PS Logistics announced it has acquired peer Roane Transportation Services and its affiliates, adding 189 power units to its flatbed network.
PS Logistics subsidiary, Loudon County Trucking, was the buyer in the transaction. The deal also included Roane’s logistics and leasing operations. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Rockwood, Tennessee-based Roane transports building materials and electrical products across the Southeast and Midwest U.S. through a network of more than 170 company and third-party drivers. The company’s physical locations include the Rockwood headquarters and terminals in Memphis, Tennessee, and El Paso, Texas.
Roane Logistics provides warehousing and freight brokerage services.
“The acquisition of Roane Transportation strengthens PS Logistics’ presence in East Tennessee, expanding our footprint in a region that is critical to the aluminum manufacturing sector and enhancing our ability to support both existing and new customers,” said Houston Vaughn, president of PS Logistics’ trucking division.
Roane will continue to operate under its current banner as a division of Loudon County Trucking. Steve Kennedy, co-founder of Roane, will continue to lead the day-to-day operations.
“For our team and customers, it means we keep the local leadership, culture, and service you know, while gaining the resources and scale to invest further in our people and operations,” Kennedy said.
Subsectors within the flatbed market, like data center construction, have performed strongly this year. Freight broker Landstar System (NASDAQ: LSTR) noted outsized heavy-haul demand when it reported third-quarter results last week. Its flatbed business grew 34% year over year in the period as loads increased 4% and revenue per load jumped 29%.
Birmingham, Alabama-based PS Logistics provides asset-based transportation and non-asset offerings like brokerage, third-party logistics and managed transportation. It operates a fleet of more than 5,000 trucks and 9,800 trailers out of 65 locations across the Eastern U.S.
The company has been rolling up family-owned flatbed trucking and logistics businesses since 2016. Those deals include 32 trucking companies and five non-asset logistics businesses.
It acquired fellow Birmingham-based carrier Buddy Moore Trucking and its more than 500 power units two years ago. Shortly after, it acquired the flatbed fleet (90 tractors and over 240 over-length trailers) of Kenly, North Carolina-based ELS.
Why it matters? This deal highlights the ongoing consolidation in trucking through major carriers like PS Logistics, which continues its strategic rollups by expanding into key regions. Additionally, it underscores strong market demand and performance across specialized flatbed subsectors, such as data center construction.
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