Supply chain M&A in 2024

In 2020, 2021 and 2022, it seemed like every day brought an announcement of a new merger or acquisition. That made sense given that it was insanely cheap to get capital and there was more than enough to go around. Fast forward to 2023 and those announcements subsided. There are still acquisitions for capacity, growth and whatever problem needs to be solved but not nearly at the rate of 2021 and 2022.

So what is in store for 2024?

Depends whom you ask but the consensus seems to be that this...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/supply-chain-ma-in-2024

Red-hot 3PL: AOI Capital acquires RK Logistics

3PL RK Logistics acquired by AOI Capital

With e-commerce booming and warehouse space shrinking, 3PLs have become hot commodities. The latest is RK Logistics Group, which manages about 1 million square feet of warehousing and distribution capacity in the competitive California market.

On Friday, a group of investors led by Miami-based investment firm AOI Capital announced they have acquired RK Logistics Group. Terms were not disclosed.

“RK Logistics Group has a stellar reputation as a high-performance supply chain operator supporting...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/red-hot-3pl-aoi-capital-acquires-rk-logistics

Continued maritime liquidity will drive the biggest M&A deals this year

Shipping lines’ “cushy liquidity” helped double M&A deal value in the container port sector last year, with more vertical consolidation on the way in 2022.
According to a new report by Ocean Shipping Consultants (OSC), 2021’s supply chain fragility meant “most logistics companies with spot rate services yielded a solid financial performance”.
The bolstered earnings drove vertical capacity acquisition and triggered an “M&A jostle for supply chain dominance between ports and shipping …

The post Con...

https://theloadstar.com/continued-maritime-liquidity-will-drive-the-biggest-ma-deals-this-year/

How ocean carriers dove deeper into logistics, air cargo in 2021

Large container ships at a marine terminal with ship-to-shore cranes reaching across.

For big ocean freight lines, 2021 was marked not only by record profits stemming from COVID-related constraints on shipping patterns and capacity but by significant steps toward transforming themselves into full-blown providers of inland logistics services. The trend is further blurring the line between freight forwarders and carriers.

For most of this century, an asset-light business model dominated the logistics sector. Leasing warehouses, trucks, and aircraft and using contract labor...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/how-ocean-carriers-dove-deeper-into-logistics-air-cargo-in-2021

Maersk expands logistics supermarket with airfreight investments

A Maersk cargo jet takes off. Plane has white fuselage and blue tail with a star on it.

Ocean shipping giant A.P. Møller – Maersk on Tuesday further expanded into the airfreight market with the planned acquisition of German freight forwarder Senator International and investments in new cargo aircraft. 

The moves are part of the company’s recent strategy to diversify beyond the volatile ocean freight sector and be a logistics supermarket that meets the transportation needs of large global shippers, which can pick service levels and transit speed based on whether time, cost or...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/maersk-expands-logistics-supermarket-with-airfreight-investments

Knight-Swift acquires 3PL UTXL in $22.5M deal

Knight-Swift announces brokerage acquisition

The nation’s largest truckload carrier, Knight-Swift Transportation (NYSE: KNX) announced Tuesday the acquisition of Kansas City, Missouri-based third-party logistics provider UTXL in a $22.5 million transaction.

As a licensed broker for more than 20 years, UTXL specializes in full truckload, multi-stop, expedited and less-than-truckload shipments throughout North America. The company generated more than $100 million in revenue during 2020 with a low-90% operating ratio, according to the press...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/knight-swift-acquires-3pl-utxl-in-225m-deal

Forward Air bolsters LTL service with J&P Hall acquisition

Forward Air continues M&A activity

Forward Air (NASDAQ: FWRD) announced Wednesday that it will acquire J&P Hall Express, a privately held, expedited transportation provider. The deal is expected to expand Forward’s regional less-than-truckload door-to-door operation.

Founded in 1989, Atlanta-based J&P Hall provides LTL, truckload, less-than-container-load and airport transfers with a fleet of 70 trucks and 110 employees across the Southeast. The company also provides container freight stationing services out of its Atlanta and...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/forward-air-bolsters-ltl-service-through-jp-hall-acquisition

Lineage Logistics fattens coffers again with $1.9B funding round

Fresh funding will fuel portfolio expansion

The largest temperature-controlled logistics provider in the world, Lineage Logistics, announced Thursday it has raised $1.9 billion in equity from various investors. Lineage plans to use the capital to fund various new developments, facility expansions and tech initiatives. The company will also use the money to remain active acquiring smaller cold storage operators.

The latest funding round adds to the $1.6 billion equity raise the company completed in September, bringing the total to $4.3...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/lineage-logistics-fattens-coffers-again-with-1-9b-funding-round

Analysis: Apex deal makes Kuehne + Nagel largest air forwarder

Nose cone of a 747 jumbo freighter is open so cargo can be loaded.

Swiss logistics conglomerate Kuehne + Nagel International AG will become the largest airfreight forwarder in the world when it completes its purchase of Apex International Corp., edging out DHL Supply Chain, according to 2019 shipping data.

Kuehne + Nagel, currently ranked second, arranged movement for 1.6 million metric tons of airfreight in 2019, while Apex managed 520,000 tons. The combined volume of 2.12 million metric tons exceeds the 2.05 million tons handled by DHL, lists compiled by...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/analysis:-apex-deal-makes-kuehne-nagel-largest-air-forwarder

Kerry Logistics takeover by SF Holding creates ‘biggest logistics group in Asia’

Chinese express giant SF Holding is to acquire a 51.8% stake in Hong Kong’s Kerry Logistics Network – a landmark $2.3bn deal creating the “biggest logistics group in Asia”.
In a filing to the Shenzhen stock exchange late last night, SF Holding, which operates courier firm SF Express, said the move would help expand its international footprint and freight forwarding operations through Kerry’s extensive South-east Asia network and its strength on …

The post Kerry Logistics takeover by SF Holding...

https://theloadstar.com/kerry-network-takeover-by-sf-holding-creates-biggest-logistics-group-in-asia/

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