MANAGEMENT
BBF GLOBAL LOGISTICS | April 07, 2022
BBF Global Logistics, LLC ("BBF"), a Memphis-based transportation brokerage company, has joined Armstrong Relocation & Companies ("Armstrong")—an industry-leading provider of moving, relocation and supply chain solutions. This transaction elevates BBF's portfolio of services through the additional resources Armstrong has to offer.
While many businesses were focused on remaining operational through the pandemic, BBF President Alexander Folk launched the logistics firm in June 2020 with co-founders William Melford and Nick Bogdanovic. All three businessmen brought different areas of logistics expertise to the company. "We each have a good pulse of what is going on in the logistics industry and what issues people are experiencing, so we were confident going into this, even during the pandemic," Folk said.
Since inception, BBF has experienced significant growth. "We look forward to expanding our transportation management and brokerage model, as well as customer solutions with Armstrong-owned assets," said Folk.
"As Armstrong is seeking to expand our supply chain solutions, we quickly recognized the synergies between the two companies, the cultural alignment and the complementary value BBF provides. Alexander and team have established an incredible foundation upon which we are eager to grow."
-Todd Watson, CEO of Armstrong Relocation & Companies
BBF will now operate as Armstrong Transportation Management, LLC.
About BBF Global Logistics
BBF Global Logistics was founded as a transportation brokerage company in Memphis, Tenn. in 2020. BBF Global started as a freight brokerage provider with full truckload shipping for its more than 100 customers. And while freight is the focal point of BBF Global, Folk continues to make strategic business decisions to grow the company, meet industry demands and cater to customers' needs.
About Armstrong Relocation & Companies
A family-owned company, Armstrong Relocation was founded as a single operating company based in Memphis, Tenn. in 1957 and has since grown to be an industry-leading provider of moving, relocation and supply chain solutions. With 31 owned-locations, over 400 drivers, 1,400 employees and more than three million square feet of warehouse space, Armstrong's current services include residential and commercial relocation and storage, international freight forwarding, domestic transportation management, logistics and warehousing. For more information about Armstrong visit ArmstrongRelocation.com.
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TRANSPORTATION
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc | June 29, 2022
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. (NASDAQ: JBHT), one of the largest supply chain solutions providers in North America, and Waymo, the leading autonomous driving technology developer, announced the latest development in their collaboration on autonomous trucking technology will include a pilot delivering goods for J.B. Hunt customer Wayfair, one of the world’s largest destinations for the home.
The latest pilot will span six-plus weeks during July and August and take place along the I-45 corridor between Houston and Dallas, the location of J.B. Hunt and Waymo’s original pilot nearly one year ago. It will be the first in-depth transportation of home furnishings retail freight between J.B. Hunt and Waymo Via (the company’s autonomous Class 8 trucking unit powered by the Waymo Driver™ technology).
“Real-time testing with customers like Wayfair is critical to making autonomous freight movement a viable solution in the future, Every supply chain is unique, so it’s important that customers can work alongside J.B. Hunt and Waymo to ensure that advanced autonomous technology will create capacity that meets their needs. Through shared experiences, technology integration and innovative thinking, autonomous technology can help us advance J.B. Hunt’s mission to create the most efficient transportation network in North America.”
-Craig Harper, chief sustainability officer and executive vice president at J.B. Hunt
Throughout the multi-week pilot, J.B. Hunt, Waymo and Wayfair will monitor and evaluate data relating to delivery logistics, loading and unloading freight, autonomous performance, and factors influencing the overall driving and non-driving experience. The pilot will use J.B. Hunt 360°® technology to automate several processes such as check calls and transactions to improve driving efficiency. Autonomous specialists - a commercially licensed driver and a software technician – will be in the cab for the duration of each trip to monitor the Waymo Driver’s operations.
Expanding our alliance with J.B. Hunt and beginning to move freight together for Wayfair is an exciting next step toward applying the Waymo Driver technology to commercial goods delivery,” said John Verdon, trucking lead, business development and partnerships at Waymo. “We couldn’t be more delighted to work alongside companies who share our innovative spirit and excitement for what autonomous driving technology can mean for the trucking industry.
