Transport Industries Holdings gets new name

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Transport Industries Holdings is changing its name to Greatwide Logistics Services, capping a five-year expansion managed by its owner. The new name, announced today, Jan. 10, highlights a new marketing push for the company’s logistics services, which include truckload brokerage, management and distribution.

Greatwide Logistics Services was formed in 2000 when Fenway Partners, a New York-based private equity firm with more than $1.4 billion in funds under management – and a significant investor in the transportation/logistics sector – acquired Transport Industries L.P., a dedicated contract trucking carrier in Mesquite, Texas. The new company, based in Irving, Texas, has continued to grow both organically and through a series of acquisitions. Greatwide is on track to post 2005 revenues of $1 billion.

“Over the past year, we have been operating as one of the best-kept secrets in the national transportation and logistics industry,” says Raymond B. Greer, chief executive officer of Greatwide Logistics Services. “Today, we launch our new name and brand, cementing our position as a leading service provider in this sector. From coast to coast, we operate a range of fully integrated owner-operator truck fleets, with nearly four million square feet of warehouse distribution space and a broad array of truckload management and brokerage capabilities.”

Greatwide Logistics Services says it currently operates in four primary business lines:

  • Dedicated transport – Outsourced, “closed loop” transportation services to major retail clients including Wal-Mart, Target, Pepsico and Sysco through one of the largest fleets of owner-operator drivers in the United States.
  • Truckload management – Freight distribution services in a 32-state national territory for such clients as Wal-Mart, Ford Motor, GM, UPS and Dow.
  • Truckload brokerage – A full-service truckload brokerage operation with 18 U.S. offices, serving such clients as Coca-Cola, Kraft, Wal-Mart, Kroger and General Tire.
  • Distribution logistics – A full-service warehouse and distribution logistics operation with 3.6 million square feet of warehouse space, serving such clients as Coca-Cola, Walgreens, Target, Pier 1 Imports and Hill’s Pet Nutrition.
  • Greatwide Logistics Services has grown through a series of acquisitions made by Fenway Partners between 2000 and 2005:

  • August 2000 – Platform acquisition of Transport Industries L.P., the nation’s largest third-party provider of “closed loop” transportation services to the grocery industry; based in Mesquite.
  • December 2003 – Acquisition of May Trucking Inc., a dedicated carrier trucking company operating in 48 U.S. states; based in Grottoes, Va.
  • June 2004 – Acquisition of Total Warehousing, an asset-light warehouse and distribution logistics provider based in Phoenix.
  • July 2004 – Acquisition of American Trans-Freight, a nonasset-based truckload capacity provider based in Philadelphia.
  • September 2004 – Acquisition of Stewart Stiles and N.F.C., a regional transport and logistics provider based in Cornelius, Ore.
  • September 2005 – Acquisition of Cargo-Master Inc., one of nation’s largest privately held trucking brokerage companies; based in Dallas.
  • September 2005 – Acquisition of Am-Can Transport Services Inc., a major U.S. dedicated contract carriage provider serving the Southeast, Midwest, West Coast and Northwest, as well as Canada; based in Anderson, S.C.
  • September 2005 – Acquisition of Dallas & Mavis Specialized Carrier Co., one of nation’s largest truckload carriers; based in Kenosha, Wis.
  • Greatwide Logistics now operates 90 facilities in 48 states and oversees 5,500 trucks and 1,700 trailers that are owned or leased by more than 5,000 independent owner-operators. “As an asset-light provider offering a comprehensive range of outsourced services, Greatwide Logistics Services’ is in the highest-growth segment of the national third-party logistics market,” Greer says. “Greatwide’s flexible business model, combined with favorable industry fundamentals and a strong blue-chip client base, position us for continued growth and success.”

    The company recently strengthened its senior management team with the addition of Chief Commercial Officer Richard M. Metzler, formerly senior vice president of Marketing for DHL, where he led the company’s U.S. branding campaign. “With a strong and experienced management team in place, we are uniquely positioned to become one of the nation’s largest and most innovative logistics and transportation providers,” Greer says.