Transaction will create an industry leader with unique technology capabilities and market-leading solutions for the freight and parcel markets
Worldwide Express, LLC and GlobalTranz Enterprises, LLC, both leading non-asset providers of technology-driven third-party logistics solutions, today announced that the companies will combine. The transaction is sponsored by a consortium led by CVC Capital Partners as well as GlobalTranz’s current lead investors, Providence Equity Partners and PSG. Current Worldwide Express lead investor Ridgemont Equity Partners, along with both Worldwide Express and GlobalTranz management, will also retain a significant stake in the combined entity. Tom Madine, CEO of Worldwide Express, will lead the combined company as CEO and Bob Farrell, CEO of GlobalTranz, will serve as a member of the board of directors. The transaction is expected to close during the third quarter of 2021.
Reflecting the complementary strengths of the two businesses, the combined company will have market-leading offerings in parcel, less-than-truckload (LTL), full truckload (FTL) and managed transportation delivered through proprietary technology. It will continue to go to market both directly and indirectly (via franchisees and independent freight agents) and to serve a customer landscape that spans from small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to larger enterprises. The combined company will also have unique data assets and business intelligence capabilities to provide its customers with visibility and analytics to deliver competitive advantage.
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“I am excited to combine Worldwide Express and GlobalTranz,” said Tom Madine. “The opportunities for growth by combining our resources will dramatically increase our ability to drive technology, further strengthen our carrier partnerships and allow us to provide a deeper offering to our customers. The opportunities for our employees, franchisees and independent agents are now greatly expanded. I tremendously appreciate the strong partnership we have had with Ridgemont and am excited to work with CVC and Providence as we continue to build Worldwide Express into a much larger business.”
“The combination of Worldwide Express and GlobalTranz brings together two companies that have distinguished themselves with innovative logistics solutions and technology,” said Cameron Breitner, Managing Partner at CVC. “Both companies have developed leading positions across multiple sales channels, strong carrier partnerships and superior customer service. The CVC Funds’ investment will help underpin this exciting combination, and we expect to leverage our relationships and resources to help management continue to grow the business.”
“The combination of GlobalTranz with Worldwide Express is an exciting next step in the evolution of our company,” said Bob Farrell. “This merger allows GlobalTranz’s strong technology to be combined with expanded modal capabilities that both our direct resources and independent freight agents can leverage for accelerated growth through deeper, more strategic customer solutions. This transaction will provide new and exciting opportunities for the team at GlobalTranz.”
“Together, GlobalTranz and Worldwide Express will offer a logistics platform poised for continued success with expanded scale, product offerings and sales channels,” said David Phillips, Senior Managing Director at Providence. “We are excited to continue our strong partnership with the GlobalTranz team and to be a part of the combined company’s next phase of growth.”
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“Worldwide Express has achieved remarkable growth over the last several years and is uniquely positioned in the third-party logistics market,” said Rob Edwards, Managing Partner at Ridgemont. “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Tom Madine and the expanded team and look forward to joining forces with GlobalTranz and this experienced investor group.”
Fidus Partners, William Blair, and Jefferies LLC advised the consortium on the transaction. Dechert LLP, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP acted as counsel for CVC, Providence, and Ridgemont respectively. Harris Williams and J.P. Morgan advised Worldwide Express.
