaning chemicals (Orlichem, Unitor) and maintenance products (Trenton, Graco, Enecon) for industrial, mining, oil & gas and construction clients.
- DFood Food Distribution Specialized procurement and distribution of food and non-food products (frozen, fresh, dry goods and household items) serving retail (supermarkets, wholesalers, cash & carry) and catering companies across 22+ countries in Africa and the Middle East with 40,000+ product references from 250+ suppliers.
- Supply Chain & Logistics Services Africa-focused procurement, logistics and supply chain management including export operations, container management, consolidation services, importation, customs clearance, third-party inspection, secured and temperature-controlled warehousing, and last-mile delivery via own fleet of trucks.
- Moduco Modular Buildings Economical, mobile and flexible multi-purpose flat-pack modular building systems providing durable temporary or permanent space with structural integrity and quality components for industrial, commercial and humanitarian deployments.
- Roav7 Drone Inspection Drone-based technical inspection and asset monitoring services using drones equipped with HD, thermal, infrared, multispectral and GPS sensors for aerial surveys, industrial inspections, and 3D modeling of infrastructure such as concrete towers and solar farms.
Quantifiable outcome
- 250+ suppliers and 40,000+ product references
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Daron Group
Customer profileNamed customers24 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Daron Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
The Daron Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and key.
- IMPA (International Marine Purchasing Association)coreDaron Group is a member of IMPA, the International Marine Purchasing Association, providing access to marine stores guide and industry networking for ship chandling services.
- Ship Supply GroupcoreMember of Ship Supply Group, an international network of ship suppliers for collaboration and best practices sharing in the maritime supply industry.
- HempelcoreSole distributor of Hempel coatings in Daron Group's operating countries for anti-corrosion and protection solutions.
- Roav7coreStrategic partnership for drone inspection and analytics services. D Tech offers drone technology through Roav7 partnership with fleet equipped with HD, thermal, infrared, multispectral, and GPS sensors.
- Total LubmarinekeyStockist and distributor of Total Lubmarine industrial lubricants for machinery and equipment maintenance.
- Orlichem and Unitor ChemicalskeyStockist and distributor of Orlichem and Unitor cleaning chemicals for various industries including mining, industrial, and hospitality.
- Trenton, Graco and EneconkeyDistribution partners for repair and maintenance products including Trenton, Graco and Enecon solutions.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves16 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Daron Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wrist Ship Supply: World's largest ship supplier with a global port network delivering provisions, bonded stores, and technical supplies to vessels — a direct functional competitor to Daron's Ship Chandling division.
- GAC Group: Global ship chandler and logistics provider with established African presence across multiple ports, offering the same integrated mix of marine supplies, ship agency, and freight services that Daron provides in West and Southern Africa.
- Peterson (UK): Energy logistics and marine services company serving offshore oil & gas, renewables, and shipping clients; comparable to Daron's oil & gas and maritime customer base and supply model.
- Trident Services: Ship supply and marine logistics provider with services overlapping Daron's provisions, bonded stores, and technical supply offering to commercial and offshore vessels.
Broad incumbents
- Bolloré Logistics: Global logistics group with deep African port and freight forwarding presence; competes with Daron's supply chain and logistics division and is already a customer relationship for Daron.
- Maersk: Global integrated container logistics company with growing African inland logistics and customs capabilities, competing with Daron's end-to-end supply chain and container management services.
- Wilhelmsen: Global maritime products and services group operating Wilhelmsen Ship Management and Unitor chemicals; competes directly with Daron's ship chandling and marine MRO business and dwarfs it in scale.
- DHL Global Forwarding: World's largest air and ocean freight forwarder with strong African operations, overlapping with Daron's freight forwarding, customs clearance, and last-mile delivery capabilities.
Emerging players
- Marcura: Maritime digital procurement and ship supply platform (DaDesk, Portfoon); partial overlap with Daron's ship chandling and procurement business, particularly in serving vessel operators' purchasing workflows.
Regional players
- Imperial Logistics: Large Africa-focused logistics and freight management group, comparable to Daron's supply chain and warehousing operations across Southern and West Africa.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Daron Group social profiles
Digital presenceThe Daron Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Daron Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Daron Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries11 records
The Daron Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Daron Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Daron Group
What does The Daron Group do?
The Daron Group is a diversified B2B services company supplying marine provisions, technical/MRO supplies, food and non-food products, and integrated supply chain and logistics solutions to industrial, mining, oil & gas, maritime, construction and retail clients across Africa. Core operations are organized around Ship Chandling, D Tech (technical products and drone inspection), D Food (food distribution), and Supply Chain & Logistics, supported by 15-country African footprint and 350+ employees.
Is The Daron Group a public or private company?
The Daron Group is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was The Daron Group founded?
The Daron Group was founded in 1959. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is The Daron Group based?
The Daron Group is headquartered in Le Havre, France, in the Europe region.
How does The Daron Group make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ship Chandling Services are the primary driver. The others are technical Products Distribution, food Distribution (D Food) and supply Chain & Logistics Services.
Who are The Daron Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wrist Ship Supply, GAC Group, Peterson (UK) and Trident Services. Broad incumbents are Bolloré Logistics, Maersk, Wilhelmsen and DHL Global Forwarding. Marcura is listed as an emerging player. Imperial Logistics is listed as a regional player.
Does The Daron Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Daron Group.
What industry is The Daron Group in?
The Daron Group's product category is Maritime Supply and Industrial Logistics Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAKAOAJ, Marine MRO Parts & Consumables Distribution, with a secondary code of TLAKAOAM, Workshop Tools, Equipment & Lift Systems Distribution. Its NAICS code is 2131 and its SIC code is 3569.