M&A

The acquisition train keeps rolling on for Waterloo, Ontario-based Descartes, a provider of logistics based on-demand, software-as-a-service offerings. The company recently announced it has acquired Rockville, Md.-based OCR Services Inc, a provider of global trade compliance solutions and content, for roughly $90 million. This represents the 30th acquisition Descartes has made going back to 2015.

The new “State of Transportation” report issued today by Green Bay, Wis.-based Breakthrough, a provider of fuel and freight solutions for shippers, addressed myriad components of freight transportation and logistics impacting shippers and carriers, including volatile weather, sustainability and emissions reduction, and over-the-road capacity, among others. 

The pending acquisition of Chippenham, UK-based Wincanton, a supply chain solutions services provider across myriad vertical markets, by Greenwich, Conn.-based global contract logistics services provider GXO Logistics appears to remain on track, according to a “scheme of arrangement” recently issued by Wincanton.

In this podcast, Jeff Berman, Group News Editor for Logistics Management and the Peerless Media Supply Chain Group, interviews Ben Gordon, founder and managing partner of Palm Beach, Florida-based Cambridge Capital, and managing partner of Ben Gordon Strategic Advisors.

Greenwich, Conn.-based global contract logistics services provider GXO Logistics said earlier today it has made an offer to acquire Chippenham, UK-based Wincanton, a supply chain solutions services provider across myriad vertical markets. GXO said it has made a $965 million cash offer for Wincanton.

Blue Yonder officials said that flexis AG’s robust customer space in the automotive and industrial original equipment manufacturer (OEM) sectors augments Blue Yonder’s ability to help companies with highly configurable products and expansive suppliers to plan and optimize their complex production strategies and network structures.

While this week’s fourth quarter earnings call, for Atlanta-based global freight transportation and logistics services provider UPS, was replete with interesting information and data, including nearly 8% revenue decline and 12,000 layoffs, another interesting takeaway was related to its truckload brokerage business, Coyote, which it acquired in 2015.

New York-based global alternative investment firm H.I.G. Capital said yesterday that one of its affiliates inked a definitive agreement to acquire Belleville, Michigan-based Ascent Global Logistics, a provider of technology-enabled, expedited logistics and supply chain solution services, from affiliates controlled by Elliott Investment Management L.P.

Chicago-based 4PL and logistics platform services provider Redwood Logistics said this week it has acquired Dubuque, IA-based Rockfarm Supply Chain Solutions and Global Distribution and Logistics, a tech-enabled transportation logistics company, focusing on flexible, customer-driven service. A purchase price was not disclosed, but Redwood officials said that with Rockfarm in the fold that Redwood now represents a combined $5.5 billion in total platform freight under management between its 3PL and 4PL services.

Following its March announcement in which Phoenix-based Knight-Swift Transportation, the largest player in the truckload market, with $4.5 billion in 2022 revenue, said it was acquiring Chattanooga, Tenn.-based U.S. Xpress, which ranked ninth in TL revenue last year at $2.2 billion, Knight-Swift said today that the transaction is now a done deal.

A purchase price for the transaction was not disclosed. Southern Companies provides various import and export services, including warehousing and trucking, to ensure customer goods are moving swiftly through the supply chain.

In a move geared towards expanding its global services into last mile and e-commerce fulfillment, San Francisco-based freight forwarding and customs brokerage services provider Flexport announced today it has acquired the assets of Shopify Logistics, a subsidiary of a multi-channel commerce platform, Shopify, including Deliverr, a fulfillment technology services provider, which Shopify acquired for $2.1 billion in 2022.

DSV said that the objective of these acquisitions are three-fold: to augment its position within the semiconductor industry; align with its new Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport operations; and support its growing cross-border services into Latin America. It added that these acquisitions are expected to be made official next month.

Phoenix-based Knight-Swift Transportation, already the biggest player in the TL market at $4.5 billion revenue last year, is buying Chattanooga, Tenn.-based U.S. Xpress, which ranked ninth in TL revenue last year at $2.2 billion. The deal is valued at $808 million, including assumption of $484 million of debt.

Waterloo, Ontario-based Descartes, a provider of logistics based on-demand, software-as-a-service offerings, is expanding its final-mile services portfolio, announcing this week it has acquired Minneapolis-based GroundCloud, a cloud-based provider of final-mile carrier solutions and road safety compliance tools. The purchase price was $138 million, according to Descartes.