Following a successful pilot in 2021, J.B. Hunt and Waymo extended their collaboration earlier this year with a long-term vision to complete the first fully autonomous commercial freight transport. During the pilot, more than 862,000 pounds of freight were moved, with no accidents and 100% on-time pick-up and delivery. This will be Wayfair’s first large-scale, hands-on experience using Level 4 autonomous vehicle technology to transport freight. Wayfair is the destination for all things home: helping everyone, anywhere create their feeling of home. Offering a wide selection of over 33 million products from more than 23,000 suppliers, expert customer service and a seamless, omnichannel shopping experience, Wayfair makes it quick and easy for customers to shop for their homes.
“At Wayfair, innovation is at the core of everything we do, and this pilot with J.B. Hunt and Waymo is a great example of this, We’re excited to continue our work with J.B. Hunt and their willingness to collaborate with us on this autonomous commercial vehicle test as a part of our overall strategy to evolve our logistics strategies and end-to-end supply chain solutions.”
-Sean Halligan, Wayfair’s chief global supply chain officer.
As part of their long-term collaboration, J.B. Hunt and Waymo are exploring technology integration opportunities with J.B. Hunt 360. For example, the J.B. Hunt 360box® drop-and-hook freight program that includes more than 12,000 available trailers has the potential to provide a near-term, efficient solution for shippers that would make autonomous driving technology available in the digital freight marketplace for the first time.
Waymo’s impressive experience building autonomous driving technology spans more than a decade, having driven over 20 million miles on public roads and 20 billion miles in simulation. J.B. Hunt operates one of the largest company-owned fleets in the U.S. complemented by an industry-leading multimodal freight marketplace in J.B. Hunt 360. Driven by its talented workforce, industry-leading technology and capacity-driven solutions, J.B. Hunt continues to advance its mission to create the most efficient transportation network in North America.
About J.B. Hunt
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc., an S&P 500 company, provides innovative supply chain solutions for a variety of customers throughout North America. Utilizing an integrated, multimodal approach, the company applies technology-driven methods to create the best solution for each customer, adding efficiency, flexibility, and value to their operations. J.B. Hunt services include intermodal, dedicated, refrigerated, truckload, less-than-truckload, flatbed, single source, final mile, and more. J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. stock trades on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol JBHT and is a component of the Dow Jones Transportation Average. J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of JBHT. For more information, visit www.jbhunt.com.
About Waymo
Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company with a mission to make it safe and easy for people and things to get where they’re going. Since our start as the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009, Waymo has been focused on building, deploying, and commercializing The World’s Most Experienced Driver™ technology to improve the world's access to mobility while saving thousands of lives now lost to traffic crashes. The Waymo Driver powers Waymo One™, the world's first fully autonomous ride-hailing service, as well as Waymo Via™, our trucking and local delivery service. To date, Waymo has autonomously driven tens of millions of miles on public roads and tens of billions of miles in simulation, across 13+ U.S. states. For more: www.waymo.com.
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TRANSPORTATION
ButcherJoseph & Co. | June 09, 2022
ButcherJoseph & Co. (“ButcherJoseph”) advised Smith Transport, Inc. (“Smith” or the “Company”), an asset-based truckload carrier headquartered in Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania, on its sale to Heartland Express, Inc. (NASDAQ: HTLD) (“Heartland”). The transaction closed in June of 2022.
Heartland acquired 100% of the equity of Smith and related companies for a cash-free, debt-free enterprise value of approximately $170 million. Smith was an S corporation for tax purposes, and the transaction included an election under Section 338(h)(10) of the Internal Revenue Code, resulting in tax deduction benefits over periods of one to fifteen years. The purchase agreement contains customary terms and conditions. The Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania property was acquired from its owners in a separate transaction for $14 million in cash and includes both the trucking terminal and 375,000 square feet of warehouse space that is leased to tenants.
Barry Smith, Smith’s Founder and Chairman Emeritus, added, Building Smith Transport has been my life’s work, and I could not have found a better home than Heartland for the Smith family. They offer us long-term stability and the opportunity to grow as part of an industry leader, while retaining our own culture and identity. I look forward to being part of the team to ensure a smooth transition.
“As an employee-owned company, our goal was to find the best value and the best home for our people for years to come. We had long thought Heartland was a great fit because of their regional presence, respect for professional drivers, and unsurpassed customer service that mirrors our own philosophies. With the ability to pay cash and invest in our headquarters, and the desire for Smith to remain an independent brand operated by the same people, the choice was clear. I’m excited to work with Mike Gerdin and the Heartland team to make this a success for everyone.”
