Trucking & Fleet Acquisitions in Canada

RELAM, a portfolio company of Paceline Equity Partners, has acquired Falcon Equipment, Ltd., a specialty truck and equipment solutions company headquartered in Surrey, British Columbia. The deal expands RELAM’s hi-rail and maintenance-of-way equipment presence in Canada and adds end markets including building supply, utilities, snow and ice, and municipal customers. Falcon will continue to be led by its existing management team, with Dan Kielan remaining President.

Gardewine Group Limited Partnership entered into a definitive share purchase agreement to acquire Westman Courier & Freight, a privately owned courier and freight carrier headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The transaction is expected to close on October 1, 2024, and is intended to expand Gardewine’s service network across Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario while providing Westman customers access to Gardewine’s broader transportation and logistics capabilities.

TFI International acquired Canada-based carriers CMW Express and its sister company FRL Express, according to an announcement on LinkedIn. The two businesses are truckload (TL) and less-than-truckload (LTL) specialists serving Quebec, the Maritimes, Ontario and the eastern United States; financial terms were not disclosed.

TFI International acquired Canada-based specialty truckload carrier MJ Lavoie, which focuses on hauling compostable and recyclable materials and residential waste management. The deal terms were not disclosed. The acquisition adds to TFI’s truckload holdings as it prepares for an anticipated spin-off of Daseke and its other TL businesses.

Parts for Trucks acquired Trailine Trailer Parts to expand its national footprint in heavy-duty truck and trailer parts and service. The combined business will strengthen customer experience and operational excellence across Canada’s heavy-duty parts and service network.

Vanair acquired Grip Idle Management, a provider of patented vehicle engine idle-reduction technology. Grip’s idle management systems will be integrated with Vanair’s existing EPEQ idle management offering to expand product capabilities and improve fleet efficiency and emissions outcomes. Grip Idle Management, formerly based in Ontario, Canada, will be relocated to Vanair’s headquarters in Michigan City, Indiana.

Champlain Financial Corporation, together with a group of investors, made a strategic investment in Les Transports Inter-Nord Inc. to support the company’s continued growth in the less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation market. Inter-Nord operates an LTL fleet of over 250 trucks and trailers and maintains a 60,000+ sq. ft. warehouse in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Titanium Transportation Group Inc. acquired all shares of International Truckload Services Group (ITS) for approximately $60.5 million, funded through cash consideration and assumption of net debt (subject to closing adjustments). ITS, based in Belleville, Ontario, provides truckload and logistics solutions across southern Ontario, Quebec, and the United States. The acquisition is intended to expand Titanium’s footprint and capacity and is expected to be immediately accretive to revenue and EBITDA.

James Richardson & Sons, Limited (JRSL) acquired 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of Bison Transport Inc. and its affiliated companies, effective January 1, 2021. The business was purchased from the Jessiman family’s holding company, Wescan Capital Inc., and Bison will remain headquartered in Winnipeg with no expected operational or branding changes.

TFI International Inc. acquired Keith Hall & Sons Transport (KHS), a family-owned transportation business focused on hauling liquid and dry foods and general freight across North America. Headquartered in Burford, Ontario, KHS adds specialized truckload capacity, including a food-grade tank washing facility, to TFI’s food-grade transportation operations.

TFI International Inc. signed a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Gusgo Transport, a container transport and storage company based in Vaughan, Ontario. The acquisition includes Gusgo Transport, Seatainer Transport, and Seatainer Terminals, and Gusgo will join TFI International’s Truckload segment upon closing expected before the end of June 2020.