RRTS acquires Unitrans International

Non asset-based third-party logistics services provider Roadrunner Transportation Systems (RRTS) said late last week it acquired all of the outstanding stock of Los Angeles-based Unitrans International, a non-asset based provider of international logistics solutions.

RRTS said the total purchase price was $55.5 million and was financed with borrowings under its credit facility.

Types of services provided by Unitrans include international and air transportation management, customs house brokerage, and domestic logistics, focusing on complex, cold chain, and high value shipments. Unitrans had roughly $84 million in revenue in 2013, and RRTS said that Unitrans is expected to be accretive to RRTS 2014 earnings.

“As we have indicated, one of our key strategic objectives is expanding our international capabilities to meet our customers’ total transportation and logistics needs,”
Mark DiBlasi, President and CEO of Roadrunner, said in a statement. “The addition of Unitrans diversifies and expands our existing global supply chain solution and brings a well-run company with a proven track record of high service quality to Roadrunner.

He added that Unitrans has an excellent leadership team led by Andrew Schadegg and Chris Amberg, whom he said have been integral in defining Unitrans’ strategy and shaping its culture, and will remain in place to help RRTS realize growth in its international platform.

DiBlasi told LM in a recent interview that the company intends to remain active on the acquisition front.

“We have a profile we use for [acquisitions],” he said. “Since January 2006, we have made a total of [29] acquisitions and look for companies that are well-run and well-managed profitable businesses and non-asset or light-asset in their business model. Even though we acquire some companies with assets at times, we do look for companies that provide capacity that are actual carriers and are going to give us additional reach…or compliment existing resources as we build out our portfolio of services and are immediately accretive. Integration is also key as we look for a very strong cultural fit between the management team we are acquiring and our management team. If that fit is not there, we will walk away from a deal; we have done that before.”

Last month, RRTS acquired Little Rock, Arkansas-based Rich Logistics, a provider of truckload and expedited services, and last September it purchased the assets of Salisbury, Massachusetts-based refrigerated truckload service provider YES Trans Inc. and all of the outstanding equity of Batesville, Arkansas-based G.W. Palmer Logistics LLC, a non-asset truckload service provider.