-Todd Smith, Smith’s President
ButcherJoseph Managing Partner Joe Strycharz commented, “We’re delighted to have been able to advise Smith Transport in a transaction that met the Company’s strategic objective to remain an independent brand operated by the same people who helped build the company and its culture. The team conducted a thorough process to identify the right buyer and negotiate terms that met the needs of the employee stakeholders involved. Like Heartland, Smith is a dynamic company driven by a commitment to excellence. We couldn’t be happier with the outcome and look forward to the continued growth and future success of both Smith and Heartland.”
About Smith Transport
Founded in 1982, Smith Transport, Inc. is an asset-based truckload carrier headquartered in Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania, with terminal locations in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Indiana. Smith primarily provides dry van transportation and other specialized services in the eastern United States. Smith’s customer base includes many Fortune 500 companies including expedited transportation integrators, retailers, beverage manufacturers, and home supply companies, several of whom have been customers for over 20 years. Smith operates a fleet of approximately 850 company tractors, with an average age of less than three years, and approximately 2,000 dry van trailers. The modern fleet is not expected to require any out of cycle investment.
About Heartland Express
Heartland Express, Inc. is an irregular route truckload carrier based in North Liberty, Iowa, serving customers with shipping lanes throughout the United States. Heartland focuses on medium to short haul regional freight, offering shippers industry-leading on-time service so they can achieve their strategic goals for their customers. Since its initial public offering in 1986, Heartland has grown from approximately $20 million in revenue to one of North America’s largest, most profitable, and best capitalized truckload carriers. Heartland has been recognized 18 times by Forbes Magazine as one of the Top 200 Best Small Companies in America, 17 times as one of the Best Truckload Carriers in America by Logistics Management Magazine, and as one of America’s Most Trusted Companies by Newsweek Magazine in 2022.
About ButcherJoseph & Co.
ButcherJoseph & Co. is a boutique investment banking firm specializing in ESOPs, mergers and acquisitions, private debt & capital sourcing and valuation advisory services for middle market companies. Its industry recognized team of professionals has executed 200+ transactions exceeding $15 billion in total value. ButcherJoseph is headquartered in St. Louis with a presence in Washington, DC and offices in Chicago, Charlotte, Scottsdale, and Nashville.
Advisors
Scudder Law Firm, P.C., L.L.O. served as merger and acquisition transaction and legal advisor to Heartland, while Utz & Lattan, LLC served as Heartland’s special ESOP counsel. Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP served as transaction counsel and McGuireWoods served as special counsel to Smith. Moore & Van Allen PLLC served as counsel to the ESOP trustee.
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LOGISTICS,TRANSPORTATION
Schneider | June 30, 2022
Schneider (NYSE: SNDR), a premier multimodal provider of transportation, intermodal and logistics services is honored to have been named 2021 Dedicated Traditional Operation Carrier of the Year by budget retailer Dollar General. We are thrilled to be recognized by Dollar General for our continued dedication to superior service, said Schneider Senior Vice President of Van Truckload John Bozec. By working together, our relations continue to strengthen and create the best business outcomes.
The award recognizes the operation with the highest combined service level, driver utilization and capacity goal across the Dry Goods Dollar General Network, which includes over 40 individual operations.
“Outside of the metrics, we also see a relentless dedication to our business from Schneider associates and drivers – from executive leadership at headquarters, to the field, to the distribution center,”
-Director of Outbound Transportation for Dollar General, Blake Reasons.
Schneider offers a range of services to meet unique supply chain needs. To learn more about Schneider’s broad portfolio of transportation and logistics services, visit: https://schneider.com/our-services.
About Schneider
Schneider is a premier multimodal provider of transportation, intermodal and logistics services. Offering one of the broadest portfolios in the industry, Schneider’s solutions include Regional and Long-Haul Truckload, Expedited, Dedicated, Bulk, Intermodal, Brokerage, Warehousing, Supply Chain Management, Port Logistics and Logistics Consulting.With $5.6 billion in annual revenue, Schneider has been safely delivering superior customer experiences and investing in innovation for over 85 years. The company’s digital marketplace, Schneider FreightPower®, is revolutionizing the industry giving shippers access to an expanded, highly flexible capacity network and provides carriers with unmatched access to quality drop-and-hook freight – Always Delivering, Always Ahead.
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