Behnke Dedicated & Logistics, a Battle Creek, Michigan-based dedicated and over-the-road truckload carrier, has acquired AG Freight for an undisclosed sum, according to FreightWaves. The deal gives Michigan-based Behnke Logistics an outpost in the Southeast and a presence near South Carolina’s Inland Port Greer, the freight news outlet reported.
The acquisition
AG Freight, headquartered in Piedmont, South Carolina, offers full truckload (TL), less-than-truckload (LTL), expedited and drayage transportation, according to FreightWaves. Behnke Logistics provides dedicated and over-the-road TL transportation across the Midwest with a fleet of more than 50 power units, plus warehousing and distribution services, the outlet reported. Financial terms of the transaction were not provided, according to a news release issued by Calder Capital, which represented Behnke Logistics in the deal. Viking Mergers and Acquisitions represented AG Freight, according to FreightWaves.
| Company | Headquarters | Services | Fleet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Behnke Logistics | Battle Creek, Michigan | Dedicated and over-the-road TL, warehousing & distribution | 50+ power units |
| AG Freight | Piedmont, South Carolina | TL, LTL, expedited, drayage | Not disclosed |
Why the acquisition matters
“AG Freight gives us a real foothold in the Southeast,” said Behnke Logistics CEO Ben Behnke, as reported by FreightWaves. “We’ve been a Midwest operation for four generations, and the Greenville market — with its manufacturing base and the inland port — is a natural extension of what we already do well.”
The acquisition highlights the ongoing trend of regional carriers expanding their geographic footprint through strategic acquisitions, FreightWaves reported. It demonstrates how a regional player like Behnke Logistics can gain a crucial outpost in a key logistics hub like Inland Port Greer without starting from scratch, according to the news outlet.
Impact on shippers and operators
For freight forwarders, logistics managers and shippers, the combined operation now spans the Midwest and the Southeast. Behnke Logistics brings dedicated and over-the-road TL capacity, warehousing and distribution across the Midwest, while AG Freight adds TL, LTL, expedited and drayage services in the Greenville/Piedmont area, according to FreightWaves. The proximity to South Carolina’s Inland Port Greer places the combined company near a key logistics hub, the outlet noted.
Shippers moving freight between the Midwest and the Southeast now have a single ownership group controlling both a Midwest dedicated fleet and a Southeast drayage and LTL operation. The deal also underscores how mid-size regional carriers can use acquisitions to enter new geographies without the cost and time of building terminals and customer bases from scratch, according to FreightWaves.
Watch list
- Combined service footprint: AG Freight’s TL, LTL, expedited and drayage services now sit alongside Behnke’s dedicated and over-the-road TL and warehousing operations, according to FreightWaves.
- Inland Port Greer corridor: The new Southeast outpost places the combined company near Inland Port Greer, a key logistics hub cited by FreightWaves.
- Industry events: The FreightWaves article promoted the Brokerage Compliance Symposium, the F3 Awards Dinner and the F3: Future of Freight Festival, all at The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
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